Street photography with 50mm lens

[George Stoichev]

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I have Leica M6 with Summicron M 50mm and I like street photography.I switched to Leica from Contax G2 which has autofocus and autoexposure.

Can you share some zone focusing tips and tricks?

My lens is new and has no tab!

[a.noctilux]

Use the markings on your lens ...

dof scale can be very 'thin', but you can do and acquire experiences from there.

To take it easy, I'd begin with 3m/F8 or 11 , then 5m , then 10m depending on the main subject.

Learn to be quick with Leica M can be quicker than auto-everything.

Pre settings method is something to learn by oneself.

 

I just check my Summicron, sorry not 10 m engraving on each

the left 'same ' one no 10 marking

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no 10,

this is not important as I always use the rangefinder with these lenses, most of time wider than f/5.6

Edited December 11, 2021 by a.noctilux

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[trickness]

Set the aperture at f/8 and choose a focus distance on the scale on the body of the lens, say 3 meters. Then look to see at that aperture how much DOF you have in front and behind that distance - this is the overall range of focus at that aperture. Then get out a tape measure in your house or outside and measure out 3 meters and take some snaps (this is a LOT easier with digital than film - everything is easier with digital 😇) and you'll see where the focus starts and falls off. What you're trying to do is find a distance you're comfortable with from your subject, pre-set that focal distance, and learn exactly where the sweet spot is. Once you get this right, you will NEVER have to focus your manual lens - just bring the camera to your eye and snap the shot. It's WAY faster than any autofocus system to shoot this way. 

A 50mm is harder to do this with than let's say a 28mm which has a much wider depth of field stopped down, so if you're going to use this lens you must practice and learn where your zone is or everything will be soft. Also if you are doing street photography use a minimum shutter speed of 1/250 to avoid motion blur.

 

[UliWer]

28 minutes ago, a.noctilux said:

Use the markings on your lens ...

I don't think the DOF-scale of Leica lenses is a good way to start. My recommendation would be to be a lot more "conservative". If the scale tells you, that you have "sharpness" at f/8 from  approx. 5m to infinity, use less than the indexes of f/5.6. 

Focus throw differs a lot for different lenses. With a 50mm Summilux asph.  - which has a very short throw - you can hardly distinguish the indexes of f/8 and f/4 - there is none for f/5.6. With a 1:3.5/5cm Elmar there is a clear distinction between f/8, f/5.6 and f/4. Use the index of f/5.6 for the Elmar and f/4 for the Summilux - if you are at f/8.

Lenses with high resolution - take the Summilux asph as an example - suffer a lot from being out of focus; a lens with lower resolution - old Elmar as the classical example - will be much more forgiving.  

 

[George Stoichev]

Thank you to everybody.

from first films I shot I get to the following conclusion:

f/8 or f/11 or f/16

shutter 1/250

at f/8 

I can see two main ranges:

5.5m - gives me focus from 3.6m- 11.6mm  

3.5m - gives me focus from 2.6m - 5.2mm

what do you thing?

 

[a.noctilux]

George, don't bother with precise settings.

With experiences, you will see that the 'sharpness' on the calculate scale is not that important.

We can say approximation ...

 

So try hard to gain experiences with practices (a lot).

 

3.5m or 5.5m is not easy to set, but why not.

As said in my post #2, try 3 then 5 (not 3.5 or 5.5 ) for me it's easier to set on the lens "3" or "5" number in front of the index than 3.5 or 5.5.

Depending on where the subject will be, and the 'best sharpness' will fall where it can.

 

When you use 400ISO film, the sharpness can be more or less than 100ISO film depending on many things, so experimentations are your only teacher.

 

 

Edited December 11, 2021 by a.noctilux

[cboy]

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Firstly i suggest to know the hyperfocal distance at each aperture. Once you know the range you can set the near and far limits of the scene so then you only need to set predefined distance for each aperture. Secondly know your exposure in your region, you might need to modify the sunny16. Using a lightmeter slows you down so memorise the exposure for the given condition/time of day. Thirdly choose a shutter speed thats high enough to freeze action and often you might  to go 1/500-1000.

Also rack focus in one direction. Either near to far or vice versa

Sorry it may be more than you asked but other factors come into play when zone focusing

Matt stuart explains it better than i do.

All the best

[RayD28]

 1+ to 1/250 or more.  If your subject is walking fast or you don't have time to steady yourself it's critical.  

I'm practicing to have the precise focus point in front of the subject (assuming I don't have time to get perfect focus) because you have more leeway/depth-of-field behind the precise focus point.  

 

[spydrxx]

Zoom with your feet....walk into scenes which you have preocussed for. DOF is your friend. Learn to estimate distances...like how many feet between parking meters, or between cracks separating sections of sidewalks, or the size of floor tiles as a measure of distance between you and a subject. Once you have a good perception of distances, you can preset focus to a zone and walk into where you want to take a shot. Old photographers' tricks for photojournalism and newspaper work.

[fabior]

I am not a hunter but I love to photograph. However, I like to compare the street photographer as a hunter. The hunter must find the right place to hunt, he must carefully watch what happens and what is about to happen around him, waiting for the right moment to identify his prey as early as possible. Then he must imagine how the movements of the prey and the hunter will meet by choosing with awareness the moment to aim and shoot without hesitation when the distance is the predetermined one, the light will be the best to stop the prey and in the background there will be no disturbing elements, etc. And then it always takes a bit of luck! The beauty of street photography teaches us to observe more carefully and be more aware of what is happening around us.

[otto.f]

My trick and golden rule is: no zone focusing. I really need selective focus to lead the eye of the viewer to what I want to show as remarkable and as an esthetic means to an end

[George Stoichev]

I see, but it is impossible when make street photography and people are walking

[otto.f]

1 hour ago, George Stoichev said:

I see, but it is impossible when make street photography and people are walking

That defines the craft, not the impossibility

[a.noctilux]

1 hour ago, George Stoichev said:

I see, but it is impossible when make street photography and people are walking

Impossible ?

