Focus Peaking is expensive

[jonoslack]

Ouch!

Having established how good focus peaking is on the NEX 5n and A77 I've suddenly realised that there is a whole world of MF lenses open to me . . . so I thought I'd start gently, and I've had a little ebay binge this weekend . . . .

Leica R 28-90 f2.8/f4.5
Leica R 21-35 f3.5/f4
Leica R 180 f2.8 APO

all together for about the list price of a 35 'lux.
the 28-90 has arrived, and it's a thing of beauty and wonder. The others should be waiting for me after I get home from a 2 day trip to Germany.

 

[Terry]

LOL - enjoy. I will look and see if the image thread has samples.

 

[M5-Guy]

No one said you had to buy Leica Lenses as your first test lenses :grin:
But, since you have the disposable income... Enjoy, and do post samples made with your new(used) Leica R Glass...:thumbs:

Contax G1 film camera with CZ-G 45mm f/2 and basic accessories on sale now in Classified

 

[Knorp]

Yeah right - gently does it :shocked:
However these are hardly pocketable lenses for a NEX, but A77 or A900 for sure.
Anyhow, if you're finished playing with the 28-90, well - think of me please ...

Happy shooting, Jono.
All the very best.

 

[ashwinrao1]

COngrats on the new acquisitions, Jono....I have gone the opposite and gone for some smaller lenses for the GXR (40 cron, CV 28 f/3.5, Zeiss C-Biogon 35, Zeiss C-Sonnar 50, Contax G Zeiss 90 M mount). Your bigger lenses will look great on the A77 for sure...

 

[bensonga]

LOL - enjoy. I will look and see if the image thread has samples.

I've been looking for some of these images on the A77 thread too.....haven't seen any yet, did I miss them Jono? What adapter are you using for the Leica R to Sony Alpha? I've got a bag full of R lenses myself that it might be fun to try on something like the A77.

 

[Chuck Jones]

Jono, been doing some testing here myself. Your gonna die when you see how great that R glass looks in front of the A77 and the Nex-5N both. Seeing you handhold those big lenses with the Nex-5N attached should be a real laugh! Be careful the body doesn't get lost inside the mount!... :ROTFL:

I just got my adapter today for my M glass on the Nex-5N, and all I can say is I am stunned. I'd have never believed it if I wasn't seeing it with my own eyes. The focus peaking is freaky good, so easy to use. The image quality is far more than I had ever expected....

 

[jaapv]

Hmmm. Maybe a Nex 7 companion for my DMR is the future?

 

[jonoslack]

Hmmm. Maybe a Nex 7 companion for my DMR is the future?

HI There Jaap
I certainly think so - I've posted some images with these lenses in another thread. They make a great combination, and handling really isn't that strange (actually, I'm beginning to like it).
One of the advantages over older solutions is that one doesn't have to modify the lenses.

Ben and Chuck and Ashwin
The A77 will have to wait for a while - actually, until after I've seen how these lenses do on the NEX7 - no point sending them all off to Spain for Lietax mounts and then wish they still had the R mount!

M5 Guy
I've got some contax G lenses - but I'm not keen on the graunchy focus on the metabones adapter, and the sharp edge on the Kipon one. Anyway, if I want to use small lenses, then I just bung on M lenses (but IMHO I'd rather use them on the M9!)

 

[doug]

Hmmm. Maybe a Nex 7 companion for my DMR is the future?

I'm certainly tempted by it. Since I don't have an immediate need for it I can wait until production resumes and its bugs (if any) are worked out. I'm also looking forward to Leica's mirrorless camera.

If the NEX 7 had a bigger sensor, or 16-bit pixels, or an R-adapter that operated the auto diaphragm, or it had sensor-based stabilization, my resistance would evaporate in an instant. Any one of those 'wish-list' features would push me over the edge.

 

[Paratom]

to which setting you have focus peeking?
I admit that I still feel focus peeking suggests a certain distance "range" where the edges stay red while I modify the distance slightly.
And for other subjects it doesnt change color at all.
So far I still feel much safer with magnification.
Am I doing something wrong here?
I have set it peeking to strong.
Thanks, Tom

 

[jonoslack]

I'm certainly tempted by it. Since I don't have an immediate need for it I can wait until production resumes and its bugs (if any) are worked out. I'm also looking forward to Leica's mirrorless camera.

If the NEX 7 had a bigger sensor, or 16-bit pixels, or an R-adapter that operated the auto diaphragm, or it had sensor-based stabilization, my resistance would evaporate in an instant. Any one of those 'wish-list' features would push me over the edge.

Hi There Doug
I'd also like to see sensor based stabilisation or a bigger sensor (later maybe).

Having an adapter which opens the auto-diaphragm however really isn't much of an issue, The EVF is quite good enough to gain up adequately at any light/aperture combination where shooting is possible - of course, this means that you set the aperture you want, then get on with the shooting whilst keeping an eye on the focusing and the shutter speed. To be honest, I'm more keen on the 'full time' depth of preview feature . . . . than having the camera control the aperture.

