Teddys1

Hello all,
I'm a 62 year old with nearsightedness 250/275 and astigmatism.
I have been shooting Leica rangefinders, and own 2 bodies and several M mount & Zeiss lenses.
Recently, I found I lack the confidence in my focus and composition. Particularly, street, movement captures.
I wear progressive/transition glasses (polarized as well) and have used variable and fixed diopters.
I am still finding that I am not getting the "focus" and crispness I once did.
So I am looking to switch (reluctantly) systems.
Where would you recommend to start looking looking for an auto focus system
I have 2 Leica bodies and several M and Zeiss lenses.

Any suggestion are appreciated.

nimbushopper Loc: Tampa, FL

If you are used to leica then look at the Fuji XE series cameras. They have the same look and feel of leicas but are digital and autofocus. Their optical are also superb. Google Fuji x forum to see photos taken with them.

melismus Loc: Chesapeake Bay Country

If you go mirrorless, you can use your present lenses with an inexpensive adapter. Focus peaking and magnification will do wonders for you.

Photocraig

Perhaps a less expensive approach is to have your Eye Dr. Set you up with a pair of photo glasses. Even at $500, it is way cheaper than the loss you'll take on selling the leicas.

BebuLamar

Do you have the M film or digital? If you have film are you looking for digital or AF film camera?

le boecere

To the OP: FWIW; I agree with nimbushopper, the Fuji XE series might be the most adaptable digital system for the former rangefinder shooter. I'd even take a long look at the Fujifilm X-Pro2. I went from Canon (film) to Canon digital travel (rangefinder) to Sony a6000, and then bought an X-E2. Of course, it didn't really exist back in 2011, but if it had, I wish I'd have known to go directly to the Fujifilm X-system.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

There won't be a loss. In my experience Leica gear sells for at least what a person paid for it.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

Have you thought about just using zone focusing? You know...f/11 and 3.5 meters and forget it?

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

Before you change systems, get a set of glasses that do not have the polarization on them. I had a set of polarized prescription glasses and clip-on polarized sunglasses and could never correctly shoot with them on. Once I started shooting without the polarization, everything went back to normal.

Two systems to look at would be the Olympus and Panasonic systems. The bodies I would look at would be the Olympus E-M5mrII and the E-M1mrII and the Panasonic GH4 and GH5. Pick a lens like the Olympus 12-100mm f4 Pro IS lens or any of the other Olympus or Panasonic lenses for any of the suggested bodies. They are 4/3rds systems and, therefore, the lenses are interchangeable for all basic functions. And you will have over 100 lenses to choose from.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

It seems that switching over to a camera with an excellent autofocus system is probably in your future. My uncorrected vision is similar to yours, and I use progressive lenses as well. I am 67. A small mirrorless system, like Sony, Fuji or Olympus - would give you the smaller size and good focus automation if you go with half frame - AKA APS-C. Using a rangefinder and manually focusing can be difficult with uncompromised vision. As has been mentioned, newer cameras have focus peaking.

If you want to stay with full frame - the Sony Alpha cameras will do the job, but I would try using your lenses with an adapter like the Metabones M to Alpha 7. If you find an adapted, manual focus lens still isn't working for you, Sony and Zeiss offer native mount lenses that will auto focus for you.

https://www.adorama.com/alc/best-full-frame-mirrorless-cameras

http://www.metabones.com/products/details/MB_LM-E-BT2

alfeng Loc: Out where the West commences ...

If you're talking about film cameras AND you want to continue to use rangefinder cameras, then I think that your only options are possibly the FINAL ITERATION of the CONTAX which I believe uses Leica M-mount lenses OR to opt for a used LTM camera + a set of equivalent focal length LTM lenses that you currently prefer to use ...

I only handled an M3 about 50 years ago, so my memory of its viewfinder is limited ... if memory serves me (and, it probably doesn't), the image seemed 'small' ...

I have several older Leica bodies including a III, a couple of IIIc bodies (clearly, I'm a glutton for punishment), a couple of IIIf bodies (obviously, no real difference compared to the IIIc), and a IIIg (what was I thinking?) ...

I have Canon P and Canon 7 bodies -- both have foil shutters (a good thing) ...

And, several Russian LTM bodies!

If you are willing to get lenses which have the LEICA THREAD MOUNT and if you can live without the framelines, then the ZORKI 4 probably has the best rangefinder as far as viewfinder size & rangefinder 'spot' contrast ...

The Zorki 4 is kind of fugly ... the Zorki 4K has a lever advance & eschews the separate take-up spool.

Unfortunately, it's a catch-as-catch-can situation with Russian camera bodies ... so, you have to rely on the seller's description of the condition of the camera ... some have been CLA'd.

Of course, using an auxiliary optical viewfinder resolves the issue of the lack of frame lines.

The Canon P and Canon 7 bodies are LTM bodies. Their viewfinders are large & the rangefinder 'dots' also have good contrast. The Canon P has "fixed" framelines ... the bulky Canon 7 has selectable frame lines.

