SL focus mode

[leica1215]

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SL should have the fastest focus if not one of the very fast, but my experience in past 2days many pics are not in the focus.

 

Which mode are you using ? I might have not set it up right, advise please.....

 

 

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[LD_50]

Fast focus does not equal accurate focus. You will need to provide more information.

 

SL works well for fast and accurate focus if the target has sufficient contrast and doesn't require tracking.

[leica1215]

Thanks, my question should be which focus mode you using?

Static? Spot ,field or zone?

I tend to shoot family gathering, children.

 

 

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[LocalHero1953]

Mostly AFs spot. And generally little problem with fast accurate focus, even in lowish light.

[ramarren]

For family gatherings and children, I've found the Automatic (Face) recognition AF setting to work very well. For other AF shooting, the Static one-point spot is what I use most of the time.

 

I only rarely use Tracking and/or AF-C modes; they work okay when I have.

[dgktkr]

SL should have the fastest focus if not one of the very fast, but my experience in past 2days many pics are not in the focus.

 

Which mode are you using ? I might have not set it up right, advise please.....

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

 

FWIW, here is my understanding. If I don't have it right, I invite corrections.

 

One thing that might be helpful to understand here is a difference between AFs and AFc. With AFs (Focus priority), when you full press the shutter button, you're telling the camera you want to take a picture. However, in this mode, the camera will not actuate the shutter until it thinks it has acquired a good focus. In low light situations, this delay can be very noticeable.

 

With AFc (Shutter release priority), when you full press the shutter button, the camera will actuate the shutter whether good focus has been achieved or not. To train myself to use this mode, it has taken a bit of practice to wait for the audible signal to sound and the focus location indicator to turn green before I full press the shutter button. So I half press the shutter well before I want to capture the image, wait for focus confirmation and then full press the shutter button.

 

For general picture taking, I prefer AFs, since it require less discipline and less thinking. If I'm taking a picture of something moving continuously, like someone walking, a car or airplane coming closer, I might use AFc. I half press the shutter button well before the subject is where I want it to be, and full press when the subject gets to the desired distance. I like to think of this mode as longitudinal tracking.

 

To complicate matters further, there are also the static and dynamic AF modes. I think of the dynamic mode as enabling lateral tracking. The subject can move around in the frame and the focus point will follow the subject. In the static mode, the focus area is fixed in the frame.

 

dgktkr

 

 

 

dgktkr

[steppenw0lf]

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AF speed is not only dependant upon the camera, but upon camera, lens and firmware.

Leica says currently SL plus 90-280 is the fastest combination (with the newest firmware).

For me often AFs with single point and 90-280 is the fastest combo. Anything else is slower and/or less reliable. (This could change with the next firmware level).

 

I cannot work with dynamic. I am too slow to control it. So in the end the camera only decides what to take - I do not like this. (More for playing and being surprised about the results - like fishing in muddy waters).

[leica1215]

FWIW, here is my understanding. If I don't have it right, I invite corrections.

 

One thing that might be helpful to understand here is a difference between AFs and AFc. With AFs (Focus priority), when you full press the shutter button, you're telling the camera you want to take a picture. However, in this mode, the camera will not actuate the shutter until it thinks it has acquired a good focus. In low light situations, this delay can be very noticeable.

 

With AFc (Shutter release priority), when you full press the shutter button, the camera will actuate the shutter whether good focus has been achieved or not. To train myself to use this mode, it has taken a bit of practice to wait for the audible signal to sound and the focus location indicator to turn green before I full press the shutter button. So I half press the shutter well before I want to capture the image, wait for focus confirmation and then full press the shutter button.

 

For general picture taking, I prefer AFs, since it require less discipline and less thinking. If I'm taking a picture of something moving continuously, like someone walking, a car or airplane coming closer, I might use AFc. I half press the shutter button well before the subject is where I want it to be, and full press when the subject gets to the desired distance. I like to think of this mode as longitudinal tracking.

 

To complicate matters further, there are also the static and dynamic AF modes. I think of the dynamic mode as enabling lateral tracking. The subject can move around in the frame and the focus point will follow the subject. In the static mode, the focus area is fixed in the frame.

 

dgktkr

 

 

 

dgktkr

I have watched some YouTube video, seems the SL is not ideal for dynamic tracking on moving products, only good to capture in fixed distance let's say cars on the track passes by, but not subject coming close to you.

 

For the AFs I think it's a bit slow to capture slow moving subjects like people etc.... I will try AFs

 

 

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[leica1215]

AF speed is not only dependant upon the camera, but upon camera, lens and firmware.

Leica says currently SL plus 90-280 is the fastest combination (with the newest firmware).

For me often AFs with single point and 90-280 is the fastest combo. Anything else is slower and/or less reliable. (This could change with the next firmware level).

 

I cannot work with dynamic. I am too slow to control it. So in the end the camera only decides what to take - I do not like this. (More for playing and being surprised about the results - like fishing in muddy waters).

So does it mean that 90-280 can do accurate focusing like subjects coming to you? Have you tried this combo yet?

 

I think the biggest advantage of the SL is using the AF please correct me if I'm not right?

 

 

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[steppenw0lf]

I cannot speak for other users - you have probably a different way of shooting pictures.

For me the SLs main strength is how it handles manual lenses (much better than any other modern camera).

AF is very fast with 90-280 and completely quiet (great in church or concert).

 

For "safari" I use a 5Ds plus 100-400, it has more options (6 programs for AF, etc.). And more lens options. But even here I avoid animals coming fast towards me. 

But for a cruise to the polar regions I would probably take the 90-280.

 

I cannot answer your question, because I usually avoid this sort of object. Just generally: Most AF cameras (99%) are not reliable for erratic movements (especially towards you). For "normal" use the worst case is a child on a swing, and the SL handles this gracefully.

Other cases can be handled with classic methods (prefocus and burst).

 

If you think of professional sports photography buy a D5 or 1Dx - even the 5Ds is probably not fast enough for perfect results. Then you have limited resolution, but the highest burst rates (and speed).

For birding a 5Ds with a 500mm and 800mm would probably be best. Or a Panasonic with the Leica 100-400 zoom (200-800 equivalent, OIS and can be used handheld).

 

 

You probably wonder, why manual performance is important for me. I like to use a simple 28mm, or 90mm prime. Here I would like to have AF, but the lenses are not there, yet. Also macro is important for me (50, 60 or 100, even 200), and again this is manual use.