Focus Peaking

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To (ex-) TL2 owners, does focus peaking on the CL work better than on the TL2?

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[jaapv]

What is “better? The less subtle the less accurate. I prefer the accuracy of just-visible peaking.

[LocalHero1953]

To (ex-) TL2 owners, does focus peaking on the CL work better than on the TL2?

It is certainly stronger - I often had difficulty seeing it on the TL2.

OTOH, I have only used the 60mm almost entirely with AF, and a manual Summaron-M 35/2.8, which splurged focus peaking across a lot of the image, as one might expect.

 

Unfortunately sensitivity is not controllable - this is such an obvious need - ideally I would turn a dial to set the sensitivity the lens/scene/aperture needs, then manually focus. Does any other camera allow you to do this on the fly, or do you have to dive into a menu?

[jonoslack]

To (ex-) TL2 owners, does focus peaking on the CL work better than on the TL2?

 

Oh Hell!

I used to be a huge advocate for focus peaking - I thought it was a whizzer way to focus accurately on an EVF . . . until:

1. I realised that it was about contrast and not necessarily focus

2. EVFs got better and it became much easier to focus manually without focus peaking. 

 

Jaap has nearly got there "The less subtle the less accurate. I prefer the accuracy of just-visible peaking."

there is just one more step . . switch the damn thing off altogether!

 

It's hard to back this up scientifically, but you can do a little test yourself:

 

1. switch off focus peaking

2. try focusing manually without zooming in (practice a little first)

3. when you think you have perfect focus - zoom in and check that you have

 

My eyes are about the ones I deserve for my age (not perfect) but I found that after a little practice I could nail it every time - without focus peaking, and without zooming in.

 

The trouble with focus peaking is that it makes this (rather analogue) focusing quite impossible.

 

all the best

[scott kirkpatrick]

I was shooting macros recently on the SL and found the AF was doing just as well as focus peaking, with perhaps FP a little tending to pick up the wrong things.  But both were within my (tiny) depth of field.  However, for video while the shot is running, FP is the ONLY option.  AF is too flaky and the rate can't be controlled.  So I am glad it is there.

[jaapv]

Oh Hell!

I used to be a huge advocate for focus peaking - I thought it was a whizzer way to focus accurately on an EVF . . . until:

1. I realised that it was about contrast and not necessarily focus

2. EVFs got better and it became much easier to focus manually without focus peaking. 

 

Jaap has nearly got there "The less subtle the less accurate. I prefer the accuracy of just-visible peaking."

there is just one more step . . switch the damn thing off altogether!

 

It's hard to back this up scientifically, but you can do a little test yourself:

 

1. switch off focus peaking

2. try focusing manually without zooming in (practice a little first)

3. when you think you have perfect focus - zoom in and check that you have

 

My eyes are about the ones I deserve for my age (not perfect) but I found that after a little practice I could nail it every time - without focus peaking, and without zooming in.

 

The trouble with focus peaking is that it makes this (rather analogue) focusing quite impossible.

 

all the best

Quite agree. Today I tried - knowing better to use focus peaking with a Summilux 50 asph on a GX8- which has reasonably ok focus peaking for longer focal lengths. The only way I could get correct focus was to "walk" the plane of focus back and forth to determine the middle. The camera was trying to tell me that everything from 5 m to 25 meters was in focus @ 1.4. 

The EVF without FP was fine. However, it was a lot better than the lauded focus peaking on Sonys. I still dream of trying to focus on a herd of Zebra using a 135 Apo - the whole screen turned red. It even shimmered on the high-ISO noise - at the lowest setting...

Actually, the best use is on the 240 -with that outdated EVF!- with focal lengths over 180. It is just visible, but 100% accurate.

[jmahto]

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I do agree about M240 comment. I can focus quiet accurately by using that outdated EVF and tiny bit of FP color while using 180APO3.4. For me that is a match made in heaven.

 

With other lenses on M240 and on Sony Nex-6 (even at minimum setting), FP covers much wider range to be useful.

Edited November 28, 2017 by jmahto

[tritentrue]

Dunno yet about the CL, but Leica's subtle implementation of focus peaking on the M240 and TL2 works well for my kind of shooting.  When shooting FL>200m I find magnification necessary as well.  Those two focus aids enable full exploitation of the incredible amount of detail of which long Leica glass is capable.

 

 

[burkey]

'Not sure this is the correct existing thread to post this on but since it involves focusing M-mount lenses on the CL I thought I'd give it a try. . . .

What is the assumed "best practice" methodology to focus an m-mount lens on the CL?  I ask this because although I very often shoot "wide open" I have lately found myself out and about setting up a shot that by choice I want to use a smaller aperture, maybe f8 or f11 for example.  I get the discussions about peaking and focus magnification but remain curious if the majority of m-lens photographers focus wide open and then close down or focus closed down?  I would assume most of us  focus wide open where there's less chance of depth of field interfering with accurate focus but closing down after the focusing has some drawbacks too such as unintentionally moving the focus ring, etc.

'Just thought I'd ask.  Thanks in advance.

