Trade my Panasonic 24-70/2.8 with the Leica equivalent just for Back button focusing or other reasons?

[bpLeica]

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Folks I've been using the Panasonic 24-70/2.8 for just over a year now with my S1H which I am trading in with SL2-S. My other body is SL2 with 50/1.5 Sumilux. Is it worth it or should I just keep the Panasonic? 

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[robb]

Gotta go with what you most enjoy, because that will encourage you to shoot a lot.  I’d keep the sl2-S if possible.  That along with the SL2 are complimentary and both winners.  They both will allow you to shoot different situations and needs.  
 

But yes, the back button focus is how I have worked since the first Canon Eos 1… so that is easy to carry over and I would always like to shoot that way.  Definitely a needed feature to me.

Robb

 

 

Edited September 29, 2021 by robb

[Virob]

I have the Panasonic 16-35. It has “Certified by Leica” stamped on it, yet you can’t put it in MF mode on the SL2. Not a deal breaker with this particular lens but odd, Makes me wonder what “Certified” means. I’ll think twice before getting another Panasonic lenses.

[Boojay]

10 hours ago, bpLeica said:

Folks I've been using the Panasonic 24-70/2.8 for just over a year now with my S1H which I am trading in with SL2-S. My other body is SL2 with 50/1.5 Sumilux. Is it worth it or should I just keep the Panasonic? 

I don't understand why back button focus is not available on the SL2/s with the Panasonic lens.  Surely with your joystick set to AF and by switching the  lens to MF (via clutch or switch on the lens) you should be able to use BBF.   I know this is how I do it with both Sigma and Panasonic lenses on the SL2.

 

Edited September 29, 2021 by Boojay

[Boojay]

5 hours ago, Virob said:

I have the Panasonic 16-35. It has “Certified by Leica” stamped on it, yet you can’t put it in MF mode on the SL2. Not a deal breaker with this particular lens but odd, Makes me wonder what “Certified” means. I’ll think twice before getting another Panasonic lenses.

Surely it's possible to put the lens in MF by activating the clutch mechanism... which is actually quicker than menu diving to activate MF or by an assigned button press.   I sometimes quite miss having an af/mf switch on my SL Summicrons.

 

[Chris Nebard]

I bought the SL2-S, as a kit with the Leica 24-70 Vario Elmarit, last month because the bundled price was a good deal (in Leica Land at any rate ). I think it’s a superb lens. I can’t compare it with either Sigma or Panasonic equivalents as I haven’t used them, but, I agree with the comment by Robb: use what you enjoy. And I love the results I’m getting from the Leica. It isn’t a lightweight lens but it suits the SL2-S. It’s a great buy. 

[RBB]

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1 hour ago, Boojay said:

I don't understand why back button focus is not available on the SL2/s with the Panasonic lens.  Surely with your joystick set to AF and by switching the  lens to MF (via clutch or switch on the lens) you should be able to use BBF.   I know this is how I do it with both Sigma and Panasonic lenses on the SL2.

 

So do I

[Simone_DF]

2 hours ago, Boojay said:

Surely it's possible to put the lens in MF by activating the clutch mechanism... which is actually quicker than menu diving to activate MF or by an assigned button press.   I sometimes quite miss having an af/mf switch on my SL Summicrons.

Yup. I got the 70-200 F4 and I can confirm the clutch activates manual focus. 

However, Virob is right, manual focus cannot be set via menu, it's greyed out for me.

I did contact both Leica and Panasonic and they keep blaming each other. Leica says they provide "all basic functions" (how is setting manual focus via menu not a basic function?) and to contact Panasonic, Panasonic says it's up to Leica to implement manual focus with their lenses.

"Alliance" my ass.

[Photoworks]

36 minutes ago, Simone_DF said:

Yup. I got the 70-200 F4 and I can confirm the clutch activates manual focus. 

However, Virob is right, manual focus cannot be set via menu, it's greyed out for me.

