[Ask] Any tips on focusing? Leica M6

[decay2000]

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Hello...

 

I wonder whether any of you seniors here have tips for quick focusing on Leica M6? I am using 35mm Lux and 75mm Lux and want to try out in weddings... Do you like -pre-estimate the distance from Object to You first then look at the rangefinder and carefully adjust it. Does it have to be sooo perfectly in-line in order for image to be Razor Sharp?

 

I am sorry if my questions are always too newbie.... Thank you very much and I really appreciate any kind helps and tips..

 

Kind Regards,

Dcay

[Xmas]

Hi

 

At weddings the prime directive is to not overexpose the brides dress.

 

I'd use both an incident and M6's 'spot' at start of formal shots, and if light altered.

 

Using 400 ISO film I'd set the 35mm to 7 foot while there was good daylight and I was using /5.6 or less wide aperture. Take the first pressure on the shutter release up and wait for any event. Batteries in an M6 don't last long with this...

 

If you need more the f/5.6 the bride picked the wrong day.

 

One pocket for fresh cassettes, one for used...

 

 

Noel

[H. James Wolf]

A guestimate first and then use the rangefinder. Look for something with contrast or a straight line. It's almost impossible to get the rangefinder right on a featureless or textureless fabric. When in doubt, go for the eyes. Learn to move your head, or all of you, back and forth to maintain focus rather than trying to follow focus as your subject moves slightly. Works with cats and will work with brides.

Good luck.

[Doug A]

For outdoors where I can stop down the lens I don't use the RF at all. I estimate the distance, set it on the scale and shoot. I can't remember the last time this didn't work. For indoors I estimate the distance, set it on the scale and bring the camera quickly up to my eye to check the focus with the RF. If it's OK I shoot. If it's not OK, I usually lower the camera, re-estimate and repeat. I wear eyeglasses and have to move my eye around to frame with the 35mm lens on the M2. Having to adjust the focus at the same time is a distraction. I should add that my fastest lens is an f2.5. This wouldn't work at all with an f1.4 wide open and might even be a problem with an f/2. (I hope to find out one day )

[Xmas]

Does it have to be sooo perfectly in-line in order for image to be Razor Sharp?

Hi Decay

 

I forgot two things

 

i) early Ms i.e. all M2s and late (post '58) M3 had indications for depth of field in the rangefinder, but only for 5cm lenses. Otherwise you need to use the depth of field scales.

 

But if it is a transient candid fire the shutter and then focus for a better repeat.

 

ii) Brides will prefer an blurred shot instead of a shot which shows lines. Expect to be hit if it is your sister and you overexpose the dress and focus on her wrong side.

 

Noel

[decay2000]

Thank you curmudgeon, james wolf and xmas (Noel) for answering my concerns... hope you have a nice and pleasant day thank you again!

[lincoln_m]

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Decay,

Some great advice in above posts. My advice (which I should do myself) would be to always start from one end or the other to either start close in and change focus to further away firing when you get in focus, or start way out and pull the focus in until you get the subject in focus. At f5.6 and smaller you should have enough depth to not worry too much on focusing on the eyes exactly. I remember using f2 with 50mm and flash indoors. I focused on peoples drinks but that meant the drink was sharp but there faces were not. F4 was more forgiving but for 50mm or 75mm then you will need a smaller stop f5.6, f8 to get good depth when dealing with the close-up portraits that Weddings throw up.

 

I too would advise 400iso film like Provia 400X or TMAX400.

 

If you are standing back to get the couple and the dress in frame with a 35mm then you should be quite a distance away so f4 and smaller (f8, f11 etc ) should give a good DOF so exact focusing is not so important.

 

As others have said if in doubt fire then take a more considered shot if time allows.

 

Take >4 films with you, perhaps 8 if you are THE Official Photographer. That is a lot of work when most shots will be thoughtfully taken over a long day.

 

Get some practise in beforehand, run a couple of the films you plan to use in prep for the big day.

 

Be prepared like a well trained soldier to know when your magazine is nearly empty and change before you run out. So if you have shot 33 frames and there is a lull in activity take a moment out to load a new film. if you don't you'll suddenly find you have dead mans trigger when you need to fire off another 5 shots. Better to lose a few shots on a roll than to have missed the cutting of the cake. They don't always give you any warning that this is going to happen. On minute you are eating pudding and nothing much is happening then they announce the cake cutting and you're the last one to the cake with a bad angle on the knife. You can tell this has happened to me at family weddings several times.

 

Your own family's weddings can be tough like the above because they assume you can read minds, but a paid pro would probably get more warning? I might be wrong here.

 

Regards, Lincoln

[too old to care]

I am also going to agree with most everyone else. I am retired now, but I used to use PORTRA 160NC that I expose at 100. I have done this for years and love the results. I pre-focus at 10 feet and set the f-stop at 4. My flash is also set the same way. I then do final focus if needed, but I usually wait until the subjects move into focus.

 

I do not tell the lab to do anything special, just process as normal. The images often come out soft, but not really out of focus. More like the photos we were used to before the digital rage came along. I recently left the film world and joined the digital one, but I miss film and still use it from time to time.

