[Leica] AF

["Joe Codispoti" <joecodi@thegrid.net>]

It is a well known fact that auto-focus is not the panacea that the die
hards extol. AF needs to see contrast in order be able to focus, and it
cannot focus between two fence posts in order to abide to the "thirds rule"
of DOF. To be fair however, AF has its place, and in some cases manual focus
cannot compete. "Follow focus", "predictive focus" and ultra fast focus have
their place in sports and other types of photography where manual focus
would be difficult.

Doug talked about the advantage of  push-pull type of focus as in the Telyts
over the conventional types. So do manual and auto-focus have their niche.

I use the auto-focus in the Canon EOS 1n when photographing people,
especially children. I would not want to do without it. But I turn it off
and use my eye in situations where manual is a better choice.
The point is, if I want it it is there for me to use. So are all the other
wonderful innovations in photography such as eye-coltrol auto-focus, TTL,
1/250 synch speed, AE/AT/P exposure controls, auto-bracketing etc. etc. etc.
They are there if I want to use it. When I want touchy feely and brutal
sharpness, then I use Leica.

It is counter productive to argue about the merits or hindrance of this or
that auto feature or "towers of plastic".
Often when I read disparaging remarks about Nikon and Canon innovations I
cannot help think that we are trying to justify the exorbitant amounts of
money we spend for 1/50th sec TTL synch speeds.

Remember, there was the box camera once. Anything else is progress.

Joseph Codispoti