I did contact both Leica and Panasonic and they keep blaming each other. Leica says they provide "all basic functions" (how is setting manual focus via menu not a basic function?) and to contact Panasonic, Panasonic says it's up to Leica to implement manual focus with their lenses.

"Alliance" my ass.

the menu is gray on all lenses with a mechanical switch , even adapted lenses.

There is logic in that, you will have to deactivate one of them, imagine turn the lens to MF and menu to MF and then switch quickly to AF.  which one should it be, if you are new tho the camera or lens you will probably not find the problem.

[Simone_DF]

1 hour ago, Photoworks said:

the menu is gray on all lenses with a mechanical switch , even adapted lenses.

There is logic in that, you will have to deactivate one of them, imagine turn the lens to MF and menu to MF and then switch quickly to AF.  which one should it be, if you are new tho the camera or lens you will probably not find the problem.

The hardware switch should always override the software switch. Isn't this how it works for all platforms?

Also what you say contradicts what the Leica rep told me. Why did they ask me to contact Panasonic?

Edited September 29, 2021 by Simone_DF

[Virob]

5 hours ago, Boojay said:

I don't understand why back button focus is not available on the SL2/s with the Panasonic lens.  Surely with your joystick set to AF and by switching the  lens to MF (via clutch or switch on the lens) you should be able to use BBF.   I know this is how I do it with both Sigma and Panasonic lenses on the SL2.

 

Hi Boojay, which Panasonic lens are you using where you can engage MF via the clutch and still be able to focus with the joystick? I can’t get that to work on the 16-35 with the SL2.

I do like the clutch vs the switch to go from AF to MF on the lens, fast and easy. However the goal here is to transfer the AF function from the shutter button to the joy stick which doesn’t seem to work with Panasonic lenses that have a focus ring clutch. Does it work with Panasonic lenses that have a switch?

[Boojay]

2 hours ago, Virob said:

Hi Boojay, which Panasonic lens are you using where you can engage MF via the clutch and still be able to focus with the joystick? I can’t get that to work on the 16-35 with the SL2.

I do like the clutch vs the switch to go from AF to MF on the lens, fast and easy. However the goal here is to transfer the AF function from the shutter button to the joy stick which doesn’t seem to work with Panasonic lenses that have a focus ring clutch. Does it work with Panasonic lenses that have a switch?

It should work... what have you got your joystick set to do in the menu...  are you sure you have it set to AF.  On SL2 - Main Menu - Page 4 - Customize control - Joystick - make sure MF Mode is set to AFs (or whatever you want to set it to.)   Once the lens is in MF mode the shutter button will not focus.   I am only using the Pan 24-105, 70-300, and the Sigma 150-600 - all of which have a AF/MF switch, but I did at one time have the 50mm 1.4 Panasonic and the 70-200 F/4 which used clutch for manual focus, and I seem to remember that both enabled BBF.

Hope someone else can confirm the above.. if not and it's just down to clutch/swtich difference I would be surprised.  

One other thing worth checking is that your firmware is all up to date.

 

 

 

 

Edited September 29, 2021 by Boojay

[Virob]

3 hours ago, Boojay said:

It should work... what have you got your joystick set to do in the menu...  are you sure you have it set to AF.  On SL2 - Main Menu - Page 4 - Customize control - Joystick - make sure MF Mode is set to AFs (or whatever you want to set it to.)   Once the lens is in MF mode the shutter button will not focus.   I am only using the Pan 24-105, 70-300, and the Sigma 150-600 - all of which have a AF/MF switch, but I did at one time have the 50mm 1.4 Panasonic and the 70-200 F/4 which used clutch for manual focus, and I seem to remember that both enabled BBF.

Hope someone else can confirm the above.. if not and it's just down to clutch/swtich difference I would be surprised.  

One other thing worth checking is that your firmware is all up to date.

 

 

 

 

I can set the joystick to MF mode to AF on page 4,  but I can’t set Focussing/focus mode on page 1 to MF. That option is greyed out. Switching to MF on the lens disables AF. It makes sense to me that AF needs to be enabled on the lens for BBF to work. If AF is disconnected on the lens, the camera just sees a MF lens.

