[Leica] Focusing lag time with Leicas

[Five Senses Productions <fls@home.com>]

This is the same thing I have found since I converted to Leica from Nikon.
AF is VERY helpful when shooting people.....especially models.  I used to
shoot models with an F5 and I could point the center spot at an eye or 
other important bodily part and focus with the AF-ON button, then compose
the shot and shoot with the shutter release all within 2-3 seconds.  NOW, 
with the M and R cameras, it is a whole different story.  With the M6, I have
to point the RF square at an important feature, slowly maneuver the lens 
until I have precise focus (this takes the longest), recompose, then shoot,
and hope the model has not given up on me and changed her facial expression
or moved an inch or two backwards so that focus is off again.  This whole
procedure takes me up to 8 seconds per frame.  Worse still is when the 
model is in a relaxed, unposed situation and she has the perfect look on 
her face and I just have to get a shot off fast.  Again, by the time I
would get
my M6 out and focused, the moment would be gone.  With the F5, I can get a
once in a lifetime shot like that off in under a second with the push of
one button.
Since I started shooting models with Leica, I have noticed a higher percentage
of out of focus shots than I got with the F5.  Even after I spend 5 seconds
fine
tuning the focus, I get out of focus shots, or the focus is not exactly
where I
wanted it.  
Does anyone have any friendly helpful hints or techniques I may be missing?
If I don't get my percentage of perfectly focused and exposed shots up soon, 
I may have to revert to using the F5 again for models, and just keep the
Leicas
for stationary photographs.  I would HATE to do that and I really want to make
Leica work for me for all situations.  Any ideas or suggestions? 

Am I just not up to par on focusing speed yet?  Do I just need more practice
or am I being too much of a perfectionist to want 3 or 4 out of 5 photos to 
be perfect?  What do the rest of you consider to be acceptable?

Francesco
fls@5senses.com





At 01:17 PM 5/22/98 -0700, Emanuel-Temp_Lowi@READERSDIGEST.COM wrote:

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>Date: Fri, 22 May 1998 14:41:42 -0400
>Subject: Re: [Leica] Autofocusing
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>I read with interest the increasing debate about the future of
>autofocussing and our Solms masters. I've been an M-camera devotee for more
>than 20 years, so I guess manual focus has been my creed for that long too
>(actually, I used other RF brands before Leica, so longer...).
>When I first took the leap into SLRs (for longer lenses, mostly) the thing
>that annoyed me most was the lack of certainty with focussing, the way that
>- even with lots of experience - precise focus remains quite subjective,
>something you've got to hunt around for. Not so with the M, where you can
>be sure almost instantly if you are in or out.
>I switched to autofocus last year and find it very useful for much more
>than just sports, wildlife or fast action. The ability to get shots of
>people, with the whites of their eyes in perfect focus and without making
>them wait more than an instant while I fiddle around, is really very
>useful. More time to spend on composition or catching the instant when
>their facial expression is really ideal. I don't think autofocus is a
>limited-use feature.
>P.S. I still use the M-camera for much of my work, because it is still less
>threatening to point one at someone than a big bayyery-powered beast. These
>are the trade-offs. I bet Solms will have to go for it eventually...
>