Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/11/10

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: Kid candids
From: Rick Dykstra <rdandcb@cybermac.com.au>
Date: Sat, 11 Nov 2000 09:13:16 +1100

someone wrote:

> If the subject is children, autofocus is a godsend.

Hi all.  Here's how I see it.

Autofocus is quick for sure, but I've found that it can't track the fast,
unpredictable movements children make.  For moving subjects, autofocus
systems need time to acquire and track a smoothly moving subject.

To get good shots of children running back and forth?  Forget about moving
the focal plane to catch the kids (either automatically or manually),
rather, adjust the focal plane and wait 'till the child moves into it.  I
think a manual focus camera is best for this.

If the chidren are still, then autofocus isn't needed, so manual is best
again.

For me, autofocus wins hands down for taking sports action shots of children
running at top speed over a playing field.  But even in this scenario, I'll
still switch to manual for set piece free kicks, and wait for the player to
run into the focal plane.  Autofocus tends to loose the plot when kids make
a short run up to kick a placed ball.

R vs M for photographing children?  Kids have smooth skin, and the
microprism part of the R screen is good for that.  Kids blink a lot, so the
M is good in that respect.  Kids move fast, so the M viewfinder is good
there.  If the child's face is turned away I find the M very easy to focus
on their ear, and their closest eye will be in the same focal plane when
their face comes round.  The M is quieter, smaller, more like mum and dad's
'sure shot', which helps.  An F5 with a 300 doesn't help one fade into the
background!  

An M and a 90 gives you invisibility.

Good photos of children can be treasures.

Regards

Rick Dykstra.