When using AF from the shutter release, as we know, you can override AF as long as the shutter is half depressed by turning the lens focus ring. In this case the camera knows it is an AF lenses but gets a secondary override signal that the lens focusing ring is being activated. Getting BBF to work would be the reverse. The camera recognizes the lens has AF, but the focus ring is the primary signal, the override signal would be for AF coming from they joystick. 
 

At least that would be my interpretation. 

[Boojay]

11 minutes ago, Virob said:

I can set the joystick to MF mode to AF on page 4,  but I can’t set Focussing/focus mode on page 1 to MF. That option is greyed out. Switching to MF on the lens disables AF. It makes sense to me that AF needs to be enabled on the lens for BBF to work. If AF is disconnected on the lens, the camera just sees a MF lens.

When using AF from the shutter release, as we know, you can override AF as long as the shutter is half depressed by turning the lens focus ring. In this case the camera knows it is an AF lenses but gets a secondary override signal that the lens focusing ring is being activated. Getting BBF to work would be the reverse. The camera recognizes the lens has AF, but the focus ring is the primary signal, the override signal would be for AF coming from they joystick. 
 

At least that would be my interpretation. 

No you can't,  the option does stay greyed out, but regardless of that,  as @Photoworks above #9,  and please read #7 and #8, both of whom confirm BBF works with this method on Panasonic and Sigma lenses which have clutch or switch.  Fine tuning focus with manual override is a totally different thing to using BBF.   Have you tried yet?

 

 

Edited September 29, 2021 by Boojay

[Virob]

Tried it multiple times, tried it again, doesn’t work with my 16-35.

 For what it’s worth, I can get the joystick to initiate focus in AF mode, but focusing with the shutter button remains active, so not useful.

[Boojay]

6 hours ago, Virob said:

Tried it multiple times, tried it again, doesn’t work with my 16-35.

 For what it’s worth, I can get the joystick to initiate focus in AF mode, but focusing with the shutter button remains active, so not useful.

If the lens is set to manual focus (via clutch) AF off on the lens, and your joystick set up as above, then I have no clue how your shutter button is activating autofocus.   

Edited September 30, 2021 by Boojay

[RBB]

Just didi the test with the Sigma 85mm f/1.4. (can't try it anymore with the Panasonic 70-200 because I sold it). Works fine, set the lens with the switch on the lens to manual, the shutter button does not focus and the joystick does.

[Tailwagger]

Just tested my lenses. Neither the 70-200 f2.8 nor the 16-35 Lumix work with BBF when the manual clutch is enabled. Both the 45mm and 135mm Sigmas do work with BBF when set to manual mode.  Presumably in the former's case the collar is physically decoupling the drive motors.  So does BBF work? Lumix, no. Sigma, yes.

Edited September 30, 2021 by Tailwagger

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[beewee]

14 minutes ago, Tailwagger said:

Just tested my lenses. Neither the 70-200 f2.8 nor the 16-35 Lumix work with BBF when the manual clutch is enabled. Both the 45mm and 135mm Sigmas do work with BBF when set to manual mode.  Presumably in the former's case the collar is physically decoupling the drive motors.  So does BBF work? Lumix, no. Sigma, yes.

This would make sense for a video oriented focusing mechanism where you want absolute reference to close focus and infinity. For me, it’s a deal breaker for photography without BBF which is why I have not tried any Panasonic lenses to date. Although it sounds like their entry level lenses from Panasonic without the focus clutch may support BBF.

[Virob]

Tailwagger, thanks for confirming that BBF does not work with the 16-35. It would be interesting to get a list of Panasonic lenses that don’t work with BBF and report this for a bug fix to Leica. I submitted one for the 16-35 and got a polite response from Leica that they would consider fixing it in a firmware update.Not holding my breath, but it might help if more people report the problem.