Ivan Muller Posted January 11, 2012 Share #1  Posted January 11, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) I have had my X1 for just over a year now and I think that I have figured out most of its disadvantages and mostly turned that into advantages...  We all know that the AF is pretty slow so here is my work around...Enclosed a 'action' shot that I made over the new year. I set my camera to MF and via the lcd set the camera to zone focus or hyper focal length. I usually use f11 because then everything is in focus from about 1.8m to infinity. Iso is set to 400 which gives me a fast enough shutterspeed to freeze action in most lighting conditions.  Once I have set the 'zone' focus I can lock it via a menu setting.., just depress delete/focus buton for a few seconds and it will be locked. All this is also set in my ' User Profiles', so if I want to do zone focus shooting its a simple few steps: menu - user profile- and select appropriate, which is rather quick but would have been much quicker if there was a switch on the top plate and my settings would have been instantly visible. Too much 'simplicity' and too little practical application imo. Erwin Puts recommends that the lcd also be turned off for the quickest reaction.  My flash doesn't work anymore, or rather it works all the time because it wont go back to bed.., so to prevent it from flashing, there is no off setting in the menu, I set the camera to continuous shooting, up to 6 frames in two seconds which disables the flash. So with the camera set on 'motor drive' and MF the shutter is very quick and hopefully if I anticipated the action I will get a few images in rapid succession and at least one of them will be ok. In fact to date these settings have not let me down. Thus all one needs is just to be aware of whats happening in front of the camera, a little anticipation and viola! a passable action camera...and not forgetting that an external viewfinder makes life a lot easier....!   To look at all the images in this sequence go to http://thelazytravelphotographer.blogspot.com/2012/01/going-goinggone.html Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/170306-how-i-capture-peak-action-with-my-x1/?do=findComment&comment=1894719'>More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted January 11, 2012 Posted January 11, 2012 Hi Ivan Muller, Take a look here how I capture peak action with my X1.... I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Bill Allsopp Posted January 11, 2012 Share #2 Â Posted January 11, 2012 Ivan this is the way to go, I often use my D-Lux 5 in manual focus mode and will use my X1 the same way when appropriate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivan Muller Posted January 11, 2012 Author Share #3 Â Posted January 11, 2012 hi Bill, with the X1, me thinks, its the only way to go... Â Seriously though, I probably use the camera on this setting for 75% of my outdoor photography, including landscapes and people....it is actually quite liberating not to have to think about focus, depth of field etc....just point and shoot.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickma Posted January 11, 2012 Share #4 Â Posted January 11, 2012 Ivan, thanks for this tremendous piece of advice. The key bit here is creating/ storing a user profile with the maximum DOF preset at an optimum aperture, along with VF mode and a reasonable ISO for capturing ISO. Â Before I had been either manual focusing each session knowing that the settings would be stored between switch on/offs, or using AF to focus in low light followed by a quick switch over to MF. Â Now it's a couple of button presses and bingo! Nice to see that even the VF mode is stored in the stored user profile. Brilliant. Â This pic here almost worked save for action blur, and not sure I'd do it differently in this case, but extremely nice to now know that I can! Thanks again. Â http://nickmartin.smugmug.com/Family-1/2011/20985621_nG2SjB/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert blu Posted January 11, 2012 Share #5 Â Posted January 11, 2012 Good idea to save the manual focus set in the presets: I had not think of this. Grazie, ciao robert Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivan Muller Posted January 11, 2012 Author Share #6 Â Posted January 11, 2012 hi Nick, I am not sure about storing the f stop.....I have never tried it. I basically use aperture priority, so set at f11 or whatever and let the shutter speeds fall where they want to.... Â the tree presets work wonders and they are readily available for all sorts of photography...the trick is to try and remember the which one is being used... Â Regarding some blur in the image, well that's horses for courses, and I have yet to come across a 'rule' in this regard.... so I suppose we can make up our own rules as we go along...I mostly use 400iso as it seems an acceptable compromise between speed and quality...but at f11 speeds can dip a bit low if one doesnt watch it all the time...which is difficult with the lcd turned off.... but all in all, for me, a better compromise than trying to align that little rectangular patch that some cameras use...... