Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/11/06

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: RE: [Leica] Re: Greg Bicket's focus thread
From: Larry Kopitnik <kopitnil@marketingcomm.com>
Date: Mon, 6 Nov 2000 08:11:45 -0600

>>>>>>>>>>
No doubt, you can get 'perfectly' focused photos...to the limits of the
autofocus (something should always be in focus ;-), but you can't select
exactly where you want it to autofocus...I can give you hundreds of
situations where your autofocus will fail.  I am not saying autofocus
doesn't have it's place, and doesn't work acceptably for certain
situations...  This is just a fact, and I am amazed that it's being
disbelieved!
<<<<<<<<<<

I'm sure you can cite situations where autofocus doesn't work. Jim's 
focusing through plexiglass example is a perfect one (should it focus 
on the reflections on the glass or what's behind the glass? Only the 
photographer, not the camera, knows). Autofocus, as I wrote 
previously, is not a panacea. It does not fit every situation.

But fact is fact:  I regularly shoot an 85 mm lens at f/1.4 and 
something like 3 to 8 foot distance. That's less depth of field than 
a Noctilux at like distances. I regularly autofocus on the eye I want 
in focus. Front eye or rear, I decide by placing the autofocus sensor 
over the eye I've decided on. And that sensor places focus there. 
Right there. Exactly were I want it to autofocus. I'm not sure if 
it's detecting the contrast difference between highlights and dark 
areas within the eye or between the edge of a dark eye and the 
surrounding face. Nor do I care. Because, despite amazed disbelief, 
it works.