 Posted: Mon Nov 11, 2013 9:58 pm Post subject: |
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kido wrote:
Thanks for your kind words 
| PhantomLord wrote: |
I have a little question - how do you focus? With LiveView or do you have special focusing screen? |
I'm fairly new to the whole MF game so my focusing technique is still sitting somewhere on the learning curve. To be completely honest, the amount of sharp, usable photos I'm getting with MF lenses is surprising even for me
I'm probably the last person on earth that should be asked about photography advice, but since you asked ...
Usually I'm focusing using the LiveView. The swivel screen on 60D (and 600d for that matter) is a real blessing. This technique works fine but the shutter lag is a problem when shooting action at close distance (cats, bees). This is why, at occasions, I use a combination of LiveView and the viewfinder. First I'm setting the focus with the LV and then, as the conditions change, try to keep it right using the VF. Sometimes I'll even set the focus with LV and then shoot from the hip, but this of course pretty much excludes narrow DOF.
What I've learned so far is nothing groundbreaking:
1. Don't expect sharp, don't expect perfect, don't expect a thing. Keep treating sharp photos as some kind of miracle that will eventually happen. Keeps you from getting frustrated.
2. Try to remember the 'feeling' of being in focus and then try to automatize your actions. I discovered that most of the time, employing too much consciousness and over thinking doesn't do any good to the photo. Usually it costs a missed opportunity. When what your eyes see seems right in the guts, shoot like there is no tomorrow. Don't try to be absolutely sure every time.
3. As long as shooting digital and without a strobe, shoot in bursts of 3-4 photos - increases your chances of doing it right.
4. With moving subjects, try to find a stable, well defined detail in a frame that fits into the focal plane and keep lurking on that when framing.
5. Remember that the focal plane is flat 
6. When the focus needs to be adjusted just slightly, focus moving your hands or even the entire photographer rather than the focusing ring.
7. Perfect framing can be distracting. 18Mpx leaves a lot of room for cropping in PP. If you fail on focus, there may be nothing to crop.
I'm still struggling with the standard Ef-A focusing screen, although I've ordered a custom one a week ago. I'm not mentally prepared to ditch $200 for a piece of plastic, so after doing some research and especially after reading this post:
http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/22-pentax-camera-field-accessories/88650-focusing-screen-brightness.html#post901945
I decided to give jinfinance split screen a try. The above post was written in 2010 and as far I know, there have been some changes in jinfinance split screens so I will see what it's worth when it arrives, but $30 is simply easier to swallow.
You are right that AF confirm chips are pretty useless, at least with the standard focusing screen.
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[C&C] on my pictures are most welcomed. |
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