dancook Posted December 9, 2016 Author Share #21 Posted December 9, 2016 Advertisement (gone after registration) During speeches at a wedding I could focus and shoot 3-4 people laughing at a joke, with the d750. I'm concerned with the sl that I won't get one at this rate. Using single point I aimed at eye, nope eye brow nope, hair line nope, try eye again... The single point was still on this same person you see above not even having to fight against the background as it using single point! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted December 9, 2016 Posted December 9, 2016 Hi dancook, Take a look here Leica SL terrible low light performance.. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
steppenw0lf Posted December 9, 2016 Share #22 Posted December 9, 2016 I would maybe switch to a R 2/90 or R 1.4/80. Using them manually would not give more hits - but less frustration. Well the focus would not be completely off, like in the example. But probably also not 100% on target (most of the time). So I would switch - take some shots wide open and then some again at 4 or 5.6. Or if it is an official event I would definitely use flash - even though I hate it, and f/8 or f/11 . "Wat mut dat mut." What has to be, that has to be. If focusing often fails, use the back button method. Then AF is most of the time not active, unless you choose a new target. I prefer this anyway. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted December 9, 2016 Share #23 Posted December 9, 2016 Do you need a zoom to shoot across a dining table? Can you suggest a currently available Leica SL AF prime lens the OP should consider instead? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancook Posted December 9, 2016 Author Share #24 Posted December 9, 2016 I think cake cutting is the only time I use flash at a wedding. I have my preferred style and the sl cannot keep up. I knew I'd have to compromise, but this just seemed ridiculous as it was not as 'that' low light. I keep hoping it's my technique, that there's some secret af combination I haven't tried. However I tried everything tonight. People further away did focus more consistently though Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancook Posted December 9, 2016 Author Share #25 Posted December 9, 2016 Do you need a zoom to shoot across a dining table? A zoom is versatile for event photography.. Which is the purpose Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted December 9, 2016 Share #26 Posted December 9, 2016 Your cars auto transmission won't shift out of 1st gear? Do you need to drive so fast? Have you tried driving in reverse instead? Accept the limitations of your car and hire another car for times when you need to drive at more than 10 MPH. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LocalHero1953 Posted December 9, 2016 Share #27 Posted December 9, 2016 Advertisement (gone after registration) Can you suggest a currently available Leica SL AF prime lens the OP should consider instead? You misunderstand - this branch of the thread was about my suggestion to use an M - which was made when the initial post made it sound like a social dinner, rather than an event he was working. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancook Posted December 9, 2016 Author Share #28 Posted December 9, 2016 Your cars auto transmission won't shift out of 1st gear? Do you need to drive so fast? Have you tried driving in reverse instead? Accept the limitations of your car and hire another car for times when you need to drive at more than 10 MPH. So you agree the sl is not good at autofocus low light and there is nothing significant that can be done? If I need a camera capable of af in low light I should sell up and look elsewhere. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted December 9, 2016 Share #29 Posted December 9, 2016 You misunderstand - this branch of the thread was about my suggestion to use an M - which was made when the initial post made it sound like a social dinner, rather than an event he was working. So you're saying that the SL & native zooms are useless for photography in low light situations? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted December 9, 2016 Share #30 Posted December 9, 2016 So you agree the sl is not good at autofocus low light and there is nothing significant that can be done? If I need a camera capable of af in low light I should sell up and look elsewhere. I've read similar stories to yours so despite Leica's claim that the SL is the fastest AF camera ever made I have to doubt it. I've only seen SL's in the wild being used with M lenses. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancook Posted December 9, 2016 Author Share #31 Posted December 9, 2016 So you're saying that the SL & native zooms are useless for photography in low light situations? If you want to capture the moment and not the moment after.. Yes Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LocalHero1953 Posted December 9, 2016 Share #32 Posted December 9, 2016 So you're saying that the SL & native zooms are useless for photography in low light situations? Huh? Look, I'm not trying to make a case for anything. And I made it clear in an earlier post that I wasn't arguing with Dan's experience. Just that mine was different. I don't have a solution to his problems. Although I sympathise with him, I will keep using my SL for low light photography. