Street photography on film with Elmarit M 28mm

[George Stoichev]

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Hi,

I have purchased a new lens Elmarit M 28mm it is on the way.Till now I had only 50mm Summicron which I use on my M6 Classic.

I need advices about what focus distance you set for zone focusing.

This is the chart, I mainly will need 1.5 - infinity or to 17 m.From the chart I thing when I’m on f/8 3mm focus gives me best focus space.What you preset on f/5.6 f/4 f/2.8?

At what distance usually your subjects are, I’m talking about street photography and film only!

 

 

 

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[Steve Ricoh]

When I practised ‘street’ I would preset distance 3m to 5m at f8; you can ‘feel’ the distance by the position of the focusing tab. I always tried to fill the frame. 

[skahde]

Put that table in a folder where it wont get lost. Then go outside. Try to anticipate how the scene around you developes, guess the distance (exercising this at home helps). Set it on your lense and use a mid-aperture. Wait for the moment, frame, shoot, repeat. 

Edited December 14, 2023 by skahde

[spydrxx]

I'd choose 1 or 2 apertures only and go from there. IMHO if you need a chart for street photography, you're really not ready for it.

[George Stoichev]

47 minutes ago, spydrxx said:

I'd choose 1 or 2 apertures only and go from there. IMHO if you need a chart for street photography, you're really not ready for it.

Allow me to disagree with you.Having this chart doesn’t meen that I put in my pocket and each 10 minutes look at it and change the focus distance accordingly.For example, when I bought my first Leica lens Summicron 50mm I have review this chart and have selected some scenarios for f/8 f/5.6 and upwards.Now, 2 years after I have them in my memory.With 28mm must be much easier, because the DOF is significantly wider.What makes me wander is to judge scenario which will work for very close shots and shots to 15m and I thing f/8 with 3mm is a good starting point.I don’t thing that will be closer than 1.5m to somebody.

Edited December 14, 2023 by George Stoichev

[Steve Ricoh]

18 hours ago, Steve Ricoh said:

When I practised ‘street’ I would preset distance 3m to 5m at f8; you can ‘feel’ the distance by the position of the focusing tab. I always tried to fill the frame. 

Edit: For a 28mm lens, 5m is way too far, 1 to 3m is more for appropriate but f8 still applies.

[BernardC]

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22 hours ago, George Stoichev said:

This is the chart, I mainly will need 1.5 - infinity or to 17 m.From the chart I thing when I’m on f/8 3mm focus gives me best focus space.What you preset on f/5.6 f/4 f/2.8?

At what distance usually your subjects are, I’m talking about street photography and film only!

Just focus the lens on your subject.

That is  easy to do with a tabbed lens. You only need muscle memory for two distances, and you can pick in-between if your main subject falls between the two. I use 1.8m and 3m. 1.8m is, more-or-less, my height, which is easy to visualize (for most adults height is also arm span). 3m is almost twice that.

You need to practice blindly moving your lens from infinity to 1.8m (or your own height), 3m, back to infinity, and so forth. You'll be able to pre-focus your lens in no time at all. Depth-of-field will cover any slight mistakes.