Back Focus Technique on SL

[sillbeers15]

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My frustrating focus tracking experiences tracking on fast and small moving objects such as Birds-in-flight with the SL has lead me to explore Back Focus Technique (commonly employed by DSLR users over shooting sports/wildlife/BIF) to overcome focus tracking limitations in the AF focus tracking generally encountered in DSLRs.

 

I custom set the joystick to 'AF-L + AE-L' and set the focusing to MF to free up the shutter release button from AF focusing on the SL native lens (there is no SF/MF selection button on SL native lenses). In such as set up, I can focus with the joystick and trigger the shutter release button as and when I please. Interestingly under such a set up, I can still focus track with the joystick under certain circumstances and trigger the shutter release when I desire. It is by no means an easier technique that guarantees 100% success rate but I find that over practice I get better success than depending on 'AFC + Focus Tracking' over small and fast moving objects.

 

If anyone has discover a better way to effectively control AF focusing on the SL, kindly share.

[Ingo]

I do it the same way since years with DSLR and of course also with the SL. This is best practice especially for sport photographers and brings maximum control for focus.

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[sillbeers15]

Mynar is a common sighted feathered creature in Singapore.

This fellow in my backyard inevitabily became my APO VE 90-280mm + Typ 601 AF target practice.

 

L1010252 by sillbeers15, on Flickr

Edited July 21, 2016 by sillbeers15

[su25]

Leica SL manual says on page 223 that one can activate AF-L & AE-L in AF mode. I am unable to get this to work. I would like to assign AF-L to the joystick and use AE-L for shutter button. Any idea how to get this to work without switching to MF?

[sillbeers15]

My understanding from the user manual is that when you customise the LV button to AF-L, the AE-L will be locked by pressing the shutter release button. I found that without switching to 'MF', depressing the shutter release button will activate the AF.

[ramarren]

The problem with these customizations, for me, is that the "lock" requires I keep holding the button until the exposure is made. It's MUCH easier to set the mode to MF, set the toggle button to AF-L. Then you press the toggle button to do a 'one-time AF focus capture', and you lock the exposure system by framing what you want to meter on and half-pressing the shutter release. Then you reframe and release the shutter by pressing the rest of the way. 

 

If the toggle button's lock mode was one press lock, second press unlock, it would be more useful and I would alter my workflow. 

[kikouyou]

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I am also using MF mostly, with one time AF on the joystic. But I miss a convenient way to zoom in when tuning the focus. I would appreciate an auto magnification when turning the focus ring like on the M.