JorgeMR Posted April 15, 2018 Share #1 Posted April 15, 2018 Advertisement (gone after registration) Dear all Leica Q users, I have a doubt and I would like to know if someone can help to solve it. Reading photography books about hyperfocal distance most of them tell when you want to look for this Hyperfocal distance you should have to aim a subject to a distance depending on your “f” aperture and focused it with AF. (Ex. with and aperture f8 with Leica Q we should aim to a subject a little more than 3,29m which is the hyperfocal distance for this aperture and achieve a photo absolutely sharp until the infinite. Once focused I’m AF (the books said) change to Manual focus and shoot the photo. Well, If I want to do it with my Leica Q, is this possible? Once I focused the subject with AF, necessarily I have to to change to MF moving the ring so automatically I loose the subject focused. I’m very confused. Could I aim the subject it directly with MF without focusing first in AF? If yes why this process to focused in AF and later change to MF? Thanks for your help!, Jorge Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted April 15, 2018 Posted April 15, 2018 Hi JorgeMR, Take a look here From AF to MF. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
jaapv Posted April 15, 2018 Share #2 Posted April 15, 2018 No wonder you are confused. I don't know what books you read, but this is complete bollocks. Hyperfocal distance is an aid, used mainly on manual cameras, for photography when the photographer is unable or unwilling to focus precisely fast enough or wants to give the impression of a photograph sharp from foreground to background. It depends on the distance you set your lens to, aperture, how large you will print, your subject matter and contrast and your critical expectation of sharpness. It is basically zone focusing with the far end of DOF at infinity. If you set a hyperfocal distance a photograph is still only sharp in the plane of focus that you focused on. However, DOF, which is the zone of acceptable UNsharpness, will encompass the area you want to record acceptably sharp in your image, at hyperfocal distance to infinity. Note that DOF is a gradual falloff, not a block of absolute sharpness. If you want your horizon absolutely sharp, the only way to do that is by focusing on the horizon, or by setting the lens to infinity, which should be the same. AF does not come into it. You calculate the distance you set your lens to manually. The problem with many AF cameras is that they don't have distance scales any more, nor DOF markings. That is where this nonsense about fiddling with AF to focus on objects 3,29 m away comes in. How would they measure that? Carry a yardstick? Of course you can focus manually if you wish. Just switch off Autofocus, and set the lens to the hyperfocal distance. Manually. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JorgeMR Posted April 16, 2018 Author Share #3 Posted April 16, 2018 Thank You Jaap for your answer. It really helps me. I found this distance in an scale from the App called Photopills and the section Hyperfocal distances configurated with the Leica Q. Absolutely agree :-) Best write doubts and questions in this forum than read some books or other documents. Thanks again! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonomaBear Posted April 16, 2018 Share #4 Posted April 16, 2018 I suspect that JAAP and I are among the old fashioned photographers who know that Leica glass offers incredible image quality even when not-quite-spot-on-focussed -- if stopped down just a little bit (Noctilux excluded). One of the many reasons I have become a Leicaphile is the accuracy of the focus scales on Leica lenses. And that I am basically a landscape photographer. When in doubt, set your Q to f/2.8 (no more than f5.6) and move the lens focus tab until the "infinity" is just inside the right hand scale marker for your aperture. Infinity will be in focus and so will most of the foreground-to-midrange. If I'm crawling on the dirt to capture the close up flowers, I generally shoot wide open on the Q (f/1.7) with AF on spot or manual -- but horizon images are almost always manual focus f/2.8 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astropap Posted April 16, 2018 Share #5 Posted April 16, 2018 Why no more than f/5.6? Amy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tailwagger Posted April 16, 2018 Share #6 Posted April 16, 2018 ...Once focused I’m AF (the books said) change to Manual focus and shoot the photo... As an aside, there can occasionally be situations where its useful to first focus with AF and then switch to MF to avoid having the camera re-focus. Most DSLRs have AF/MF switches on the lens which makes this relatively easy. The Q, however, does not allow this behavior as there is no switch per se, but AF is disengaged by moving the focusing tab out of its locked position. Once one moves the focusing tab from AF mode, the lens racks to infinity and then tracks the motion of the tab from there. It's not much of a loss of functionality, but in a related topic I do occasionally wish that the MF focus magnification point could be moved off center (like the M10). Useful when one is on a tripod. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted April 16, 2018 Share #7 Posted April 16, 2018 Advertisement (gone after registration) Why no more than f/5.6? Amy Diffraction. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted April 16, 2018 Share #8 Posted April 16, 2018 I suspect that JAAP and I are among the old fashioned photographers who know that Leica glass offers incredible image quality even when not-quite-spot-on-focussed -- if stopped down just a little bit (Noctilux excluded). One of the many reasons I have become a Leicaphile is the accuracy of the focus scales on Leica lenses. And that I am basically a landscape photographer. When in doubt, set your Q to f/2.8 (no more than f5.6) and move the lens focus tab until the "infinity" is just inside the right hand scale marker for your aperture. Infinity will be in focus and so will most of the foreground-to-midrange. If I'm crawling on the dirt to capture the close up flowers, I generally shoot wide open on the Q (f/1.7) with AF on spot or manual -- but horizon images are almost always manual focus f/2.8 i think that you are spot on in your assessment, but I am also a stickler for accuracy. I always want to focus precisely on my main subject. