faster manual focus: RF or SLR?

[meastman@mv.us.adobe.com (Mark Eastman)]

Recently I did a shoot in a low light situation (a bakery) using
both an SLR with a 28mm f2.8 and a M Leica with a 35mm f2 without a flash
and exposing Tri-X and 3200 Tmax at 800 ASA (not bad!).

Generally the Leica does seem faster to focus because of the thumb
tab on certain lenses allowing one to "memorize" certain distance
positions. I found that in tight quarters with many objects in the
frame, in low light, it can be hard to line-up the rangefinder quickly.
Maybe it was because this was at close range (or the fact that I did
the shoot at two in the morning :^), but it just seemed easier to focus
the 28mm SLR lens at close range (3-6ft) than the Leica set-up.

The clarity of the Leica finder to me makes up for the small rf rectangle
to contend with combined with the thumb tab comment above.

Anyone other comments?

Thanks,

Mark
meastman@adobe.com