Maybe this just pushes you over the edge!

Why not get hold of a cheap adapter, then see if you can borrow a NEX 5n with a viewfinder for a day or so? I'd surely lend you mine if we were a bit closer together!

 

[doug]

Having an adapter which opens the auto-diaphragm however really isn't much of an issue, The EVF is quite good enough to gain up adequately at any light/aperture combination where shooting is possible - of course, this means that you set the aperture you want, then get on with the shooting whilst keeping an eye on the focusing and the shutter speed. To be honest, I'm more keen on the 'full time' depth of preview feature . . . . than having the camera control the aperture.

Yes perhaps I'm making too much of this feature.

 

[jonoslack]

Yes perhaps I'm making too much of this feature.

I think it's one of those things one expects to need . . . . . and then find that the alternative reality is actually an improvement.

Personally it's the first time I've found working with 'the wrong lenses' to be even faintly sensible - and I'm really enjoying it. . . . . like you, I'm hoping for a Leica solution one day, which is the reason for not going down the Leitax route with the A77 - at least for the time being.

all the best . . . surely you can borrow a 5n from some willing person?

 

[yatlee]

I converted all my Leica R to Sony A to take advantage of the in camera stabilization. No regents as I know any r solution from Leica is going to be a while and costs a fortune.

 

[Chuck Jones]

Jono, I applaud your patience in waiting for Leica to do something new that will use the R glass. After four years of waiting myself, I finally gave up and sold it all - at the bottom of the market as it turns out. Leica did a great job of getting me to hold on until they reversed their prior announcement, and cancelled the R-10 project. That move on their part cost me several thousand dollars with the depreciation in the used value of my glass.

I'll never again make the mistake of waiting on Leica to do anything. Personally, I think Yat is absolutely correct. Taking advantage of the in camera stabilization now is worth far more than anything Leica would release "down the road." I know if I buy another R lens, it will be to immediately convert it to Sony A mount. A bird on the card now is worth a thousand memories of those in the bushes that got away!

 

[Paratom]

I converted all my Leica R to Sony A to take advantage of the in camera stabilization. No regents as I know any r solution from Leica is going to be a while and costs a fortune.

Yat, did you compare the 28-90 Leica to the Zeiss 24-70?
Or any other Leica vs a comparable Zeiss/Sony lens?

 

[ampguy]

Your subjects still need some amount of contrast for the peaking to work. Magnification will always be more accurate if you're trying to focus on the single point of lens focus.

The peaking is nice for when you don't have time to use the magnification, but is much less accurate.

to which setting you have focus peeking?
I admit that I still feel focus peeking suggests a certain distance "range" where the edges stay red while I modify the distance slightly.
And for other subjects it doesnt change color at all.
So far I still feel much safer with magnification.
Am I doing something wrong here?
I have set it peeking to strong.
Thanks, Tom

 

[jonoslack]

Your subjects still need some amount of contrast for the peaking to work. Magnification will always be more accurate if you're trying to focus on the single point of lens focus.

The peaking is nice for when you don't have time to use the magnification, but is much less accurate.

I do agree that magnification is always going to be more accurate.
Still, magnification completely screws up one's overall view of composition, and as far as i can see it's pretty pointless unless you're attached to a tripod.
I've found peaking to work in poor lighting - even if you only manage a little sparkle here or there, practice has meant that I've been getting really good 'in focus' results - added to which it's very fast.

years of professional video photographers with manual focus lenses can't all be wrong!

 

[jonoslack]

Hi Chuck

Jono, I applaud your patience in waiting for Leica to do something new that will use the R glass. After four years of waiting myself, I finally gave up and sold it all - at the bottom of the market as it turns out. Leica did a great job of getting me to hold on until they reversed their prior announcement, and cancelled the R-10 project. That move on their part cost me several thousand dollars with the depreciation in the used value of my glass.

I can understand your resentment - from my point of view there's nothing like that - I've bought near the bottom of the market, and with my eyes wide open

I'll never again make the mistake of waiting on Leica to do anything. Personally, I think Yat is absolutely correct. Taking advantage of the in camera stabilization now is worth far more than anything Leica would release "down the road." I know if I buy another R lens, it will be to immediately convert it to Sony A mount. A bird on the card now is worth a thousand memories of those in the bushes that got away!

Well - I like using the 28-90 on the NEX 5n, and for my purposes the IS isn't really that important (I mostly shoot in good light anyway).
But I haven't bought with the certainty or knowledge that Leica will do something - or that I'll want it if they do!
For me, what changed things was using focus peaking - to be honest, in many circumstances I'd rather use it than AF, and I've found myself increasingly pressing the MF button on my A77 to get precise focus - or using it instead of the old focus and recompose technique.