I would like to know how the hyperfocal setting really works on the M6.

Thanks you for the input,

-- James Lin (SIGPE57@YAHOO.COM), July 11, 2001

Answers

See the depth-of-field scale next to the aperture ring? (It's the thing with the f-stops in pairs on opposite sides of the focus index mark). Set the f-stop number (equal to the aperture you're using)on the DOF scale opposite the infinity mark. Now everything will be in focus from infinityi back to whatever distance is across from the same f-stop on the *opposite* end of the DOF scale. Or so the theory goes. In practice, if you're critical, use the next smaller number on the DOF scale than the aperture you've actually selected...i.e. if you're shooting at f/11, use the pair of "8"s on the DOF scale.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), July 11, 2001.

Leica is very good at providing excellent depth of field marks on its lenses. Users of autofocus cameras with unmarked zooms are losing this long used skill, but a hyper-ly focused, or zone focused lens is faster than autofocus, in that you don't even have to worry about aiming the camera accurately. I agree with Jay, if you want the best quality, set you infinity mark to one f-stop less than the actual set aperture.

One other factor... lenses can start to decline in performance at very small f-stops due to diffraction. Logic might say that you just close the lens all of the way down all of the time, but it might be that f/11 or f/8 is enough for the scene. Since most of the lenses in the Leica line up are at their optimum aperture at about f/5.6 to f/8, close the lens down only to the point of covering the range needed. You don't need to go to f/16 if the closest object in the foreground is 50 feet away. On the same note, this technique works a lot better with wider lenses. I start to get serious with deep focus with the 35mm and wider lenses. With the 50mm and up, I look at trying to isolate a bit with a more narrow range, but the 50mm lens is that magic cut-off lens were you could go both ways.

If you are using this technique, or using a zone of focus, (like 6-10 feet), remember... once the lens is set, ignore the rangefinder.

-- Al Smith (smith58@msn.com), July 11, 2001.

With my Tri-Elmar 1st version (without DOF scales--not that the ones on the new version are that easy to decipher)I use a formula I read on the internet (maybe even on this board--so if you posted it, stand up and take a well-deserved bow!): At 28mm setting, divide the aperture into 30, that's the hyperfocal distance *in meters* at which to set the focusing index and everything from *half* that distance to infinity will be acceptibly sharp. For 35mm, the math constant is 50 and for 50mm it's 100. The values, compared to the fixed-focal- length lenses, are equivalent to using the next-wider-stop and so are exactly as I would do with DOF scales. If you're happy with the optimistic scales on the primes, then double the math constants. This system doesn't give you DOF at different distances, only hyperfocal, but for my landscape shooting it's just perfect.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), July 11, 2001.

If the subject at infinity is important, you might be disappointed at the sharpness if you rely on the basic method of putting the infinity mark against the dof mark at the appropriate aperture or at one stop wider. You really need to try it. I usually set the infinity mark at the two stop wider mark, sometimes even three. For an ultra-deep discussion of this, try

http://fox.nstn.ca/~hmmerk/

for Harold M. Merklinger's opinion.

-- john stockdale (jjss@bigpond.net.au), July 20, 2001.