Live view for Wide angel focusing/framing on the Leica M (240)

[jai]

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I would love to know whether the live view mode with Wide Angel could keep me from buying a wide angel viewfinder as well as the Visofles EVF2.

 

Is the live view only 30fps? To me it doesn't make such a difference in real world focusing (unless you're shooting moving objects and then some). What say?

 

BTW does the EVF2 capture date from the sensor, making it into a pseudo 'straight from lens' or an slr view?

 

Thinking of buying the 21 Super Elmar.

[lct]

I have an Oly VF2 sleeping more or less in my bag as i shoot mainly moving subject matters but for still subjects, it seems to work fine in its own rights. Don't ask me more about this though as i'm not keen of those mini TV sets that i find miles behind a good optical viewfinder.

[01af]

I would love to know whether the live view mode with wide-angle could keep me from buying a wide-angle viewfinder as well as the EVF 2.

Yes, it most definitely can. And it will.

 

Of course, outdoors in bright sunlight the display on the camera's back won't be very comfortable to view—in that case, the EVF 2 (or the Olympus VF-2) would be helpful. But then, it's for framing only so it's not utterly required. Precise focusing can be done via the rangefinder. Of course, you are always free to focus via the display also, as you wish, provided the viewing conditions allow.

 

In fact, it's very liberating to be able to use wide-angle lenses anytime without being forced to attach an accessory finder to the camera.

 

Only when using lenses that are not coupled to the range meter—legacy SLR lenses attached via an adapter, for example—then you'll be forced to use electronic focusing via display or accessory EVF. In this case, the latter usually will be more comfortable. But with wide-angle M lenses, the display will be good enough.

 

 

BTW does the EVF 2 capture data from the sensor ...?

Sure it does. After all, that's the point of an electronic viewfinder, isn't it?

 

 

... making it into a pseudo 'straight from lens' or an SLR view?

It's not 'pseudo' but really actually truely a straight-from-the-lens view. You can see actual flares, for example, and how depth-of-field changes with aperture, among other things.

[gpwhite]

I am primarily a wide-angle shooter. Although I find live view helpful for framing with wide lenses if you are using a tripod or hard anchoring surface, it is impractical hand held. My EVF is certainly helpful with 135, but its poor resolution makes wide-angle focusing vague... II still use my bright line finder for wide-angle Elmars.

 

My opinion is that the brilliance of the 21 SEM really stands out at wide open or nearly wide open aperture, so focus is critical. For reasons above, I have found the M's OVF to be best way to compose and focus. On the other hand, if your style is f8 or f11, with the SEM I think you can just take off lens cap, point in a direction and press shutter:p

[theno23]

Yes, I've stopped carrying external optical finders for my wides, and much prefer the liveview options (either of them) over optical finders.

 

The parallax error with optical finders can be severe with anything close to the lens in the shot, and I never really liked using them.

 

Focusing with liveview and wides can be tricky (there's so much depth of field) but the framing is unquestionably better. I even prefer it with moving objects in the frame.

[algrove]

I would love to know whether the live view mode with Wide Angel could keep me from buying a wide angel viewfinder as well as the Visofles EVF2.

 

Yes.

 

Is the live view only 30fps? To me it doesn't make such a difference in real world focusing (unless you're shooting moving objects and then some). What say?

 

There is a lag which sometimes is bothersome to me, but I have gotten use to the lag of a few seconds in landscapes

 

BTW does the EVF2 capture date from the sensor, making it into a pseudo 'straight from lens' or an slr view?

 

Simply put it shows what the sensor sees

 

Thinking of buying the 21 Super Elmar.

 

Nice lens and on this current 3 week trip I did not bring a 21 OVF and do not miss it on the M only on my MM.