RE: [Leica] Shooting children, etc.

["Felix Lopez de Maturana" <fmaturana@inicia.es>]

Re this and other posts on focusing, I haven't used an F5 (which I hear has
great AF), but I find it easier to get focus with an M than with the EOS 1
I use at work.  After getting too many out of focus shots at basketball
games (in both MF and AF), now I like to shoot with an M4-2, winder, and
90mm f2.  SHARP pictures! And no shutter delay.  I've played with a
friend's G2, but it didn't seems as quick and positive as a Leica.

As an aside to new users, back in 1973 it took me a year of using my M3 to
get completely comfortable with rangefinder focusing, but now it's second
nature.  Another thing to notice is, if you have a Leica lens with focusing
tab, that the secondary image seems to pivot on the lens axis, i.e. pushing
the lever left moves the image right, etc.  This gets to be automatic and
fast.

Just what works for me.

Alan

I use a EOS 1-V "and" a Nikon F-5 and, in my hands,  either are quicker
focusing that a Leica. I'm in training with my M-6 and focusing is very easy
and sure when both AF SLR sometimes have doubts focusing,  mainly on
difficult matters as vertical strips or not contrasted subjects. Except for
a few cases modern SLR AF are really very quick and sure. I have and use too
a Contax G-2 and here is a different case. There are more doubts in focusing
but generally speaking it works rather well. Of course some years ago good
pros were focusing very quickly without ant AF buy as always good pros have
made nice pics whatever gear they had.

IMHO, and I am a Leica beginner, I use my M6 to take pics spending a lot of
time thinking with care about composition, focus, meter and never in a
hurry... SLR are for more quickly photography. I have similar thoughts about
MF where I use very often tripod. Just the opinión of a old spanish amateur

Félix