wlaidlaw Posted August 12, 2014 Share #21 Posted August 12, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) I use my M240 regularly with a Carl Zeiss Contax Vario-Sonnar 28-85 f3.3. While this lens is large and heavy, it works beautifully with the M240. The single touch zoom/focus barrel is very ergonomic. I also have a Leica 80-200 f4 Vario-Elmar. Now after rebuilding by Will van Manen it is very sharp, but with two touch separate zoom and focus barrels, I find it less than easy to use. It is fine if you are on a tripod, monopod or even rested on something solid but getting the very fine perfect focus you need for the M240, hand held, I find is close to impossible. For hand held photos of moving objects, animals, birds or similar I have given up with the M240 and zoom and now use an auto focus 75-300mm (150-600mm EFOV) zoom on an Olympus EP-5. Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted August 12, 2014 Posted August 12, 2014 Hi wlaidlaw, Take a look here M240 with R-Zoom. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
hamey Posted August 12, 2014 Share #22 Posted August 12, 2014 I use an M9, so I can't comment on any combo around the M240. However, I own two R zoom lenses, the 28-90 ASPH and the 80-200 f/4, which I use on Canon DSLR. Unfortunately, the ASPH can only mount on 1.6x bodies like the 7D. I also use Hasselblad lenses (on any Canon). From my experience, the DSLR+R lenses (or Hasselblad) are quite capable of producing a lot of "keepers" AS LONG AS one uses a tripod. It's strange that point did not come up emphatically in the previous posts. I believe it is an unavoidable compromise, if Leica-like results are sought. The reason is not lack of AF; as a matter of fact, the adapters I use offer focus confirmation with the R lenses. The issue is the balance of the zoom--just forget hand-held shooting! So far, the best images come from 5DII+Hasselblad 50 f/4 FLE and 40D+80-200 f/4, both ON a tripod. Paul Hello Paul. If you're refering to me as the previous post I must apologise for not mentioning fully about my use of Canon with my R lenses. Actually I have used and still on occasions use my R lenses with my Canon, many times on this forum Have mentioned it and as far as I am concerned it's probably the best alternative for us R users to use Canon gear as dear old Leica failed to provide us with a proper DSLR. Some of my shots taken with the 80-200mmF4 R lens and the Canon 600D, I now have updated to the 70D and I must say I LOVE IT especially the AF and the IS. The 600D cost me around 700 Aus Dollars compared to the 8000$ for my M240, plus the R-M adapter and EVF, very expensive outfit compared to the Canon. These shots where taken last year at the ripe old age of 64 all hand held. Ken. PS.... I must also state, I have never had any problems with both my Canons DSLR, no lock ups, or dust speck in the viewfinder...lol. 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/231999-m240-with-r-zoom/?do=findComment&comment=2647934'>More sharing options...
atournas Posted August 12, 2014 Share #23 Posted August 12, 2014 Hello Paul. If you're refering to me as the previous post I must apologise for not mentioning fully about my use of Canon with my R lenses. [...] Ken. Hi, Ken, No, no, I was not referring to you. Besides, what caught my attention was that you're still shooting slide with the R system. I also have the R6.2 and the R7 and use them with 50 ASA B&W (on a tripod, of course!). By the way, those airplane photos are very sharp. Honestly, hand-held? Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeTexas Posted August 12, 2014 Share #24 Posted August 12, 2014 I've been shooting birds with the 400m f6.8 and the 70-200 f4.5 zoom (which is really a Minolta) on the NEX-6 with great results. I'm excited to try them on the M when my budget finally allows. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Einst_Stein Posted August 12, 2014 Author Share #25 Posted August 12, 2014 I've been shooting birds with the 400m f6.8 and the 70-200 f4.5 zoom (which is really a Minolta) on the NEX-6 with great results. I'm excited to try them on the M when my budget finally allows. I followed your link. You have beautiful pictures. I think you can do even better with the birding or the alike with DSLR and Canon AF 400mm, judging from you focusing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted August 12, 2014 Share #26 Posted August 12, 2014 Personally I have never been happy with autofocus for birds. It tends to focus on the wrong part of the bird which should be the eye and the beak. Usually AF picks the shoulder. Manual focus is preferable. See Doug Herr's website. He is the master. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Likaleica Posted August 13, 2014 Share #27 Posted August 13, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) Personally I have never been happy with autofocus for birds. It tends to focus on the wrong part of the bird which should be the eye and the beak. Usually AF picks the shoulder. Manual focus is preferable. See Doug Herr's website. He is the master. I couldn't agree more on every point. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Einst_Stein Posted August 13, 2014 Author Share #28 Posted August 13, 2014 Personally I have never been happy with autofocus for birds. It tends to focus on the wrong part of the bird which should be the eye and the beak. Usually AF picks the shoulder. Manual focus is preferable. See Doug Herr's website. He is the master. I admire Doug Herr's work. He is really exceptional. I also share your frustration about not always AF to the right point. This is a very common complain in the early stage when AF is introduced, even for shooting family portrait. Wasn't it also happened to the auto exposure in the old time? Maybe you are one of these exceptional people too, but for most cases and most people, as far as I know, even so AF is still better than manual focus. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted August 13, 2014 Share #29 Posted August 13, 2014 It is a common problem now. AF tries to overcome this with the option of choosing a focus point, specifically for wildlife/birds that is too slow. Are you suggesting that before the time that AF increased photographic convenience all photographers who managed to get a photograph in focus were exceptional? Overreliance on automation is a bad thing in my book. It cannot replace a brain or skill. