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Archive 2013 · Tired of Canon's AF System, Which DSLR is best for MF?

  
 
mawz
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p.2 #1 · p.2 #1 · Tired of Canon's AF System, Which DSLR is best for MF?


The best DSLR for manual focus is a Sony A900 or A850 with the M screen. By far the best OVF for manual focus in that configuration, particularly when compared to a 6D or D600. You need to go up to a single-digit Nikon or a 1D series Canon with an upgraded screen to get something comparable and the M screen remains the best focusing screen for MF available today.

The best DSLR-style camera for manual focus is an A77 or A99. FF-sized EVF, your choice of APS-C or FF sensors, focus peaking, magnification, seamless transition between the EVF and the rear LCD. Simply the best for accurate manual focus in a DSLR-sized body (the NEX-7 and NEX-6 also share these advantages if you want compact, APS-C and massive adaptability).

The downside to Sony is a more limited lens selection. Adaptation is midway between Canon (easy) and Nikon (requires Leitax-style mounts).



Oct 08, 2013 at 07:38 AM
kewlcanon
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p.2 #2 · p.2 #2 · Tired of Canon's AF System, Which DSLR is best for MF?


... only sensor though. A system includes Support which Canon wins big time... take that!!

kewlcanon wrote:
Oh I agree about sensor...Sony sensor is better.





Oct 08, 2013 at 08:09 AM
carstenw
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p.2 #3 · p.2 #3 · Tired of Canon's AF System, Which DSLR is best for MF?


kewlcanon wrote:
Oh I agree about sensor...Sony sensor is better.



And Nikon sensors. Sony doesn't make the sensors for all of Nikon's cameras. In fact, at the moment, all brands have better sensors than Canon. Even Micro Four Thirds beats Canon APS-C cameras. Take that!

Anyway, let's stop this silly stuff, not our thread



Oct 08, 2013 at 09:55 AM
carstenw
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p.2 #4 · p.2 #4 · Tired of Canon's AF System, Which DSLR is best for MF?


mawz wrote:
The downside to Sony is a more limited lens selection. Adaptation is midway between Canon (easy) and Nikon (requires Leitax-style mounts).


Why midway? I thought that Sony and Nikon had the same register distance, more or less?



Oct 08, 2013 at 09:57 AM
zhangyue
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p.2 #5 · p.2 #5 · Tired of Canon's AF System, Which DSLR is best for MF?


warrenjrphotog wrote:
I'm tired of relying on Canons subpar AF system.

I went from the xsi to the 40D and both AF systems are hit or miss in my experience of using primes that have wide apertures.

This has led me to buying the precision focus screen for my 40D a few weeks ago but now that I'm using Manual Focus only I'm starting to seriously consider jumping from Canon to another brand that has a nice manual focus prime lens line up and that also offers more user control as I like to be in full control over everything when it
...Show more

Check this thread,
https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1161774/0
You might find it is useful.

I don't know how Sony implement focus confirmation, but I agree A900 is great because of big viewfinder, the same apply Canon 1d series..

But Nikon's focus confirmation is best in terms of usability.



Oct 08, 2013 at 10:09 AM
hiepphotog
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p.2 #6 · p.2 #6 · Tired of Canon's AF System, Which DSLR is best for MF?


carstenw wrote:
Why midway? I thought that Sony and Nikon had the same register distance, more or less?


Sony has shorter (not much certainly). But the throat size is much bigger (49.7 vs. 44). Canon has a whopping 54mm. So Canon certainly has the most flexible mount in term of adaptation. This is one reason I couldn't buy the D800E for my Contax (that and the sub-par LV implementation).



Oct 08, 2013 at 11:09 AM
mco_970
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p.2 #7 · p.2 #7 · Tired of Canon's AF System, Which DSLR is best for MF?


OP, once you try a 5D viewfinder for MF, you will love it. It's soo much easier to manually focus on FF than on crop.

