Crazy Cat Lady Posted March 25, 2007 Share #1 Posted March 25, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) Not receiving my M8 yet and coming from canon DSLR's I have a question about focusing. With a DSLR you can focus on your subject then compose the picture again so it is framed to your liking, within limitations of course. Since the focusing is different on the M8 I was wondering if you can do the same thing? Hopefully my explanation was clear. Sorry for this silly question. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 25, 2007 Posted March 25, 2007 Hi Crazy Cat Lady, Take a look here Focuing on the M8?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Guest sirvine Posted March 25, 2007 Share #2 Posted March 25, 2007 Sure, just aim the focus patch at what you want in focus and recompose. Easy as can be, and you don't have to worry about AF (or SLR sloppy focus rings) changing your mind for you. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephengilbert Posted March 25, 2007 Share #3 Posted March 25, 2007 Because it is manually focussed, the M8 focus setting remains where you set it whatever you then do with the camera. If you focus on an object 20 feet away and then you move or it moves, the camera remains focussed at 20 feet. If the focus is to be changed the user must make the change. Is this what you're asking about? Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippy Sanchez Posted March 25, 2007 Share #4 Posted March 25, 2007 Yup, same concept. Focus first, then compose. You'll find the great thing about the rangefinder is that everything is always sharp in the viewfinder, whereas an SLR focuses with the lens wide open, so whatever is not at the focal point get's progressively fuzzier (the faster the lens, the fuzzier; the slower the lens, the darker). SLR users (and I are one) get used to it, but the difference is remarkable when switching to rangefinders. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jager Posted March 25, 2007 Share #5 Posted March 25, 2007 The ability to focus with relative precision - and then to hold that focus until you deliberately change it - is one of the rangefinder's chief advantages over an autofocus camera. So, yes, composition with your new M8 is less complex and less prone to error than on your D5. I actually find that one of the "freeing" aspects of using a Leica. Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guy_mancuso Posted March 25, 2007 Share #6 Posted March 25, 2007 Jennifer really that is the only way to use a rangefinder for the most part, is pick your focus point than recompose and DSLR you can focus outside the focus circle. So the RF is going to be a little bit of a challenge at first. I'm new to RF and shot for 31 years or more with SLR's so it was a change a little in my style of working but be patent and you will get it in no time and be successful at it. Now you can't drag the M8 out of my hands, I love this thing. It really has improved my back, shoulders, arms and fatigue. LOL Actully I have my DMR for sale on e-bay since i just don't use it enough and i am eventually moving to MF. So my ultimate goal is a full M8 system which one more lens and I am done well maybe 2 and a small MF system with just 3 lenses. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
carstenw Posted March 25, 2007 Share #7 Posted March 25, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) Which lenses are you missing? I thought I saw you talking about getting a 24 again? What about the 100 Macro-R, Apo-280 and your personal favorite, the Apo-180 Cron? I am surprised that you are selling the DMR, to be honest. I would have thought that as a pro, you would simply need it for certain things. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andit Posted March 25, 2007 Share #8 Posted March 25, 2007 Hi Jennifer, I just got my M8 on Thursday. Sadly, due to the massive backorder of the 28mm f/2.8 Elmarit, only with the 90mm f/4 Elmar (which does have limited uses). It's been 13 years since I last used a manual focus camera (not counting medium format which has a huge focusing screen plus magnifier built in), only to find that my eyesight is obviously not quite what it used to be... Now, to focus is easy, and it is a great pleasure to look through the bright viewfinder. Only problem that I'm having at the moment, and from what I've learnt here on the forum, is that focus for any lenses longer than 50mm is critical. With the 90mm, even though the image is focused in the patch (well according to my eyes at least), I keep getting results that are soft. I know for a fact that it is not the M8 and that it is more my fault. So, now I've ordered the 1.35x magnifier from HK - that should make things much easier. Since Leica are unable to give me an indication when my 28mm will arrive, I've ordered a CV15mm and a CV40mm f/1.4 Nokton - from what I've read and seen here, this lens is incredible. Then once the 28mm does come in, I'll have pretty much all bases covered. Most my work is wide angle landscape work. I got the 90mm f/4.0 for the Macro option. ONE WORD OF CAUTION THOUGH. I have never handled a Leica before. All that I can say is WOW... The feeling of holding a Leica for the first time is overwhelming. The build quality, the solid feeling, the craftsmanship of the lenses - this put's the other manufacturers to shame. You'll see, when your camera arrives, even the packaging is exceptional quality and special. Eventhough I have been a photographer for most my life, having started with film and manual focus SLR's, there is a learning cerb to the M8. Just like one of the forum members mentioned - it is a "masters tool". Once you have the hang of it, the M8 will reward you like no other camera can. It is, afterall, a Leica. Andreas PS: Once I get my wide angle lenses, and I start getting better results (things have been getting better - almost got some usable images today), I'll post some of my work. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guy_mancuso Posted March 25, 2007 Share #9 Posted March 25, 2007 Actually I have nothing left in the R system except the 180F2 and 24 Oly shift plus the DMR. I guess time has moved me forward to the M8 and MF setup. can't have it all and MF is going to kill the budget. It's a sad time for me to let them go, very sad. I will get on the M side a 135 3.4 apo and maybe the 90 macro. The 24mm maybe. M set is the WATE, 28 cron, 35,50,75 lux 90 apo. So 135 , 90 macro and may just slip in a CV12mm:D .Plus I have the OLY 24mm shift i can use on the M8. If that is not enough i quit. LOL Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
