usayit
No longer a newbie, moving up!
- Joined
- Nov 15, 2003
- Messages
- 9,521
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- 347
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Agree with everything that has already been said... most of all.. Practice! Yes, most of the AF equipment these days are designed for AF; Not properly damped focusing rings and dim viewfinders with no proper focusing screen.
I can provide one tip.
Don't keep you focus in the middle somewhere an then "chase" the subject distance for focus.... you end up wasting time hunting back and forth resulting in some misses.
Start with either the lens focused at closest near distance or at infinity. When you spot your subject and focus turn the ring in ONE DIRECTION until image is in focus. If you are working at an aperture of let say f/5.6 or smaller, nine times out of ten, you can trip the shutter and the subject will be within the DOF and in focus. If you are working at a larger aperture, take the few moments to make minute critical adjustments then trip the shutter. It takes practice but can be very effective...
* If most of the time your subjects are at far distances, you will be faster if you always return your lens to infinity between shots and turning the focus ring towards close distance. For things sports on large fields, much of your subjects will fall just behind infinity anyways.
* If most of the time your subjects are at near distances, you will be faster if you always return your lens to near focus between shots and turn the focus ring towards infinity.
* With practice, many can look and guesstimate a subject distance and "prefocus" as they bring the camera to eye-level. I've seen some photogs demonstrate this with such speed that they can often beat an AF camera at less than wide open apertures. Me? Not even close... lol (many rangefinder lenses have a focusing "tab" which can be used to "feel" instantly the current focus ring position)
* Lenses with shorter focus throws will focus faster but require steady hand to stop right at the desired focus spot. Lenses with a longer focus throw will be slower but it is easier to obtain critical focus. As a rangefinder shooter, focus throw length AND feel is probably the number 1 (or 2) design characteristic when I am deciding on a lens purchase. My Summarit 35mm f/2.5 has a lens throw of less than 1/2 rotation, has very light action, AND a tabbed focus ring. My Nocitlux 50mm f/1 has a VERY long throw and fairly damped... great for low light, shallow DOF work.. frustrating for normal photos.
I can provide one tip.
Don't keep you focus in the middle somewhere an then "chase" the subject distance for focus.... you end up wasting time hunting back and forth resulting in some misses.
Start with either the lens focused at closest near distance or at infinity. When you spot your subject and focus turn the ring in ONE DIRECTION until image is in focus. If you are working at an aperture of let say f/5.6 or smaller, nine times out of ten, you can trip the shutter and the subject will be within the DOF and in focus. If you are working at a larger aperture, take the few moments to make minute critical adjustments then trip the shutter. It takes practice but can be very effective...
* If most of the time your subjects are at far distances, you will be faster if you always return your lens to infinity between shots and turning the focus ring towards close distance. For things sports on large fields, much of your subjects will fall just behind infinity anyways.
* If most of the time your subjects are at near distances, you will be faster if you always return your lens to near focus between shots and turn the focus ring towards infinity.
* With practice, many can look and guesstimate a subject distance and "prefocus" as they bring the camera to eye-level. I've seen some photogs demonstrate this with such speed that they can often beat an AF camera at less than wide open apertures. Me? Not even close... lol (many rangefinder lenses have a focusing "tab" which can be used to "feel" instantly the current focus ring position)
* Lenses with shorter focus throws will focus faster but require steady hand to stop right at the desired focus spot. Lenses with a longer focus throw will be slower but it is easier to obtain critical focus. As a rangefinder shooter, focus throw length AND feel is probably the number 1 (or 2) design characteristic when I am deciding on a lens purchase. My Summarit 35mm f/2.5 has a lens throw of less than 1/2 rotation, has very light action, AND a tabbed focus ring. My Nocitlux 50mm f/1 has a VERY long throw and fairly damped... great for low light, shallow DOF work.. frustrating for normal photos.
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