So, that begs the question: Have you considered that the rangefinder mechanism on your Leicas simply need to be (re-)adjusted?

And, Are you using a tripod?

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

I would suggest you look at one of the full frame Sony "mirrorless" cameras ("MILC" or "mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras"). Their a7 and a9 models use an electronic viewfinder and one of the features of it is "focus peaking", with which the camera clearly tells you what's on focus and what's not, even with manual focus lenses.

This would allow you to continue to use your manual focus lenses, via simple adapters (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?labelId=89914&fct=fct_lens-fitting-female_1596%7cleica-m&srtclk=itemspp&ipp=100&is=REG&from=detail&showAllAcc=Y&sku=1008114).

Other brands (Fuji, Oly, Panasonic, Canon) offer mirrorless cameras and M-bayonet mount adapters, too.... But Sony is one of only two manufacturers offering mirrorless cameras with full frame sensors, which will allow your lenses to continue to perform as they have on 35mm film format.

All those other brands only offer MILC with smaller "crop sensors". This makes for a "lens factor" 1.5X with Fuji and some Sony, 1.6X with Canon, 2X with Oly & Panasonic. In other words, after cropping a 50mm lens will "act like" 75mm, 80mm or 100mm on those cameras. This is great for telephotos, but wide angle lenses will no longer be very wide. A "full frame" camera that uses a sensor the same size as your M-series cameras made on film lets a 50mm lens act like a 50mm lens... 1.0X lens factor. The only other manufacturer who makes full frame digital... Leica. But they are VERY expensive (minimum $5000... and up). But, worse, many of the Leica use an optical viewfinder that cannot provide the focus peaking feature of an electronic viewfinder. Especially the "more affordable" Leica MILC use an optical VF, but with those there would be no solution provided for your focusing problems.

You also would be able to get one or more modern autofocus lenses for use on the camera, should you wish. But the main thing is it allows you to continue to fully use the lenses you already have, while I think solving your focusing problems. The full frame Sony models offer the most direct way to continue to use your vintage, manual focus lenses. (Note: Both Canon and Nikon have stated they will be introduding full frame MILC "in the near future"... Rumors are the Canon already has some working examples being field tested. But I ain't holdin' my breath and the only current choice for full frame MILC is Sony.... well okay, and Leica.)

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ns=p_PRICE_2%7c0&setIPP=100&ci=16158&fct=fct_sensor-size_3087%7cfull-frame&srtclk=itemspp&ipp=100&N=4288586281

You might want to rent one of the Sony prior to purchasing, to be certain it works. If you do rent, first get the guide book for the specific model and/or download the user manual, so you can read them in advance and be ready to put the camera through it's paces as soon as it arrives. You'll also need to purchase one or more lens adapters in advance, to be able to experiment with using your existing lenses.

https://www.lensrentals.com/search?filters=%7B%22checked%22%3A%7B%22Item+Type%22%3A%7B%22type%22%3A%22string_values%22%2C%22selected%22%3A%5B%7B%22id%22%3A%22%22%2C%22values%22%3A%5B%22Camera%22%5D%7D%5D%7D%2C%22Mount%22%3A%7B%22type%22%3A%22string_values%22%2C%22selected%22%3A%5B%7B%22id%22%3A%22%22%2C%22values%22%3A%5B%22Sony+E%22%5D%7D%5D%7D%2C%22Camera+Type%22%3A%7B%22type%22%3A%22string_values%22%2C%22selected%22%3A%5B%7B%22id%22%3A%22%22%2C%22values%22%3A%5B%22Mirrorless%22%5D%7D%5D%7D%2C%22Sensor+Size%22%3A%7B%22type%22%3A%22string_values%22%2C%22selected%22%3A%5B%7B%22id%22%3A%22%22%2C%22values%22%3A%5B%22Full+Frame%22%5D%7D%5D%7D%7D%2C%22range_for_range%22%3A%7B%7D%2C%22range_for_value%22%3A%7B%7D%7D&reload_filters=true&q=&sort_by=popularity

I don't have any of these Sony models personally (yet!), but most of the time when working with adapted lenses, exposures are set manually. However, the camera's aperture priority auto exposure mode will probably work, as well. It also may be possible to use manual with auto ISO, a relatively new form of auto exposure that digital cameras often provide. (With adapted lenses it will not be possible to use shutter priority AE or program AE. Any other even more highly automated "Full Auto" modes also won't be usable with the adapted lenses. But of course, all these will be usable with any modern, autofocus lens you might get to use on the camera.)

ecurb1105

First you haven't said if you're shooting film or digital. But I'd look to my eyes and glasses before switching systems. I'd suggest trying plain, single prescription glasses. I dislike transition and graduated glasses never having found some that works for me. Also have your eye doc check you for cataracts, they sneak up and slowly ruin your vision.

Low Budget Dave

Leica SL autofocus is fast and accurate. It may not beat the Sony A9, but it will run with just about any other camera made.

https://m.dpreview.com/reviews/leica-sl-typ-601/5

srshorb

fuji series Maybe the Xe2