Exposure metering field problem

[danmdan]

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On my newly acquired CL I normally use the "Center-weighted" setting for Exposure metering.  I mean the little rectangle in the viewer which turns green when focus is achieved, accompanied by a "bleep" noise.  But have been puzzled why many pics were out of focus !  Well it seems that it is because when I lift up the camera to take a picture my thumb pushes against the 4-way setting array and moves the focus rectangle either up or to the rhs of screen, so mostly it eventually ends up in the top righthand corner of screen. 

The QUESTION is - can I fix/freeze the focussing field in screen center permanently ?

Edited December 6, 2020 by danmdan

[Gregm61]

I know of no way to permanently fix the AF point anywhere in the field.

Once you've focused and the green AF focus confirmation is lit, so long as you continue keeping the shutter release half-pressed as you recompose, the AF point will remain green and should remain in place. The four-way will not move the AF point if you're keeping the shutter release half-pressed (I just tried it to confirm and it will not move if you keep the release half-pressed), which tells me you're raising your finger off the release and disengaging AF to enable the four-way control to move the AF point. When you then take the picture the camera is re-focusing where you accidently moved the AF box so the focus problem sounds like it's in the way you are using the camera.

Edited December 6, 2020 by Gregm61

[danmdan]

56 minutes ago, Gregm61 said:

I know of no way to permanently fix the AF point anywhere in the field.

The four-way will not move the AF point if you're keeping the shutter release half-pressed, which tells me you're raising your finger off the release and disengaging AF to enable the four-way control to move the AF point. 

Sorry - I have not been clear as to the problem. The focus rectangle is being moved by the 4-way control after I switch on the CL and then pick it up, but before any scene/view is focussed and taken.  I am obviously assuming, forgetting to check, and thus not noticing if the rectangle is still in center of screen, which it is then not so. The half pressed shutter works as you say it does.

This problem effectively means I have to check the AF point's position every shot I take because the slightest touch on the 4-way control moves the AF out of its desired/required center-screen position,  which is thus why I wish to fix it permanently center screen as can be done with other cameras I use. I need to know where the AF point is without having to remember to check it is not center screen !

Edited December 6, 2020 by danmdan

[Gregm61]

Yeah, you definitely do need to check the AF point when focusing to ensure it's focusing where you want it to. About the only way I can think of to avoid it is if you are shooting people and have face-detection AF turned on. There's also a multi-field option but I'd never rely on the camera picking the point where I want focus placed. I have spot focusing enabled way more often than the normal one-box area so I can be very specific on the focus point.

Edited December 6, 2020 by Gregm61

[Guytou]

I was also afraid of this. But when I recently received my CL (with the thumb rest and grip), I realized that the ball of my thumb was not touching the 4-way control at all.
For me, even the thumb rest alone is sufficient and the collimator thus always remains in the center.

Guytou

Edited December 6, 2020 by Guytou

[wda]

Users are very divided by this behaviour. I have never had the wandering focus point; many others have. I am sure it is a handling/operating disparity.

[ramarren]

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2 hours ago, danmdan said:

On my newly acquired CL I normally use the "Center-weighted" setting for Exposure metering.  I mean the little rectangle in the viewer which turns green when focus is achieved, accompanied by a "bleep" noise.  But have been puzzled why many pics were out of focus !  Well it seems that it is because when I lift up the camera to take a picture my thumb pushes against the 4-way setting array and moves the focus rectangle either up or to the rhs of screen, so mostly it eventually ends up in the top righthand corner of screen. 

The QUESTION is - can I fix/freeze the focussing field in screen center permanently ?

If you're using AF and using the shutter release half press to engage/disengage it, you can try using the "All Lock/Unlock" command to fix the focus point to the center. All Lock/Unlock is a toggle that locks the action of the dials, dial buttons, command buttons, and touch screen. It leaves only the shutter release, both half and full press operations, active. It is toggled by a long press on the left dial button. 

So: You set the controls up as you want the camera to operate, put the focusing point in the center of the frame, and long press the left button. Nothing can be changed with dials, touch screen, dial buttons, or function buttons while the lock is enabled. You put the camera to your eye, center where you want the AF to focus and the AE to lock, half press the shutter release, frame, and make the exposure. If you want to make an adjustment (say, to EV Compensation), you first long-press the left button to disable the lock, then all controls act as normal, make your setting and/or your exposure, then long press again to re-lock the camera's controls. 

That might work for you, at least until you gain the muscle memory such that you're not hitting the control pad arrows inadvertently. 

G

[Le Chef]

This has been a problem with the CL from Day 1. Many owners have complained but Leica have chosen to do nothing. The solution would be to make the focal point locked as the default. I’m not a software engineer but maybe it’s harder to do than we think. Let’s hope the next OS upgrade fixes it...

[jaapv]

It is even worse if you use spot. That little cross is very hard to find if is has been moved inadvertently. BTW, double tapping the screen will center it.

[dfdann]

Come on Leica Fix it. The only wart on a wonderful camera!!!
Dan

[ramarren]

This "wandering focus point" in AF use has never affected me since I use M and R lenses on my CL exclusively. It does seem it should be simple to work a fix.

On my Hasselblad 907x, pressing the hard X button will return the focus point to the center of the screen, regardless whether you're in AF or MF mode, in all but one screen display mode (in the level mode, that button is overridden to swap between user-calibrated level and the camera's default level). It's quite handy.

I could see the same thing being applied as a function in the CL to the FN button or the right dial button as the user desires with a User Profile customization. I'd like it even with manual focus only lenses, since there's no quick way to center the focus point on the screen if you've moved it elsewhere (like I sometimes do when doing tabletop work with the camera on a tripod or camera stand). 

G

[wda]

What could be simpler than a double-tap on the viewing screen?

[jaapv]

Not having to take the camera from your eye to activate the LCD and double-tap on the viewing screen

[GRBrown]

21 hours ago, ramarren said:

I could see the same thing being applied as a function in the CL to the FN button or the right dial button as the user desires with a User Profile customization. I'd like it even with manual focus only lenses, since there's no quick way to center the focus point on the screen if you've moved it elsewhere (like I sometimes do when doing tabletop work with the camera on a tripod or camera stand). 

On my CL with firmware 4.0, a double tap on the screen centers the focus point from where ever it has wandered off to.

[ramarren]

22 minutes ago, GRBrown said:

On my CL with firmware 4.0, a double tap on the screen centers the focus point from where ever it has wandered off to.

Unfortunately, that trick only works when you're using a dedicated, AF lens. I don't have any of those. With adapted M and R lenses, all of the focus related touch operations are disabled.

[dfdann]

It’s rather difficult to double tap screen with eye to viewfinder !!!

 

[wda]

DFDANN,

Ummmm!    So you walk around with your camera permanently held to your eye? I don't believe it. 😘

Edited December 9, 2020 by wda

[GRBrown]

39 minutes ago, ramarren said:

Unfortunately, that trick only works when you're using a dedicated, AF lens. I don't have any of those. With adapted M and R lenses, all of the focus related touch operations are disabled.

Good to know. Thank you.

[jaapv]

On 12/9/2020 at 10:20 PM, wda said:

DFDANN,

Ummmm!    So you walk around with your camera permanently held to your eye? I don't believe it. 😘

Most of us take photographs with it held to their eye. I guess you prefer dirty-nappy framing ? 🧐

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[wda]

19 minutes ago, jaapv said:

Most of us take photographs with it held to their eye. I guess you prefer dirty-nappy framing ? 🧐

My point is, there is time to tap a screen as you lift the camera to frame a picture using your eyes.