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Leica SL Focus Peaking


arvin

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Hi all

 

Ever since I started using my SL, I cannot get focus peaking to work all the time. I had only seen it maybe once or twice. I tried it everywhere.

 

Is it because I am using the adaptor with M lens?

 

Drive mode: Single

 

It's almost always visible on my M240, but not with the SL. Does anyone know why?

 

Lens I used included Leica 90/4, 90/2.8 and Voitglander 15/4.5 III

 

Thanks

 

Arvin

 

 

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Edited by arvin
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The strength of a peaking display depends on both the scene characteristics (are there lots of micro-edges to find in contrast?) and on the lenses' contrast at the lens opening you're using. The SL, with firmware 2.0 or later installed, also has two levels of peaking display available.

 

With some of my lenses used wide open, the peaking display is very subtle and hard to see on the higher powered display setting. With others, it jumps out at me even in low mode.

 

It may seem counterintuitive, but with peaking active and assuming a scene with lots of edges in it to find contrasts along, try stopping the lens down one or two stops to see whether the peaking display improves, and/or switch to the higher powered peaking display. Remember that focus peaking is not actually telling you whether something is in focus or not, only that there are contrast edges that indicate a potentially good focus. You have to interpret what the display shows you...

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It should show up on all the lenses you mention with no problem.

 

Check all your menu settings ...... if you have several profiles set up make sure it is activated in all of them. Make sure it is included as 'on' in the 'Liveview' menu options. Try setting the sensitivity to 'high' in the Capture Assistants Menu and Manual Focus Aid 'on' in the Focus Peaking bit.

 

The Bottom Right button cycles through the various options of which peaking is only one ..... it is easy to deselect it - the little 'head and shoulders' icon should be visible mid right of the screen and EVF if FP is active. 

 

I think it likely this is a menu selection issue .....

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Like thighslapper wrote, it's easy to press the lower right button and disable focus peaking. 

 

You can also adjust the sensitivity of FP in the camera's settings.  I started with 'high' but found it wasn't as accurate as I liked.  I switched to 'low' and have been much happier.

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Thanks all,

 

I haven't had any profiles yet.

FP is definitely activated and was on in the liveview menu. It is also currently set to high in the capture assistants menu.

 

One thing worth mentioning though, do I have to keep the one option (the little head and shoulders' icon) with peaking on all the time in order to have it?

 

Because normally I have nothing on assuming it always works like the m240. Perhaps that's my issue! Aww.....

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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And I just confirmed the problem testing it with my camera!

 

Like described, I do have to keep that option on before it shows the FP!

 

No wonder I have it on and off all the time.

 

Problem solved. Thanks heaps!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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I have done some tests of my focusing accuracy with my Noctilux at 0.95:

 

1. the assist functions (the worst results)

2. Zooming in (by far the slowest, especially when focus point isn't centred, and not giving me the best results)

3. Simply focusing with the standard screen, with the composition as I want it (eg focus point could be in a corner) until the focus point becomes most defined. Often to determine this point I have to overshoot a tad and then return so I'm confident it's as sharp as it gets. You are really looking for the strongest contrast in the image at the point, than for other ranges. By far the most accurate.

 

Key is having the diopter correct for your eyes and have trust in yourself that the focusing accurate (think Luke Skywalker and the Death Star). Difference between 3 and 2 is pretty significant - I would say always at least as good and generally significantly better.

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