RE: [Leica] Manual and Auto Focus Musings

["B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>]

You're absolutely right about the care involved in manual focusing. However,
dare I question whether you're producing some soft images because your eyes
aren't what they were when last you used manual focus? Get your glasses
checked. And then consider a diopter for the M. I wear glasses - bifocals -
and found that adding a +1 diopter, which takes the built-in -.5 to a +.5,
made all the difference in the world in my focusing accuracy. Good luck.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of
> drodgers@nextlink.net
> Sent: Wednesday, December 02, 1998 2:01 PM
> To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> Subject: [Leica] Manual and Auto Focus Musings
>
>
>
>
> I bought a new light board the other day. It's much brighter and
> more color
> corrected than the homemade board I've used for the past decade.  I bought
> it to reorganize 25-years of slides. While in the midst of that project,
> I've learned some interesting trends.
>
> It appears that I was much more careful with focusing early on
> ('75-'82). I
> did commercial work at the time for Chevron Chemical Company. Though I
> don't recall being particularly aware of focus, I'm sure I paid close
> attention. Much of what I did was published in periodicals, or  in the
> Ortho Lawn & Garden book series, so it was carefully scritinized..
>
> After 5-years away from photography I returned as an amateur. I embraced
> autofocus in the late 80's. It appears that I got a bit lazy when I
> returned to Manual Focus. Looking at slides from the last 10 years I can
> clearly see that I haven't been as attentive to focus as I should have
> been. I see lots of little errors, not surprisingly when shooting at wider
> apertures.
>
> Ironically, I recall moving away from autofocus because I missed so many
> shots. I'd lock onto a background object and the main subject would be
> badly out of focus, or the camera would hunt causing annoying delays. (I
> know things have come a long way since then). Also at that time AF was
> changing so dramatically that new bodies were antiquated in a matter of
> months. I moved back to MF -- Contax SLRs and Leica M Cameras. I have a
> love/hate relationship with AF. I don't want to go back to faster battery
> drain, antiquating equipment, etc. I like the feel of fine MF lenses. I
> feel like I have more control, creative and otherwise. I like cameras with
> bright, uncluttered viewfinders. As an amateur I can afford the fact that
> MF may be a bit slower.
>
> I suppose I bring this up as a reminder to myself  that it takes a good
> deal of effort -- practice and careful attention to technique -- to make
> the most of fine MF lenses. If I'm not going to put in the
> effort, I may as
> well just buy a Canon Rebel and 28-135 IS lens. Getting the most from fine
> Leica lenses certainly is demanding of the person behind the lens. But,
> when you get it right it's like fine....well, Scotch (I've been away from
> the LUG for 2 months. Hope that simile hasn't run its course). However,
> fine photographs are more lasting. It sure is educational reviewing old
> work.
>
>
>