Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/08/23

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: Monaghan the Clueless replies...
From: InfinityDT@aol.com
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 12:30:04 EDT

In a message dated 8/23/99 11:43:21 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
jimbrick@photoaccess.com writes:

<< A human, with good or corrected eyesight, one who
 "understands" how DOF and focus actually works, can out focus AF anyday.
 Perhaps the "in the middle of it" sports photographer, or photographing a
 running cheetah (toward you), AF can be a great help. But for critical
 focus, for most subjects, by most photographers (those who know the craft
 of photography), most of the time, MF is without question, the better 
system. >>

Absolutely.  One reason the Nikon AF system was such a pain the butt until 
the AF-I and AF-S lenses came along, and why the Contax G "manual auto 
focusing" is likewise.  I sincerely hope that if and when Leica chooses to 
initiate AF into their R or M lines, there will be the opportunity for 
instantaneous user override plus the retention of sufficient finder acuity to 
permit manual focusing.  I've never used the Contax AX outside a camera 
store, but aside from inadequacies seemingly more related to the software 
than the design, it seems like a good approach.  Since Kyocera already has an 
arrangement with Leica to produce some zoom lenses, I've wondered if an 
*updated* and re-engineered AX with an R mount couldn't be an economical way 
for Leica to offer AF without any compromise to their lenses.