[Leica] Follow focusing (WAS: Thanks!! OT Nikon F5)

[Harrison Mcclary <harrison@mcclary.net>]

once upon a time Simon Lamb wrote:

> Now, don't shoot me down in flames.  As I have said, my new M6 is great and I
> love it but it is not the tool for the job IMHO for the scenario above.  My F5
> is.  So, as so many have said before, the picture counts and I know what will
> give me the best chance of getting it.
> 
> I would be interested in finding out how others with M6 or R8 would approach
> this
> situation.  I know that many have said they were sports action photogs before
> AF
> existed, so I would be interested to learn of any techniques that could work
> in
> this type of scenario.

Simon,

A photographer who shoots with a manual focus camera generally has the art
of follow focusing down pat.  Focusing is "automatic".  You do not think
about it, it just happens.  Your hands/fingers keep the image your are
looking at sharp with out conscious effort.  This may sound odd to you, but
if you work as a professional with a certain camera you learn it inside and
out and you simply learn how to focus very quickly.

Kind of like how a shooter with a pump shotgun can shoot as quickly and
accurately as one with a semi automatic.

The AF stuff is very nice and I have used it on my EOS gear...it comes in
handy shooting NFL football, esp on my 70-200 with the 1.4x on it as I can
hang that camera around my neck and when action happens close I can shoot
with one hand.  But on the long lenses AF can be more of a pain as it will
refocus close if someone runs between me and the subject of the
photo...happens a lot in football.  With MF I/my eyes keep the subject sharp
even though someone crossed the zone of focus.

Now I do admit that today I am not as good with MF as I was 8 years ago, but
I shoot sports only 2 or 3 times a year so I am VERY rusty now and AF would
help me get more sharp photos.  But back when I was shooting sports 3 times
a week I would get NFL pass receptions sharp with ball at finger tips
regularly.  See: http://home.earthlink.net/~hmcclary/spts.html

The photo in the lower left of Deion Sanders and Gerry Rice was made with a
Canon F1n/400 2.8L with 1.4x (effectively about a 600 f4) wide open.  All
manual focus.  On AF if I was not paying close attention to where the focus
dot fell the stadium seats would have been sharp and the players out of
focus...a lost shot in other words.

If you want to learn to follow focus go to a highway with a lot of film and
a long lens and photograph cars...following focusing on them as they
approach.  After a few days of this you will see a large improvement in your
abilities.  That is how I and many others learned the skill.  Practice,
practice, practice....it really works, even with a Leica.  ;)
- -- 
Harrison McClary
http://www.mcclary.net