TL2 with M lenses?

[Keith_W]

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Hi all, I am thinking of purchasing a TL2 as a second camera. My question is how well it handles M lenses.

 

In particular, I want to know if the record button can be reprogrammed to obtain focus peaking. As I will be shooting mostly in manual mode with M lenses, I would also like to know if the two dials at the back can be configured to control ISO and shutter speed so that I can access them immediately WITHOUT having to dive into the menus. Thanks in advance! 

[LocalHero1953]

Hi all, I am thinking of purchasing a TL2 as a second camera. My question is how well it handles M lenses.

 

In particular, I want to know if the record button can be reprogrammed to obtain focus peaking. As I will be shooting mostly in manual mode with M lenses, I would also like to know if the two dials at the back can be configured to control ISO and shutter speed so that I can access them immediately WITHOUT having to dive into the menus. Thanks in advance! 

No. At present the button can only be assigned to video record, play (I.e. display images and video) or swapping between EVF and screen. 

I can't see why future firmware can't widen the range of options to include focus peaking, but who knows.

Actually, with M lenses the LH dial is automatically reassigned to triggering magnification; IMO it would make more sense for this to include focus peaking as well. There seem to be mixed reports about whether it already does so: some people say they can see faint peaking with M lenses - I can't. The manual implies the LH dial triggers only magnification, not peaking - but the manual is full of errors.

 

I haven't actually checked about reassigning the LH dial for M lenses. TBH I have been happy with using it for magnification and so I haven't checked the alternatives. I will look at it today. I think the RH dial will remain permanently on shutter speed.

[LocalHero1953]

Yes, you can reassign the left dial with M lenses. The only difference is in the default assignment: magnification rather than ISO

[Keith_W]

Thanks for your response, Paul. I would be really grateful if you could let me know if the LH dial shows focus peaking when it is triggered.

 

Also, do you have the Visioflex 020? I would like the rear screen to be OFF by default and only use the Visioflex if it is attached. 

[LocalHero1953]

Thanks for your response, Paul. I would be really grateful if you could let me know if the LH dial shows focus peaking when it is triggered.

 

Also, do you have the Visioflex 020? I would like the rear screen to be OFF by default and only use the Visioflex if it is attached. 

Sorry, Keith - I missed your reply and question.

No, focus peaking is not triggered for M lenses with the LH dial - just magnification.

 

I do have the Viso, and I can't see any way to switch off the rear screen by default. I agree this is irritating - there are some places where a person with a bright LCD would not be popular. You can set it to go off after 30 secs minimum, but that does not really do what one would want.

[LocalHero1953]

My comment about the Viso was wrong. You can switch the screen off by assigning the Fn button to toggle between the screen and the Viso. But your choice is lost when you switch the camera off and on again. So for the hypothetical darkened room, your neighbours would get a flash of the screen when you switch the camera on, until you pressed the Fn button again.

[LocalHero1953]

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Thanks for your response, Paul. I would be really grateful if you could let me know if the LH dial shows focus peaking when it is triggered.

 

Also, do you have the Visioflex 020? I would like the rear screen to be OFF by default and only use the Visioflex if it is attached. 

I've made a further check with a couple of different M lenses in daylight. With just one (Elmarit-M 28mm Asph) I get a faint trace of focus peaking (wide open, outdoors, overcast), but not enough to be of swift practical use. I get nothing with the Apo-Summicron-M 75 nor Apo-Summicron-M 50.

[floyd]

Hi Paul does peaking work with M lenses if you don't turn magnification on.

[LocalHero1953]

Hi Paul does peaking work with M lenses if you don't turn magnification on.

I can only just see peaking on my Emarit-m 28mm asph (not on the Apo-Summicron 75, nor the Apo-Summicron 50). 

I can see it while zoomed in with that lens, but not without magnification.

TBH, it is so faint, and it only works with one lens (I have a couple of other M lenses I haven't tried), and it only works on certain very high contrast edges, so I'm not even going to think about it. As long as I'm not in a hurry, magnification is a more than good enough aid.

[Overgaard]

Focus peaking is edge detecting, so if the edges in focus are contrasty, they will have an outline. If they are in focus, but has little contrast, there is no outline.

 

With M lenses I have the TL2 set to focus peaking+focus magnification. When the menu is set to that, when you turn the left of the two wheels, you zoom in 3x or 6x on the center of the image. I find it very easy to focus M lenses and other non-TL lenses.. 

 

Same function when you turn off AF in the menu and use TL or SL lenses.

 

The left wheel sits comfortably and natural for me. I forgot how it was on the Fuji X-Pro 2, except it almost required two hands to do that. 

 

As soon as you press down the shutter release, you get back to full frame view and can compose.