I have found that I have AF issues on my wides on my S2-P. They do not focus to infinity when they should, either with AF or non-AF use using the button and focus confirmation. If I focus by eye, I have no problem. I do not seem to have the issue with the 70 or 120.
I have loaded the most recent firmware for both the lenses and the body. Does anybody else have this issue and if so how have you resolved it.
Aboud,
Had the same problem with my 30, would not focus to infinity in AF mode. It ended up back in Solms for a tuneup.Looks like your lens will get to visit the new factory in Wetzlar. Contact Kelsey Fain and maybe she can arrange a loaner for you.
-Al
Thanks Al, I actually had an email exchange with Kelsey, but she said AF on wides can be iffy. I was giving her the benefit of the doubt until I saw your reply. My 35MM just came back from Wetzlar in March after the AF on it died completely – they had it there two months for warranty service. If they didn’t pick up on this focusing issue at infinity, I don’t think I would have much faith in them now. I’d have to send my new 30 in, that would be two lenses at once hanging out in Germany. I’d have little use of my S2 kit.
I just sent a follow up to Kelsey, we will see what happens.
– Aboud
I have had that infinity issue with my 35 when the subject is very far and very tiny detail without a clear object to focus on. I now know to double check the setting and manually readjust. That is a function of SLRs to me. My split screen doesn’t really help either in that subject. That is the advantage of a rangefinder when using wide lenses. Net I have not chosen to send mine back for an adjustment.
JackI’d add that when I use wide angle S lenses at infinity, I almost never allow the camera to auto focus focus to infinity. In my mind, doing so effectively discards a large portion of my usable DOF. I usually set the hyperfocal position manually and just shoot everything at this setting. Then, on a 30mm, I can get DOF on everything from 3ft to infinity. Why just get infinty when you could have almost the entire scene sharp?
David Farkas
Red Dot Forum
Leica Store MiamiDavid
Do you use a thumb rule for the hyperfocal distance at different apertures? It is on the M lenses but absent from the S lenses.
Bob
bobtetreault;8390 wrote: David
Do you use a thumb rule for the hyperfocal distance at different apertures? It is on the M lenses but absent from the S lenses.
Bob
Bob,
I found a good hyperfocal position with some experimentation. Generally, when shooting landscape on a tripod, I’m almost always shooting at f/11 or f/13 for maximum DOF. Any more stopped down and diffraction would start to become an issue.
David Farkas
Red Dot Forum
Leica Store MiamiThe Leica folks think that the wide angle lenses need to be calibrated to my S2-P body so everything is going to Germany next week, just as Al’s did. If it comes back focusing properly, we know it is a defect or a design flaw.
I want to preface my next statement by telling readers that I do use my S2-P on manual focus most of the time. There are times however, when I am shooting more quickly, that AF is useful. Using a hyper focal technique should not be necessary with an AF camera.
Am I the only one who thinks that a Leica $23K camera with $7K lenses should focus on infinity as my Canon bodies with wide angles do? AND if calibration is an issue, why doesn’t Leica have an AF adjustment feature like again, Canon. Finally if the AF point is an issue on the wide angle lenses, should not a sophisticated camera have a feature that adjusts the size of the focal point relative to the lens being used. How hard can that be?
Still loving’ my Leica …
Aboud
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