manual focusing... any tips or tricks?

positivenote

hi all, ive start playing around with my new nifty fifty in the last few days and im having difficulty getting sharp focus on specific things using the manual focus. Its something that i havent used for close/tight shots before and i was just wondering if theres any tips or tricks to getting nice sharp images that people use?
cheers

Morrisseeee

Not sure what camera you have, but I use my camera's 'LiveView' and then use the 7* or 10* zoom in feature to get precise focus.

Nforce

Morrisseeee wrote: »

but I use my camera's 'LiveView' and then use the 7* or 10* zoom in feature to get precise focus.

+1....I do the same with my D300

Fenster

Have your eyes checked? I have a monstrous time focusing manually due to problems with my eyes.

AnCatDubh

Depending on your camera you also may also have a 'catch in focus' in your custom options which will prevent the shutter being released unless you have your composition in focus. (check your manual for the specifics).

Now this is fine and dandy and can work really well, but IIRC if your 50mm is old-ish and your camera tolerates it rather than loves it such that your camera doesn't really read the lens information (or maybe that's because lens information wasn't conceived when your lens was), then you may be limited to a center focus point from which this will work. This too is fine until you want to focus on something precise off center in your composition - your only option now is to compose with your focal point directly in the center with catch in focus, retaining the shutter half way depressed, recompose with your subject where you want it within the frame. So now, you've just undid the in focus thing albeit it still should be very close.

The other point worth mentioning to consider your apertures - that 50mm is probably f2.0 or better (perhaps down to f1.2) but depending on the quality of the lens, it will be naturally 'soft' at the extremes of the aperture. Sharpest will *normally* be a couple of stops up. For example I have an old 50mm f1.7 which can be amazing at f5.6 - thereafter you are into a compromise. I've a new 50mm f1.4 which sharpens up big time at around f2.8. The lower apertures are great when they are needed but not gauranteed to give you the sharpest of results, and usually what we all do when we get a great lens on your camera is push it to the extreme of the aperture and think "thats fantastic shutter speeds i'm getting there", but invariably being a bit disappointed with the sharpness (even if we don't admit it )

And, also bear in mind if you are pushing the aperture to the extremes, you are likely to be dealing with very shallow depth of field which will give you mighty bokeh, but difficult to attain sharpness - this obviously depending on variable factors including distance to subject and aperture chosen (assuming a constant 50mm focal length).

FoxT

Modern lenses are difficult to focus manually. Their focus rings are too small, too sensitive, and undamped. In addition they are sometimes in awkward places ( the canon 50mm f/1.8 focus ring is at the very front of the lens, it might as well be on mars...)

Modern cropped sensor viewfinders are smaller & darker than full frame viewfinders, which makes manual focusing harder still. In poor light it is more or less impossible, unless you light the subject while focusing.

I have gotten around this by a combination of the following techniques.

1 - Use AF unless you cannot. I actually carry a flashlight with me to shine on subjects when it is dark - I prefer it to using the AF assist feature on my camera. Also it can get a laugh from people, whereas the 3-flash strobe of AF usually disconcerts them somewhat.

2 - If you must use Manual focus then do not select the widest aperture unless you have to. This gives greater DOF so if your focus is out a little you have a better chance of getting away with it at a smaller aperture.

3 - If using widest aperture in poor light and manual focus, then 'focus bracket' your shots. Focus manually, take 1st shot. Without changing the focus, Move camera a little closer to subject, take 2nd shot, move camera a little further back, take the 3rd shot.

3a - you can use 'focus bracketing' with AF as well - use AF to focus for the 1st shot, then lock the focus.

4 - if your camera has a live view function then use it as already suggested above.

5 - if you camera does not have a live view function, then take the shot & review it to see if it is in focus.

Love the blur!

If you can't nail the focus, trying messing about with shots that are out of focus.

PabD

When using manual focus half press the shutter. If you have focused correctly the red boxes will light up in the viewfinder even though you are on MF. If it doesn't light up adjust the focus ring and try again.

(I'm not sure if all dslr work this way but for the Canon's i have used this will work fine....i hope )

ttcomet

Certain cameras will allow you to change the focus screen to one that is easier to manually focus with. They are quite eay to change.

Heebie

Another thing to check.. probably the FIRST thing to check, is whether your camera has a focusable diopter, and if it's in focus.

If your diopter is focusable, you will have a slider or a knob that is *VERY* small either on top of, or to the side of, your viewfinder.
Adjust the focus on the diopter until any visible readouts inside the camera are in sharp focus, then try focusing your camera manually again.

If you normally wear glasses but take them off for some shots.. you have to readjust the diopter to compensate.

If you generally shoot with your right eye, but are shooting with your left (or vice-versa) you again need to adjust the diopter to compensate.

Can you use Auto and Manual focus at the same time?

On my Olympus E-420 (which is entry level, so I assume the same function is on every camera?) you can turn on auto focus, and when you press the button half way, after it auto focuses, you can adjust the focus manually, to be more precise with it, before snapping your shot.


Personally, my eyes suck, so I use auto focus more often than manual focus, and rarely (never?) use manual focus on its own.

To use both of them at the same time, the option on my camera is called "SAF+MF" (Single Auto Focus + Manual Focus).

positivenote

guys, thanks so much for the feedback... from the diopeter to the 'get yours eyes checked'. All has been helpfull. I have a canon 30d but havent a clue where the manual is so im unsure if i have live view/mode but im sure someone can tell me which option it is...
but most of all im glad that im not the only one who finds it difficult, i was getting a bit down hearted using my new nifty fifty... but i guess like most things, it just needs some practice.

Ghost Train

Hyperfocal distance is something is worth knowing for taking certain types of shots. It lets you know that everything from infinity forward to half the hyperfocal distance will be in focus. Good guide and calculator here

Nforce

positivenote wrote: »

I have a canon 30d but havent a clue where the manual is so im unsure if i have live view/mode but im sure someone can tell me which option it is...

Here's the manual for the 30D. Right click and save as. You'll need Adobe Reader (free) installed to view it.

http://www.canon-30d.com/Canon-EOS-30D-Manual.PDF