Separate AE lock from AF lock

[Ulf Wold]

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I am a new LEICA owner. Can anybody tell me how to separate AF lock from AE lock. Thank you

[ramarren]

I'm not sure that the CL supports setting two different buttons for the AE- and AF-Lock functions. But you can achieve it by either:

 

- Half-pressing the shutter release with the metering area selected, then (while holding the shutter release) reframing and turning the focus knob.

 

- Using manual metering, then framing with the AF system on target for autofocus.

 

I use both of these techniques, depending upon situation and scene demands, with the SL.

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[Ulf Wold]

Thank you very much

[scott kirkpatrick]

There's a section in the manual that talks about "metering memory lock," (p.55 in my English copy).  But it turns out that this is just half-press the shutter button to set both focus and exposure, then hold the half press while you recompose.

[Starwolfy]

Not exactly scott.

The first half press is an AE lock.

While you are still pressing the button half way you can then recompose and after if you release + half press again (quickly just after the previous release) you can notice that the camera did focus on your subject while retaining the exposure you had locked with the first half press. Not so easy to do but works well if you have the right release and re half press timing

[jonoslack]

Hi Ulf

I don’t think you can separate them as you suggest (at least, not yet)

However, if you half press the shutter (locking focus and exposure) you can then manually adjust the focus with the manual focus on the lens.

[scott kirkpatrick]

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I answered as i did because I don't find it reasonable to correct focus while recomposing (which is a left hand-assisted operation) and then shoot, holding a half-press the whole time.  Possible, but nothing like a decent back-button focus which separates AE from AF.  I'm hoping the clouds will part and enhanced firmware will make this work like the SL does.  The language about "metering memory lock" in the instruction manual doesn't fool me, and sounds like Leica isn't fooled either, but put in some marketing-speak to keep people happy.

[jonoslack]

I answered as i did because I don't find it reasonable to correct focus while recomposing (which is a left hand-assisted operation) and then shoot, holding a half-press the whole time.  Possible, but nothing like a decent back-button focus which separates AE from AF.  I'm hoping the clouds will part and enhanced firmware will make this work like the SL does.  The language about "metering memory lock" in the instruction manual doesn't fool me, and sounds like Leica isn't fooled either, but put in some marketing-speak to keep people happy.

Well, I’m sure Leica is fooled, and I suppose that I am as well. . . . I realise that most of the world likes this functionality .

 

I just don’t see why it’s good to separate AF from AE . . It surely means that you need two presses to take a picture - 1 for focus and then another to release the shutter (during which time you’ve swayed, and critical focus has been lost).

 

Perhaps you can explain why it’s so good? I’m genuinely confused.

 

I like the fact with the CL (and the SL) you can half press the shutter, and then refine the focus with the focus dial before pressing the shutter

[jaapv]

I can see where  Scott is coming from, though, many cameras have this option. The point is that it allows one to recompose/refocus whilst retaining the exposure, which can be useful with spot metering. However, the alternative is quite simple as well: use manual exposure.

[Starwolfy]

I agree it is not as easy than with dedicated buttons but I just tried it in my home with the T and I could lock AE and focus on many different subject while retaining the same AE for each subject.

Of course...the AE lock is then deactivated once I finally press the shutter fully to take the final picture.

I can see this feature usefull when you want to quickly get a certain exposure which you want to apply to a subject that is not exposed by the same kind of light than the ine you want to apply to your subject (mix light scenes scenario).

Of course I could just switch to manual and do same stuff but it means I need to dig in the menu and moves the wheels until I get the exposure I want which may be a bit longer than what you can do with the first solution.

A bit clumsy...but works.

[SrMi]

Well, I’m sure Leica is fooled, and I suppose that I am as well. . . . I realise that most of the world likes this functionality .

I just don’t see why it’s good to separate AF from AE . . It surely means that you need two presses to take a picture - 1 for focus and then another to release the shutter (during which time you’ve swayed, and critical focus has been lost).

Perhaps you can explain why it’s so good? I’m genuinely confused.