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astropap Posted April 16, 2018 Share #9 Posted April 16, 2018 Diffraction.Even at f/8? I thought it was a problem only at very small apertures. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted April 17, 2018 Share #10 Posted April 17, 2018 From 5.6 onwards, on some lenses even more. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonomaBear Posted April 17, 2018 Share #11 Posted April 17, 2018 Even at f/8? I thought it was a problem only at very small apertures. I have not done serious study on this but several photographers whom I admire have mentioned the 1.7 Summilux being at its best from 1.7 through 5.6. That being said, knowing the optical characteristics of a full frame 28mm, there is more than enough depth of focus at 5.6, no more is required in 99.99% of imaging situations. When shooting in program mode (aperture at "A", auto ISO, etc.), notice what algorithm the Leica engineers concocted: emphasis on wide open, rarely stopped down past f/4 -- and I've never been let down by this lens! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
prk60091 Posted April 19, 2018 Share #12 Posted April 19, 2018 I have not done serious study on this but several photographers whom I admire have mentioned the 1.7 Summilux being at its best from 1.7 through 5.6. That being said, knowing the optical characteristics of a full frame 28mm, there is more than enough depth of focus at 5.6, no more is required in 99.99% of imaging situations. When shooting in program mode (aperture at "A", auto ISO, etc.), notice what algorithm the Leica engineers concocted: emphasis on wide open, rarely stopped down past f/4 -- and I've never been let down by this lens! recently i have been shooting wide open / auto iso / auto shutter speed--- i have noticed that iso stays at 100 and it is usually the shutter speed that changes... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jvansmit Posted April 20, 2018 Share #13 Posted April 20, 2018 Even at f/8? I thought it was a problem only at very small apertures. Personally, I don't have any issue shooting at small apertures. f/8 seems much the same as wide open, and loss of detail is only noticeable (to me) at f/16 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astropap Posted April 20, 2018 Share #14 Posted April 20, 2018 Next time out, I’ll try to make some comparison shots at different apertures and see if I notice any difference. I do think I have been using apertures that are too small to get the best shots. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted April 21, 2018 Share #15 Posted April 21, 2018 You'll have to look really well and make sure that the test shots are technically perfect. It is a subtle effect and not always visible. As we are talking about a complete system here we need to look at the sensor resolution/pixel size as well. Lens/aperture diffraction is always present, it just becomes negligible or beyond the lens resolution limit at large apertures. The question is whether it can be resolved through the complete system. The Q is a prime example of a system that has been very well balanced by the manufacturer for general use. 24 MP leaves us with f11 being just below the combined diffraction limit, f16 just above. Which means that you can use all available apertures without perceptible quality loss on the Leica Q. I used the Cambridge in Colour advanced diffraction calculator and ticked the "set circle of confusion to pixel size" box. https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/diffraction-photography.htm The only factor that could bring the calculation down by about one stop, but I am not sure whether this is actually the case, is the assumption of an AA filter, which the Q does not have. In that case I would say regard f11 as the minimum aperture. A system with another compromise, aimed at a different type of photography, will have a different outcome: https://luminous-landscape.com/understanding-lens-diffraction/ This means that the general " don't stop a lens down past f 5.6 because of diffraction" that is often read in forums and blogs is a completely meaningless exhortation, unless the system used is specified and the value properly calculated. Be wary of visual "proof". Stopping down will reduce the EV value and increase the risk of motion image degradation, or higher ISO and in-camera noise reduction, obscuring the results. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astropap Posted April 21, 2018 Share #16 Posted April 21, 2018 Thank you for that explanation and the tips. Amy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cp995 Posted April 21, 2018 Share #17 Posted April 21, 2018 Why no more than f/5.6? Amy I think he meant f11 ... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jvansmit Posted April 24, 2018 Share #18 Posted April 24, 2018 'Which means that you can use all available apertures without perceptible quality loss on the Leica Q' It's quite noticeable at f/16 From various Leica Q reviews: 'diffraction becoming obvious at the smallest aperture of f/16' 'Diffraction sets in at f/8, dropping the overall score to 2,554 lines, but even at f/11 the lens is still very sharp (2,343 lines). I'd avoid f/16, as diffraction robs some detail ...' Not that I bother about it, and often use f/16 myself Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted April 29, 2018 Share #19 Posted April 29, 2018 Well, that tallies more or less with my estimate of f 11. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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