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivan Muller Posted January 11, 2012 Author Share #7  Posted January 11, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) Good idea to save the manual focus set in the presets: I had not think of this. Grazie, ciaorobert  I think it was only implemented on the firmware upgrade.....so it was easy to miss.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickma Posted January 11, 2012 Share #8 Â Posted January 11, 2012 Of course you're right Ivan, I can't store the aperture priority settings, but it's great that all the other key settings for 'daylight action' can be ascribed to a user profile. Â It got me realising that this approach is also perfect for 'indoor poor light' shooting, using one of the other user profiles. Â For me this means something like Manual focus set for a DOF between 2 and 5 metres (assuming a 'mental' default aperture priority setting of F6.2 or F7.1); together with ISO 800, Max Auto ISO limit of 800, a custom white balance set up for dim (but not too warm) tungsten lighting, multi segment metering, and VF display mode on (with all other settings my current 'standard' #1). Â This 'indoor poor light' mode is now my user setting #2, with #3 now 'daylight action'. Â If anyone's tried this use of user settings for indoor low light shots, I'd be curious to know what looks like an ideal set up to you and for what typical environment. Â Thanks again! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
symmetron Posted January 11, 2012 Share #9  Posted January 11, 2012 Shot with Auto focus while panning. 4 X 200 m relay. Some cropping. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/170306-how-i-capture-peak-action-with-my-x1/?do=findComment&comment=1895420'>More sharing options...
Ivan Muller Posted January 15, 2012 Author Share #10 Â Posted January 15, 2012 Shot with Auto focus while panning.4 X 200 m relay. Some cropping. Â Nice image. Pretty impressive, especially for using the auto focus..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
symmetron Posted January 17, 2012 Share #11 Â Posted January 17, 2012 Thanks. The X1 autofocus worked in this situation because the distance from the camera remained relatively constant even though the subject was moving across the field of view. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivan Muller Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share #12 Â Posted January 17, 2012 Yes I would have thought so, but still difficult because it looks like he was running around the corner....not something I would try without lots of practice.. Â I had to photograph bulls the other day for a farmer and once we got them separated from the herd they just wanted to get back in .I had to use my 5d and motordrive, fast af, servo af and IS lenses was the only way I could keep up with the action...made me realise though that there is a camera for every job and good as the x1 is in this specific instance I just could not use it and still call myself a 'professional'..... Â Have a look at my blog to see how I fared with photographing the bulls ....apparently important to show the scrotum in bull photographs....the lazy travel photographer... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nevin Nevin Posted January 17, 2012 Share #13 Â Posted January 17, 2012 Hi, Ivan. The photo says two things: 1. It's better to take leave from work, and take the X1 on a holiday, especially where there is a beach, a lake or a pool. 2. On account of one, the photo is a keeper. It shows the relaxing atmosphere. Maybe you should make a large print from it. Â One question: As a new owner of the X1, may I ask how you set the zone focus for MF mode? "I set my camera to MF and via the lcd set the camera to zone focus or hyper focal length." Â Or is this mentioned somewhere else in the thread. Sorry I didn't read all the messages. Â Thank you for your useful sharing, Ivan. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivan Muller Posted January 18, 2012 Author Share #14  Posted January 18, 2012 Hi Nevin,  Thanks..!  Regarding zone focus:  1. Set AF to MF via AF/MF button  2. Immediately, as you turn the manual focus ring, the distance scale with the green 'in focus area' line will appear. As you turn the aperture ring on top of camera the green line will indicate where your depth of field areas are.  3. My settings are: F11 & auto exposure. I turn the focus ring until the green line just touches the infinity point -the end of the line so to speak. I then can see where the green line indicates in focus areas via depth of field/zone focus/hyperfocal distance (take your pick!). so in my case the zone focus area will extend from about 1.7m to infinity at f11. If I change the aperture setting it will change. You can lock this setting by pressing the 'delete/focus' button for a few seconds. There will be a icon to indicate it is locked as you turn the MF wheel...Even if you turn the camera off it still holds the setting...you must just make sure the aperture ring is set at your chosen aperture...it moves easily  One last thing, although the X! is capable of fine images personally I found that to get the best out of the camera one has to work it a lot and read the instruction manual carefully....it took me at least a month of hard work to figure out the things I needed to know.....  