. . . David

[lct]

[...] I would assume most of us  focus wide open where there's less chance of depth of field interfering with accurate focus [...]

 

I don't. Too slow a process for me and best way to get focus shift problems with less than perfect lenses so i focus stop down almost all the time. Requires image magnification at smaller apertures though. I focused this way at f/8 here (CL, Tele-Elmarit "thin" 90/2.8).

 

[burkey]

lct - thanks for the reply.  Focus shift is something I hadn't taken into account.  I appreciate your reply.

And nice image by the way.

. . . David

Edited June 6, 2018 by burkey

[jaapv]

'Not sure this is the correct existing thread to post this on but since it involves focusing M-mount lenses on the CL I thought I'd give it a try. . . .

What is the assumed "best practice" methodology to focus an m-mount lens on the CL?  I ask this because although I very often shoot "wide open" I have lately found myself out and about setting up a shot that by choice I want to use a smaller aperture, maybe f8 or f11 for example.  I get the discussions about peaking and focus magnification but remain curious if the majority of m-lens photographers focus wide open and then close down or focus closed down?  I would assume most of us  focus wide open where there's less chance of depth of field interfering with accurate focus but closing down after the focusing has some drawbacks too such as unintentionally moving the focus ring, etc.

'Just thought I'd ask.  Thanks in advance.

. . . David 

I only use magnification on manual lenses, no peaking on short to average focal lengths (and even that not all the time) If you use the TL-M adapter, magnification is activated by the thumb wheel You can put peaking under the right wheel button, but as I use it for (very) long lenses only, in combination with magnification, I have activated it in a dedicated "long lens" user profile. I find it much more practical to change user profiles by the thumb wheel button than to fiddle with long and short presses.

And always at working aperture for the reasons LCT mentions: too slow and focus shift.

[burkey]

jaapv - thank you for the detailed reply.  Greatly appreciated.

. . . David

[norm_snyder]

I hadn’t considered using the thumb wheel for profiles, so thanks Jaap for the suggestion. Meantime, I have just been using a 28mm Summicron on my CL (42mm equivalent and diaphragm adjustment on the lens where nature intended) and agree, as Jaap and Jono have suggested, that focus is indeed more accurate for me without peaking. I am reminded of my experience with film SLRs, with which I tended to prefer plain ground glass screens, without other focusing aids.

[ehecatl]

While I appreciate the post about using magnification for focusing manual lenses (this is what I would do with my former T) I do like the ability to use focus peaking on my CL. With the VC 50/1.1 on my CL in a dark bar, focus peaking worked great for quickly composing and taking shots. Is it tack sharp? When taking quick off-the-cuff snaps I'm not interested in extreme sharpness as much as capturing a mood. Sharp is fine with me. But that's just me and my way of shooting. 

[Dopaco]

My TL2 when I bought it had firmware 1.0 and I updated it to 1-05, the latest firmware from Leica.

I did not go through the following updates (1.1, 1.2, 1.4) I went directly to the last 1.05, I consider that the last one would collect all the previous ones ...... Did I do it right? ......

With the TL lens that I have 18-56, the magnification (zoom) of the subject I want to photograph (3x) or (6x) works perfectly, which makes it much easier to focus in Manual Focus (MF) but in Focus Peaking, although I have tried to configure it, I have not been able to do it despite having tried it with the TL 18-56.

The M lenses that I have (old) do not have the 6-bit code and that I have tested with the TL2 + Leica M-T adapter, neither the magnification (zoom) nor Focus Peaking has worked. I think I have read that M and R targets without 6 bit code do not work.

Can this be so or am I missing something? ...

So far my eyesight is good and I have had no trouble focusing without aids, but looking ahead I may need them.

It is appreciated if someone with experience presents solutions.

Thanks a lot.

[lct]

I have no experience with the TL2 but there must a list of lens profiles in the menu. Did you try to select one lens profile there? If so, which one? Just to understand where your problem comes from.

Edited February 20, 2021 by lct

[Kim Dahl]

I have TL2.  Leica has not bothered to do firmware update for a long time.  There is not what I can find a list of M lenses one can choose as in SL or CL

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica L-Mount

[Dopaco]

7 hours ago, lct said:

No tengo experiencia con el TL2, pero debe haber una lista de perfiles de lentes en el menú. ¿Intentó seleccionar un perfil de lente allí? ¿Si es así, Cuál? Solo para entender de dónde viene tu problema.

As Kim Dahl says, there is no saved profile list, you would have to create or import it.

The firmware I have on my TL2 is the latest released by Leica 1.5:

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I guess the M or R lenses must have the 6 bit code and if they don't, you need to transform it. (I don't know if there will be an adapter for it).

The CL manual "USING LEICA M AND R LENSES" (Page 35), I want to understand, talks about it.

I found this:

http://www.summilux.net/m_system/objectifs_6_bits.html

Anyway, if I can't fix it on the forums, I'll give it a try via Leica Camera Spain.

[Dopaco]

The tests were carried out with the Leica ELMARIT - M objective, 28mm. F2.8, from the year 1996.