Leica M Rangefinder Focusing Tips and Tricks

Подписаться 27 тыс.

Просмотров 16 тыс.

0% 0

Photographer and Leica expert David Farkas explains how rangefinder focusing works on the Leica M, then shares his top seven tips and tricks for mastering the technique. With a little practice, rangefinder focusing can become second nature, allowing you to focus on the other elements of your photography.
Travel with David on Leica Store Miami Photo Workshops: lsm.to/4qzlz
Check out David's photography on IG: / davidfarkasphotography
Support Red Dot Forum
=====================
Support the channel by shopping at leicastoremiami.com
Where to buy
==============
New M-System - lsm.to/M-System
Used M System - lsm.to/Used-M
Leica M Resources
===================
Check out our Leica M playlist on Red Dot Forum for tons of Red Dot Forum Camera Talk episodes dedicated to the system: • Leica M Rangefinder Fo...
Read David's M11 review: rdf.to/M11-Review
Read David's M11 Monochrom review: rdf.to/M11M-Review
Visit reddotforum.com for the latest Leica news, reviews, technical articles and more.
Timestamps
===================
0:00 - Intro
0:22 - What is a rangefinder
1:15 - Tip 1: Keep things clean
2:15 - Tip 2: Use hyperfocal distance
4:33 - Tip 3: Try zone focusing
6:09 - Tip 4: Pick the right focal point
7:41 - Tip 5: Estimate distance
11:10 - Tip 6: Learn focus ring positions
13:52 - Tip 7: Use your body to fine tune focus
16:15 - Conclusion
Sign Up for Leica Store Miami Email Newsletter:
======================================
mailchi.mp/leicastoremiami.co...

Опубликовано:

4 июл 2024

Ссылка:

Скачать:

Готовим ссылку...

Добавить в:

Мой плейлист

Посмотреть позже

Комментарии : 157

@PaulMansfield-2023 День назад

That is the most worthwhile quarter of an hour's tutorial video I have watched for a long time. All of it was useful but for me the back and forth movement to nail fine focus is going to make a big difference to the rangefinder experience for me. I must admit I have been struggling a bit but you have inspired me to go out again and use all of these techniques with more confidence. Great video, thank you for posting.

@tofulosophy День назад

This was great, David! Hope this will become a regular series. It compliments the longer, deep dive discussions on the channel.

@fransbaert4666 5 дней назад

Thank you David. I enjoyed this very much. I have used a rangefinder for 38 years (CL, M5, M6...M11) and found it very reassuring that my experience as an amateur matches your professional insights. What I do as well with tip #7 with the M11, is that I take pictures while moving forward and backward like that - as a sort of insurance policy - one of them will definitely be perfect in focus.

@jlwilliams 4 дня назад

Nice job! I'm definitely bookmarking this to help orient rangefinder-camera newcomers. (I know this is a Leica channel, but most of these tips will work just as well when using a Minolta CLE, a Bessa, or a Pixii…) Here's my own mini-tip for subjects with repeating patterns, such as the wall example: try holding the camera at a 45-degree angle for focusing. Sometimes this makes it easier to pick up a “focusable” feature on the subject…

@RedDotForum 4 дня назад

Thanks so much!

@goarmymp1 5 дней назад

One of the best tutorial videos for the M cameras Very easy to understand and learn from

@RedDotForum 5 дней назад

Wow, thanks!

@GaryLangEngr 4 дня назад

1,000,000 RU-vid videos on this topic covered in one, clear video

@RedDotForum 4 дня назад

Wow. So kind of you to say.

@street4fips День назад

A nice summary indeed! The other day, I realized that the minimum focus distance of 0.7 m is a great distance for taking selfie, so it's another way how to look at it :)

@ziggy149 2 дня назад

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="765">12:45</a> - Bambi's friends playing tag in the background. Found that rather amusing. And what a nice peek at how beautiful it is where you guys live.

@snarkytadpole4799 5 дней назад

Excellent video as always. As much as I love the long ones I think these short, to the point, single subject videos are the most useful. Let's see more!

@RedDotForum 5 дней назад

Great feedback. Any topics you'd like us to cover in the future?

@carlseibert9015 4 дня назад

Say the distance to yourself in your head. That keeps the distance estimation separate from the tab position, which varies lens to lens and makes it easier to learn and remember. Best video on this subject I've ever seen. Way to go David.

@RedDotForum 4 дня назад

Good tip and thanks for the feedback!

