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Locking a single focus point dead center


rsmphoto

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Maybe I'm just old school, but I would greatly appreciate it if Leica, in their next iteration of firmware, would allow me the option to simply LOCK a single focus point in the center of the frame. For what I do and the way I shoot (MF using the joystick for auto focus) this would be most welcome. Anyone else?

 

Richard

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Totally agree. This is one of my biggest peeves with the SL.  I would rather focus & recompose than play with a fiddly joystick.  Making a photograph is not a video game. Actually, I miss the split-prism focus on the original Leicaflex SL.  How's that for old-school?  Would also love to see markings on the dials and lenses too.

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I also use MF with the joystick for AF.

 

That said I don't see the point of locking dead center, or how accidentally nudging the joystick makes any difference given it doesn't change the actual point of focus until you activate AF.

 

If you focus and recompose and then inadvertently move the AF point, you're still in focus until you reactivare AF. If you are okay with focus and recompose then just do it again with the off center AF point.

 

Markings on the dials of the SL and the native lenses makes no sense given the dials serve multiple purposes on the camera dependent on the mode you're in and the lenses are focus by wire. The top screen does what markings on the lenses and dials do for you, except also requiring power be on.

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I have never had that issue with any camera I've owned, with or without joystick.

 

I would however like a quick way to re-center (double tap joystick perhaps). My Nikons had this feature with a separate AF-On button and the joystick press re-centering the AF point.

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"The top screen does what markings on the lenses and dials do for you, except also requiring power be on."  -LD_50 

Exactly why the SL is slower to prefocus - you have to wait to turn the camera on to check settings.  Incidentally, I only shoot Manual Mode and would like to be able to lock modes also.  M System settings can be changed instantly by feel which is much faster and stealthier than waiting for the SL OLED to fully register.  Also, anyone tried night/star photography without markings?  The SL lenses are a nightmare to focus by wire at night with no markings.  The OLED does not show focal length or distance so there is no way to double-check or prefocus by actually looking at the exterior of the camera, which is obvious with any marked lens.  Focus peaking is not reliably sensitive enough for distant stars/dark night.  Love Leica but in the case of no lens markings, design negates function.  

 

 

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"The top screen does what markings on the lenses and dials do for you, except also requiring power be on." -LD_50

Exactly why the SL is slower to prefocus - you have to wait to turn the camera on to check settings. Incidentally, I only shoot Manual Mode and would like to be able to lock modes also. M System settings can be changed instantly by feel which is much faster and stealthier than waiting for the SL OLED to fully register. Also, anyone tried night/star photography without markings? The SL lenses are a nightmare to focus by wire at night with no markings. The OLED does not show focal length or distance so there is no way to double-check or prefocus by actually looking at the exterior of the camera, which is obvious with any marked lens. Focus peaking is not reliably sensitive enough for distant stars/dark night. Love Leica but in the case of no lens markings, design negates function.

The design is modal, which many (including myself) prefer for this type of camera.

 

The focal length is marked on the lenses and OLED does show distance.

 

You hold the shutter half pressed and turn the focus ring and the OLED shows you the focus distance and depth of field.

 

It's incredibly useful at night, though I wish the back screen would show the same in case the camera is mounted high on a tripod. In that use case a marked lens has the same limitation. You have to set it before placing on the tripod.

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Thanks LD_50, great to know about half-press+turning ring to see distance/dof in OLED (agree about back screen info too).  But still... I focus R & M lenses by touch or have a lens taab mounted so almost never need to look at the lines, wish SL lenses had tactile response as well as visual markings (not just OLED).  Focusing by feel is faster than the time it takes to turn the camera on.  Nevertheless, isn't the SL grand for MF and AF types alike?  ;D

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Maybe I'm just old school, but I would greatly appreciate it if Leica, in their next iteration of firmware, would allow me the option to simply LOCK a single focus point in the center of the frame. For what I do and the way I shoot (MF using the joystick for auto focus) this would be most welcome. Anyone else?

 

Richard

It is already possible to lock a single focus point in the center of the frame:

- AF Field Size : Field (it does not work with Point)

- AF Setup -> Number of Steps -> 1

 

I have also inadvertently moved the focus point. I like the Nikon way: half-press shutter to 'unlock' the focus point movement.

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It is already possible to lock a single focus point in the center of the frame:

- AF Field Size : Field (it does not work with Point)

- AF Setup -> Number of Steps -> 1

 

I have also inadvertently moved the focus point. I like the Nikon way: half-press shutter to 'unlock' the focus point movement.

 

Thank You very much SrMi. 

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It is already possible to lock a single focus point in the center of the frame:

- AF Field Size : Field (it does not work with Point)

- AF Setup -> Number of Steps -> 1

 

I have also inadvertently moved the focus point. I like the Nikon way: half-press shutter to 'unlock' the focus point movement.

 

 

Sorry, for me at least, the settings you suggest still allow the cursor to move when the toggle is touched.  What I want is to disable the toggle (with the crosshairs centered) when using MF setting with toggle actuated for auto-focus, so I don't inadvertently move the cursor when using the toggle to focus.  SA pretty simple a concept for those of us who want to use auto-focus without touching the shutter release. Firmware could allow this I suspect.

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Sorry, for me at least, the settings you suggest still allow the cursor to move when the toggle is touched.  What I want is to disable the toggle (with the crosshairs centered) when using MF setting with toggle actuated for auto-focus, so I don't inadvertently move the cursor when using the toggle to focus.  SA pretty simple a concept for those of us who want to use auto-focus without touching the shutter release. Firmware could allow this I suspect.

Strange, for me it does not allow any movement of the focus point at all (joystick cannot move focus point). This is  in MF mode with auto-focus triggered by pressing the joystick. Do you have the latest firmware? Have you set AF Field size to Field and not to Point? Here is mentioned that Firmware 2.0 introduced locked focus point: http://www.reddotforum.com/content/2016/04/leica-sl-typ-601-firmware-version-2-0-released-a-look-at-whats-changed/

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Strange, for me it does not allow any movement of the focus point at all (joystick cannot move focus point). This is  in MF mode with auto-focus triggered by pressing the joystick. Do you have the latest firmware? Have you set AF Field size to Field and not to Point? Here is mentioned that Firmware 2.0 introduced locked focus point: http://www.reddotforum.com/content/2016/04/leica-sl-typ-601-firmware-version-2-0-released-a-look-at-whats-changed/

 

Works like a charm for me as well.

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Strange, for me it does not allow any movement of the focus point at all (joystick cannot move focus point). This is  in MF mode with auto-focus triggered by pressing the joystick. Do you have the latest firmware? Have you set AF Field size to Field and not to Point? Here is mentioned that Firmware 2.0 introduced locked focus point: http://www.reddotforum.com/content/2016/04/leica-sl-typ-601-firmware-version-2-0-released-a-look-at-whats-changed/

Got it. Firmware 2.0 made the difference. Thanks!

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