Gabriel M.A.
My Red Dot Glows For You
lol -- no. My camera has temporarily disappeared, once in a while, though. 😎FrankS said:
Zone Focus anyone?
- Thread starter Ash
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Tin
Well-known
As several of the foregoing posts suggest---practice. practice and practice. Once you get used to it, it becomes natural. I almost always use zone focusing for any lens not longer than 40 mm. One reason is necessity. I used to have a Rollei 35 (with 40 mm lens and no rangefinder). But I also use my Olympus XA (35/2.8) by zone focussing. As a matter of fact, even though I have had the XA for over 10 years, it was only last year that I noticed that it had a rangefinder---the focussing patch was so faint that I didn't notice it. I also use my SLR lens (35/2) by zone focussing. Try it and use it, this is a truly liberating experience. It allows you to shoot anytime anywhere---if you preset your exposure or use an automatic exposure camera.
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
Ash said:
How about a builders tape measure ... that will set you apart from the crowd Ash!
😀
FrankS
Registered User
There is a builder's laser rangefinding/measuring device, but really, just guess!
raid
Dad Photographer
With the Standard Leica there is no rangefinder or even a viewfinder, so range-focusing is the only option available. It is fun with the 50/3.5 Elmar.
Raid
Raid
rgripp
Member
Ash, look out for a FODIS rangefinder on ebay; they come up at varying prices on the EU sites. Just make sure that the scale is either meter or feet to suit the scale on your camera. It gives you yet another piece of anachronistic kit to fiddle with to get a picture, but isn't that a good part of the reason for getting the Leica I in the first place?
Leave it on all the time you are out shooting - the sight of a photographer with a stalk coming out of his forehead seems to disarm the most belligerent street subject.
Leave it on all the time you are out shooting - the sight of a photographer with a stalk coming out of his forehead seems to disarm the most belligerent street subject.
sf
Veteran
I am not 100% sure of what "zone focusing" is, but I would say that I might do something of a cross between zone and hyperfocus when using my wider lenses. In combination with aperture, my ideal in-focus range is just felt out and focused. I don't, almost ever, actually focus on anything. I estimate distance, estimate hyperfocus, set the aperture and distance on the lens, and fire.
Toby
On the alert
I've got a CV 25/4 which I zone focus as a point and shoot street shooter. Works very well at this focal length
Ash
Selflessly Self-involved
Raid, my Standard has its own 50mm viewfinder on top. It's a 'Galileon" type or something. Basically built like a telescope in reverse. It's the clearest viewfinder I have ever seen! (attached is the original stock photo from MW Classic).
Apparently the laser-rangefinders can be very bulky or inaccurate, and those FODIS rangefinders are crazy!! Good job I'm not going to use either 😛
Apparently the laser-rangefinders can be very bulky or inaccurate, and those FODIS rangefinders are crazy!! Good job I'm not going to use either 😛
Attachments
raid
Dad Photographer
Ash said:
Ash: Is the 50mm finder permanently attached to the camera? My Standard has two accessory shoes. I have a Watameter rangefinder, but I hardly ever use it.
Raid
Ash
Selflessly Self-involved
Raid, As the picture attached to my last post, it's permanently attached by 4 screws.
My initial attempts 'out of the bedroom window' seem to be semi-successful. Seems like it's true that judging distance comes from practice.
My initial attempts 'out of the bedroom window' seem to be semi-successful. Seems like it's true that judging distance comes from practice.
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
Ash said:
That's almost as pretty as my 1a which has a fixed lens of course! Such a tiny camera!
😀
DougK
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I use scale/zone/hyperfocal focusing quite frequently. It's not too bad once you get used to it.
Pherdinand
the snow must go on
Ash
Selflessly Self-involved
Classic !!
Crasis
Well-known
You people are all very scary in a way. I just shoot wide open all the time. It's going to take me.. forever to be able to accurately judge distance well enough to guess focus a shot at f/2 or f/1.4.
Can any of you do that? I'm actually almost certain that some of you has such skill. I'm possibly only certain of this because I am so horrible at judging distances and everyone else seems to do fine 😱
Can any of you do that? I'm actually almost certain that some of you has such skill. I'm possibly only certain of this because I am so horrible at judging distances and everyone else seems to do fine 😱
Ash
Selflessly Self-involved
I tried it with a test roll the other day, but only at known distances. the images appeared in focus. The first roll i tried it with was appalling, however.
Pherdinand
the snow must go on
Well...
At least ONE distance can be judged correctly even at f/0.95 😀
At least ONE distance can be judged correctly even at f/0.95 😀
ClaremontPhoto
Jon Claremont
You know 2m already, the length of your bed.
You know 10m, maybe your garden.
You know 30m, as long as a public swimming pool.
Infinity is anything longer than the swimming pool.
You know 10m, maybe your garden.
You know 30m, as long as a public swimming pool.
Infinity is anything longer than the swimming pool.
ddunn
John
Crasis said:
Judging distance is a skill. Like any skill, it's acquired by learning, and improves with practice. Most people underestimate the amount of practice needed to be proficient in a skill. Research on skill acquisition shows it takes about 50 trials for initial acquisition, 500 trials for mastery, and 5,000 trials for proficiency.
The important thing is to constantly give yourself feedback. Each time you use your RF, first mentally estimate the distance, focus and take your picture, then look at the distance scale, and compare to your estimate. You can also do dry runs whenever you have your camera in hand: estimate the distance, focus, and compare your estimate to the actual.
I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by how quickly ( a week or two) you can begin to estimate pretty close to the actual.
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