Anyone Still Manual Focus?

[Jeff Fillmore]

After reading a really nice and informative Post over on Nikon Cafe about the virtues of Manual Focus I found myself thinking more and more that it was something I wanted to try- or retry to be more accurate- since my old film cameras never auto focused either. What I found interesting from the post and also found to be quite true was the fact a true manual focus lens has quite a different feel to it than manually focusing an auto focus lens. The gearing in the manual lens is much different feeling very smooth and allowing for more fine tuning.

Anyway- I picked up an old Nikkor 105mm f2.8 AIS Micro for pretty cheap the other day and have been enjoying it quite a bit. Just thought I would share the love and a few pictures I have grabbed over the last few days.

Anyone else- Please share your Manual-Focus story and/or pictures.

 

[Jeff Fillmore]

I will start with a few pics.

 

[Evad]

Hey Jeff great shots!! No manual lenses here but I really enjoyed the series of pics you posted, The last one and the second one are my favs!!

 

[er3465]

I have a Nikon d40 and just recently purchased the 50mm f/1.8, which is auto focus only for my camera. It is an adjustment for me to auto focus, I think I still need some practice and some more situations to use it in. Here are a few random test shots:

 

[MarkBarbieri]

I don't have any pure MF lenses, but the lens that I most want is MF (Canon 24mm T/S). There are very few MF lenses designed for the Canon EF lens mount. The mount was a complete redesign made at the point that Canon introduced AF.

That said, I still use MF pretty frequently. I use it most of the time I do macro work. I use it when I'm shooting through obstructions (like a wire fence, glass, or twigs) where I want to focus on a distant subject and throw the nearby stuff out of focus. I also manaully override the AF on a regular basis. Most of my lenses allow me to tweak the focus manually even while shooting in MF mode.

I would bet that 1-3% of my shots have some element of manual focusing to them. That percentage is even higher if you look at just the pictures I take when I'm serious about photography and not just taking "snapshots." That percentage will probably go up if I switch to a 5DM2 as it's AF point coverage area is much smaller than what I'm used to.

 

[gokenin]

All of my Takumar,M and K lens are all manual focus and tend to use them alot I do admit when I was at Disney I was lazy and brought the Autofocus lens but when at home I tend to use manual focus lens

 

[dburg30]

I user manual focus, but not a manual focus only lens. Same reason as most. Shooting 'thru' something, night time to get focus on what YOU want, to focus on something other then what the camera decides etc etc.

 

[Groucho]

What I found interesting from the post and also found to be quite true was the fact a true manual focus lens has quite a different feel to it than manually focusing an auto focus lens. The gearing in the manual lens is much different feeling very smooth and allowing for more fine tuning.

Extremely true! The feel of an old MF lens cannot really be duplicated with an AF lens. Even my finest AF lens (31mm F1.8, AF lenses really don't get much better in build or image quality) just don't have the feel of my old Takumars (though it is much closer than most of my MF lenses!) The best feel is probably in my Super Tak 105mm and 135mm; my Zeiss 135mm is very good but not quite as buttery-smooth.

The other thing is that some lenses with manual apertures can also have ridiculous number of aperture blades... 15 or more! That many blades generally can't move quickly enough for an auto-aperture setting but they give amazingly round bokeh.

The build quality is also usually fantastic with older lenses, all-metal and very sturdy, with a more substantial feel than most modern lenses.

IMHO, taking the time to manual-focus forces you to think a little more about what you're shooting and to consider some different angles or styles than you might have otherwise. At the very least, it's probably a good exercise and a break from the machine-gun firing style that is common nowadays.

I've used manual-focus lenses a bit on my last couple WDW trips... my Zenitar 16mm fisheye got a lot of use on my 1/07 trip (I highly recommend that one for your D700 if you haven't picked up a fish yet!), and last trip (4/08), I used my Lester A Dine 105mm 1:1 F2.8 macro (which is a stunning lens) quite a lot.

