Manual

[Pál_K]

Manual is great for making photographs and when driving a car.

Maybe that’s why I enjoy lenses that have an extra focusing ring for a floating element, like Hasselblad’s Carl Zeiss 50mm f/4 CF FLE or Mamiya Sekor’s Macro C 140mm f/4.5 lenses - it adds just a little bit more user involvement and engagement in the process, thereby adding enjoyment. Perhaps it’s not quite as rewarding as using a manual transmission, having 4-wheel drive low range, and having the ability to lock center, front, and rear differentials, though.

 

[Tim Murphy]

I use MF on M4/3rd's cameras almost daily

I use MF on M4/3rd's cameras almost daily

Dear Board,

I have to add that I am a bird and wildlife shooter, and I have a number of high quality MF lenses that cannot be used any other way with my Olympus cameras.

Working from home and having the ability to have 500mm/f4.5 Canon L lens from Canon FD times mounted on my OM-D-EM1 and a sturdy tripod, I've had a lot of fun shooting whatever presents itself outside my den window as I work.

I also like my MF Canon FD 200/f2.8 as a walk around wildlife lens. It's light and easy to use when viewing through the viewfinder.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

Harrisburg, PA

 

[Rob-F]

I'm mystified by multi-point AF. A lens can only focus on one distance at a time, no matter how many AF points there are; so what can the camera possibly be doing with all that information? After all, my D700 doesn't know which of its points I want in focus. Or does it?

 

[peterm1]

I'm mystified by multi-point AF. A lens can only focus on one distance at a time, no matter how many AF points there are; so what can the camera possibly be doing with all that information? After all, my D700 doesn't know which of its points I want in focus. Or does it?

I have always had some issue with multi focus point AF too - not because it is doing a lot of processing but rather because of the last issue you mention, that the multi AF system does not know what I want to focus on. That being the case my D700 often chooses the wrong focus point. This is especially a pain when street shooting and there is a lot of people in shot. Not only that at least in certain modes it does not even seem to show which one it is using. To be fair my knowledge of the multi AF mode is imperfect because I gave up on using it years ago and now just use either the central point (then quickly recompose) or just shoot and crop for better composition later if that is not possible (as when people are milling about or moving quickly and the above would result in loss of focus). Or I use manual focus as I said in another post and hope for the best.

 

[shimokita]

I'm on second 5D MK II which acts like this with all AF points enabled. It just stops focusing at some point. My 5D and 500D just works with same lenses.

Thanks for the follow-up reply. I don't think that I have ever used multiple focus points... so the next time I fire up the 5D MII I give it a test run... it might take some time on my side ; )

Casey

.

 

[Dogman]

The only times I've ever used all the focus points and let the camera choose was when shooting photos of overhead birds in flight. I was using Canons back then with the 400mm Canon lens. The camera always focused on the correct spot and tracked it perfectly. But it was a different situation when trying to take photos of birds perched on limbs--the camera was confused by all the extraneous subject matter.

I decided I was never gonna be a bird/wildlife photographer and moved on to more mundane subject matter.

 

[RichC]

I'm mystified by multi-point AF. A lens can only focus on one distance at a time, no matter how many AF points there are; so what can the camera possibly be doing with all that information? After all, my D700 doesn't know which of its points I want in focus. Or does it?

It does! From the Canon manual: "It [AI Focus] has the ability to track and analyse movement, and focus the image based on where it predicts the subject will be at a given point in time."

 

[willie_901]

Semi-Automatic (Semi-Manual?)

Semi-Automatic (Semi-Manual?)

I focus using a X-Pro 2 or X-100F OVF. I attempt to emulate how I used my analog rangefinder cameras (Zeiss Ikon M and Canonet QL17 GIII).

Ninety percent of the time I use semi-automatic AF with a centered, single, small focus-region. The focus method is single focus-lock. FUJIFILM calls this "Instant AF in the MF mode". [1]

"Press the AF-L button while shooting in the MF mode to autofocus on a subject within the focus frame. This eliminates the need to rotate the focus ring from near the shortest shooting distance position to infinity and achieve a quick transition back to MF. In the Autofocus Setting menu, you can specify to activate either AF-S or AF-C in Instant AF."

