Great advice. I have had Leica Ms for over twenty years and I still have problems getting the focus 100% with my 35 Summilux. Best to keep at F2.8 and smaller to start with.
Great tips. My focusing techniques differ depending on each shooting situation. I can use the rangefinder when shooting still subjects that have defined vertical lines. I step down the aperture to f5.6 up to f8 when shooting at streets trying the pre set the distance close to infinity. This applies when I shoot with 21mm and 35 focal lengths. In this case, I just use the back screen to compose. When shooting with 50mm and longer FL, I use the visoflex with the M 11-P.
I think one of the best tips I got and not sure if it was from here or not is to start from infinity so you only go one way every time I find when try to guess the distance and I am wrong I don’t know whether to go left or right with the tab so starting at infinity really helps me
Yeah only have f2.8 lenses (zeiss biogon 35mm & voigtlander 90mm skopar) for my m4 and m240 and haven't had focus issues yet, we'll see how I get on with a 50mm f2 and potentially 28mm f1.4
I found focusing and framing my M11 cameras with their rangefinders difficult when using my eyeglasses. It’s gotten easier after I added a diopter corrector to the rangefinder eye port w/o glasses on.
@@kaskoPhoto absolutely. I know when I first started I would do this and keep my figure there and wonder what I was doing wrong. You have to move it out of the way. Ha.
I have to argue that at a certain point all the practice in the world isn't going to help you much once you get down to f/1.4 or f/1.0. Particularly if the light is low and your subjects are in any way kinetic. And especially with 60 unstabilized megapixels. I still believe that the best use case for the M is daylight shooting and zone focusing at f/5.6 or f/8, where you can just pick up, frame, and push the shutter button.
@@kaskoPhoto Au contraire. I have two Leica rangefinders, one of them being an M4. Try as I might, I've never gotten along well with rangefinder focusing, especially wide open, and again, in kinetic circumstances. Back in the '70s I much preferred the split-image microprism of an SLR with a bright viewfinder (as did most folks even by then). I can't imagine 60MP with no stabilization added to that equation. One would need truly exceptional shot discipline, and even then... Don't get me wrong, the M11 is a lovely camera that produces beautiful image quality. But in my experience the shooting envelope is just more restrictive - fine for still life, or landscapes, or portraiture, or street work during the daytime, dreadful for anything moving in a low ambient light environment where you're forced to shoot wide open at f/1.4.
Great advice. I have had Leica Ms for over twenty years and I still have problems getting the focus 100% with my 35 Summilux. Best to keep at F2.8 and smaller to start with.
You nailed it again! Perfectly described how I focus and shoot my M10R. Keep the content coming!
Great tips. My focusing techniques differ depending on each shooting situation. I can use the rangefinder when shooting still subjects that have defined vertical lines. I step down the aperture to f5.6 up to f8 when shooting at streets trying the pre set the distance close to infinity. This applies when I shoot with 21mm and 35 focal lengths. In this case, I just use the back screen to compose. When shooting with 50mm and longer FL, I use the visoflex with the M 11-P.
I think one of the best tips I got and not sure if it was from here or not is to start from infinity so you only go one way every time
I find when try to guess the distance and I am wrong I don’t know whether to go left or right with the tab so starting at infinity really helps me
Yeah only have f2.8 lenses (zeiss biogon 35mm & voigtlander 90mm skopar) for my m4 and m240 and haven't had focus issues yet, we'll see how I get on with a 50mm f2 and potentially 28mm f1.4
I found focusing and framing my M11 cameras with their rangefinders difficult when using my eyeglasses. It’s gotten easier after I added a diopter corrector to the rangefinder eye port w/o glasses on.
I wear readers (age is beating the crap out of me) and when I didn’t take them off and tried I found out that it would be really hard
🙏👍
Also if you put your finger on the rangefinder window then move it away. If there is no movement In the box then you’re in focus.
This is a very valid point everyone- some do get their finger in front of that window and aren’t clear on why they can’t see the double image
@@kaskoPhoto absolutely. I know when I first started I would do this and keep my figure there and wonder what I was doing wrong. You have to move it out of the way. Ha.
What's your best lens to use for pleasure? State of collection 2024?
Shockingly, I think it just may be the Voigtlander 35 mm f/1.2 III
I have to argue that at a certain point all the practice in the world isn't going to help you much once you get down to f/1.4 or f/1.0. Particularly if the light is low and your subjects are in any way kinetic. And especially with 60 unstabilized megapixels. I still believe that the best use case for the M is daylight shooting and zone focusing at f/5.6 or f/8, where you can just pick up, frame, and push the shutter button.
I’m guessing you’ve never used an M before?
@@kaskoPhoto Au contraire. I have two Leica rangefinders, one of them being an M4. Try as I might, I've never gotten along well with rangefinder focusing, especially wide open, and again, in kinetic circumstances. Back in the '70s I much preferred the split-image microprism of an SLR with a bright viewfinder (as did most folks even by then). I can't imagine 60MP with no stabilization added to that equation. One would need truly exceptional shot discipline, and even then...
Don't get me wrong, the M11 is a lovely camera that produces beautiful image quality. But in my experience the shooting envelope is just more restrictive - fine for still life, or landscapes, or portraiture, or street work during the daytime, dreadful for anything moving in a low ambient light environment where you're forced to shoot wide open at f/1.4.