New to Range Finder... I need some guidance!

[Tinchohs]

Hi all.

I recently bought an M8 (given the price drop I could finally afford one). As much as I love the instrument and the concept, I am yet to produce what I would consider good work with it. I understand that there has to be an adjustment process (coming from a Canon Digital SLR). Yet I feel there are things - technique wise - that I also have to learn.

I'll share some of my most obvious questions in the hope that you can share some 'light' or direct me to the appropriate resources.

(1) Focusing: How do you handle focusing in the Leica M systems? When you are on the street, do you pre-focus on the hyperbolic distance of the lens? Or are you so fast at focusing, that you simply get your shots by manual focus? I notice I tend to 'loose' most of my shots in the process.

(2) Depth of field: part of my challenge, is that I tend to shoot a lot on aperture 1.4 (is how I work with my 50mm lens in the Canon system). I enjoy the very shallow depth of field. But if I want to pre-focus, I feel that I at least need to be at f8, to have any kind of 'grace' in the focusing range. How do you go about it?

(3) ISO: That takes me to next question. I've some wonderful low light work done with the M8. This, coupled with my prior issue of pre-focusing, would take me to shoot at quite high ISOs (640 and above). Is this how you approach it? Do you use variable ISO?

(4) Shooting Mode: finally, in which mode do you shoot? In my Canon system, even when on the street, I shoot manual. I have gotten fast enough to get what I am looking for exposure wise, and not loose my shot. In the M8, I am shooting Aperture Mode, given that I can barely focus 🙂 How do you go about it?

I realize this might be a bit too long of a question. If you can either share your wisdom or point me in any direction, I will be extremely grateful.

Martin Herrera | www.martinHSphoto.com

 

[Ken Ford]

Hi, Martin - welcome to RFF!

I'm a film RF user (for the moment), so I can only really comment on your first two questions.

1) As I walk around, I usually have a 35mm lens mounted and set at f/8 or f/11 (assuming daylight and 200-400 speed film). I have the lens pre-focused at 5m which with this lens gives me reasonable focus from 8 feet to infinity and the shutter speed set as appropriate. As the light changes, I keep compensating by adjusting the shutter speed. This way I can rapidly respond to a fleeting photo opportunity with a high chance of getting decent results.

2) If I find something specific to shoot, at that point I set my aperture and shutter speed as appropriate. Like you, I tend to favor shallower DOF.

I've done a few tests shooting this way with an aperture priority camera (an Olympus OM2n) with good results.

 

[Tinchohs]

Thanks Ken

Thanks Ken

It helps a lot. I am going to give this a try and see if I can get better work. Thanks again.

 

[blackwave]

I tend towards shallow depth of field myself. The technique I settled into is prefocusing around the general distance of my subject, then making a very quick adjustment once I bring the camera to my eye. The prefocus gets you in the ballpark, then fine focus can be made without much turning of the lens. It gets faster with practice.

 

[Roger Hicks]

1 Manual focus, with last minute adjustment, as Blackwave says.

2 DoF -- as above

3 Normally 640 with a fast lens. Auto ISO only in very poor/variable light

4 Auto much of the time for quick shots, or (as with the 'real' Leicas I've been using for 40 years) aperture pre-set, final adjustment to shutter speed at the same time as final adjustment to focus, (1) above.

You might (or might not) want to look at www.rogerandfrances.com for specific modules on RF, low-light, street photography and more.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Tinchohs]

Thanks Roger and Blackwave. I'll try and look into what you shared. Appreciate it very much!