basharing Posted March 25, 2007 Share #10 Posted March 25, 2007 To my regret I do not completely agree with the respondents before me. I hoped to work in that way: focus and compose, but as I always use my lenses completely open this doesn't work quite often. Or, to be precise, it only works if you recompose by stepping aside instead of by rotating the camera. If you rotate your camera the distance between the object and the sensor plane decreases. This is easiest to see by imagening yourself rotating the camera 90 degrees: the distance between the object and the sensor plane is zero now. Naturally smaller rotations cause a smaller effect. I did some calculations how this works out for me. For example, if I use my 50 mm. lens and I recompose such that the object moves from the centrer competely to the side of the field of view; I have to refocus about 5%. (A 28 mm. yields 12%, and a 90 mm. only 1.5%.) Because I use my lenses wideopen these numbers move the object outside the depth of field zone. As a consequence I nowadays try to recompose by stepping aside. In this manner the distance between the object and the sensor plane remains the same. However, it is not handy at all. Good luck! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchell Posted March 25, 2007 Share #11 Posted March 25, 2007 Andreas, The magnifier will probably help, but I strongly recommend you try a diopter lens which fits very unobtrusively ( you won't even notice it's there ) over the viewfinder or the magnifier. The right strength diopter will most likely make your vision through the viewfinder perfect again. Best, Mitchell Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andit Posted March 25, 2007 Share #12 Posted March 25, 2007 Thanks Mitchell, will try the +1.5 diopter. I wear glasses when reading and working on the computer, they are +1.0 and since the M8's viewfinder is set at -0.5, the +1.5 should work fine. Andreas Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchell Posted March 25, 2007 Share #13 Posted March 25, 2007 Andreas, I'm not sure the 1.5 would be right for you if you use 1.0 for reading. It's your distance vision through the viewfinder which the diopter needs to help. I first needed reading glasses, and then some years later weaker glasses for distance. It would be great if you have a nearby Leica dealer with diopters that you could try before buying. If not try some of the weakest reading glasses you can find, and see what they do to your distance vision. I would try the weakest Leica diopter which I think is 1.0 which would give you a 0.5 in combination with the viewfinder which may be enough for distance. Hope this helps. A diopter made a big difference for me. Best, Mitchell Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotografr Posted March 25, 2007 Share #14 Posted March 25, 2007 Since the focusing is different on the M8 I was wondering if you can do the same thing. This is one of the nicest aspects of rangefinder focusing--and actually for non AF in general. It is much easier to put the focus where you want it and recompose because you don't have to worry about any unintentional shift. When you get your M8, show us your cats. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shootist Posted March 25, 2007 Share #15 Posted March 25, 2007 Thanks Mitchell, will try the +1.5 diopter. I wear glasses when reading and working on the computer, they are +1.0 and since the M8's viewfinder is set at -0.5, the +1.5 should work fine. Andreas NO NO NO The M8 viewfinder including the rangefinder patch is set at a distance of 2 meters, about 7 feet. I went through this about a month ago and ended up with almost all the Leica diopters trying to find the right one. I wear +1.5 reading glasses and I needed a +1 diopter to make the viewfinder clear on the M8. It also works for my M3's. So you have to take into account what is clear for you at a distance of 2 meters (7 feet). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnwolf Posted March 25, 2007 Share #16 Posted March 25, 2007 Jennifer, I'm coming from a DSLR, too, and loved focus and exposure lock. As everyone has said, focus lock is even easier with manual focus. Focus once and you remain focused on that spot. Exposure lock is nice also because the viewfinder shows a little red dot when it's engaged. John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiphop Posted March 25, 2007 Share #17 Posted March 25, 2007 You can also use the Hyperfocal. When using a wide angle (even 35) just select the aperture as closed as possible (8 , 11 or more) and adjust your focus on the lense with the same aperture in line with infinite. Then when you will shoot anything between 1.5 m (check on the readings of the lenses) and infinite will be correctly focused. It is quick and easy : Just frame and shoot (exposure has to be correct) and you will not miss the action. Pierre-Olivier Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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