Leica S007 AFc behavior

[tom0511]

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Nowadays I have focus inaccuracies too often with my S007. I dont remember this when having the S006 - so I have some feeling maybe firmware was tweaked for AF speed lately instead of AF accuracy. Is this possible? Maybe I have to send in my camera for a check. I love the rendering of S-lenses, but I am turned off by too many slight out of focus images. The difficult thing: its not consistent problem, some images are fine, some are not.

 

[ZHNL]

3 hours ago, tom0511 said:

Nowadays I have focus inaccuracies too often with my S007. I dont remember this when having the S006 - so I have some feeling maybe firmware was tweaked for AF speed lately instead of AF accuracy. Is this possible? Maybe I have to send in my camera for a check. I love the rendering of S-lenses, but I am turned off by too many slight out of focus images. The difficult thing: its not consistent problem, some images are fine, some are not.

 

I feel the same. I don’t remember I see mis focus as often with S2/s006, but my lenses lineup were also simpler. The problem is I can not draw a conclusion under what condition I can get consistent focus so that I can trust the system, so far I haven’t found one. 

Even with pretty well defined shooting target, I don’t get consistence or repeatability I’d like to have.

I would much much prefer consistent focus even it means very slow and AF-S only than half baked AFC or try to be fast but all over the place. 

There are too many things we don’t know and Leica is never clear what they are doing. 

One thing I am pretty sure that Leica will say your camera is in spec based on my experience with S system.

I am mostly OK with the way I use the system. Manual focus 80-90% time include just use barrel mark for infinity shots if condition permit, but this whole thing is a mess. 

I hope more people can share their experience about S’s AF. This might bring some Leica attention. Especially you have the same feeling that S007 is actually worse compare to S2/S006. 

[alan.y]

Comparing the S2 and S007, I am not sure if the 007 focuses less accurately. I suspect the ratio of OOF photos is indeed higher with the S007--but because it's easy to take many more photos with it, and because in lowlight situations where the AF struggles, the S2 simply doesn't work at all.

[adamquesada]

I feel pretty much the same, having just recently sold my S-E 006 to purchase a used 007, I feel it is less accurate for focusing. I get a lot of soft shots even on AFs, and even worse on AFc where I feel it never settles.

[albertknappmd]

On 3/6/2019 at 4:00 AM, alan.y said:

Comparing the S2 and S007, I am not sure if the 007 focuses less accurately. I suspect the ratio of OOF photos is indeed higher with the S007--but because it's easy to take many more photos with it, and because in lowlight situations where the AF struggles, the S2 simply doesn't work at all.

An apposite observation...

I agree!

I hope that the S3 has significantly improved its AF capability given the fact that higher acceptable ISO will ineluctably lead to more low light photography. If this is not the case, then disappointment awaits...

Albert