Q2 Autofocus vs Q Autofocus

[Craig Clark]

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I will start out by apologizing if this topic has been covered before.  So I will start out by saying that I am a "drive by (walk by)" street shooter.  I have had two Q's, a QP and now have a Q2 Monochrom and a Q2.  I walk the streets of DC and many of my shots come from just walking past people holding my camera to my chest, shooting as I walk past.  I began this approach with my Q cameras and using the mutli field autofocus I feel like probably 75% of the time focus hit what was closest to me (normally the person I wanted as my subject).  I have noticed that when I attempt to employ this same technique with either of my Q2 cameras, more often than not, the focus grabs the background and not the person that is close to me.  I have tried every autofocus mode including facial detection and it still seems to be an issue.  I have also adjusted my auto ISO settings to a minimum shutter speed of 1/500 and a maximum ISO of 6400.  Its just frustrating because I feel like my hit count was higher with the older cameras.  I also know that it would be to my benefit to familiarize myself with the DOF scale and perhaps use manual focus....I just worry that I wouldnt have time to adjust as I approach people walking around the city.  I shoot mostly at 1.7 so I would have to be spot on using the DOF scale.  Its just frustrating - i seldom chimp and recently when I get home I have way more misses than hits.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!  

[piblondin]

Curious to know if you ever discovered any ways to improve this. 

[steveBK]

I've actually owned & sold both over the last 5 years and this is my recollection as well.

I'm contemplating getting back in but just going with the Q for price/AF speed reasons and waiting on Q3 in 2023 😄. 

Original Q is a heck of a street/events camera. 

Q2 upgrades everything.. except the AF performance, and probably highlight clipping..

Edited April 18, 2021 by steveBK
number of years

[PhotoCruiser]

I never realize that there is a difference but I focus with my eye not shooting without watching where I point at.

However, what about hyperfocal distance setting on the lens, that should eliminate your problem.
As I don't use that on the Q/Q2 I can't tell you the correct distance but HERE is a article about how to calculate it.

Then do some tests to see if that works for you.

Chris

[jaapv]

On 4/18/2021 at 7:59 PM, PhotoCruiser said:

However, what about hyperfocal distance setting on the lens, that should eliminate your problem.

Isn't that deliberate misfocus? It is only meant to bring the subject into an acceptable range of sharpness, whereas the point of AF is obtaining critical focus.

[nicci78]

Q AF is definitely better than Q2 in every aspect. 
- multi field. 
- face detect only works when subject is closer than 2m away.

Best AF mode is target mode. It works very well. Double tap the screen to center AF point. 
Then half press the selected subject. It will stick to it. 
 

AF-C works noticeably better than AF-S for every subject. 
 

1/250th is the minimum shutter speed for sharp moving subjects. 

OIS has to be set on Auto ! with stabilisation on Auto you can get sharp non moving object at 1/30th or 1/15th 

47MP has costs : less reliable AF, more storage space needed and higher shutter speeds. 
 

The culprit ? Leica kept the same 6 years old Maestro II within Q2. 
If you want fast and reliable AF with 47MP sensor. You have to choose the SL2 with its brand new and powerful Maestro III processor. 
 

 

Edited April 20, 2021 by nicci78

[Craig Clark]

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I was never really able to resolve this....I still hit and miss.  No one responded for quite a time which surprised me and then I looked this morning and saw that several people had chimed in.  I thought maybe it was just me who was having this issue - for I am definitely not a "professional" but more of an enthusiast.  That being said, I am really close to just selling the Q2 and going back to the original Q. Leica Miami has a really nice titanium version that I have had my eye on.  I second what has been said here though - the Q2 is great in pretty much every aspect other than autofocus.  Kind of sad really.  I keep thinking that maybe a firmware update will resolve the issue.  

[Craig Clark]

Probably the biggest thing holding me back is the weather sealing of the Q2...I have grown to quite enjoy shooting street scenes in the rain and take both the Q2M and the Q2 out with me free from worry...I have used the Q2M in pouring rain and have had no issues whatsoever.  That combined with the propensity for dust inside the original Q really make me think hard about downgrading....if you can even call it that.  I love the Q2 - everything about it other than the autofocus.  As stated before, learning the DOF scale and focusing manually would likely mitigate the issue....but if I wanted to go that route I would probably just get an M.  

[PhotoCruiser]

vor 4 Stunden schrieb jaapv:

Isn't that deliberate misfocus? It is only meant to bring the subject into an acceptable range of sharpness, whereas the point of AF is obtaining critical focus.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperfocal_distance

Yes it is certainly not the right way to have a perfect focus but as OP shoot without pointing at something particular the perfect focus will be on that what the camera believes not what the photographer want. The use of the correct  Hyperfocal distance setting comes very handy in this case.

Using hyperfocal distance settings is common un underwater videography as a lot of cameras (particularly photo cameras used for video) have serious troubles
to focus/keep focus on swimming marine life.

