Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/07/12
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I think it depends on the sport whether autofocus is appropriate. I have worked in the motor racing business most of my life - as an engineer. I know all the regular professional photographers well. Most have switched from Nikon to Canon over the last 25 years. The only regular Leica R user - an Italian - I have not seen for a few years. I saw one of the video cameramen taking B&W shots in the pits with a Titanium M6 at the French GP at Magny Cours last weekend. Otherwise no Leicas. None of the best photographers I know use the autofocus much for anything but grab shots. The reason is the desire to choose themselves where the focus point is. Using fast lenses wide open and autofocus rarely leads to the ideal part of the subject being in focus. Manually shifting the autofocus point is too slow to be useful. They use Canon for the lenses. I am sure in slower sports it is useful. I find AF great for children and dogs! I like manual focus, but I also prefer manual wind if the motorised alternative is any heavier or bulkier. Put a Leica 1 next to a Nikon F5 or Eos1v with the ubiquitous booster, say to yourself - these devices produce the same size negatives - and decide how many the "advances" in modern cameras are worth it. I am a keen amateur and I am simply not prepared to carry something that big, professionals have quite different requirements. cheers Frank > Sal DiMarco,Jr. noted > > Gentlemen, > Pray tell, why is my name being mentioned in the same sentence as > the > brand 'n' f3? > Yes, Iam a working professional who uses Leica REFLEX cameras > (including > the R8) and since I do very little sports work, I can easily live > without > autofocus. > Happy snaps, > Sal > > Sal DiMarco, Jr. > Philadelphia, PA - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html