@DrScottMcDonald День назад

Great all-in-one lesson David! I've been using the M beginning with the M9 and now the M10, for me, I think the most valuable tip you've offered that was the greatest benefit to me was the rocking focus. Brilliant! I was guilty of trying to "fine-tune" the focus using the finger tab, but now I know better! I'll buy you a coffee the next time you're in Vietnam! Thank you David! As Josh said to you when reviewing my gear in the Show Us Your Kit episode last year, no, I do not have a farm! Hahaha! Cheers, Scott

@MGNphotography 4 дня назад

Another fabulous RDF video with useful tips even veteran rangefinder fans can benefit from. Many thanks, David!

@RedDotForum 4 дня назад

My pleasure

@TomokoMurakami 3 дня назад

This instruction is EXACTLY what I have been searching for. Thank you, David.

@RedDotForum 3 дня назад

So glad it was helpful.

@healinginfluence 5 дней назад

Best tutorial I have seen. Being able to focus quickly is what keeps me from purchasing an M.

@RedDotForum 5 дней назад

Glad it was helpful!

@WinfriedHeyland 4 дня назад

Excellent and I want to add one more item; when focussing, always start from one end - preferably from infinity. It avoids the back and forth of turning the ring.

@RedDotForum 4 дня назад

Great tip!

@patrickaltman5451 3 дня назад

Thanks David . You are a great pedagog. When the subject is moving, and to get the perfect focus is not so easy , I close a bit the aperture to get a little more depth of field and have a kind of automatic correction of the lack of perfect focusing with the range finder. It is "zone focusing" but in a particular situation.

@johndandrea3194 2 дня назад

Excellent tips for a more efficient and effective rangefinder experience..thanks!

@john_murch 4 дня назад

Excellent tutorial on rangefinder focusing David. I use all of these but thanks for your reminder, I need to practice on the last one, rocking the body back and forth slightly for fine focusing with portraits. Cheers!

@RedDotForum 4 дня назад

Really makes a big difference, especially for portraits!

@user-mb4qx2xe1g 4 дня назад

Perfect timing. today I bought my m6. All thumbs up.

@RedDotForum 3 дня назад

Nice 👍

@user-nj4vn2jj5g День назад

Now that was a very useful video. Well done.

@DarrenLoveland 14 часов назад

Great work as always!

@itsahoax 2 дня назад

many thanks, clear and concise tutorial

@xiiiconcepts 4 дня назад

Great content David! As always, your knowledge and wisdom is something of legend to the Leica community. Would love to see more content like this of you, out and about doing what you do. Thank you!

@RedDotForum 4 дня назад

Wow! Thanks.

@robertkerner4833 3 дня назад

Very nicely done, compiling many useful tips in one place. Practice practice practice.

@RedDotForum 3 дня назад

Absolutely!

@kbalch 5 дней назад

Nicely done, David. That's going to help a lot of rangefinder newbies. It's good to have some of the foundation knowledge in one place. Being able to break down techniques that we've taken for granted for decades into such easy-to-understand bites is a gift. Well done!

@RedDotForum 5 дней назад

Thanks so much.

@exalbino 4 дня назад

Great video David! Very informative and concise. More of this please!

@RedDotForum 4 дня назад

Thanks, will do!

@constantinestewart7416 День назад

Great video and advice. Thanks so much.

@bryanlovephotography 5 дней назад

Thank you so much for doing this! I usually fall back onto the Visoflex because I struggle with the rangefinder from time to time. Great content as always!

@RedDotForum 4 дня назад

You can do it!

@CrueLoaf 4 дня назад

Great video thank you. I’m also looking for tips on metering. Something that always trips me up with my M10-P.

@RedDotForum 4 дня назад

Thanks for the suggestion. Will add it to the list.

@BenjaminGauthey 2 дня назад

Great video. Thanks for sharing

@srkgv 4 дня назад

Very well made. Been shooting rangefinder cameras for more than 10 years, yet I still learned from this.

@RedDotForum 4 дня назад

Awesome!

@jankis143 5 дней назад

Thank you David that was wonderful !!!!

@RedDotForum 5 дней назад

You're very welcome. Hope it helped.

@HN-sk2lr 5 дней назад

Great review, I'm in love with my leica m11 monochrom and sl3 can't be happier ❤

@RedDotForum 5 дней назад

Awesome!

