I purchased a used GF1 camera today. It will be a back up camera. So I want to use a Lecia M lens on this camera, how do you focus a m lens with the GF1. I hope that is possible to do.
Also what would be a good adapter to use with a M lens.
in reverse order:
- Leica M to Micro-FourThirds adapters are more the same than different. The higher end ones provide more precise tolerances and closer to expected calibration of the focusing ring index. You can buy from a variety of sources through Ebay or go direct to people like Steve Gandy at CameraQuest.com. Prices range from $40 to $190, or direct from Panasonic too.
- To use an adapted manual lens with the GF1:
* Set the Custom menu option
SHOOT W/O LENS to
ON
* Mount the lens and adapter assembly on the camera
* Set Manual Focus
* Select either Aperture priority or Manual exposure mode, depending upon your preference
* Focus the lens using the LCD (or optional EVF) until the image is sharp
1
* Set the aperture you want to use on the lens
* Depending upon your exposure mode setting, either use the control dial to adjust the exposure time per the meter reading or use the control dial to set the EV compensation appropriate for the scene.
* Frame with the LCD or EVF, make the exposure.
1 - Focusing is as simple as turning the focusing ring until the image is sharp on the LCD. Adapted manual lenses will always be stopped down to the aperture you set them to ... small apertures increase DoF ... so if the focus changes very slowly open up the lens for focusing.
The GF1 allows "Manual Focus Assist" which means it will enlarge the view on the LCD or EVF to a portion of the field to help with critical focusing. This is elected on this model using an adapted manual lens by pressing the left arrow and then Menu button. Alternatively, with the latest body firmware, you can enable this mode by pressing the control dial when in Manual Focus mode. (You turn it off by pressing the shutter release half way.)
By and large, it's simpler to use adapted manual lenses in practice than it is to describe how to use them ... In operation, it's a simple, fluid workflow despite all the steps I mention above. I normally use adapted manual lenses on the G1 in Aperture priority mode and I often forget that they're lenses created long before the Micro-FourThirds cameras were even dreamed about. ;-)