Leica Monocrom; renting one for the weekend, pls give me a crash course in usage

[Ligament]

Howdy,

Renting a Leica Monochrom, Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux ASPH, and Leica 28mm f/2 Summicron M ASPH for the weekend.

I've never shot a Leica but do own a Mamiya 7II rangefinder so familiar with rangefinder focusing.

Please give me some crash course tips on using this camera and lenses, particularly for street shooting, in particular settings best for this and hyperfocal settings on camera and lens best for typical street photography.

thanks!

[PhotoEcosse]

As you don't get any colour channel information to manipulate during post-exposure processing, make sure that you apply any filters at the time of shooting. (as you would have using B&W film in the olden days or using any in-camera options available)

[Go Go]

Prepare to be astonished!

Tested one in studio next to my H4D 60 and the files were luscious!

[Christoph C. Feldhaim]

Leica's great, but it will not match your Mamiya though ...

[Gary Mulcahey]

I've taken to using a hand held meter with mine these days. I find the meter in the Monochrom to be lacking. It works but I find I get better results with an external meter. I'm processing in LR5 and using Silver Efex with some success. Which kinda surprised me. Not sure why but it did. The files are very good and when shot at base ISO are really special. You will soon find out how malleable the Monochrom files are.

G

[Rob C]

I've taken to using a hand held meter with mine these days. I find the meter in the Monochrom to be lacking. It works but I find I get better results with an external meter. I'm processing in LR5 and using Silver Efex with some success. Which kinda surprised me. Not sure why but it did. The files are very good and when shot at base ISO are really special. You will soon find out how malleable the Monochrom files are.

G

Didn't see your website before; great set of images - very alive!

Rob C

[Gary Mulcahey]

Thanks Rob. That site is way overdue for an update and overhaul.

Here is a little blog thingy I've been working on. It is in its infancy.

Mulcahey and His Monochrom

[BrianVS]

I typically keep a deep yellow or orange filter on mine shooting in sunlight- the amount of detail that can be pulled from the shadows is amazing; watch for overexposure- digital is not as forgiving as film. If shooting a red filter, probably need to go to +1ev for the meter. Response of the meter seems to be a little different from the sensor in that band.

[Ligament]

What are the recommended hyperfocal settings for these particular lenses? I generally like to shoot a 1-2 meters...

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi,

Hyperfocal is for infinity, so I don't see your point if you shoot at 1-2 meters.

Not that I have Leica, but on my full frame DSLRs depth of field is amazingly short. At least if I want really sharp pictures. If you want to have sharp pictures at close distances, especially with 50 mm lens I would say you need to focus exactly. So if you have the camera for a few days, take time to focus as carefully as you can using a medium aperture like f/5.6 or f/8. That will tell you what the camera can do. Do that for some pictures.

The two lenses you mention are probably best at f/5.6 or even f/4.

Best regards
Erik

What are the recommended hyperfocal settings for these particular lenses? I generally like to shoot a 1-2 meters...

[Ligament]

Sorry guys I was really tired when I posted. I do not mean hyperfocal. I mean zone focusing for street photography. Regardless, I figured it out. Thanks anyway!

[JeanMichel]

Hi,  At 1 metre, the dof for the 50 is very shallow even with the aperture stopped down a lot, at 2 metres it is a bit more generous and you can get quite good at quickly adjusting the focus. With finger rest at the 6 o'clock position you are at 3 metres and have more leeway. The markings on the lens are optimistic even for film, for digital use the ones for at least one stop more open. But you will find that adjusting the focus is quite quick once you are used to the rf patch.
I do not have a 28, but with a 35 zone focusing is easier to use, still it is just as easy for focus as you shoot.
Jean-Michel