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Q2 back button focus


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With the Q (1) I focus by using that little button on the back near the thumb indent, and leaving the shutter button disabled for focusing - i.e. choose the focus point with the back button and then release the shutter when I want to without the shutter release making me refocus. 

From Jono's non-review it sounds like that is not possible on the Q2. Can anyone confirm, or am I misunderstanding things?

 

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31 minutes ago, gotium said:

With the Q (1) I focus by using that little button on the back near the thumb indent, and leaving the shutter button disabled for focusing - i.e. choose the focus point with the back button and then release the shutter when I want to without the shutter release making me refocus. 

From Jono's non-review it sounds like that is not possible on the Q2. Can anyone confirm, or am I misunderstanding things?

 

Leica Q2 manual, page 81 has a table that shows various modes. There is a mode where back-button focusing is possible.

 

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5 minutes ago, gotium said:

Whew! Thank you, will have a look. 

I am also reading Jono's review as you did, but the instruction manual says something different. Is the manual wrong, is Jono wrong? Let's have somebody buy the Q2 and try it out.

Edited by SrMi
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8 minutes ago, SrMi said:

I am also reading Jono's review as you did, but the instruction manual says something different. Is the manual wrong, is Jono wrong? Let's have somebody buy the Q2 and try it out.

Indeed, Jono's experience seems to contradict the manual - at least to my understanding. 

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I was also understanding this. Back button focus works, yes. But it does not seem to be possible to disable the focus from the release button, according to Jono.

This defeats the purpose, I think. 

I am using back button focus on the Q, and I cannot image that it will differ with the Q2. I am curious now....

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Leica Q2 English manual, page 81:

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I think what he meant is that you need to keep pressing the Zoom/Lock Button while you press the shutter. Otherwise it will refocus with the press of the shutter.

The button doesn‘t lock the focus when you press it once. You need to keep pressing the button.

 

 

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38 minutes ago, plantagoo said:

I think what he meant is that you need to keep pressing the Zoom/Lock Button while you press the shutter. Otherwise it will refocus with the press of the shutter.

The button doesn‘t lock the focus when you press it once. You need to keep pressing the button.

 

 

That is how I understood Jono's review, but that is not what the table says and is not back-button focus. Note that Jono is not a fan of back button focusing and maybe he did not test it that extensively.

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Quoting from Jono's article: "However, there are two problems. Firstly you cannot assign AFL (Focus Lock) or AEL (Exposure Lock) to the button and then disable it from the shutter release button. It doesn’t worry me, but many people like to shoot like this."

The way I read this is that if I use back button focus (Which I do all the time), the Q2 still focuses by half pressing the shutter.

Comes the question which overrides which? As it seems, you have to keep the back button focus pressed to keep the focus. And than the shutter is going to do the same? I am having a hard time believing that this is true. Any thoughts?

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I use back button focusing exclusively on my Canon 5D3 and have for more than a decade. It works great and is really superior in situations with complex images and foregrounds. The Leica implementation where you have to hold the button is a poor solution. I don’t like it and I don’t use it. Back button should be a push to lock the focus then forget about it. Totally disconnected from the shutter button. 

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50 minutes ago, iQ2 (formerly Infiniumguy) said:

I use back button focusing exclusively on my Canon 5D3 and have for more than a decade. It works great and is really superior in situations with complex images and foregrounds. The Leica implementation where you have to hold the button is a poor solution. I don’t like it and I don’t use it. Back button should be a push to lock the focus then forget about it. Totally disconnected from the shutter button. 

Both Leica SL and Q implement back button focusing in the same way as your Canon.

The manual says that Q2 implements the back button focusing properly (AFL mode). The manual writes that only in AEL/AFL mode you need to press and hold the button,

Waiting on Q2 owners to confirm if manual is correct or wrong.

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Well, I stand corrected. I just tried it and you are right. I wonder if this is a change from previous software revs? Previously I tried using back focus and was not successful. As I remember I had to hold the button down continuously to have it not refocus with the shutter. On my Q with the Thumbs Up it’s fairly ackward to push the button. This looks much improved and easier on the Q2. Thanks for the correction. 

Should I get a Q2, back focusing will be my standard way of operating. 

Edited by iQ2 (formerly Infiniumguy)
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Off Topic: A little trick with back button focus with Canon: Since Canon has this feature I use it. Now I have the 5D IV and I have set it in a way that it focuses continuously while I press the back button. Like this you have actually both: Single and continuous. When you release that button then it stops focusing as if you had used single focus. On the shutter release button I have only the exposure not the focus. I hope it is clear what I want to say :-).

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5 minutes ago, Alex U. said:

Off Topic: A little trick with back button focus with Canon: Since Canon has this feature I use it. Now I have the 5D IV and I have set it in a way that it focuses continuously while I press the back button. Like this you have actually both: Single and continuous. When you release that button then it stops focusing as if you had used single focus. On the shutter release button I have only the exposure not the focus. I hope it is clear what I want to say :-).

Alex. That’s exactly how mine is setup. Servo mode with the back “AF ON”  button. It works great. Thanks. 

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On 3/7/2019 at 9:37 PM, gotium said:

With the Q (1) I focus by using that little button on the back near the thumb indent, and leaving the shutter button disabled for focusing - i.e. choose the focus point with the back button and then release the shutter when I want to without the shutter release making me refocus. 

From Jono's non-review it sounds like that is not possible on the Q2. Can anyone confirm, or am I misunderstanding things?

 

Hi There

Right - I’ve checked and you’re quite correct - I’ve also updated the article and credited you with the correction.

Thank You!

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What does 'Sharpness' mean in this context? Is it just a mis-translation of 'Focus'.

And, why doesn't Leica let that be a toggle feature? In my Fujis I can back button focus by pressing the button and letting go. Then concentrate on moving the camera if need be for the exposure.

Lee

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7 hours ago, jonoslack said:

Hi There

Right - I’ve checked and you’re quite correct - I’ve also updated the article and credited you with the correction.

Thank You!

Thanks for checking it and clearing that up.

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