Zone focusing vs. Manual focusing

[leiM6]

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I have recently starting using the M system. I see people using manual focus on the lens but, if zone focusing is set for the area of my subject why are people using the manual focus tab ?

 

I set to f8, shoot at box speed and set my focus for a zone of 7ft to infinity is appreciably sharp, yet I see people taking similar images right next to me but manually focusing the lens, am I missing something ?   

 

Appreciate the help and insight.

 

Thanks again-

[jaapv]

Zone focusing is a time-honoured way of getting acceptably sharp images without paying  attention to your camera settings, largely superseded by autofocus cameras, but Leica has not gone to expensive lengths to fit a rangefinder mechanism on your camera for nothing. That is the way to obtain critical focus. 

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[250swb]

I think the people you see manually focusing the lens are the ones who can decide what is important enough in the frame to make sure it is sharp, they may also be using different apertures for creative effect as well. This then is passed on to the viewer of the photograph who recognises the sharp area is where the photographer wants you to look. I think zone focusing and 'acceptable sharpness' is ok if there are especially compelling elements in the photograph, but all too often nowadays it is used to photograph people walking about on the street and then it's called 'street photography', an abuse of the term and imo a lazy way to photograph life.

[jaapv]

I agree.  Street photography is interesting action or elements as seen outdoors in an urban environment photographed in a way that enhances the content. Just using the equivalent of a box camera and pressing the shutter regularly is snapshooting. 

[leiM6]

Appreciate the help, now it makes sense that I should use manual focus for critical sharpness of my subject.

 

Thanks again everybody.

[nitroplait]

Remember that there is only one plane of focus regardless of aperture. What is sharp in front or behind that point is only appearance and depends on said aperture but also enlargement and resolution.

If photographing life or moving objects, zone focusing is often the only solution to quickly capture a scene. It is just another tool in the photographers tool box.

[spydrxx]

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IMHO having started photography many decades ago with zone focusing, it is a technique to achieve reasonable results when one lacks an accurate rangefinder, is too lazy to properly focus the lens, is in such a hurry to shoot that they can't take the time to achieve accurate focus, or as Nitroplait indicated useful for rapidly moving subjects.

Ah, how much better things became when I could afford a rangefinder.🙂

[Doug A]

There is no reason not to both zone focus and manually focus. When I am out and and about with a rangefinder camera I usually have it set as a point-and-shoot for the existing conditions. When I see a likely subject all I have to do is roughly frame the subject in the viewfinder and press the shutter release and the subject is captured. Then, if the subject is still there, and I have enough time, I fine tune the exposure settings, the focus and the framing and take a second picture. At lease half the time the first picture is the better of the two. 

[sarav]

To me, zone focus is the one and only for reportage and street. You go home with your work done. Autofocus isn't 100% reliable in that case and manual focus is obviously slow. When you can take your time or you have no alternative (at night with 400TX and f1 or f1.4) manual focus is the best creative choice.

[earleygallery]

This camera relies on 'zone focussing' for all shots. Zone focussing is a method to use when you need to, not something to do as a matter of course IMHO.

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[Ray Vonn]

On 10/20/2022 at 4:13 AM, leiM6 said:

am I missing something ?

I don't think you are.    As regards zone focusing, if it is correctly engaged and a scenario is correctly foreseen and you have a resultant good usable shot, well, to me that's a bit more than snap shooting.  It's not for everyone though and I do understand that pre focusing that way is going to be disdainfully looked upon a lot of people who either don't like or can't do the genre of photography known as "street";  that's fine and nothing wrong with that, but I think understanding and employing both methods of focusing is still very useful and apart from anything else gets you more use, value and knowledge out of your camera/ equipment.  Using our RF cameras and lenses is generally supposed to be enjoyable and getting a zone focused shot right at a moment's notice when you have prepared properly certainly is. 

Edited October 24, 2022 by Ray Vonn

[tommonego@gmail.com]

I use both, but zone focusing only on wide angle lenses. I have used it on a 35mm but mostly on a 25 or a 20 Nikon I adapted to my M8 where there was no rangefinder connection. That lens was too big and I replaced it with an 18mm Zeiss that is rangefinder connected. With that lens use f8 mostly, so far the best f stop, I then move infinity to the f4 mark so the lens is focused around 10 ft. Good for fast work, but if you want to see your lenses attheir best, use the rangefinder.

I found using lenses above 35mm and trying to zone focus lead to a lot of fuzzy pictures.