Re: [Leica] Thanks!! OT Nikon F5

["Robert Stack" <ticino@earthlink.net>]

Greetings Simon.
I think you answered your own questions.  Before computers in
cameras,autofocus and motor drives, photographers measured the light, made
exposure decisions, pre focused, etc.  I don't think there were too many
problems that the Life photographers on Omaha beach couldn't overcome using
their manually operated cameras while dodging all forms of nasty stuff from
the enemy above.  Not the same as photographing a fast lion, I grant you,
but tough to do nonetheless.  And they succeeded brilliantly!
Bob
- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Simon Lamb" <s_lamb@compuserve.com>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Sunday, May 14, 2000 5:33 AM
Subject: Re: [Leica] Thanks!! OT Nikon F5


> Uwe
>
> OK, so that I can understand how non AF people operate is fast action,
what are
> your (and the groups) opinion on this.
>
> You are tracking a lioness stalking a hers of wildebeest and you know that
you
> are going to see a high speed hunt in action. Suddenly the lioness
accelerates
> and gives chase, dodging this way and that as a single young wildebeest
tries to
> evade capture.  The action is happening realtime and sometimes the animals
are
> passing behind trees.
>
> Do you use your super SLR with predictive AF, focus lock-on so that you
don't
> refocus when the action goes behind obstacles, colour metering so you can
forget
> about exposures as they will be spot on and high shutter speeds because
you has
> 400 film in the camera and don't have time to change rolls.  You get 36
frames of
> action captured in about 4 seconds, five seconds to change to new film,
and off
> again.
>
> OR
>
> M6 or R8 rangefinder/manual focus camera with none of the above.
>
> Now, don't shoot me down in flames.  As I have said, my new M6 is great
and I
> love it but it is not the tool for the job IMHO for the scenario above.
My F5
> is.  So, as so many have said before, the picture counts and I know what
will
> give me the best chance of getting it.
>
> I would be interested in finding out how others with M6 or R8 would
approach this
> situation.  I know that many have said they were sports action photogs
before AF
> existed, so I would be interested to learn of any techniques that could
work in
> this type of scenario.
>
> Simon
>
> Uweflammer@aol.com wrote:
>
> > <<If you don't need AF on your rangefinder system why would you need it
on
> > your
> > SLR system?>>
> >
> > According to my experience, AF only makes sense if i can see what the AF
is
> > doing, and so i need the SLR focusing screen to see this. This was the
reason
> > why i did not by a Contax G2, although this system is well made and is
sold
> > for a reasonable price.
> >
> > Best regards
> > Uwe
>
>
>
>