I like the fact with the CL (and the SL) you can half press the shutter, and then refine the focus with the focus dial before pressing the shutter

Many photographers, including me, are accustomed to use back button focus (BBF), i.e., remove focus from shutter. Almost every serious wildlife photographers uses it. BBF allows you to have MF, AF-S, AF-C instantly available. Holding the shutter half pressed for longer time (to keep focus locked) is cumbersome IMO. The advantage of grabbing focus before taking picture (either with half-press or with BFF) is clear, I think. Once accustomed to the operation of BFF and with ergonomically well placed back button, you do not feel like pressing two buttons, but that your camera reacts more predictable.

[scott kirkpatrick]

Sorry for the snarky tone, but I tend to sort out focus first, then framing and exposure.  In any scene I am used to moving myself around and judging the best adjustment that way.  In macros (lately flowers) that's a natural way to correct.  I use the half press to set center-weighted exposure just before making a final framing and pushing the shutter the rest of the way down.  Shooting events, family, scenes, it's easiest to get the focusing out of the way and then concentrate on expressions.  I'm not terribly concerned with getting the tips of the eyelashes into the Noctilux plane of focus.  So cranking the big knob around is not what I want to be doing as a picture comes together.

[jaapv]

The problem with wildlife, as mentioned above, is that it tends to move around (except Lions )  thus losing focus.

[scott kirkpatrick]

For critters, it sounds like manual exposure and mash the shutter/AF at the right moment is a better strategy.  But I don't usually do critters, except our housecats.

[SrMi]

The problem with wildlife, as mentioned above, is that it tends to move around (except Lions )  thus losing focus.

For wildlife, you move the focus point where you want it to be, press the back button focus to acquire focus and (in AF-C) keep pressing to follow it. If you lose focus repress the button to reacquire focus. At the same time, you move the camera to follow the object and optionally move the focus point. Easy, peasy ;-).

[jaapv]

I am even more easy-peasy. I normally use manual focus for wildlife - AF has problems with structures like fur and feathers anyway, and never focuses where I want to ( i.e. eye, beak, etc.) Moving focus points around is much too slow and elaborate. The only useful AF in wildlife situations in my experience is tracking focus, for instance birds in flight.

[SrMi]

I am even more easy-peasy. I normally use manual focus for wildlife - AF has problems with structures like fur and feathers anyway, and never focuses where I want to ( i.e. eye, beak, etc.) Moving focus points around is much too slow and elaborate. The only useful AF in wildlife situations in my experience is tracking focus, for instance birds in flight.

I believe you are referring to AF modes where the camera decides where to focus (on CL, e.g., Multipoint mode) while I am talking Spot/Field focusing mode. IMO, the Multipoint, tracking, etc., modes (where the camera decides what to focus on) give AF its bad reputation. There are cases where those modes are useful, but you lose control for the sake of convenience. They don't work for me; neither on the Nikon, Sony, nor or on CL.

[jaapv]

Even field or spot will pick a branch in front of the subject. If you move it a bit, it will lose track on the fur. Manual - far better.

[wlaidlaw]

I have the front button set up on my SL for a quick press to AE lock. Half shutter press to AE/AF lock. This seems a good set up. 

 

I too would like an option to be able to assign a button or control to AE lock. Perhaps a quick press on the centre button of the left hand top roller, with a long press to access change drive mode (currently a quick press). Generally I have my exposure set to centre weighted except for my wide angle preset, where it is set to multiple field metering. There might well be shots where you just know it will be underexposed with centre weighted and it would be easier to point the camera to a darker area, lock the exposure and reframe, than fiddling about with manual focus or EV compensation. This is second nature to me as I have used it since ever I had a camera with coupled metering and AE lock. 

 

Wilson

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[ramarren]

What I'm always impressed by, and sometimes annoyed by, is the number of techniques required to use AF and AE effectively. This is why I use manual focus most of the time, and normally have AE set to centerweighted when doing so. Focus, half-press to lock in the exposure, compose, click ... seems fast and simple rather than deciding which AF and AE mode and which buttons to press all the time.