Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/07/17
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Hi, Mitch, What you describe is less a "problem" than a reality. Even under ideal circumstances working with the shallow depth of field of the Noctilux and 75 Summilux is difficult, especially, in my experience, with the latter. I sold mine, because I could not consistently focus the thing at 1.4, and at smaller apertures it duplicated the coverage of the 90/2. The Noctilux is less demanding, but just (or, perhaps more accurately, I get more useable images with it). I suppose all RF users develop their own techniques for focusing under difficult conditions, but I look for hard edges and specular reflections (eyeglass frames, for instance, or the reflection from the aqueous surface of the eye); but in practice, unless you're posing the subject, I find that people have the annoying habit of laughing, nodding, shaking their heads, all of which utterly defeat *any* attempt to maintain critical focus. I think that you nail it when you describe working in low light conditions at maximum apertures with these lenses as a "hit or miss" proposition. At least I accept it as so. Over time, I've come to believe that I achieve the highest percentage of useable images with the Noctilux when I'm exposing at shutter speeds of 1/60 or higher, not to quell camera shake, but to control motion blur in the subject. Something has to give, so one needs either a quicker emulsion or more light, or both. I will also add that I use the Noctilux exclusively on an M3 body or on an M4-P modified with an M3 view finder. The image is bright *and* large, but even here I blow it more often than not. It's called pushing the envelope, I think. Chandos - -----Original Message----- From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us] On Behalf Of Mitch Alland Sent: Thursday, July 17, 2003 1:58 AM To: leica-users Subject: [Leica] Lagavulin and focussing Noctilux and 75 Summilux in low light I posted about learning to drink Lagavulin and got 15-20 responses, and I posted about the problems of focussing the Noctilux and 75 Summilux in low light and got 1 response which was jocular not informative. I suppose someone will say, "Yup this is the LUG." So here's the Noctilux/Summilux focussing question again: - --------------- Last night I tried to take portraits of three young women using the Noctilux and the 75 Summilux on my M6 in low light which, with 400 ISO film, required exposures of 1/15 sec. at f1.4 and 1/30 sec at f1.0. Trying to focus on the eyes, I found it extremely difficult: the low light and the relative large turning circle of the focussing ring of these two lenses made it extremely difficult to tell when the eyes were in focus. I also tried using the 1.25x magnifier but this did not seem to make it any easier as it slightly darkens the viewfinder image. I get the feeling focussing the M6 in such low light at the extremely narrow DOF of the 1.0-14 apertures of these lenses is a hit or miss process. Is there a solution to this problem other than rating the film at 800 ISO and shooting at, say, f2.0 to increase the DOF? ...and for Ted Grant: I wasn't drinking the Lagavulin, so that was not the problem. - ------------- - --Mitch/Bangkok - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html