[WigglePig]

I have found that a good method is to preset the focus to about 2m and then frame the shot whilst far away. Run towards the subjects and press the shutter when the RF shows focus.

 

Meh.

[Xmas]

Hi Wiggggly

 

Suggest that will only work well with express trains in tunnels.

 

Noel

[WigglePig]

It gets very nice, non-standard facial expressions on the wedding party though.

[christer]

One thing that facilitates the use of rangefinder focusing is 100% CLEAN viewfinder windows. All of them that is, two on the front and one on the back of the camera.

 

A drop of alcohol on a soft cotton cloth works wonders. Do NOT use lighter fluid and do not use 96% alcohol. 40-60% or even 80% but get it from a pharmacy and use the best quality they have.

[tobey bilek]

Either reset the lens to infinity or to beyond the subject so you know if you rotate clockwise, it will come into focus. One movement, then stop. Do not twiddle. Learn to recognise the focus point.

 

With portraits and 90 mm, I frequently set the lens to 5 feet and move in/out until the catchlights in the eyes merge. Works for other lenses and situations also.

 

Outside, a vertical line becomes the focus point. If none, turn the camera 90 deg and use a horizontal line.

 

Use the image merge in the patch or use a straight line thru the patch and make it a continuous line right thru the patch.

 

I almost never use the debth of field scale. There is but one plane of focus. Wish all you want, but that`s it.

 

If you absolutely have to get a range in focus, focus on the near point, tranfer to the rear and merge the far image ONLY HALF WAY for where first observed.

[ndjambrose]

I'm probably going to give you some different advice from the general thrust.

 

If you're using a Leica for weddings, chances are you'll be shooting most of the wedding indoors and in low light. You'll find yourself working wide open for a large part of the time. And that's one of the aesthetic strengths of using film for weddings - no high ISO, so beautifully diffused, gently focused images instead.

 

Wide open shooting needs accurate focusing with the rangefinder. Zone focusing doesn't cut it. At distances under 5 meters you'll be working with depth of field ranging from millimetres to a few centimetres. A reasonable technique is to use the distance scale to get the basic range right, but you'll always need the rangefinder to tune in proper focus. You need to be able to do it quickly and instinctively. Good practice is to tune your skills with some street photography, since the shooting conditions are similar to weddings in some ways.

 

For moving subjects travelling in a predictable direction (processionals, for example) it's often useful to pick a spot on the floor and focus on it in advance, then take a few frames as the subject passes through it.

 

You may also benefit from a rapid winder. I use a Leicavit on my MP and find it invaluable. I rarely miss a shot, and can shoot a (slow) burst of frames to capture everything. Especially useful for bouquet toss, dancing, etc.

 

You'll need to plan your film use, but if you're a primary shooter you'll need far more than 4 or 8 rolls. I work on the basis of shooting at least 20 rolls, maybe 30, over a 10 hour day. And that's being a fairly tight shooter. If you've any intention of working in a reportage style then there can be a lot to capture. Eyes always open, camera always loaded. Don't overlook the fact you'll need a range of film stock, colour and b+w, and at different speeds. Tri-X is excellent for its pushability, and if processed correctly, will give you far better results than a 1600 or 3200 speed film.

 

Shutter speed is important. You'll lose more shots due to incorrect speed than you will to incorrect focus. Choose appropriate speeds to stop motion when you need to, or to blur motion when it makes for an interesting shot, and understand your floor speed for your personal shooting technique.

 

Rangefinders are great for weddings. I hope you find your M6 gives you what you're looking for.

[decay2000]

I'm probably going to give you some different advice from the general thrust.

 

If you're using a Leica for weddings, chances are you'll be shooting most of the wedding indoors and in low light. You'll find yourself working wide open for a large part of the time. And that's one of the aesthetic strengths of using film for weddings - no high ISO, so beautifully diffused, gently focused images instead.

 

Wide open shooting needs accurate focusing with the rangefinder. Zone focusing doesn't cut it. At distances under 5 meters you'll be working with depth of field ranging from millimetres to a few centimetres. A reasonable technique is to use the distance scale to get the basic range right, but you'll always need the rangefinder to tune in proper focus. You need to be able to do it quickly and instinctively. Good practice is to tune your skills with some street photography, since the shooting conditions are similar to weddings in some ways.

 

For moving subjects travelling in a predictable direction (processionals, for example) it's often useful to pick a spot on the floor and focus on it in advance, then take a few frames as the subject passes through it.

 

You may also benefit from a rapid winder. I use a Leicavit on my MP and find it invaluable. I rarely miss a shot, and can shoot a (slow) burst of frames to capture everything. Especially useful for bouquet toss, dancing, etc.

 

You'll need to plan your film use, but if you're a primary shooter you'll need far more than 4 or 8 rolls. I work on the basis of shooting at least 20 rolls, maybe 30, over a 10 hour day. And that's being a fairly tight shooter. If you've any intention of working in a reportage style then there can be a lot to capture. Eyes always open, camera always loaded. Don't overlook the fact you'll need a range of film stock, colour and b+w, and at different speeds. Tri-X is excellent for its pushability, and if processed correctly, will give you far better results than a 1600 or 3200 speed film.