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancook Posted December 9, 2016 Author Share #33 Posted December 9, 2016 Once I get focus I can wait it out for other reactions and get good images. But that is not a good compromise. I kinda wished leica would just step in and say. Yes we know. We will fix it in the next firmware. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted December 9, 2016 Share #34 Posted December 9, 2016 Huh? Look, I'm not trying to make a case for anything. And I made it clear in an earlier post that I wasn't arguing with Dan's experience. Just that mine was different. I don't have a solution to his problems. Although I sympathise with him, I will keep using my SL for low light photography. You questioned why he was using a zoom lens. I just pointed out there isn't another currently available native SL option. You seemed to be suggesting that his issue was his fault rather than the cameras, that's all. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steppenw0lf Posted December 10, 2016 Share #35 Posted December 10, 2016 I have no 24-90 and use the Apo SL 90-280 often at 90-100 mm at f/2.8. It does exactly what I need. My hit rate is better than ever before (but not 100%). IQ is simply wonderful. I am not looking for anything else. The SL 1.4/50 is probably even better - but I have no money for that (the need is not that big). Of course nobody can give you a useful advice - everybody works differently. Is the Noctilux an alternative for you ? It is meant for these situations. It works great on the SL. I never had a camera that did what you need. So I never missed it. But obviously you have one that does exactly what you want. That's perfect. Too bad for Leica that it is not the SL. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LocalHero1953 Posted December 10, 2016 Share #36 Posted December 10, 2016 You questioned why he was using a zoom lens. I just pointed out there isn't another currently available native SL option. You seemed to be suggesting that his issue was his fault rather than the cameras, that's all. Please read again, slowly, in order. I made a light hearted suggestion that (for a social dinner, as it appeared at that stage in the thread), I would use an M, not a SL - hence no zoom. Of course for event shooting the zoom is ideal. This is beginning to sound like the end of the night in a bar, where everyone gets a bit argumentative. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancook Posted December 10, 2016 Author Share #37 Posted December 10, 2016 Yes to be clear I was trialing the sl for event photography use, as a guest at my office Christmas party . I will be using it for a wedding in two weeks. At the end of it I'm sure I can deliver a set of wedding photos with the sl. But I will know I could have done better based on tonight performance. I sold the nikon D750 now no great shakes I only had the 85mm for it Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steppenw0lf Posted December 10, 2016 Share #38 Posted December 10, 2016 I heard rumors that with the new SL 1.4/50 there will be a new firmware level. And rumors have it that there will be fixes/improvements for AF. The 50mm is currently slower than the two zooms. I do not know if the speed and accuracy in the zooms is also affected. So in your place I would wait until January at least. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancook Posted December 10, 2016 Author Share #39 Posted December 10, 2016 I heard rumors that with the new SL 1.4/50 there will be a new firmware level. And rumors have it that there will be fixes/improvements for AF. The 50mm is currently slower than the two zooms. So in your place I would wait until January at least. I'm not much of a optimist but I'll take it Probably just improvements for the 50mm specifically Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramarren Posted December 10, 2016 Share #40 Posted December 10, 2016 hmm. Using the 90-280mm zoom at close quarters in somewhat dim light, AF hunts a lot. Have to say I haven't seen this problem with the 24-90. I have seen the same problem I've seen with all AF systems in that there are often missed focuses in scenes which are complex. This is why I generally default to manual focus most of the time: it's easy to turn the ring and get perfect focus, and I have the toggle button set to do AF on demand. Much more useful, far as I'm concerned. If I'm shooting at an event the way it seems you're doing, most of my subjects with a given focal length setting are going to be at pretty much the same distance, a minor tweak on the focus ring nails the focus perfectly, so there's really little need to press the AF system into doing service. It's much slower on all cameras... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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