How the other had done that ?

 

So to begin, if you think it's impossible from start, it would be impossible.

Now think as possible and practice the things you think impossible, then decide.

 

After many practices, you would see that there is NO tricks, just experiences to gain.

No one recipe to do it all, all the time, but experiences can do.

[Aryel]

Sometimes, you can focus on an element in the scene and wait for the subjects to  arrive. Not the best shot ever, but I just waited for them to arrive under the flag…

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Edited December 12, 2021 by Aryel

[Danner]

For zone focusing, a 35mm lens is more forgiving than a 50mm lens.  28mm is even better, but then you find yourself too close to the subject to avoid influencing what  you are photographing.  Of course, this goes into the 'which lens is better for the street' question, but 35mm is better (IMHO) for zone focus street shooting.

If you stick with 50mm, practice visually estimating distance, and positioning then lens scale in advance of the shoot.  You will get used to sensing where you want to position yourself, and how far from the subject that it.

Good luck and enjoy.

[Herr Barnack]

I have done a decent amount of street photography with a  28mm, first the 28 f/2 Summicron and now the 28 f/2.8 Elmarit # 11677.  I like the 28mm focal length because it has more of a three dimensional rendering than my 35 f/2 Summicron - to my eye, at least. 

The difference in angle of view is 12 degrees - 75 degrees for the 28mm vs. 63 degrees for the 35mm.  In my experience, this equates to taking one decent sized step forward or backward; it's not that big of a difference in terms of angle of view but it is a significant difference in terms of rendering - again, to my eye.

IMHO, the 28 f/2.8 Elmarit # 11677 is about as good as it gets in terms of a wide angle lens for street photography.  I still use my 50mm f/2.4 Summarit on the street, but I have come to think of it as a short telephoto for street shooting rather than my main lens for street work.

 

[spydrxx]

You might take a look at the works of Vivian Meier for hints of street photography, she used both a Leica and a Rolleiflex.

[George Stoichev]

2 hours ago, Aryel said:

Sometimes, you can focus on an element in the scene and wait for the subjects to  arrive. Not the best shot ever, but I just waited for them to arrive under the flag…

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Yes, this is also a good approach, but what I usually do is walk down the street and when something/somebody interesting appears I shoot and there is no time

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Hallo,

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[Ko.Fe.]

21 hours ago, George Stoichev said:

I have Leica M6 with Summicron M 50mm and I like street photography.I switched to Leica from Contax G2 which has autofocus and autoexposure.

Can you share some zone focusing tips and tricks?

My lens is new and has no tab!

 

Here are practical notes which I'm providing  every time this type of question comes up.

First, what is the zone focusing for photography? It is simple. First zone is close, second - middle, third is far.

The longer the focal length the smaller aperture is needed to be able to switch between three zones.

For example you could get away with f5.6 on 21mm lens, f8 with 35 mm lens. 50 has to be at f11 to be able to switch those three zones in sufficient, quick way, which is required for the street photography, not photography of the street.  

Now how to determine where those zones are at your lens.

Look at the closest scale to the camera. It has middle line, mark and apertures marks going left and right. We are looking at the top of the camera while holding it hands and lens is pointed to the street.

Align infinity on the distance scale with 11 at the right. Then look at the 11 on the left and see which distance it is close to it.

Everything between 11 and infinity on the right and 11 and close distance to it is the far zone for the street photography.  

Now slide 1 meter mark to 11 on the left, everything from this to 11 on the right and distance mark close to it, is the close zone.

To me with 50mm those are less practical zones, the middle one I prefer for street photography. It starts with 2 meters and 11 on the left and it is usually somewhere at 7 menters on the right with f11.

Now, how practical all of it on the street, not really practical. Untill...

Get cable tie. Better reusable one with unlocking part, but regular cable tie will do as well.

Focus your lens at the middle zone. Install cable tie on the rotating ring of the lens with tie head been down. 

Every time you want to be focused in the middle zone, move cable tie head down. You don't need to look at the camera for it.

For close zone slide cable tie head to the left, for far move it to the right. Remember tie head position for the far and close zones. 

With little practice you will slide it correctly, without looking at the camera between all three zones.

While on the street keep tie head down, it is the middle, most common for street photography zone. In short time it will became intuitive, you see something close, slide tie head to the left. Far - slide it to the right. Then done, not shooting return back to the middle zone, tie head is down.

With this, you are going to focus while bringing camera to your eye for framing. No time wasted to look at the lens.

Also, since it is film, it is fixed ISO. For street you need 400 ISO film at least. On the bright day put it at 1/500 and while you are walking always change aperture according to the light. Sun on the faces in the mid day f16, sun but faces are not into the sun, f11. Street, not deep, but shadows - f8. By doing of this you will not depend on the camera meter. You don't have to with film. Even ISO 400 C-41 is very forgiving these days.

Or follow the amount of light with shutter speed, 1/500 for bright scenes, 1/250 for shadows, 1/125 for deeper shadows. 

Last thing I would do is to use in-camera meter for zones focusing. What is the point of fastest focusing and then wasting time on watching the blinks and trying to make it happy.

With practice of using tab you will be getting more and more confident with sliding tab to the right distance number.

It is good idea to get a sense of common distances,  which are 2, 3 and 5 meters. Use measuring tape to find where objects are at this distances. Move tab to those distances and remember where tab is.

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Collapsible Cron - close zone.

Summarit 50 1.5 @f2.8 (it was very old ECN2 50 ISO film) This is where I looked at the distance scale and slide it to the distance I was going to take it.

Practice!