If i would shoot as OP does - from the hip or chest without pointing on a particular subject, just in the direction of it  - then I would not wonder why the camera focus on the wrong subject.
With any camera brand or model as no actual cameras autofocus will know where the photographer want to focus.

As OP believes that the autofocus of the Q2 is worst than the one of the Q using his way of taking photos then it is either
- imagination
- a different way to hold the camera (maybe to a different case, grip, etc) what lead to pointing in the wrong direction
- there is really a difference in autofocus under this particular condition and nobody realized that as most focus watching thru the EVF or the monitor.

I personally can't remember a difference in autofocus behavior when I switched from the Q to the Q2

Chris
 

 

[jaapv]

1 hour ago, PhotoCruiser said:

without pointing at something particular the perfect focus will be on that what the camera believes not what the photographer want.

Well, there is an indication in the EVF where the camera is focusing... We may assume that he is not shooting from the hip.

[jaapv]

1 hour ago, PhotoCruiser said:

Using hyperfocal distance settings is common un underwater videography as a lot of cameras (particularly photo cameras used for video) have serious troubles
to focus/keep focus on swimming marine life.

Underwater photography uses wideangle lenses with deep DOF. Personally I use prefocus and let the fish swim into the focus plane. I'm certain PGK and Paulus can bring a professional point of view here.

[hdmesa]

I have the Q-P and Q2M and never even considered trusting the cameras to choose what I want it to focus on. Even with my R5 I don't trust it. On the Q-P and Q2M, I always position the focus point manually (arrow pad or touch screen) or leave the focus point in the center and do focus-recompose, although focus-recompose is not easily trusted wide open at close distance. Q2M also has Touch AF in EVF feature that lets me move the focus point with my thumb by touch-dragging it across the rear screen while looking through the EVF. This is really the fastest way to move the focus point if I'm using the EVF – but I have to be sure to flip the camera so that the EVF is at the bottom when shooting verticals or else my face will touch the screen and change the focus point.

Edited April 20, 2021 by hdmesa

[PhotoCruiser]

Am 22.3.2021 um 08:33 schrieb Craig Clark:

I walk the streets of DC and many of my shots come from just walking past people holding my camera to my chest, shooting as I walk past.

 

vor 2 Stunden schrieb jaapv:

We may assume that he is not shooting from the hip.

As OP wrote,  he shoot from the chest, from the hip don't change as both that suggest OP shoot blind without controlling focus

 

vor 2 Stunden schrieb jaapv:

Personally I use prefocus and let the fish swim into the focus plane.

I was writing about videography 

 

vor 2 Stunden schrieb jaapv:

I'm certain PGK and Paulus can bring a professional point of view here.

Sure there is a lot of more professional underwater photographers than me, but being dive instructor and owning two dive operations I guess I have "some" experience...

However, the tread was not about underwater video/photography,

If someone shoot blind somewhere and complaining afterwards that the subject he wanted to focus is out of focus then honestly I don't know what other to say than 
to suggest to use hyperfocal distance setting or change camera either have a orientable display to be able to check focus while holding the camera on his chest.
that is what I would do if I should need to shoot blind

 

[jaapv]

I would suggest, even if not optimal as some suggest, that AFC with face detection (which reverts to Multifield when no face detected) will outperform zone focus any time in that scenario. A more likely cause for the problem would be motion blur due to the higher pixel count.

[nicci78]

In case of no face detected : 
- Q2 in face detect revert to 1-point field selection. Compatible with touch AF and with double tap to center. Which is nice. 
- Q and CL in face detect revert back to multifield. Which is not optimal. 

[jaapv]

32 minutes ago, nicci78 said:

Which is not optimal. 

It might be for the use intended.

[Craig Clark]

I wasnt trying to instigate any type of bickering - was just making an observation in hopes of some helpful hints.  Ive been shooting 20+ years and I know shooting from the hip / chest is always going to be a crap shoot....its cool.  To be honest, just like shooting with the Q system did when I first transitioned - its just refined the way I shoot.  I've begun talking to the folks I encounter on the street and after having a conversation, I ask if I can make a photo.  It has actually yielded different and perhaps better results.  I got this one today with the Q2 Monochrom.  I am happy to adapt and keep shooting.  

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[Simone_DF]

17 hours ago, Craig Clark said:

I keep thinking that maybe a firmware update will resolve the issue.  

unfortunately that's not the case. The Maestro II is way underpowered

Even the Maestro III on the SL2 is just ok for good autofocus on a 47mp sensor.

We have to wait for a Q3

[KNN1965]

Was this autofocus issue addressed with the new firmware?

https://leica-camera.com/en-int/Company/Press-Centre/Press-Releases/2020/Press-Release-Firmware-update-significantly-improves-the-performance-of-the-Leica-Q2

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica Q

[Le Chef]

Why not use manual focusing and zone focus? If you have a sense of the distance you want to shoot the subject at you can set that on the lens quite easily.