focus point question.

ewick · Jan 1, 2013

A friend of mine uses element 10 (i believe it's ten. its the most recent version) and in that program there is a tab where he can click and it will show him where his focus point was at the moment the photo was shot. I use ACR and was wondering if anybody knew if ACR had that option. (yes I know I can find the focus point with out it) But I was just curious if ACR came with that option? Or how about LR3? Thank you for any info on this. I tried to googe it but I am thinking that my wording was not correct because I couldn't find any info on it. Or better yet.. if some one can point me in the right direction to find it myself I would be very greatful.

KmH · Jan 2, 2013

Elements 11 is the most recent.
If Camera Raw/Develop Module can do that, it would be news to me.

The focus point is recorded as part of the EXIF data (metadata).
Some of the EXIF data is camera maker proprietary information that Adobe software may not be able to legally use without buying a license from the camera maker.
Some camera makers may have elected to allow Adobe to use that part of their metadata.

christop · Jan 2, 2013

KmH said:
The focus point is recorded as part of the EXIF data (metadata).
Some of the EXIF data is camera maker proprietary information that Adobe software cannot legally use without buying a license from the camera maker.

I'm not so sure a license from the camera maker would be necessary just to read the data. It's like saying Microsoft would have had to pay for a license to read and write WordPerfect documents in Word. I doubt the creator of WordPerfect would have licensed that capability to Microsoft, especially since WordPerfect was a direct competitor to Word! Or what if Sun (now Oracle) had to pay a license to Microsoft to read Word documents (the older proprietary formats, not just the newer Office "Open" XML formats) in OpenOffice? OpenOffice wouldn't be free if that were the case.

I think the more likely scenario is that the software simply cannot read the metadata for technical, not legal, reasons.

KmH · Jan 2, 2013

That could in fact be the case.

480sparky · Jan 2, 2013

If you shoot w/Nikons, the focus point can be shown using the supplied ViewNX.

ewick · Jan 2, 2013

480sparky said:
If you shoot w/Nikons, the focus point can be shown using the supplied ViewNX.

I do shoot with nikon, but does that mean I would use it as a plug in - in ACR or where does it show up?

480sparky · Jan 2, 2013

ewick said:
I do shoot with nikon, but does that mean I would use it as a plug in - in ACR or where does it show up?

ViewNX is a stand-alone software.

shefjr · Jan 2, 2013

480sparky said:
w/Nikons

The Below information is misinformation. Sorry.

FWIW, this part is key. Not just a Nikon camera, it also needs to be a Nikon lens as well. Or at least that's what I have discovered from research online. My sigma 18-250 3.5-5.6 will not show the focus points in viewnx.

KmH · Jan 2, 2013

480sparky said:
ViewNX is a stand-alone software.

View NX is Nikon software that is included with Nikon cameras, and no you cannot use it as a Photoshop plug-in.

480sparky · Jan 2, 2013

shefjr said:
480sparky said:

w/Nikons

Click to expand...

FWIW, this part is key. Not just a Nikon camera, it also needs to be a Nikon lens as well. Or at least that's what I have discovered from research online. My sigma 18-250 3.5-5.6 will not show the focus points in viewnx.

Never thought of that. I'll have to try my Tamron........

shefjr · Jan 3, 2013

480sparky said:
Never thought of that. I'll have to try my Tamron........

That's not a bad idea. I tend to spread nothing but misinformation here on TPF.
As my father says, "It's better to have said nothing and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt." I should probably start living this saying a little more. :/

Additionally, I have done a test with every lens that I own (2 Nikons, 1 Tokina, 1 Sigma) and none of them would show a focus point. So more than likely, I'm wrong again. (this was attempted with View NX 1 which says the focus point option is available but i was unable to get it to function properly for me)

480sparky · Jan 3, 2013

Tamron 17-35:

I can also have them shown on the monitor.

shefjr · Jan 3, 2013

So after further review, I once again stand corrected. I'm not sure what the issue was here other than the fact that I was using View NX 1 and not View NX 2.
NX 1 claims to allow focus points to be seen when reviewing the images however, for me it would not allow it. I've spent the better part of the morning attempting to get it corrected and after several failed attempts I downloaded NX 2. With NX 2 it lets me see the focus points with any lens that I have. (Nikon, Tokina, and Sigma)

So sorry for the confusion and spreading more misinformation.
Shefjr seems to be synonymous with misinformation as of lately or all the time (you choose). I am glad however that everyone here at TPF is around to correct me. I'm learning from it. :wink:

update: After playing with NX 2 for a while now I can tell you this is great! Much more user friendly than NX1.

480sparky · Jan 3, 2013

shefjr said:
........So sorry for the confusion and spreading more misinformation..........

It may very well not be misinformation. A test of 1 does not constitute a truth. It may be true that some chipped 3rd-party lenses will not work in this manner. I assume, since I can see the focus points on the monitor, that one could quickly and easily check any lens for this capability by doing so. But the Tamron is the only modern 3rd-party lens I have available to me.

Maybe not all current Tamrons will do this, and the same may be true for Tokina, Sigma, et al.