Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/11/06
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]>>>>>>>>>> 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.