@johnfalloon596 5 дней назад

Wonderful video David - watch you guys all the time

@RedDotForum 5 дней назад

Appreciate it.

@user-bk5zl8ju3u 5 дней назад

Nice job David. Keep the tutorials coming!

@RedDotForum 5 дней назад

Thanks, will do!

@jaycochran2983 5 дней назад

Thanks for this great video David!

@RedDotForum 5 дней назад

My pleasure

@amitavachatterjee4006 5 дней назад

Great refresher of the basics. Well done.

@RedDotForum 5 дней назад

Thanks!

@webersteve1547 4 дня назад

Don't forget to choose the correct diopter for the viewfinder. This can be a gamechanger

@jasonf3959 4 дня назад

These are great advice. I had to learn these tips the hard way through lots of trial and many errors over many decades. You did it in 17 minutes. Well done.

@RedDotForum 4 дня назад

Very kind of you. I'm in the same boat. Been learning rangefinder photography for over 20 years and had to do it by trial and error. Hopefully, this will help those just discovering the Leica M to shortcut the process a little bit.

@jayocotube6483 5 дней назад

Nice job, David! Thank you.

@RedDotForum 5 дней назад

You bet!

@HRWG99 4 дня назад

Excellent video for a new m owner

@RedDotForum 4 дня назад

Hopefully, this will help people on their Leica M journey.

@supremewaso 4 дня назад

really impressive, thank you for the sharing!

@RedDotForum 4 дня назад

My pleasure

@miguelolea8942 4 дня назад

world class video and communication, you are a master David

@RedDotForum 4 дня назад

Wow. Thank you!

@kieulannguyen1193 4 дня назад

Thank you so much for all the tips. ❤❤❤

@RedDotForum 4 дня назад

You are so welcome!

@sc1 5 дней назад

Thank you. Well put together.

@RedDotForum 5 дней назад

Glad you liked it!

@richa2495 4 дня назад

Thank you! I’m about 9 months in with the m10 and I’ve been working at it. The estimating the distance before focusing is what I think I was missing. Thank you! I really like rangefinder photography allot. I’m shooting the 35mm focal length 100% for probably at least 6 more month before adding a 50mm. I love the Leica glass. Appreciate you making this video.

@RedDotForum 4 дня назад

So glad it was helpful. Stick with it and you'll be a amazed at how the rangefinder starts to become second nature. And kudos to you for really learning that 35 before moving on to other focal lengths. I did the exact same thing when I first started shooting all those years ago!

@212frankny 5 дней назад

Thank you David this was very useful. Great video. Practice is the best training. 🤩

@RedDotForum 5 дней назад

Absolutely!

@daviddodier8845 5 дней назад

These are fantastic thank you! Man I wish I didn’t have to figure all this out on my own years ago! This will surely be a huge benefit to anyone new to the rangefinder experience. Nice video

@RedDotForum 5 дней назад

That's my hope. When I started out with Leica over 20 years ago, I also wish there was someone who could have just explained everything upfront, in a straightforward way. That has been a driving force in all of our content since we started RDF.

@lottic 5 дней назад

Loved the video, and the bump on the front of that FLE.

@RedDotForum 5 дней назад

Hey, you gotta get out there and use the gear!

@Docmakesfotos 5 дней назад

Excellent video!

@RedDotForum 5 дней назад

Glad you liked it!

@swedesrus25 5 дней назад

Well done!

@forsterdaniel 5 дней назад

Simply brillant, thank you very much

@RedDotForum 5 дней назад

You're very welcome!

@makmak69L7 4 дня назад

Great Video no doubt. Many thanks for the useful tips.

@RedDotForum 4 дня назад

Glad it was helpful!

@albrechtn 4 дня назад

great video

@RedDotForum 4 дня назад

Thanks!

@tonyvokey7607 4 дня назад

Thanks David, that was very well done as usual. I wish I was able to find something like this to watch when I bought my first M camera.

@RedDotForum 4 дня назад

Yeah, same here.😂

@ldbass62 5 дней назад

Very informative!

@RedDotForum 5 дней назад

Glad it was helpful!

@susanfleck4166 5 дней назад

Thanks! Succinct, informative, and a good reminder of the best and easiest ways to maximize the benefits of. Rangefinder.

@RedDotForum 4 дня назад

Glad you enjoyed it!