Next trip, I'm planning on a few times where I carry primarily manual screw-mount lenses... see my signature for details of what I'm choosing from. I did a bunch of shots at the Watkins Glen racetrack a few months ago with some of them but have been insanely busy for a while (hence my lack of participation around here lately!) and still haven't processed those photos yet.

Here's a couple shots of some old MF lenses for ya. This one's my preset 135mm F3.5 which is just a hair under 50 year old and still works like a champ. It even has 8 aperture blades, more than the later Takumar 135mm F3.5s.

Here's my Zenitar 16mm fisheye... a great lens which I admit that I've barely touched since getting my 10-17mm fisheye.

Apparently early Nikon F lenses can be used on Pentaxes with no adapter at all, one of these days I may pick one up just to see how well it works.

 

[Code]

I've been doing 100% MF for macro stuff because AF ends up being a pain, but other than that I'd want a split focus screen before using MF for more than macro.

 

[YesDear]

I have only been doing auto focus for about three years. Prior to that it was all manual focus. I probably depend on the auto focus today more because of my age and eyesight not as good as it has been. I have mono vision contacts and probably do not trust my sight as quick. I like others will use on macro work, and when I want to selectively focus.

I still have several manual focus lens from my film days and will use them every once and a while.

Great shots. I would return that Christmas ball in your last shot. Someone painted this funny looking guy with a big eye on it!

 

[Metallicat]

I use manual focus with my XSI in the live view mode, or when I use a macro lens.

 

[Zoesmama03]

Ooh I'd like to feel a "true" manual focus only lens so far I just have the dumb kit that never gets used and a 50mm f/1.8 since I haven't managed to save for any others. I use boring old auto because my main model moves too darn much. I have good vision so thats not a problem. Then again I've not quite had my Nikon D80 a year even so still very much learning. And it was my first SLR.


Got any tips??? How about even with auto on how to get more crispness. I try going up to f/2-4 to get more in but I guess I need to sit down and learn some basics on it. LOL Just been busy getting ready to move to Nashville on the 20th and ohhhh so much to do any practice and learning has been put on back burner.

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

Ooh I'd like to feel a "true" manual focus only lens so far I just have the dumb kit that never gets used and a 50mm f/1.8 since I haven't managed to save for any others. I use boring old auto because my main model moves too darn much. I have good vision so thats not a problem. Then again I've not quite had my Nikon D80 a year even so still very much learning. And it was my first SLR.


Got any tips??? How about even with auto on how to get more crispness. I try going up to f/2-4 to get more in but I guess I need to sit down and learn some basics on it. LOL Just been busy getting ready to move to Nashville on the 20th and ohhhh so much to do any practice and learning has been put on back burner.

Did you by any chance read Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson? In it, he describes the exposure triangle made up of ISO, Shutter speed and Aperture. He also give a lot of photographic examples of his work. He calls F8-11 his 'whatever' or 'anything goes' Aperture because everything comes out more in focus. Has to do with Depth of Field. The more wide open the Aperture (i.e. 1.8, 2.0) the more out of focus the background is going to be. You can even have the eyes in focus and the nose will be blurred if the Aperture is set wide open. (Or worse, the nose in focus and the eyes OOF!) The smaller the Aperture (larger number i.e. F8, 11,) the more crisp the background behind your subject is going to be. Of course, it also depends on available light, subject movement, etc. If you haven't had a chance to check out UE, it's a decent read. The only thing I didn't like is that he often would tell his Aperture and Shutter speed, but neglect to mention ISO. That's the 3rd part of the exposure triangle; kind of stupid to have omitted it, imo, since the book is geared toward noobs like us. Don't feel bad, I have experience shooting real SLRs in film days and the DSLR is a whole new ballgame. I don't remember struggling so much to get good low light photos w/ film. Yes it was grainier, but maybe my standards weren't as high??? I dunno...At least they came out! Going from film to DSLR is like trying to learn Hip hop dancing when all you've ever done is ballet! Good luck! The good thing with digital is that it doesn't cost you anything to see your work and keep retooling.

