Manual Focusing - DPChallenge Forums

05/06/2008 12:15:08 PM · #1

I used 2 35mm cameras for some time before switching to digital. My favorite and most heavily used was the pentax asahi K1000 w/ 50mm f1.4, amazing and simple. I still use it whenever I find myself too trigger happy on the digitals. I find though that I can focus 1000x faster on the pentax than on my canons. I thought that getting a faster prime lens would help (not that fast f 2.8) but it didn't. I have tried a 50mm f1.8 but only for a minute and it was hard to judge. I also tried to focus on a 5D w/ a 24-70 to no avail. What is the difference in these cameras, I am very fast at manual focusing on the pentax and setting focus points is a bitch. Am I SOL now that I entered digital, or will something like a 50mm f1.4 work better for me.

hopper

Canon EOS-80D

Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM

05/06/2008 12:45:51 PM · #2

you can manually focus faster than a 40D can auto focus using a prime lens under any conditions?

Gordon

RIM BlackBerry Curve

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

05/06/2008 12:47:50 PM · #3

Very few digital cameras (none that I'm aware of) have any really usable manual focusing screens.

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM

05/06/2008 12:50:09 PM · #4

no no, but I prefer manually focusing as I don't have to select AF points.
Do I need to switch in a heavier matte?

^ will the upgraded matte screen do better for me, has anyone changed these yet?

Message edited by author 2008-05-06 12:51:07.

Patrick_R

Canon EOS-60D

05/06/2008 12:54:19 PM · #5

or will something like a 50mm f1.4 work better for me. [/quote]

I just bought the 1.4 and yes its very nice. Amazing bokeh and sharp as a tack when you stop it down. Remember that the 1.4 has an ultra sonic motor so its faster and quieter than the 1.8 is. It is of course going to have a harder time focusing in really low light but I took it inside the bat cave at the zoo and and it focused just fine.

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

05/06/2008 01:17:46 PM · #6

I'm surprised that you had trouble focusing a 5D with the 24-70. I manually focus my 24-70 often on the 5D, and with very fast lenses I find that I like to "bracket" my focus but I have no trouble seeing where the focus plane is.
DO be aware that Canon does make a focus screen for the 40D that gives better indication of the focus plane. It's the EF-S screen. There is one for the 5D as well (Ee-S).

Message edited by author 2008-05-06 13:18:29.

05/06/2008 01:38:19 PM · #7

I have wondered about that, but wont it make it harder to see in low light, or is that a myth. I didnt like the 5D, the vinetting pissed me of and if calculated it out, it is the same pixels per area as the 30D for almost 3x as much, while being slower. But the quality is unmistakeble

pineapple

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

05/06/2008 01:38:44 PM · #8

Anyone have any idea why the Ee-s (for 5D) screen is out of stock at both Adorama and B&H? Generally, my 24-70 on the 5D is easy to focus. But the 50mm 1.4 and 100 2.8 macro are harder. I think I could benefit from trying this cheap (about $35.00) upgrade. But where to find it.

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Nikon

05/06/2008 01:39:35 PM · #9

also how hard is it to put in? and take out if I don't like it?

pineapple

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

05/06/2008 01:52:24 PM · #10

Just doing a quick Google around seems to suggest it is a simple 2 minute DIY job. No nasty stories to note. Some stories relating to dust in the viewfinder / pentaprism area... but what's new. Dust is dust and it's everywhere...

ikopanas

Nikon D7000

05/06/2008 01:59:17 PM · #11

I recently had to face the problem that with AF some of my pictures were out of focus. Probably because my camera was adjusting light and focus automatically with the press of one button. So I changed it and now I get the correct exposure manual (in most of the cases) and then get the focus semi manual (I 've select the Manual Focus but I have the option to press a button for the camera to focus automatically, in this case the focus locks there. I am pretty happy with it and I highly recommend it.

05/06/2008 02:07:50 PM · #12

I want the opposite really, I shoot almost the entire time at either 100-200 iso if i can. Then I control my DOF w/ aperture, but I try and stay in the range of the base sweet spot to 16. However my shutter speed I only need to check for motion blur and so I usually stay on AV unless using a flash, then I go to manual. So since I worry about DOF most of the time, sometimes focusing on the center subject isn't correct. easy manual focus would be very helpful in other words, and i dont think that AF assistance will speed things up that much.

dsmil

Olympus E-510

05/06/2008 02:27:47 PM · #13

The Olympus evolt 510 has live view which magnifies the scene 7 or 10 times and makes manual focus a snap.