@JohnnyAmiri 4 дня назад

Such a great video. The arms-length=0.7m point is 🤯 and pre-focusing using estimated distance is a great tip. I put both of these tips to use today after watching the video and already feel faster at focusing. Thanks for the great content as always

@RedDotForum 4 дня назад

Glad it was helpful!

@vinylisland6386 4 дня назад

Rocking back forward is when you hit the sweet spot. Clarity and common sense personified. A model of how it should be done.

@RedDotForum 4 дня назад

Thanks so much!

@barrychattillion1705 3 дня назад

Thanks

@mwales2112 4 дня назад

Very nice. Thank you

@RedDotForum 4 дня назад

Most welcome

@payperview714 5 дней назад

I shoot street with 28mm most of the time. The first thing I do every day I'm out is walk up to a street sign or other pole, estimate 6 feet, set and then hold to my eye..I shoot zone focus without holding the camera to my eye about 90% of the time, so i then adjust for the distance of the camera being a little closer to the subject.

@RedDotForum 5 дней назад

That's what I'm talking about!

@bennyb865 4 дня назад

This video is so good it should be a charged lesson. Just got my Leica M and been practicing the last 8 hours and you've made my life so much easier. THANK YOU.

@RedDotForum 4 дня назад

That's great!

@kontrast9931 5 дней назад

thank you..

@RichardPilon 3 дня назад

Great video. Thanks for all the tips. Does your comment of never shooting at F16 also apply to film cameras? I didn’t quite get that one.

@RedDotForum 3 дня назад

You could probably get away with f/16 on film. On high resolution digital sensors, as the pixels get smaller and smaller, you can't stop down as much without suffering from diffraction.

@ernie61kim 5 дней назад

with the range finder patch approaches to match, start to squeeze the shutter. repeat practice then you can synchronize the focusing and releasing shutter - this saves a split of second that is crucial taking moving subject.

@RedDotForum 5 дней назад

Great tip!

@1946gsp 4 дня назад

A nice, comprehensive set of helpful hints. Maybe next time add a short view of the lens barrel with the distance scale explained? And how about giving distances in meters and feet for those of us who use the latter? Thanks for your post!

@RedDotForum 4 дня назад

Yeah, during editing, I had wished that I covered the depth of field scale a little more. Hopefully, the visual explanation of hyperfocal and zone focusing still made sense. As to the feet/meters, I did use both several times, maybe not every time talking about distance.

@johnchan7544 4 дня назад

David, thank you for this tutorial. Hope to see one on improving composition. Btw, is there a big jump in going from M10 to M11P? Would you sell your M9P plus M10 for M11P if u were thinking of upgrading to M11P?

@RedDotForum 4 дня назад

Composition is big topic! Will give that some thought. Yes, there is a big jump from the M10 to M11-P. I'd suggest you check out my full M11 review, where I run down every improvement from the M10 to the M11: rdf.to/M11-Review As to your specific question, yes, I'd definitely make that trade. I know the M9-P has a cult following right now, but the M11-P is just a superior camera in every possible way, both to the M9-P and the M10. From the 15+ stops of dynamic range to the insane resolution and vastly better low light performance to the gorgeous EVF, live view metering and in-camera USB charging, the M11 is the way to go.

@johnchan7544 3 дня назад

@@RedDotForum , thanks so much for your reply and keep up the great content. Look forward to your next Leica video..

@gurugamer8632 5 дней назад

Hi David can you do video on Hasselblad X2D and 38mm and 90mm

@wilfredshum3703 5 дней назад

Any devices you can recommend to assist focusing under low-lighting situations?

@RedDotForum 5 дней назад

The M viewfinder is extremely bright. Best tip is the first one I covered in the video. A clean viewfinder and clean rangefinder window makes all the difference especially in low light situations.

@gewglesux 5 дней назад

This was pretty good... i still think i'm doing it wrong though.. Can i use the same technique for my MP and Film?

@RedDotForum 5 дней назад

Definitely. Rangefinder techniques are the same for film and digital.

@mgscheue 5 дней назад

Yes!

@gewglesux 5 дней назад

@@mgscheue Thank you very much! After spending what we all do for our Leicas... you'd think i'd know this already.

@mgscheue 5 дней назад

@@gewglesuxWe are all learning. Keeps it fun!

@gewglesux 4 дня назад

@@mgscheue Agreed.

