Re: [Leica] M6 Myths

[LEICAMAN56@aol.com]

I really have a lot of problems with this complaint about focussing with a
Leica M camera.  Compared to an SLR, focus with a Leica M is much easier and
more accurate with wide angle thru 90mm lenses.  In fact, the lower the light
level, the easier the focus becomes.  The M does not rely on the brightness of
the focussing screen, the speed of the lens, etc. like an SLR to aid in focus.
The focus on an M camera is much more positive than an SLR where you focus, go
thru the point of sharp focus and then back again until it "looks" sharp in
the viewfinder.  During this process, the eye begins to "accomodate" to the
image and what you think is sharp is not.  This does not happen with the M.
This also makes the M quicker to focus, since you achieve proper focus
immediately, without turning the focus ring back and forth trying to acchieve
sharp focus as you would with an SLR.

This whole principle used to be demonstrated with a simple experiment at the
Leica School.  They would tape a strip of paper on the focussing scale of an M
lens and an R lens.  You would focus on an object with each lens several
times, marking the point of sharp focus on the paper tape each time.  After 3
times you would then compare the marks made on the tape on the two lenses.
Invariably, the point of focus would be different all three times on the SLR
lens, and the same all three times on the M lens.  Try this one yourself and I
think you'll see the same thing happen.

Bill Rosauer