Help me focus faster

[Morry Katz]

Start by having the lens set at either the closest position or infinity. Then you only have to move it in one direction to achieve focus. Knowing which way to go as in Lee L's post will help a great deal. And practice, practice, practice. Then it'll become second nature. Have fun.

[mingaun]

Thank you all.

I have been trying to figure out the tab thing. Getting a bit better at judging but still a long way to go. But its good to learn from what most of you have said. Very friendly forum and been encouraged by all your generosity.

Mark

[zsas]

Good job Mark - keep it up! Some of the hardest subjects to photograph. It will come with time and if you miss focus on a few, these thrown focus shots might have a different meaning/viewpoint that make it a neat photo on a different realm altogether anyway. Tis a win-win-win (you are with your child, you are learning, you are capturing images). Best!

[sergiob]

The thing about M Leicas is not their focusing precision nor anything so. These cameras are usually used with the hyperfocal with somewhat smaller f stops and most of the time in normal and wider lenses to aid the depth of field dilemma. These cameras are extremely precise and were built so to capture the "decisive moment". That is their real strength. They excel at this probably more than any other photo system around. If you want focusing precision go with Nikon or Canon AF.

[2F/2F]

SLRs certainly have their [big] advantages, don't they!

The things that I believe will help you most are prefocusing (i.e. anticipation), and lots and lots of practice.

Zone focusing won't do you much good at f/1.4, with objects closer than infinity, as your zone isn't much of a zone, and you cannot afford any slop wide open. But pre focusing (by scale or with the rangefinder) can get you close, and then you can "touch up" the focus before you shoot.

But IMO, rangefinders are relatively terrible for shooting fast moving objects up close, and I'd use an SLR. Just because Leicas are arguably the best quality cameras and lenses made does not mean that they are the best tool for every type of shot. You can have the sharpest lens and most well built camera in the universe, but what good are the pix if you cannot nail focus?

[elekm]

I would get an autofocus SLR. A rangefinder is great, but it's not the best tool for fast-moving pets ... and kids.

I had the same problem.

[mingaun]

SLRs certainly have their [big] advantages, don't they!

The things that I believe will help you most are prefocusing (i.e. anticipation), and lots and lots of practice.

Zone focusing won't do you much good at f/1.4, with objects closer than infinity, as your zone isn't much of a zone, and you cannot afford any slop wide open. But pre focusing (by scale or with the rangefinder) can get you close, and then you can "touch up" the focus before you shoot.

But IMO, rangefinders are relatively terrible for shooting fast moving objects up close, and I'd use an SLR. Just because Leicas are arguably the best quality cameras and lenses made does not mean that they are the best tool for every type of shot. You can have the sharpest lens and most well built camera in the universe, but what good are the pix if you cannot nail focus?

I think what you said is spot on.

[mingaun]

I would get an autofocus SLR. A rangefinder is great, but it's not the best tool for fast-moving pets ... and kids.

I had the same problem.

It is something that i am thinking about.

[Diapositivo]

Taking pictures of a near fast moving subject, while using f/1.4, and focusing with a rangefinder, might be a daunting task for anybody. The only suggestion I have is: cheap film