I moved out of Canon and into Nikon because I find the AF much, much more reliable and repeatable. I finally got the Nikon 50/1.8 and have been pretty much blown away by how good it is over the Canon. Not that Canon is bad optically, but the focus system just didn't work well for me (5D3 did the best, but even there I didn't have good results with fast primes using the outer points). I do miss being able to use some old manual focus lenses, but having good AF is it's own joy.



Oct 08, 2013 at 11:34 AM
mogud
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p.2 #8 · p.2 #8 · Tired of Canon's AF System, Which DSLR is best for MF?


This past weekend, I rented a Zeiss 21/2.8 and was able to obtain very sharp images with focus confirmation on my 1Dx. I was able to get proper focus without confirmation on more than a few shots. I'm no stranger to manual focus as I started in my photgraphic quest with the lowly Nikkormat FTN and the Nikkor 55mm f3.5 micro.

Maybe I was just lucky or maybe I have a really good 1Dx that can manual focus just fine without any special focus screens or Liveview. As a result of my experience, I wouldn't discount Canon's focus system so quickly.



Oct 08, 2013 at 11:35 AM
kewlcanon
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p.2 #9 · p.2 #9 · Tired of Canon's AF System, Which DSLR is best for MF?


Nikon doesn't make sensor...do they have sensor plant ?. The answer is NO.

Did Nikon launch D610 to cover D600 problem ?. The answer is YES.

Take that!!!! .

carstenw wrote:
And Nikon sensors. Sony doesn't make the sensors for all of Nikon's cameras. In fact, at the moment, all brands have better sensors than Canon. Even Micro Four Thirds beats Canon APS-C cameras. Take that!

Anyway, let's stop this silly stuff, not our thread




Oct 08, 2013 at 11:50 AM
carstenw
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p.2 #10 · p.2 #10 · Tired of Canon's AF System, Which DSLR is best for MF?


Nikon designs sensors. The D3, Nikon's breakthrough camera, had a Nikon-designed sensor. Saying that Nikon doesn't make sensors is like saying that NVIDIA doesn't make graphics cards.

Enough of this.



Oct 08, 2013 at 05:23 PM
carstenw
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p.2 #11 · p.2 #11 · Tired of Canon's AF System, Which DSLR is best for MF?


mogud wrote:
This past weekend, I rented a Zeiss 21/2.8 and was able to obtain very sharp images with focus confirmation on my 1Dx. I was able to get proper focus without confirmation on more than a few shots. I'm no stranger to manual focus as I started in my photgraphic quest with the lowly Nikkormat FTN and the Nikkor 55mm f3.5 micro.

Maybe I was just lucky or maybe I have a really good 1Dx that can manual focus just fine without any special focus screens or Liveview. As a result of my experience, I wouldn't discount Canon's focus system so
...Show more

As far as I understand, the 5DIII and 1D-X actually do focus well. I am surprised to hear your problems with the 5DIII, Michelle.



Oct 08, 2013 at 05:25 PM
curious80
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p.2 #12 · p.2 #12 · Tired of Canon's AF System, Which DSLR is best for MF?


You already got excellent advice about manual focus DSLRs. However I must say I am not sure why you find the 40D AF hit and miss. It may not have the tracking capabilities of its big professional brothers, but other than that 40D had a very competent AF system which worked well in a wide variety of situations. I would actually take my old 40D's AF over my current D7000, simply because it has a wider coverage of cross AF points.


Oct 08, 2013 at 06:27 PM
mawz
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p.2 #13 · p.2 #13 · Tired of Canon's AF System, Which DSLR is best for MF?


carstenw wrote:
Why midway? I thought that Sony and Nikon had the same register distance, more or less?


Sony A mount is 44.5mm, Canon EF is 44mm and Nikon F is 46.5mm. The only reason why Sony isn't about as adaptable as Canon is that the throat of A mount is smaller in diameter than EF mount (but still larger than F mount).

A mount allows glassless adapters for M42 mount (and technically R mount should be adaptable, but none exist) but pretty much requires mount swaps for anything else. 1 off adapters for C/Y, K and F mounts are possible, but they would not be mechanically robust due to the smaller throat of A mount as compared to EF mount.



