Jamie Roberts Posted March 13, 2007 Share #21  Posted March 13, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) I'm sure Guy can explain himself, but the tabbed trick (to me) is that all the tabbed lenses will be set to 4.5 feet when you have the tab pointing straight down.  This is a way of knowing where the focus is without looking at it... not a special setting for absolute focus. Though on a 24 or 28 it might be a good place to start... you would have about 3.5 to 7 feet in critical focus with a 28mm. Not bad for not focussing  The best hyperfocal aperture is around f8 with most Leica lenses. That will give you fair DOF with little diffraction loss of sharpness. It might not be enough on a 35 though.  For reasons I won't go into here, if you want the shots to be as sharp as possible, use the hyperfocal lens guides for one stop lower than you're using (so 5.6 for f8).  BTW--this works fine with wide lenses on dSLRs too, and if you're shooting from the hip, people don't know know you're taking the picture. Though they're much more wary of you with a DMR than they are with an M8, in my experience. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 Hi Jamie Roberts, Take a look here Tips for RF street shooting. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Hans Roggen Posted March 13, 2007 Share #22  Posted March 13, 2007 I do not think i would get away jumping in front of people dressed like a Ninja and stick a camera in their face like Joel Meyerowitz does ........ i would probably end up in the hospital or the policestation acting like that over here (Netherlands/ Germany)..... !Perhaps New York is different, i am not sure if i want to try his strategy over here  I agree J. That just does not seem like a wise thing to do here in your average Dutch city. But then again, some people get away with anything just because of the smile on their face. I think Joel Meyerowitz, apart from being a great photographer, might be just such a person. And NYC is definately different. There is so much more going on that one extra ninja style dressed photographer isn't going to be a problem.  Hans Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
james_h Posted March 13, 2007 Share #23 Â Posted March 13, 2007 For reasons I won't go into here, if you want the shots to be as sharp as possible, use the hyperfocal lens guides for one stop lower than you're using (so 5.6 for f8). Â Not sure what you mean Jamie. Â I take it as if you use f8 then use the hyperfocal range of f5.6 on the lens . Is that correct? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen.s1 Posted March 13, 2007 Share #24 Â Posted March 13, 2007 The tab at the bottom thing holds for Zeiss Biogon 35mm and CV 15mm. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie Roberts Posted March 13, 2007 Share #25  Posted March 13, 2007 Not sure what you mean Jamie. I take it as if you use f8 then use the hyperfocal range of f5.6 on the lens . Is that correct?  James--correct--I wrote it a bit backwards, I'm afraid! Sorry 'bout that. Always use the guides for one stop more open than you're actually set to for maximum sharpness (though putting the thing to your eye is a better bet for that anyway!) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
popum Posted March 13, 2007 Share #26  Posted March 13, 2007 Hi  You're going to be in NYC during one of the best photo events of the year... the St Patrick's day parade. In the past this was an excuse for vast amounts of public disorder but is tamer (but still interesting) today. If you're in the Saturday session, I'll see you there.  Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guy_mancuso Posted March 13, 2007 Share #27  Posted March 13, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) If you take any lens that has a focusing tab from Leica say the 21, 24,28 35 and 50's they all have a knob . Now take that tab and put it directly in the middle on the bottom of the lens and read the distance . Every tabbed lens when set to the bottom is designed to be 4.5 feet be it the 21 or the 50 it is 4,5 ft. Now when your on the street or anywhere i always leave my lens tab there sono matter what happens i know it is 4.5 feet. Than in your head you look at a subject instead of going from begining the closets focusing distance you start at 4.5 and crank it to the left a little and while focusing there is much less fooling around and you can shoot faster.  Try it, once you get the hang of thinking like this ,it becomes a much easier task to shoot. I do this all the time at events shooting people the lens is at 4.5 ther maybe 8 ft than it is just a quick push just a little for mos lens to get to 8ft  Yes Zeiss has it also Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
krimple Posted March 13, 2007 Share #28  Posted March 13, 2007 Yes Zeiss has it also  Guy... Wow, I feel stupid now--I never noticed that! BTW the CV 40 f/1.4 also works like this.  Ken Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
carstenw Posted March 13, 2007 Share #29 Â Posted March 13, 2007 The tab at the bottom thing holds for Zeiss Biogon 35mm and CV 15mm. My 35 Cron Asph is focused at almost exactly 4 feet with the tab at the bottom. My 50 Lux Asph is focused even closer. My CV15 does not have a tab... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnbuckley Posted March 13, 2007 Share #30  Posted March 13, 2007 John, If you have a recent lens which has a tab on the focus ring and spin the tab until it is at the bottom of the lens then the focus point is at 4.5 feet. The idea is if you have the exposure preset, you can focus the camera on 4.5 feet without even looking at the camera and shoot. Provided your subject is 4.5 feet away... ! Of course you can guestimate by moving the tab right or left for any adjustments.  regards Jim   I get it! Thank you. Good advice. JB Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guy_mancuso Posted March 13, 2007 Share #31  Posted March 13, 2007 Guy... Wow, I feel stupid now--I never noticed that! BTW the CV 40 f/1.4 also works like this. Ken   Yes once you get to working like this in your head it makes life so much easier, I have become very fast at focusing just by remembering this Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
