[Leica] Focus hocus-pokus

[Peter Klein <pklein@2alpha.net>]

I've just realized something interesting about my focusing technique with 
the Leica.  Sometimes, due to RF flare, bad light or tired eyes, it's hard 
to get the exact point of focus.  Some of my pictures taken wide-open under 
these conditions have seemed to be focused a little too far back.

It just hit me why this is happening.  If I'm unsure of focus, I tend to 
nudge the lens towards infinity until I'm either satisfied or fed up and 
just shoot anyway.

I think I should do the exact opposite.  Depth of field is always about 2/3 
behind the point of exact focus and 1/3 in front.  So if I err on the far 
side of focus, I have twice as much of a chance of missing the zone of 
sharpest focus.  If I nudge the focus closer (or my body a little farther), 
then I have twice as much chance of being right.

So I'm going to retrain myself to use Ted's Grant's SLR focus 
technique:  Start from too close a focus point, then go no farther than 
when it looks right.  If you overshoot, go back a bit and do it over.  To 
which I'll add:  If in doubt, err on the side of being a focused a tiny bit 
too close rather than too far.

Ted:  Thanks for the inspiration!

- --Peter