How's manual focus, G1 + Leica M?

I had used Leica M and Carl Zeiss lenses on Canon EOS mount camera. Although the lenses are all incredible, the end results are just not that exciting, all due to the poor manual focus capability of the camera. In many cases, the Tamron 28-75 beats the Leica and the Zeiss. It's particularly true in the wide range and wide aperture.

The camera I use is Kodak SLR/C, but my understand is, its the nature of all EOS view finder. It's just not defined for serious manual focus, so as I've heard. In the end, I simply give up on that.

Now I heard a lot good things about Leica M on G1. How do you see the focus accuracy? You need to compare with the AF lens, using the same focal length and use the widest aperture.

I love that dreamy Leica/Zeiss image, but alas, I can't get that any more with the digial camera. If it turns out G1 + M is a valid solution, I'll have my dream back.

It is extremely easy to focus. I am more accurate with the G1 wide open than with the same lens on my M8. The viewfinder will magnify the portion of the image you want to focus on (you can select the area). Right now it takes two button pushes if you want the magnification but a firmware update suggestion has been sent to Panasonic to make it even easier.

--
terry
http://tbanet.zenfolio.com/

Adapted manual focus lenses are very easy to focus, particularly if they're 24mm focal length or longer. I was shooting with a Pentax M50/1.4 this evening, after dark, and it was just shocking how easy it was to focus even without using the magnification assist function.

With 20mm and similar, yes, I need to use the magnification function. and I can focus with that even stopped down to f/8!

Godfrey

My mouth is watering.

Hey, can someone post some pictures? use wide wide, shoot infinite and as close as possible. For the close up, try to show how it focus at someone's eye.

Anyone can show off any of these classical lenses (135mm/90mm/50mm/40mm/35mm/28mm/24mm), preferably M, but Leica r and carl Zeiss

Not exactly what you requested for. But this YouTube video should give you some idea of how the EVF looks during manual focusing...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0ghr0ptqEc

(The first half of the video is the manual focusing, second part is playback of the image)

TEBnewyork said:

TEBnewyork wrote:
It is extremely easy to focus. I am more accurate with the G1 wide
open than with the same lens on my M8. The viewfinder will magnify
the portion of the image you want to focus on (you can select the
area). Right now it takes two button pushes if you want the
magnification but a firmware update suggestion has been sent to
Panasonic to make it even easier.

Click to expand...

Hi there,

Can you explain in detail how it is the G1 requires ".......two button pushes if you want the magnification ...." in manual focus?

The reason I ask is that for manual focus I don't have to push anything on the G1. Once I have the top left hand dial set to manual focus, I just turn the focus ring and I INSTANTLY get a magnified view. If the area that is magnified is not what I want I just use the cursor pad to move the magnified area to somewhere else in the frame.

Regards,

EDIT: It just ocurred to me, do you mean it takes two button presses if you have manual focus magnification switched off, and quickly want to have it switched on? (I tend to have the magnification function set to constantly on)

plevyadophy said:

Can you explain in detail how it is the G1 requires ".......two
button pushes if you want the magnification ...." in manual focus?

The reason I ask is that for manual focus I don't have to push
anything on the G1. Once I have the top left hand dial set to manual
focus, I just turn the focus ring and I INSTANTLY get a magnified
view.

Click to expand...

If you use a non 4/3 lens (F.x a Leica) the camera have no clue at all what the lens is doing, so you have to manually switch back and forth between magnified view.

Goffe

Goffen said:

Goffen wrote:

plevyadophy said:

Can you explain in detail how it is the G1 requires ".......two
button pushes if you want the magnification ...." in manual focus?

The reason I ask is that for manual focus I don't have to push
anything on the G1. Once I have the top left hand dial set to manual
focus, I just turn the focus ring and I INSTANTLY get a magnified
view.

Click to expand...

If you use a non 4/3 lens (F.x a Leica) the camera have no clue at
all what the lens is doing, so you have to manually switch back and
forth between magnified view.

Goffe

Click to expand...

Oh yeah, quite right. I see what you all mean now.

Thanks.