Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/11/04
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]On Sat, 04 November 2000, Dan Cardish wrote: > <SNIP> ... all I have to do, in ALL lighting conditions, is point that > little square at what I want to be in focus (just as with M Leicas), either > press the shutter release button half-way down or use a separate dedicated > button to lock the focus (analogous to twisting the focus ring on M > Leicas), recompose (as with M Leicas), and press the shutter release button > to take the photograph (as with M Leicas). > > I get a higher focus success ratio with my AF camera (not that the ratio is > bad with the Leica), and focusing is much quicker. > > So whats the problem with autofocus? > > Dan C. > one problem *I* have with autofocus (and auto-exposure, for that matter) is that I want to be able to focus over the *entire* viewscreen and push the button before the critter moves, instead of putting the critter dead-center in the viewfinder, carefully pushing a button halfway, recomposing while the bird is hopping or flying around, hoping I've kept just the right pressure on the focus (or exposure) "hold" while following the creature through its antics. The auto features are more hinderance than help for me. BTW I've just gotten a photo of a Sharp-shinned Hawk from this year's fall migration at Hawk Hill. I'll post the URL when it's on my website. IMHO it's an excellent example of how well-designed manual focus/manual exposure equipment can work with active subjects. While I'm on my soap box I want to mention another of the supposedly great advancements in technology ... VR! I've read from user's reports that the N**** 80-400 VR lens, in one of its VR modes, can take as long as 1 SECOND between mashing the button and the camera opening the shutter. If this is true it will be a very long time before I abandon my shoulder-stocked Telyts for this new-fangled techno-wonder. Doug Herr Birdman of Sacramento http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/telyt - -------------------------------------------------- Stay in touch with Northwestern and the world. Click http://www.nualumni.com to get your FREE Northwestern StartPage. Customize your own collection of the latest news, sports, stock quotes, and more. Check it out today!