@Boxer1250RT 4 дня назад

I'll give you the number 1 tip for best way to manual focusing Leica M. If you are using Glasses, get a Leica Correction Lens. Go to a Leica store and try what works best for you. Or, you just get rid of the M and get a Q :) I never looked back after I switched to Q. Great image quality with the 28mm Summilux plus the Macro capability.

@RedDotForum 4 дня назад

Definitely a good tip on the diopter. Just remember that the M viewfinder has a projected distance of 2m / 6ft so go to your optometrist and get a correction value for that distance. Then subtract the standard built-in -0.5 correction to determine which diopter you need. And hey, the Q is awesome, especially if you like the 28mm focal length. It can truly be a one camera solution.

@RealCelticGamer 2 дня назад

@@RedDotForumWhenever I get a new spectacle prescription, I take that along to my Leica dealer and they ensure I have the correct correction lens. Thankfully I only have to buy a new one every 2-4 years.

@carlosmcse 3 дня назад

I go to infinity automatically every time after taking a photo. So i only move the focus to the left.

@jpm5205 5 дней назад

No EVFs please in the M12.

@gewglesux 5 дней назад

You like the screen in the rear?

@RedDotForum 5 дней назад

Leica has stated that an M camera isn't an M camera without the rangefinder! The option to add an EVF is always welcome though, especially if you want to use wider and longer focal lengths.

@jpm5205 5 дней назад

@@RedDotForum Visoflex3 is fine, but no built-in EVF. The engineering compromises to put it in would not be worth it. Make a smaller SL or a interchangeable-lens Q, but a built-in EVF doesn't make sense.

@gewglesux 4 дня назад

I needed to understand the difference between the OVF/EVF now i'm clear.

@thomaschamberlin2485 День назад

For estmating the middle distances I imagine a person laying down and call that six feet. Then I stack laying down persons.

@devroombagchus7460 4 дня назад

Why compare depth of field of a 50mm to 21mm? How many people have a 21mm as a standard lens. A 28 or 35 would have been fine for illustration.

@RedDotForum 4 дня назад

Even a 35mm is challenging for hyperfocal. A 28 would have been ideal for demonstrating zone focusing (as I mentioned in the video), but I don't have one in my regular kit.

@GB-yv3uv 5 дней назад

I think a hybrid EVF is coming and will be welcome in an M12 - I have an M11 and M11 mono and do love it, but I think an EVE can help shave focus time and ensure greater accuracy... not sure what this will do to battery life!

@animegeek6118 5 дней назад

Your explanation makes me think using a rangefinder would be easier to nail my focus. Unless I’m misunderstanding something.

@RedDotForum 4 дня назад

That's the idea, since rangefinder focusing is more objective than subjective. It either matches up or it doesn't.

@matthewmachanda9390 4 дня назад

God bless you hahah

@davidcampbell1963 4 дня назад

Make sure that Pat Kay watches this video

@beyourself9162 14 часов назад

I didn’t knew that Leica didn’t really change this technique since the M ones after WW2. The Fuji solution to this problem is much more elegant, more intelligent… and more 2024….😮

@directedbydon 4 дня назад

This is great, but a ton of people will likely be using liveview if they have an m11 🤣

@RedDotForum 4 дня назад

Nothing wrong with live view. I often use my M11 with the EVF. But even then, the same tips on rangefinder focus like estimating distance, focus tab position, pre-focusing, and leaning in/out also speed up focus using live view.

@directedbydon 4 дня назад

@@RedDotForum I agree, it's great practice!

@yaroslavbozhkov1567 5 дней назад

Thank you, it was fun and interesting. You forgot about measuring distance in steps. Clients are simply crazy about this technology. You just need to go funny. Seriously speaking, tricks can only be done with wide-angle lenses. In all other cases, this is work with a patch.

@RedDotForum 5 дней назад

While hyperfocal and zone focusing are really only useful on 28mm and wider, a lot of the other techniques are helpful for any focal length. In fact, I use these all time with my standard 35 and 50mm lenses.

@yaroslavbozhkov1567 4 дня назад

@@RedDotForum thanks for answer. I think 35mm lenses are fairly easy to use. 50mm and above require exceptional precision.

@chefjaap1 5 дней назад

Manual focus is so much better with a mirror less camera and so much more fun too 😂

@SourPlanet 4 дня назад

Leica is mirrorless.

@emilhach6264 4 дня назад

There's a much, much better way to focus using Leica lenses. As long as they don't contain moving elements, I just mount them on the TZM-02 on my Z8 and press the shutter button. Focus is done.