Re: [Leica] Leica focusing...HELP!

[John Collier <jbcollier@shaw.ca>]

I use my Noctilux in off centered compositions all the time. Not too 
far off center otherwise the subject would disappear in the Nocti's 
wide open vignetting :-). I used to think that AF was a godsend until I 
read about pros who, on top of bracketing their exposures, also bracket 
their focus point. That we have auto everything cameras and then have 
to bracket everything that is supposedly set automatically, makes me 
deeply suspicious. Perhaps these days no one learns their equipment 
inside and out anymore. Or, for that matter, to set their exposures by 
instinct. When I use my 35/M camera combo, before it hits my face, the 
focus is within a inch or so and exposure is either right on or a 
maximum of a 1/2 stop out. It does not sound like an auto everything 
camera is any better. Worse in fact as it makes it more difficult to 
quickly make subtle tweaks.

John Collier

On Monday, March 10, 2003, at 09:25 PM, Red Dawn wrote:

> Hi Mike,
>
> u're going to get me in trouble answering that qn on the LUG....:p
>
> What I meant was by taking the burden of accurate focus off the
> photographer, one is more relaxed and free to think about the right
> composition. Just as Chris mentioned that he is more free to think 
> about
> focusing the camera when the job of exposure is taken care of by the AE
> feature of his M7, with a camera with fast AF, focusing becomes more 
> of a
> none issue and the photographer can think more about the shot in terms 
> of
> arragement of elements in the frame, balancing content and asthetics,
> instead of worrying whether that rangefinder image is really perfectly 
> lined
> up.......
>
> Of course this is a very personal issue. Some positively hate anything
> that's electronic or battery dependent :) I can wield an M with ease 
> and
> work just as fast as my AF SLRs for focal lengths 50mm and below, and 
> still
> compose things the way i want to. I'm not a fan of zone focusing, 
> preferring
> to focus exactly whenever possible.
>
> There is a second part to my answer, though, and that is the use of 
> fast
> telephoto lenses (75 f1.4, 90 f2 etc) or extremely fast lenses like the
> Noctilux. Ever wondered why most Noctilux shots have their subjects
> perfectly centred in the frame? Often with DOF so narrow with these 
> lenses,
> focus then recompose is a big no-no, especially for moving subjects.
>
> Modern AF systems shine in this aspect, with the ability to selectively
> place AF points over desired spots (for me, almost always the eyes of 
> any
> human subject). With that capability, you can choose an off center AF 
> point,
> frame up the subject with the composition you want, and shoot with
> confidence that the focus is dead on where you want it to be. It's much
> faster too. And if i wish, i can configure the camera to behave 
> exactly like
> my M - one button press to focus, the main shutter release for well, 
> shutter
> release, which means the camera will not attempt to AF everytime i half
> press the shutter release - that way i can hold focus. the best thing 
> is i
> can even do this with off center moving subjects - and i can still 
> shoot
> wide open with confidence.
>
> I've always thought that lenses like the M 50 f1.0, 75 f1.4, 90 f2 etc 
> are
> wasted on rangefinders, and are probably more suitable for use on SLRs,
> where it's much easier to wield them, even with manual SLRs. The whole
> premise of the M rangefinders, is to me, shooting fast and candid 
> fleeting
> moments, often in horrible light. It's harder to achieve that with 
> say, a
> Leica M and 75 f1.4 @f1.4, than a Canon 1v with a 85 f1.2 lens, and 
> still
> get a satisfactory composition that does not have the main subject 
> perfectly
> centred in the frame....
>
> the 75mm at f1.4 may have phenomenal bokeh, contrast and sharpness - 
> but it
> only works if the picture is
> 1) in focus
> 2) has a pleasing composition
>
> agree? :)

- --
To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html