RE: [Leica] Canon really has AF figured out...BLASHPEMY? Or it i s?

[Jim Laurel <jplaurel@microsoft.com>]

I use zone focusing (or "snapshot settings" or "hyperfocal settings) all the
time.  But it's only useful when you can have a relatively wide angle lens
(at least 35mm, better with 28mm), and can stop down to at least f8 or f11.
As the technique requires wide angle lenses, you need to be able to get
close to the subject.

It is not a very worthwhile technique for something like white water
rafting, where you are often shooting in the 150-300mm range to get high
impact compositions.  When you are shooting with ISO 100 film in a shadowy
canyon at 1/1000 sec with a 300mm lens at f2.8 or f4.0, your focusing had
better be absolutely dead-on.  Under these conditions, the smallest focusing
error will squander any optical advantage the best lenses from Leica may
provide.

- --Jim

- -----Original Message-----
From: Mark Rabiner [mailto:mrabiner@concentric.net]
Sent: Monday, June 07, 1999 10:51 AM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: Re: [Leica] Canon really has AF figured out...BLASHPEMY? Or it
is?


Jim Laurel wrote:
> 
> Actually, it seemed to spawn a pretty thoughful discussion.  I didn't get
> any flames, which is a testament to the reasoned thinking around here.  A
> few folks thought I was comparing the EOS1n to the M6.
> 
> Clearly, the R8 is just not as suitable for the kind of subects I was
> working with on that trip.  But when you have the time to be very
> deliberate, I have no doubt that you could acheive better results with it.
> On my upcoming Spain trip, I don't anticipate any fast action and will
have
> time to be deliberate.  The Canons are staying home this time.
> 
> --Jim
> 
Not so Clearly, you are forgetting Jim Bricks point about Zone Focusing.
Using AF Camera's has a way of making one forget about setting up your
camera to grab a sizeable or definite hunk of space in front of you and
point and shooting away. I shot people on carnival rides this weekend
and they were moving so fast past me that even looking through the
viewfinder was not an option. We were just pointing our preset cameras
at the people whizzing by on their little chairs, etc.
White water rafting just does not sound like a lower light situation
requiring AF.
Black water rafting however under the light of the silvery moon requires
the latest in predictive AF!
Mark Rabiner