Transition from AF to MF

[hellfire241]

hi guys. i'm going to be selling my current canon set which includes a 7d + 17-55 f2.8. Reason being that i want something more compact that i can bring anywhere with me. I am planning to get a Leica M8 and Voigtländer 35 f1.4 which will be a pretty compact combination - something i light and small enough for me to bring around everyday to take street. I just got one concern - is the transition from AF to MF easy or is it gonna take a bit of time?

Would like to get some feedback from people who have actually gone through such a phase..

Thanks!

 

[magicianhisoka]

It is easy enough with practice. You get to spam shots with the m8 to learn how to get used to it. But I suspect eventually you'll make the transition to film At least that is what happened to me haha. Jumped over from the Canon camp too.

 

[gbealnz]

Yes, it's a culture shock for sure, it has to be otherwise it would be too easy.
But with the intended kit, simply approximate a focus point, use hyper focal of course, and shoot. If the opportunity arises to actually focus, then do that for the second shot. The 35 has plenty of DoF, so use that for the first grab shot. You might be surprised how good it is.
Gary

 

[Benji77]

The RF patch is easier as compared to the split prism's of the Nikon's/Canon's film era.
With the RF patch, you have an 'image' to align, as compared to the 'line' of the split prism.

Enjoy!

 

[paapoopa]

i dont think it will be easy if you are use to AF,
but through much practice you will be able to slowly get the hand of it, and with the 35mm, there are a lot of times you can just use zone focusing.

 

[enivre]

I just got one concern - is the transition from AF to MF easy or is it gonna take a bit of time?

That depends on what you shoot most of the time.

If for example you shoot landscapes and always focus at infinity then I would say it's going to be dirt easy, on the other hand if you like to shoot fast moving objects, events, people, your kids running around, birds, etc etc etc.. then it will take a while.

In fact, depending on what you shoot, you might not find an RF to be the right camera to use...

Hope this helps!

 

[Shadowleong]

After using a RF for awhile I personally find it awkward to use a split prism SLR.

You feel more assured that you had the shot in focus compared to a split prism.

I automatically put the left corner of my SLR to my eye, took me a long time to adjust back to slr shooting

 

[larrytok]

i transitioned from a d700 1 year ago. now i find using AF is like a luxury.. prefer RF Manual focusing. fun to use in the process as well..

as for your setup, yes it is small and compact, but you will have to be aware that in low light, the iso of an m8 might be an issue. but will get used to it soon, i guess.

 

[Redsun]

i transited from a D700 to a M8 and im loving it~

 

[Canonised]

TS, don't sell your Canon set even if you have transitioned to the RF system, until and unless you have decided to change your shooting styles and interests. Both will give you different results and enjoyment.

 

[mamypoko]

Took me a while to get used to MF, but now even on my DSLR I use a super matte screen and use MF almost exclusively.

 

[hellfire241]

hmmm.. i mainly shoot street (90% or the time). and i will have to sell the DSLR set unfortunately to fund this - maybe when i start working i can get back to it. I guess the thing that i will probably miss most about the 7D is the video recording =/ will have to depend on my iPhone for then now i guess.. anyway, thanks for the opinions!

 

[virtualme78]

I say don't sell your DSLR to fund another system because you might not like or get used to RF and you will regret selling your DSLR then. Also, there are many things a DSLR can do but not RF. Keep your current set up and save up for RF. if you want to test it out, go for cheaper RFs like fixed lens ones or used ones. At least you won't have to save too long to get one

 

[artspraken]

hmmm.. i mainly shoot street (90% or the time). and i will have to sell the DSLR set unfortunately to fund this - maybe when i start working i can get back to it. I guess the thing that i will probably miss most about the 7D is the video recording =/ will have to depend on my iPhone for then now i guess.. anyway, thanks for the opinions!

if OP is shooting street, there will not be manual focusing involved with rangefinder. things move too fast on street, there will not be time to do manual focusing.

for street, RF users use hyperfocusing (some prefer to call it zone focusing, whatever), which is essentially pre-fixing the focus distance. Consequently, there is no focusing at all before the shutter is released.

before rushing into RF, do read up on zone focusing and hyper focusing

 

[hellfire241]

Yes I have read up on zone focusing and I have tried out my friends canon film rangefinder. And the main reason for me selling my dslr set is not because I want to find I rangefinder. But more of I want something that I can carry around anywhere with me without having to think of the weight. If I do not get used to the rf (which is highly unlikely since I've tried and I seem okay with it), I'd probably opt for a x-100 or something..

 

[virtualme78]

alternatively, you can go for NEX with M adapter or Ricoh GXR with M mount module coupled with a M-mount lens.

 

[newghost]

Yes I have read up on zone focusing and I have tried out my friends canon film rangefinder. And the main reason for me selling my dslr set is not because I want to find I rangefinder. But more of I want something that I can carry around anywhere with me without having to think of the weight. If I do not get used to the rf (which is highly unlikely since I've tried and I seem okay with it), I'd probably opt for a x-100 or something..

x100 is one helluva camera! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

... and you don't have to worry about what are the other available lenses!

 

[hellfire241]

yeah its awesome.. AF not that good but will do i guess. i just wanna know what's the big hype about this red-dot that seems to get so much attention for what little it has to offer. actually i read reviews on a elmarit 28mm APSH which seems to be a good alternative to the Voigtländer 35 f1.4? I recon i can probably get it at a bargain..

 

[dtohs]

i just wanna know what's the big hype about this red-dot that seems to get so much attention for what little it has to offer.

If you are talking about street snap shots, then in my opinion this is not robotics, its manifestation thru our gears, sure darkrooms and photoshops can enhance the appearance, but if we are short of creativity, no machines and chemicals can restore that. Getting a Leica is more an emotional accomplishment, if I may call that, and like many others, I am a sucker for leica gears too.

The good thing is, if you are not in to make big bucks from trading, chances are you can sell your leica rather easily after usage. I am a mechanical idiot so i can't tell you much, but i trust that given the German's heritage, leica should be some pretty well built gears. I still shoot occasionally with my M8 now.

actually i read reviews on a elmarit 28mm APSH which seems to be a good alternative to the Voigtländer 35 f1.4? I recon i can probably get it at a bargain..

I had this combi M8 + 28 elmarit asph for a while, it’s fantastic in my opinion. The picture is neat and sharp, no distortion, and does not require external view-finder. The size of this lens is amazingly compact for what it is. Point to note with a RF, is to constantly cross reference your “estimated distance” of your subject against the reading on your lens, after a few shoots on the streets, you should be able to pre-focus your subject distance. Much is said, i am still learning from alot of masters here.

If you are even thinking of buying a leica, mai tu liao.
Good luck.

dtoh
Daryl Toh's photography