Looking for instruction of manual focus

[jcdeboever]

I am having trouble getting sharp focus. Assuming everything thing is in proper order with exposure, shutter speed, and aperture. No tripod. Understand the basics of hand stabilization, elbow in, etc.

Looking for a standard mind check for focusing. I seem to be rushing it.

 

[Gary A.]

Start with the rule of thirds ... keep your shutter speed up for starters. Then, after you are getting constant and sharp results ... then start bringing it down. Never get so excited that you punch the shutter release. When you're focusing/framing keep your finger on the release button and have it slightly depressed, when it looks good then go the rest of the way, sorta like a squeeze with a firearm. Hold the camera firmly and tight (but again not overly tight like you're crushing it). What you want to crush is your nose, flatten the nose with the back of the camera. Short of a pod, I found this to be quite stable along with the tucked elbow and the left hand under lens (and the body on the palm with a short lens).

On your Nikon, I believe you're using the split image ... line up an edge and you're there. On micro-prisms you gotta go back and forth a bit to make sure. Dunno what else you're using.

 

[compur]

Looking for a standard mind check for focusing. I seem to be rushing it.

Mind check: don't rush it.

 

[jcdeboever]

Start with the rule of thirds ... keep your shutter speed up for starters. Then, after you are getting constant and sharp results ... then start bringing it down. Never get so excited that you punch the shutter release. When your focusing/framing keep your finger on the release button and have it slightly depressed, when it looks good then go the rest of the way, sorta like a squeeze with a firearm. Hold the camera firmly and tight (but again not overly tight like you're crushing it). What you want to crush is your nose, flatten the nose with the back of the camera. Short of a pod, I found this to be quite stable along with the tucked elbow and the left hand under lens (and the body on the palm with a short lens).

On your Nikon, I believe you're using the split image ... line up an edge and you're there. On micro-prisms you gotta go back and forth a bit to make sure. Dunno what else you're using.

Super. Thank you very much. You described things in a way where I am missing it by crushing my nose. Makes sense. You are the man Gary!

 

[480sparky]

Start with the rule of thirds ... keep your shutter speed up for starters. Then, after you are getting constant and sharp results ... then start bringing it down. Never get so excited that you punch the shutter release. When you're focusing/framing keep your finger on the release button and have it slightly depressed, when it looks good then go the rest of the way, sorta like a squeeze with a firearm. Hold the camera firmly and tight (but again not overly tight like you're crushing it). What you want to crush is your nose, flatten the nose with the back of the camera. Short of a pod, I found this to be quite stable along with the tucked elbow and the left hand under lens (and the body on the palm with a short lens)..............

Um........... what's this got to do with focus?

 

[Gary A.]

I just want to eliminate slow shutter/handholding as a potential problem ... then go from there as JC mentioned stability.

 

[Gary A.]

As you are using legacy lenses ... do a target and tape measure thingie w/ tripod, you know the drill. If the lenses are off, get them to a camera repair guy/gal for calibration.

 

[Gary A.]

Okay, shooting technique and lenses are covered, (assuming the lens mount and film plane are good), ... what's this all about a rushing mindset?

 

[480sparky]

My advice: Go forth and actuate. That will be your best guide. Just get out and practice.

Pixel-peep the results. If they're not what you expected, figure out why.

It would also help to know what camera & lens you're using, as well as the conditions you're shooting in.

 

[john.margetts]

I agree with the above (apart from the rule of thirds?). As you are shooting film, how are you judging focus? Softness can be caused by scanning the negatives. Also, keep your aperture between F/5.6 and F/11 to avoid diffraction softening for maximum sharpness.

 

[jcdeboever]

I'm shooting at smaller apertures but I think it's a combo of stability and not quite getting stuff lined up right in the split prism. I scanned some more rolls and I seen some improvement in other rolls shot after. I like how Gary kind of gave me a 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.

 

[Derrel]

For D-slr focusing: First off: focus from FAR to Near. Far to near. Move the ring quickly, stop when it looks good: at that point, you are close, and all tat will be needed is perhaps a very slight tick, and you are dead on.,

Practice with the lens in use. From Infinity, rack in, STOP, and then make a minior correction, if needed, Whebn practicing, use a pencil to mark the focus spot. Try 3 to tries.

Be AWARE of the arrows if you have a high-end Nikon bodies: in addiution to the Green Got, they have two arrows, one on either side of the green dot, showing which way to turn the ring to get the green fot AF confitmation dot, to light.

Try your other eyeball. Apparent distance is around 73-78 inches. Try different eyeglasses.

Check the diopter on trees or light poles at Infinity

Use the focusing scale on each lens, if you can; use it to estimate distances the system has confirmed
*************

With a split-image rangefinder in film cameras. As above, focus with lens from FAR, to near. Get close? STOP!

To see if the split image rangefinder focused distance is right? Jiggle the camera up and down, up and down, and SEE if a solid edge shows "shimmy". If the images shows a shimmy, it is NOT at the right focused distance. Make a minor correction, repeat the up and down jiggling, and see if there is shimmy.

 

[compur]

What lens are you using? In general it's easier to find correct focus on a faster lens (say, f/1.4) because it appears to "snap" into overall focus. (Assuming you are using an 35mm SLR).