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Einst_Stein Posted August 13, 2014 Author Share #30 Posted August 13, 2014 It is a common problem now. AF tries to overcome this with the option of choosing a focus point, specifically for wildlife/birds that is too slow. Are you suggesting that before the time that AF increased photographic convenience all photographers who managed to get a photograph in focus were exceptional? Overreliance on automation is a bad thing in my book. It cannot replace a brain or skill. No. I was talking about people shooting bird in fly with manual focus. In fact, you might notice even Doug Herr does not have much bird in fly. Most of his pictures are steady pose. I am yet to find any eagle fishing shooting with manual focus. Do you know any? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted August 13, 2014 Share #31 Posted August 13, 2014 With modern AF cameras, you can reduce the size of the focus zone to a very small area, lock your focus and recompose. With a little bit of practice, this probably takes less time than manual focusing, especially with the M240, which really demands super accuracy for optimal sharpness, so you are shuffling the focus ring backwards and forwards with focus peaking or sharpness judgement on EVF/LCD zoom. It is not like using the RF, where I expect usually to hit focus with the first movement of the focus ring. I was taking some pictures of the “super moon” on the day before yesterday, with the 80-200 Vario Elmar at 200 on the M240. I was amazed what fractional movements on the focus were required with the EVF zoomed 10X to get the focus perfect. Focus peaking was not picking up on such a distant object. Earlier this year, while on a boat on Periyar Lake near Thekkady in South India, I was trying to use the 80-200 with the 2X APO extender to take pictures of birds, deer and elephants, all hand held. I was hitting perfect focus on about one in four. The was because the tiniest jiggle of your hand on the lens, moved focus. I might do a little better now, since the focus ring has been tightened up but I doubt if it would be better than one in two. With AF on my Olympus lens, I am getting the desired focus about four out of five times. Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted August 13, 2014 Share #32 Posted August 13, 2014 Recompose does not work very well in my experience, Heads of birds are prone to sudden jerky movements, moving them out of focus suddenly. The only system that works (and very well!) is the one that locks focus and follows. I believe some Nikon DSLRs have it. However,even then a sudden fast movement will break focus. My experience with long lenses on the 240 is a lot better. I hit more than 80% good focus with the Vario Elmar 105-280, even with an extender in Safari situations. In my Canon past the (albeit older by now) AF system did not even come close. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sillbeers15 Posted August 13, 2014 Share #33 Posted August 13, 2014 Chinese Bulbul winter feed by sillbeers15 Vario Elmar R 80-200mm on M240 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Einst_Stein Posted August 13, 2014 Author Share #34 Posted August 13, 2014 Chinese Bulbul winter feed by sillbeers15 Vario Elmar R 80-200mm on M240 Beautiful picture. Thanks. Do you have any bird in fly, such as eagle capture a fish? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Einst_Stein Posted August 13, 2014 Author Share #35 Posted August 13, 2014 With modern AF cameras, you can reduce the size of the focus zone to a very small area, lock your focus and recompose. With a little bit of practice, this probably takes less time than manual focusing, especially with the M240, which really demands super accuracy for optimal sharpness, so you are shuffling the focus ring backwards and forwards with focus peaking or sharpness judgement on EVF/LCD zoom. It is not like using the RF, where I expect usually to hit focus with the first movement of the focus ring. I was taking some pictures of the “super moon” on the day before yesterday, with the 80-200 Vario Elmar at 200 on the M240. I was amazed what fractional movements on the focus were required with the EVF zoomed 10X to get the focus perfect. Focus peaking was not picking up on such a distant object. Earlier this year, while on a boat on Periyar Lake near Thekkady in South India, I was trying to use the 80-200 with the 2X APO extender to take pictures of birds, deer and elephants, all hand held. I was hitting perfect focus on about one in four. The was because the tiniest jiggle of your hand on the lens, moved focus. I might do a little better now, since the focus ring has been tightened up but I doubt if it would be better than one in two. With AF on my Olympus lens, I am getting the desired focus about four out of five times. Wilson One out of four is a very good yield. I usually get far less than ten, and this is shooting AF like a machine gun. Deer and bear is easier, bird on tree or rock or nest is a little harder, but the real challenge is flying bird. I don't think any MF is even possible. I will be very happy to be proved wrong. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted August 13, 2014 Share #36 Posted August 13, 2014 Well.... 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/231999-m240-with-r-zoom/?do=findComment&comment=2648787'>More sharing options...
JeTexas Posted August 13, 2014 Share #37 Posted August 13, 2014 I followed your link. You have beautiful pictures.I think you can do even better with the birding or the alike with DSLR and Canon AF 400mm, judging from you focusing. Focusing isn't too bad on the liveview, but you can't always trust the red edges to really be in focus, especially in low light. If you set the Sony to continuous shooting mode, there's virtually no blackout in the viewfinder between shots. Does anyone know if the M does better in continuous mode or if it still has noticeable black out in liveview after each exposure? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted August 13, 2014 Share #38 Posted August 13, 2014 There are tricks For instance, don't just concentrate on your subject. Fur or feathers are difficult to focus on. Use a patch of grass next to the subject that is in the same plane of focus, or another easy object, for instance. Or prefocus, and let the bird fly into focus-and release, etc. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sillbeers15 Posted August 14, 2014 Share #39 Posted August 14, 2014 Well.... [ATTACH]451816[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]451817[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]451818[/ATTACH] Nice! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Einst_Stein Posted August 14, 2014 Author Share #40 Posted August 14, 2014 Nice! Amazing, I wish I can do that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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