SL2-S AF tracking

[Chaemono]

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The best SL yet

AFc, Drive Mode: Medium Speed, Tracking.

It glued right on.

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[Chaemono]

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[Chaemono]

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[nicci78]

Thanks 

but at how many FPS ?

[Chaemono]

vor 38 Minuten schrieb nicci78:

Thanks 

but at how many FPS ?

Drive Mode: Medium Speed = 5 fps according to the manual. In fact, there are eight pictures two seconds apart (EXIF data).

[nicci78]

So still the same as SL2. No improvement in that area. 

Edited December 25, 2020 by nicci78

[sillbeers15]

1 hour ago, nicci78 said:

So still the same as SL2. No improvement in that area. 

As a matter of fact, slightly slower. However I found a way around it if you want to track motion and yet shoot at high speed mode, apply short burst of like 4-5 frames with finger hitting shutter & lifting and redoing it again with focus tracking box nailed over subject. This also help to manage the short buffer situation in the SL2.

[Chaemono]

vor 3 Stunden schrieb nicci78:

So still the same as SL2. No improvement in that area. 

I’ll try 9 fps. Just didn’t do it yesterday.

[Chaemono]

vor 2 Stunden schrieb sillbeers15:

As a matter of fact, slightly slower. However I found a way around it if you want to track motion and yet shoot at high speed mode, apply short burst of like 4-5 frames with finger hitting shutter & lifting and redoing it again with focus tracking box nailed over subject. This also help to manage the short buffer situation in the SL2.

One feels more secure that the green box will remain glued on the subject. 9 fps should be a breeze for the SL2-S. It’s just the start of the thread. 

[sillbeers15]

2 hours ago, Chaemono said:

One feels more secure that the green box will remain glued on the subject. 9 fps should be a breeze for the SL2-S. It’s just the start of the thread. 

I would agree with you. I believe that the newly revised algorithm would be better than the current version in the SL2 that sticks to the subject. 
Based on my experience tracking subjects that move rapidly, I found the challenge mainly on locking ‘focus’ onto moving subject against keeping it within frame. Therefore in the event that there are no other subjects within frame (either in clear sky background or subject sizable within frame). Therefore I actually found ‘zone’ focus gives me better success rate to lock focus onto subject and selecting AFS can mean more accurately focused subject in motion. While in other challenging situations, I switch back to AFC / tracking but instead of missing to keep subject within EVF, I use the alternate method of a dot sight device to help me track subject within frame better. Once the subject is in view of the dot sight hairpin, I trigger the shutter release to let the AFC do the work.

Having better success rate in keeping the subject lock on focus in continuous shots is good. But does not necessarily means the camera can be positioned to lock focus fast enough and subjects can be easily kept within frame. 

Edited December 26, 2020 by sillbeers15

[Paolou Pigini]

4 hours ago, Chaemono said:

I’ll try 9 fps. Just didn’t do it yesterday.

Unlikely, 9 fps work only in single AF. 

I guess it is due to a technological limit of the current architecture of the 24 Mpixel that Leica, Panasonic, Sigma and possibly also Nikon, with just the Z5, are using. 

Anyway, 5 fps are enough for most of us, especially now that are becoming reliable. 

 

 

[Chaemono]

vor einer Stunde schrieb Paolou Pigini:

Unlikely, 9 fps work only in single AF. 

I guess it is due to a technological limit of the current architecture of the 24 Mpixel that Leica, Panasonic, Sigma and possibly also Nikon, with just the Z5, are using. 

Anyway, 5 fps are enough for most of us, especially now that are becoming reliable. 

I just looked it up. Yes, 5 fps felt more reliable than with the SL2 because I remember that the metering field didn't track the saved object as it was moving across the frame reliably. It was sort of jerky. With the SL2S it moves along smoothly. I intentionally didn't pan the camera in this test.

In the menu it also says that AFc "...focuses continuously, even if the AF mode AFs was set." So, I still want to try 9 fps with AFs and Tracking. 

 

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[Slender]

Why do Leica people -Farkas and others- say it is the same as SL2 (save for slightly lower fps) then? Only difference I can think of is that the lower resolution sensor makes for a faster readout speed for DFD analysis, but that should be it. Some here say that using APS-C takes this principle even further on SL2 = less pixel to analyse = faster readout time for DFD AF = lesser rolling shuter effect for video, too.

Tracking mode works quite well on SL2, even better still with tuned profile and used with backbutton focusing (so you leave the shutter do the shutter job alone, like in the old days )

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[Slender]

Just on a personal note, I like to use the tracking function by pressing the rear joystick button = when focus is set to manual, you can use the joystick as a focus back button. It leaves your index free for something else, and the shutter button only has to care about one thing; releasing the shutter. I have been using this for video a bit too, works decently with fast moving subjects indeed. When set to MF and field for example, I use it to set focus with my thumb before hitting record... or during the take if something changes unexpectedly in the frame. Only con this method disregard the focus settings you may set for traditional AFC in video (speed/sensitivity...)

For street photography, I set the camera on MF + Tracking. I found it very useful because you can press the shutter half-way while focussing the lens and you see the hyperfocal on the top screen... so your focus is set you only have to trigger when the moment is right. AND you have object tracking AFC accessible at any time from your thumb if you need to. Works for me with wide angle and hipshooting for example. Of course if you use a 28mm M lens you have this all by default... except the possibility to use AFC tracking as a backup.

On another side note, I had some fun doing discreet hip shooting via the phone app. People think I am just checking the later, not taking picture from the main big black box.