Personally I feel the slow focus and poor resolution of lcd forced Leica to make a good MF alternative via the green line indicator on the lcd, which in turn, imo, became one of this cameras greatest strenghts....zone focus is now a snap and very easy to use....and then the camera not having to focus becomes very fast or rather fast enough to give me what I want.  BTW have a look at my galleries here at the Leica forum, and you will get a good idea what the camera is capable off......  Regards, Ivan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nevin Nevin Posted January 21, 2012 Share #15 Â Posted January 21, 2012 Hi, Ivan, Â Thank you for the detailed reply. Oh, I was mistaken that you were in the first post talking about something selecting an AF zone/ area in MF mode. Sorry, I was reading the post on the tiny screen of the phone. Â Regarding the user's instruction manual, you're right. I think such manuals are my most frequently read materials after the novels on my shelf. But surely as I am new to X1, I still need time to re-read and make further reference to it. Your mention of the matter reminds me of the fact that, as I have had chances to field test some serious compact cameras, camera distributors generally don't provide instruction manuals to testers. Honestly, even if provided, the time is too limited for testers to go through the whole manual before testing and writing a review. I once stumbled upon a rather well-known site of which the tester moaned about the EVF of a camera under review being too dim. Fact is, the manual has spelled out how the EVF can be brightened up. I happened to be testing the same camera, wrote to the site and pointed out the mistake to them. Â This says something about the rest of the review. Â Back the the MF lock. I am aware of its use. When activated, it prevents the unlikely case of accidental turning of the wheel while shooting. But as I started from firmware v 2.0, I am a bit puzzled because once the MF is set, it remains there after turning the X1 off and on again. The locking is nice but is it redundant in that case? Â (P.S. I was somehow unable to access your gallery. I went over to your blog instead. Admirable works! I especially like the one with the tar road and the dramatic clouds.) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivan Muller Posted January 21, 2012 Author Share #16 Â Posted January 21, 2012 hi Nevin, Â Sure you are right one doesn't always have the time, but this little camera forces one to dig a bit deeper to get the best out of it... Â What I like about the lock is that it prevents me accidentally moving focus while in zone focus mode.....I have never used the camera with mf as such....the screen is to poor for that and af is much faster and accurate.....imo... Â Btw Erwin Puts's review was great and also had some good working suggestions Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted January 21, 2012 Share #17 Â Posted January 21, 2012 Well, Ivan, now you have me thinking of the X1. That's a seriously interesting approach. Â I still shoot with manual focus, trying to anticipate the moment. I can do that, but I can no longer get three images that quickly. (Used to, but no more.) Â Thank gosh for 1/4000th of a second: http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/members/23965-albums4157-picture6780.jpg Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickma Posted January 21, 2012 Share #18 Â Posted January 21, 2012 Nevin in answer to your question about the practical use of the MF lock post Firmware 2.0; Â I believe its usefulness relates to the scenario where you take a MF picture, then choose to use AF for a sequence, then wish to go back to MF and want to reuse the previously 'locked' focusing distance. Â Without the lock, the MF will select the last AF distance as its start point when you switch back to MF (a very useful feature in itself for allowing a series of snaps of a subject at a known distance after initially focusing using the AF.) Â Anyhow that's what I've tended to do, but mostly before working out that a preset hyperfocal distance can be stored into one of the User Profiles - thanks to Ivan - when there is a need for fast snaps in low light and action situations. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nevin Nevin Posted January 21, 2012 Share #19 Â Posted January 21, 2012 Nevin in answer to your question about the practical use of the MF lock post Firmware 2.0; Â I believe its usefulness relates to the scenario where you take a MF picture, then choose to use AF for a sequence, then wish to go back to MF and want to reuse the previously 'locked' focusing distance. Â That's neat. I have noticed this cos I mainly switch between the profiles for street shots. Thank you for the tips, nickma! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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