footnoteblog Posted March 13, 2007 Share #32 Â Posted March 13, 2007 I was the person who noted the "fake tourist" tactic. But, as mentioned elsewhere, nothing is better than eye contact, a direct connection and a smile. Â Sometimes, not always, it's nice to coyly pan up and down. It depends on the situation and what you're trying to capture, etc. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
carcam Posted March 13, 2007 Author Share #33  Posted March 13, 2007 I was the person who noted the "fake tourist" tactic. But, as mentioned elsewhere, nothing is better than eye contact, a direct connection and a smile. Sometimes, not always, it's nice to coyly pan up and down. It depends on the situation and what you're trying to capture, etc.  Thanks Footnoteblog- It was your "fake tourist" that gave me the idea for this post and, as you can see, there are a lot of great ideas! I'm looking forward to the weekend with the M8. And the Parade and the Museum at Central Park and the Workshop... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stnami Posted March 13, 2007 Share #34 Â Posted March 13, 2007 i find this video very interesting and helpful,........ love the guy in black, gloves hat and all, .... a quick stop at the local jewellers wouldn't go amiss:rolleyes: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chap Posted March 13, 2007 Share #35 Â Posted March 13, 2007 Steve Northup, an old Vietnam era Leica shooter, taught me, if one practices, one may focus without ever looking in the lens. Merely memorize, or intuitively learn, where the point of focus is vs. where the thumb tab on the focus ring is positioned. If 4.5 ft is the focal point when the tab at the bottom, then what is the focal point with the tab on top? at 90 degrees left? 90 degrees right? and so on. In this way, one can pre focus without ever raising the camera to one's eye, or focus as the camera is being raised to the eye. I must assume that street photography is similar to war-time photography other than one is not being shot at when exposing a picture (theoretically). Use of hyperfocal is fine so long as the subject is within the hyperfocal range and the f-stop is large enough; however, when one wants more control over depth-of-field, try Steve's method of intuitive, tab position focusing for fast, accurate shots. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodyspedden Posted March 13, 2007 Share #36 Â Posted March 13, 2007 ... love the guy in black, gloves hat and all, .... a quick stop at the local jewellers wouldn't go amiss:rolleyes: Of course you must mean the guy in the magenta hat and pants. Sorry, couldn't resist! Â Woody Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodyspedden Posted March 13, 2007 Share #37  Posted March 13, 2007 Guys  this has been a wonderful thread. Nothing like coming here and learning something so practical and useful. I feel really motivated to get out on the street and see how good I can become as a disciple of the mystical and magical mr. mancuso. Go Guy.....you're the best  Woody Spedden Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
carcam Posted March 14, 2007 Author Share #38 Â Posted March 14, 2007 ... love the guy in black, gloves hat and all, .... a quick stop at the local jewellers wouldn't go amiss:rolleyes: Â Guess I have to pack more black to really fit the role of street shooter (but my Leica is silver...) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike prevette Posted March 14, 2007 Share #39 Â Posted March 14, 2007 It's funny, I always thought this kind of stuff would be old hat for the average leica shooter. I always make it a point to memorize the rotational position of my lenses. I can set (relatively accurately) focus on almost all my lenses without looking at them . Your bodies muscle memory is incredible accurate. So if you move the lens to infinity and then backtrack to say 4.5 feet. You will be amazed at how well you can hit any point in between with a little practice. Our eyes are the most amazing rangefinders ever, we can pretty accurately determine distance up to about 300 feet. It just takes a little practice. In my assistant cinematographer days I used to walk around the house with a tape measure, guessing distances and then checking them. Â Physical feedback is one of my biggest complaints about the M8. The shutter speed dial on my M6 didn't have half steps, nor did it allow 360degree rotation. This allowed me to set it at a one of it's end stops and then "count" backwards to the shutter speed I felt I needed. without even looking at my camera. Can't do that wit the M8. For years I was able to set my M6 and CL completely (shutter,iris, and focus) without even looking at the camera, or with the camera in a pocket, bag, etc. I'm sad to see that getting harder on the M8. Â _mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artichoke Posted March 14, 2007 Share #40 Â Posted March 14, 2007 interesting thread certainly one can do this with DSLRs, but the small size of a rangefinder is a great advantage for this kind of photography shooting children is another advantage as you get a lower angle without going to your knees and are less intimidating to your subjects here is a recent capture using this technique (imants please note that I am illustrating a point:) ) I find using a WA and getting close the way to go for such shots ...WA lenses have much great DOF for any given f stop ...learn one WA (I used a 21 Elamarit) and practice holding the camera level and square ...this will save you time in post ...sometimes I set the exposure manually based on pre-metering, but usually I go with A priority for these kind of photographs the advice on eye contact & smiling is VERY sound from my experience such street photography is great fun with the M8, though I know it can be done with a PS quite well (them little sensors give enormous DOF) more samples (almost all taken from the hip, knee or ankle) can be found here family, friends, odds & ends Photo Gallery by Artichoke Vinagrette at pbase.com as well as a larger version and shooting information Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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