 

[Jeff Fillmore]

IMHO, taking the time to manual-focus forces you to think a little more about what you're shooting and to consider some different angles or styles than you might have otherwise. At the very least, it's probably a good exercise and a break from the machine-gun firing style that is common nowadays.

I agree with that completely- it makes you actually feel like a photographer.

I've used manual-focus lenses a bit on my last couple WDW trips... my Zenitar 16mm fisheye got a lot of use on my 1/07 trip (I highly recommend that one for your D700 if you haven't picked up a fish yet!), and last trip (4/08), I used my Lester A Dine 105mm 1:1 F2.8 macro (which is a stunning lens) quite a lot.

Here's my Zenitar 16mm fisheye... a great lens which I admit that I've barely touched since getting my 10-17mm fisheye.

I have actually been considering this- since all I have now is a broken-but-still-works DX 10.5 Fisheye. It looks like new ones go for around $200 on Ebay- is that where you got yours? I was worried about the MF before but after using the 105 I am thinking it would be a piece of cake. I imagine the DOF is huge stopped down a bit.

 

[Jeff Fillmore]

Did you by any chance read Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson? In it, he describes the exposure triangle made up of ISO, Shutter speed and Aperture. He also give a lot of photographic examples of his work. He calls F8-11 his 'whatever' or 'anything goes' Aperture because everything comes out more in focus. Has to do with Depth of Field. The more wide open the Aperture (i.e. 1.8, 2.0) the more out of focus the background is going to be. You can even have the eyes in focus and the nose will be blurred if the Aperture is set wide open. (Or worse, the nose in focus and the eyes OOF!) The smaller the Aperture (larger number i.e. F8, 11,) the more crisp the background behind your subject is going to be. Of course, it also depends on available light, subject movement, etc. If you haven't had a chance to check out UE, it's a decent read. The only thing I didn't like is that he often would tell his Aperture and Shutter speed, but neglect to mention ISO. That's the 3rd part of the exposure triangle; kind of stupid to have omitted it, imo, since the book is geared toward noobs like us. Don't feel bad, I have experience shooting real SLRs in film days and the DSLR is a whole new ballgame. I don't remember struggling so much to get good low light photos w/ film. Yes it was grainier, but maybe my standards weren't as high??? I dunno...At least they came out! Going from film to DSLR is like trying to learn Hip hop dancing when all you've ever done is ballet! Good luck! The good thing with digital is that it doesn't cost you anything to see your work and keep retooling.

Depth of Field also has a lot to do about Focal Length and Distance to your Subject. There is an interesting online calculator HERE that you can plug in variables with your camera/lens and see how it effects your image.

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

Depth of Field also has a lot to do about Focal Length and Distance to your Subject. There is an interesting online calculator HERE that you can plug in variables with your camera/lens and see how it effects your image.

Thanks Jeff. I have had that one bookmarked for quite awhile, but it's a good reminder to use it. I should check it out more often and try to incorporate it more. All that math makes my brain fuzzy.

 

[Steve's Girl]

I've been doing 100% MF for macro stuff because AF ends up being a pain, but other than that I'd want a split focus screen before using MF for more than macro.

Code -

I just read your siggy - triplets!!! Holy cow! Congrats! You're gonna be one busy daddy!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Code -

I just read your siggy - triplets!!! Holy cow! Congrats! You're gonna be one busy daddy!

Oh my! As a parent of twins, I'll say LOL Great news, Code!

 

[MICKEY88]

the DOF calculator is a nice tool

for anyone that has an Iphone, there are a few DOF calculators in the Apps store..

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I've begun using Manual focus on occasion. I find it helps me get the exposure I'm looking for.

Some of my first shots: