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Focus Peaking


masjah

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I'm not having a lot of success getting Focus Peaking to work on my new M240. It's set to "ON" in the Menu, and often (in fact mostly) I don't seem to be able to see the red outline at all. Itt's a bit premature for me to say that it's not working properly, but has anyone any tips please? I'm using the EVF2 with R-M adapter, and a 28-90 R zoom (which has been manually selected as the lens in use. I was using a wide aperture.

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John,

 

Focus peaking works pretty well with my 28-90 Vario-Elmarit-R on the M and I think it's because it has reasonable contrast. I assume that you're pushing the focus button on the front of the M, which can be awkward to push in far enough when handheld. I've stuck one of those clear, plastic, self-adhesive 'bump dots' to the focus button, which not only makes it easier to push because it's raised but my finger finds it very easily owing to its different texture. They're available for pennies from stationers.

 

I've also found that focus peaking is easier to see when the EVF image is magnified 5 or 10 times.

 

Pete.

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Focus peaking works well on my very similar Zeiss Vario Sonnar 28-85 lens, with a push on the focus button. The two lenses which have the strongest focus peaking are my Zeiss Planar 50/2 and SEM 18mm, where focus peaking is almost too much. I would like this to be variable, perhaps with a button push (Video button?) and roll on the top control wheel. On lower contrast lenses like my Hartblei 80mm Super Rotator, focus peaking is wholly absent.

 

Wilson

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Thanks everyone. I've been pushing the focus button, but I'll try again tomorrow. Does the red outline only show while the focus button is actually being held down, or does the button act as a trigger to initiate the peaking? As I said, it is set to ON in the Menu.

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Thanks everyone. I've been pushing the focus button, but I'll try again tomorrow. Does the red outline only show while the focus button is actually being held down, or does the button act as a trigger to initiate the peaking? As I said, it is set to ON in the Menu.

 

John,

 

You only have to push the focus button once and it stays on until you push the shutter release. I would have said that the Vario Elmarit 28-90 is at the very least equal contrast to my Vario Sonnar, so peaking should be very evident. If it is not, I am afraid there is something wrong. Usual remedies ensue such as factory reset, popping battery and turning focus peaking off and on again.

 

Wilson

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John,

 

You only have to push the focus button once and it stays on until you push the shutter release. I would have said that the Vario Elmarit 28-90 is at the very least equal contrast to my Vario Sonnar, so peaking should be very evident. If it is not, I am afraid there is something wrong. Usual remedies ensue such as factory reset, popping battery and turning focus peaking off and on again.

 

Wilson

 

Thanks Wilson, that's what I thought. I'll try the usual, andd allso try some different R lenses, and keep you all posted.

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John

 

Just thought about your issue.

 

Did you hit the LV button before you press the #3 button on the front of camera?

 

Yes, I'm in LV mode, with the EV-2 attached, and the EV-2 button pressed to display through it.

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contrary to what the instruction manual describes- focus peaking is next to invisible unless you magnify the image. At first I thought mine wasn't working as well... it also does not work very well at all with some lenses wide open. Personally I think it is too weak- and I wish there was a way to adjust the peaking levels... I think you should be able to at least see it without magnification on the LCD screen- after all this is what is pictured in the instruction manual...:cool:

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contrary to what the instruction manual describes- focus peaking is next to invisible unless you magnify the image. At first I thought mine wasn't working as well... it also does not work very well at all with some lenses wide open. Personally I think it is too weak- and I wish there was a way to adjust the peaking levels... I think you should be able to at least see it without magnification on the LCD screen- after all this is what is pictured in the instruction manual…:cool:

But if it were stronger it would be less accurate, and that is pretty good right now.

Adjustable would be a nice thing.

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But if it were stronger it would be less accurate, and that is pretty good right now.

Adjustable would be a nice thing.

 

It is on the Sony A7r ........... but on low it's invisible and on high makes your eyes water and is inaccurate ..... so with all the lenses I have tried (Sony and Leica) it's stuck on medium ..... :rolleyes:

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contrary to what the instruction manual describes- focus peaking is next to invisible unless you magnify the image. At first I thought mine wasn't working as well... it also does not work very well at all with some lenses wide open. Personally I think it is too weak- and I wish there was a way to adjust the peaking levels... I think you should be able to at least see it without magnification on the LCD screen- after all this is what is pictured in the instruction manual...:cool:

 

Jaques thanks for this. In a perverse way that's actually quite reassuring, so far as anything might be wrong with the camera. I'll continue to experiment (bit tied up with other things for the next day or two though). I'll report back.

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The Leica M (Typ 240)'s focus-peaking level is just fine the way it is.

 

If they should change anything about it then it's not the peaking level but the number of magnification steps. Currently it's 1×, 5×, and 10×. I'd like to have, say, 1×, 4×, 7×, and 12× instead. The visibility, usability, and accuracy of the focus peaking highly depends on the viewfinder magnification matching the lens magnification (focal length) and the level of detail in the subject. So having more magnification steps would be a good thing. One the other hand, having too many of them would be distracting. I think having three steps rather than two (not counting the 1× magnification) would be just right.

 

And being able to choose between different outline colours would be nice, too. Besides red, I'm thinking of yellow and blue.

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Is it true that the frontal button must be pushed "soft and short"? I don't know if it's only my camera needing this type of pushing, because if I push it for a while it seems not to be active.

What about the behavior of your cameras?

 

Francisco.

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And being able to choose between different outline colours would be nice, too. Besides red, I'm thinking of yellow and blue.

 

....... yellow and white options on the SonyA7r ........ white is useless for fairly obvious reasons most of the time .... yellow just irritates .... so it was back to red.... ho.... hum ..... :o

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