Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/05/16
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 09:53 AM 5/16/00 -0700, Rich Lahrson wrote: >Mark Rabiner wrote: >> What if you had to take a picture of a chair? > >Hi Mark, > > You focuz a third in. > > Rich Not usually easy to do with autofocus. This is the problem with AF. It is difficult to tell it "exactly" where to focus. I can only focus on something that has an abrupt change in contrast. It may not be able to see vertical lines, or horizontal lines. A photograph of that diminishing picket fence might be difficult. Or that photograph of the diminishing railroad track. Or that chair with vertical slats. AF is great for wedding receptions, bachelor parties, a two year old, a dinner party, etc. But it sucks big time if you know the "craft" of photography and want to focus on a "specific" spot because that will give you the precise DOF that you want. In fifty years, I've not yet found a use for AF. I personally like to control my photographic result. I don't want a computer algorithm dreamed up by some programmer sitting in a cubicle, to attempt to focus for me. Having said that, that is precisely what I am doing at this moment. I'm writing the algorithm and program to focus the digital camera we (PhotoAccess) are designing and producing. But I won't use it. Engineering it is one thing. Using it is yet another. Jim