1. Read the light and say what you want
At 16:20 on 22 October 2026 the sky was clear and the sun was behind the camera. Obtura measured the scene at EV 14.8. The intent was Deep landscape: as much depth in focus as possible. Obtura answered f/11, 1/180 s, ISO 64, with two coaching steps: focus on the central area of the scene, and use the edges of the frame to place the horizon.
2. Check the frame before you commit
Before changing anything on the camera, frame the view on the phone. Obtura’s crop reference lets you match the field of view of your lens, here a 35 mm, and put the horizon on the upper third line. The simulated preview shows what f/11 at 1/180 s will look like. It is a simulation, clearly stamped as one, not a photograph.
3. Transfer the settings to the camera
One minute later the frames were made on a Leica M11-P with a Summilux-M 35 f/1.4. The vertical frame was shot at f/11, 1/180 s and ISO 80: one third of a stop more exposure than planned, because of ISO 80 instead of 64. The horizontal frame was recorded at f/13, 1/180 s, ISO 64: about half a stop less. Leica M cameras estimate the aperture they record, so treat f/13 as approximate. Both frames hold detail in the bright towers and in the park.
4. Check the sky for dust
Small apertures reveal what wide apertures hide. At f/11 and f/13, specks of dust on the sensor showed up as dark spots in the clear sky. They were removed afterwards. Before a session at small apertures, photograph a plain sky and zoom in on the result; clean the sensor if you see spots.
Try the workflow in Obtura
Obtura measures reflected light through the iPhone camera, then turns an intent such as Deep landscape into aperture, shutter and ISO for your phone or your manual camera. Its preview is simulated; judge the final result on your own camera. Available on the App Store, requires iOS 26 or later.
Source: Leica, Summilux-M 35 f/1.4 ASPH technical specification.