I set the AF parameters to AF-S + Single Point mode. Once AF locks, focus the focus will not change unless the lock function is re-initiated or I turn the lens focus collar.

The focus region box size is changed to accommodate different situations. I typically use a small region.

Since the Focus Mode is set to MF, it is possible to evaluate the AF lock region accuracy with the Rear Command Dial. This displays a temporary, magnified, small EVF view of the focus region in the OVF. I use focus peak highlight mode. There are two magnification levels. This is useful in low light or with low-contrast focus objects. Otherwise the the audible or visual focus lock indication suffices.

For my work, I use DOFs that are compatible with focus and recompose. I change composition to put the frame center on the desired focus object. Focus lock is confirmed with either a low volume audio beep and, or a change in the focus-region box online color. Then I recompose.

When focus and recompose is inappropriate, I prefer to move the focus region in the finder using the Rear Command Dial instead of letting the camera decide on the focus object.

I have experimented with Face Detection + Eye Detection AF. This works well for static subjects.

With the newer XF lenses the AF is quick and accurate. The first generation XF lenses (notably the 35/1.4) have slower (and noisier) AF motors, The first generation, XF 60MM F/2.4 Macro (which is technically not a macro lens) has very slow AF motors optimized for focusing at close distances. These lenses work best with newer cameras, but they are relatively sluggish.

This focus technique can be used in EVF mode without modification.

My anecdotal evaluation is this method has a higher in-focus success rate than using the Zeiss Ikon M analog rangefinder.

1/ This FUJIFILM PDF describes the focus terms.

 

[Pál_K]

It does! From the Canon manual: "It [AI Focus] has the ability to track and analyse movement, and focus the image based on where it predicts the subject will be at a given point in time."

But the camera’s firmware doesn’t know what I consider the subject to be. It may have decided on its own, incorrectly, what the subject is and decided to track that instead.

Not long ago, while on a shopping trip in an electronics store, I got to play with all the Canon R series, Nikon Z series, Sony, Olympus, and Fuji. I think it was a Sony which, like so many other of these cameras when focusing, lit up about a dozen or more red rectangles in the viewfinder. The image was so distracting and cluttered that even if one of those points were on my intended subject, all sense of composition and knowing when to release at the right moment was lost.

I think, as mentioned by one poster, but in an unintended sense, this multi-point AF is for the birds.

 

[RichC]

I'm mystified by multi-point AF. A lens can only focus on one distance at a time, no matter how many AF points there are; so what can the camera possibly be doing with all that information? After all, my D700 doesn't know which of its points I want in focus. Or does it?

It does! From the Canon manual: "It [AI Focus] has the ability to track and analyse movement, and focus the image based on where it predicts the subject will be at a given point in time."

But the camera’s firmware doesn’t know what I consider the subject to be. It may have decided on its own, incorrectly, what the subject is and decided to track that instead.

Can't say I disagree despite what I wrote. I use high-end, all-singing all-dancing Sony A7R series mirrorless cameras - yet only own manual lenses so have never used autofocus on them!

 

[chipgreenberg]

I was watching a video series of Helmut Newton at work, shot by his wife June. In one segment he holds up his camera--a Canon EOS 5 (A2E) I think--and says, "It's all set to automatic. Let the camera work." He then taps his head and smiles and I think he said, "I'll do the thinking."

I saw a great video presentation from National Geographic photographer Sam Abell. At one point he said/joked he keeps his camera on "P" for "Professional."

I shoot everything manually myself.

 

[Dogman]

I was watching a video series of Helmut Newton at work, shot by his wife June. In one segment he holds up his camera--a Canon EOS 5 (A2E) I think--and says, "It's all set to automatic. Let the camera work." He then taps his head and smiles and I think he said, "I'll do the thinking."

I saw a great video presentation from National Geographic photographer Sam Abell. At one point he said/joked he keeps his camera on "P" for "Professional."

I shoot everything manually myself.

Ha-ha. A friend of mine has a favorite quote when I tell him I do something different from him: "That's why there's chocolate and vanilla."