Oct 08, 2013 at 06:31 PM
sebboh
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p.2 #14 · p.2 #14 · Tired of Canon's AF System, Which DSLR is best for MF?


curious80 wrote:
You already got excellent advice about manual focus DSLRs. However I must say I am not sure why you find the 40D AF hit and miss. It may not have the tracking capabilities of its big professional brothers, but other than that 40D had a very competent AF system which worked well in a wide variety of situations. I would actually take my old 40D's AF over my current D7000, simply because it has a wider coverage of cross AF points.


i also found the d40 to be pretty useless for AF (also the 50D and 7D). i never tried the AF on the D7000, if it's worse it's gotta be pretty terrible. the D700 certainly has better AF than any of the canons i mentioned, but still not good enough for me to trust.




Oct 08, 2013 at 06:44 PM
jcolwell
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p.2 #15 · p.2 #15 · Tired of Canon's AF System, Which DSLR is best for MF?


carstenw wrote:
As far as I understand, the 5DIII and 1D-X actually do focus well. I am surprised to hear your problems with the 5DIII, Michelle.


The 1DX is very OK.

So are the 1DIV and 6D, using the centre AF point on the latter.



Oct 08, 2013 at 06:48 PM
kewlcanon
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p.2 #16 · p.2 #16 · Tired of Canon's AF System, Which DSLR is best for MF?


Design is not the same as make. Ford designs and makes cars. NVIDIA does make reference graphics cards and the graphic chip...Nikon just designs (maybe...) .

carstenw wrote:
Nikon designs sensors. The D3, Nikon's breakthrough camera, had a Nikon-designed sensor. Saying that Nikon doesn't make sensors is like saying that NVIDIA doesn't make graphics cards.

Enough of this.



Edited on Oct 08, 2013 at 07:40 PM · View previous versions



Oct 08, 2013 at 07:03 PM
cordellwillis
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p.2 #17 · p.2 #17 · Tired of Canon's AF System, Which DSLR is best for MF?


I'm reading this thread and trying to figure out how sports photographers get in focus images with Canon.


Oct 08, 2013 at 07:10 PM
LightShow
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p.2 #18 · p.2 #18 · Tired of Canon's AF System, Which DSLR is best for MF?


The only Canon's I'd buy for AF now are the 1D(s)III, IV, X, & 5DIII.


Oct 08, 2013 at 07:11 PM
mawz
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p.2 #19 · p.2 #19 · Tired of Canon's AF System, Which DSLR is best for MF?


cordellwillis wrote:
I'm reading this thread and trying to figure out how sports photographers get in focus images with Canon.


They use 1 series that aren't 1DIII's (which was the only high-end body with actual, real-world, AF issues) or they learn to keep a single AF point on a moving subject, the same way it workd with the EOS 1 and 1N.



Oct 08, 2013 at 07:23 PM
jcolwell
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p.2 #20 · p.2 #20 · Tired of Canon's AF System, Which DSLR is best for MF?


cordellwillis wrote:
I'm reading this thread and trying to figure out how sports photographers get in focus images with Canon.


Sports photographers usually don't use "primes that have wide apertures", which is the OP complaint.

Of course, the "(the sports and wide aperture" thing is certainly not always true, as the 200/1.8L is a fantastic sports lens for low light. Anyway. Canon has excellent AF. Even back to the old days, with the 20D that I started with, it was pretty OK, if you knew how to use it.

I sympathise with the OP's problems, but I would suggest that if you want to use excellent wide aperture lenses, then you should have a full frame camera. AF or MF, no nevermind.

P.S. that "Pentax 135mm F2.5 MF lens for $60" would likely be a "Takumar 135/2.5 (Bayonet)", which is worth about $25. An excellent manual focus SMC Pentax portrait lens like the "SMC Takumar 135/2.5" would cost about $200.



Oct 08, 2013 at 07:36 PM
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