 

Shutter speed is important. You'll lose more shots due to incorrect speed than you will to incorrect focus. Choose appropriate speeds to stop motion when you need to, or to blur motion when it makes for an interesting shot, and understand your floor speed for your personal shooting technique.

 

Rangefinders are great for weddings. I hope you find your M6 gives you what you're looking for.

 

This is the kind of what I am looking for....

 

I have asked a friend of mine for 1600 and 3200 speed film. thank you so much.

[lincoln_m]

Dcay,

Neil said don't use 1600 or 3200 iso ! I don't understand why you are getting some for this wedding shoot? If you are outside on a good day with 3200 film you'll be at f16 and 1/1000th with no scope on using different shutter speeds or wider F stops to give you the creativity you'll need. Plus they'll all be grainy shots so anything with more than 2 people in the frame will have grain clumps the size of the subjects eyes. Focusing won't be an issue because you'll have 3m-infinity nice and sharp.

 

400 speed films are very good now. Kodak have recently launched a new Professional Portra 400 which is supposed to be the finest grain colour print film. Tri-X or TMAX400 are also very good B&W films.

 

Personally I don't use colour print film anymore only colour slide Provia 400X (my wedding film choice when I'm a guest) and Velvia100DL for landscapes and B&W print film TMAX400. I'm not happy with high street colour processing as they use old tongs to wipe your films and run scratches down them all over the place. I use one of the UKs professional labs Peak Imaging in Sheffield as they give me back the film very clean and flat, great for scanning.

 

Looking at Neil's wedding shoots I can see he must have a camera for each focal length so he doesn't miss any shots, and maybe B&W and colour repeats so that's 6 camera bodies and lenses if he has 35,50,90mm for colour and black & white. With your 35 and 75 it would be best to have 2 camera bodies, but if you are not the prime photographer and just a guest taking photos then you'll have more time to change lenses when you want to try something different.

 

Perhaps as the Pro photographer Neil does get through 20 films or more in a day, but his 10 hour day sounds completely exhausting shooting that many shots unless he shoots fast and 4 at a time thus eating up the film like a hungry guest at the wedding buffet?

 

Maybe me being a slow landscape photographer this sort of continuous concentration for hours at a time is something I'm not used to? So the family weddings where I've been both a main guest (partner to the mother of bride/groom) and the cheap photographer have meant it was tricky trying to relax but also trying to make sure I got in enough varied shots. The best I did was 7 films almost all individual thought through exposure (shutter-speed, f-stop for the right depth), frame and capture then again another 250 times. I was shattered. Quite different from an afternoon out shooting perhaps 1 film I can tell you.

 

For safety sake it is probably best to stay with just one speed of film because in the rush you may forget to change the iso setting and over or under expose the next film. I've done that a few times on holiday when I used to have velvia 50 and velvia 100. If you have 400 B&W and colour then the iso dial is one less thing to change in a hurry.

 

Good luck and take spare batteries. I'd have 4 spare sets for 20 rolls on an M6. My M6TTL used 4 sets for 12 rolls when on a 3 week trip in Nepal but it was cold at night.

 

Regards, Lincoln

[decay2000]

Yep I was wrong and I have ordered from eBay Ilford XP2 ASA 400 films and will set the ASA Dial at the back of my M6 and expose for 1600 and will PUSH when developed at 1600. Am I a little correct this time? Sorry... for all these newbie's questions but I thank you all for helping me out here..

[decay2000]

Is that how you do push processing? Like when ASA 400 is loaded in my M6 but i turn the back ASA indicator to ASA 1600 and mark the film to Push Process at 1600 when developing right?

[ndjambrose]

...Looking at Neil's wedding shoots I can see he must have a camera for each focal length so he doesn't miss any shots, and maybe B&W and colour repeats so that's 6 camera bodies and lenses if he has 35,50,90mm for colour and black & white....

 

It's actually somewhat simpler. Two bodies, two lenses, plus a lens in the bag. Choice of focal length depends a little on venue, but generally a 75/2 and either a 28/2 or 35/1.4. The extra lens is the Noctilux.

 

 

...Perhaps as the Pro photographer Neil does get through 20 films or more in a day, but his 10 hour day sounds completely exhausting shooting that many shots unless he shoots fast and 4 at a time thus eating up the film like a hungry guest at the wedding buffet?....

 

20 rolls works out at around 600 shots, which over 10 hours isn't much at all. I don't always finish a roll (often have to swap out colour for b+w, or low speed for high speed) so I average around 30 frames per roll, not 36. Which is no more than a frame per minute over the day. Although usage isn't linear - there might be a minute where I shoot a whole roll, or an hour where I take only a handful of shots.

 

Is that how you do push processing? Like when ASA 400 is loaded in my M6 but i turn the back ASA indicator to ASA 1600 and mark the film to Push Process at 1600 when developing right?

 

Exactly so. But (as I'm sure you're aware) you have to make your choice for the entire roll, not on an individual shot basis as you do with digital.

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[StS]

If it is difficult to get a suitable structure for focusing, try tilting the camera by 45°. This should work in most situations.

 

Stefan