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Archive 2014 · 24 Tilt Shift Focus Question

  
 
Steven Campbel
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · 24 Tilt Shift Focus Question


I recently bought a Canon 24 f3.5L II tilt shift lens. This is my first manual focus lens so there was a bit of a learning curve, but it wasn't too bad. I must be doing something right because I have gotten some shots I am pretty happy with in terms of sharpness. This is a really good lens to say the least. My question is this:

When you achieve focus and depress the shutter halfway, you get an audible beep that lets you know you have achieved focus, or at least I assume this is what it means. I do my focusing using 10X liveview and if I've done it right I will get that beep notification most times. Often, I can move the camera around, shooting from different angles, different distances and still get the focus notification beep without doing any new focusing at all. It's like an auto focus lens sometimes!

Other times, no matter what I do, I cannot get that focus notification beep to occur. I can do the 10X live view focus process over and over and no beep. Does this occur because the focus point is on a very dark or very light surface like an AF lens? Is this a minimal focal distance to this lens? Some of the shots I have taken that have not had the focus notification prior to taking the shot have still seemed pretty sharp.

This all applies to the lens when used straight up or with shift, not tilt. The bodies were 5D II and 5D III.



May 20, 2014 at 06:49 AM
jpeter
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · 24 Tilt Shift Focus Question


I use the 24tse2 and a bunch of other MF lenses on the 5d2. Sometimes the focus confirm seems arbitrary. Poor light tends to keep it from working. You should be getting much more critical focus using live view. The beep or red box will occur over a rather broad range of focus.
With a 24mm lens stopped down to f8 or so, the DOF is great. With that lens not tilted, I do more shooting using the infinity mark on the dial and my eyes than live using view.

On my 24 infinity + a hair seems to be the real infinity, again not tilted. So I use the infinity mark +/- as my reference for most shots. Maybe my eyes are going bad but focus bracketing is another thing I do (tilted or not), not to stack the focus but to take the best shot.

jp



May 20, 2014 at 07:02 AM
jcolwell
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · 24 Tilt Shift Focus Question


I don't use AF confirm with my manual focus lenses, including the TS-E 24/3.5L II. If you do it right in LiveView, it doesn't matter what the camera 'thinks', it's right.


May 20, 2014 at 07:08 AM
Steven Campbel
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · 24 Tilt Shift Focus Question


Thanks guys! I have gotten good shots even without the AF confirm occurring, although it is nice to hear. Is there any reason it doesn't work even though it appears to be properly focused in LV?


May 20, 2014 at 08:09 AM
Peter Figen
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · 24 Tilt Shift Focus Question


Most people don't know it, but you can actually Auto Focus Micro Adjust lenses like the 24 TS-E. Well, it's more like Manual Focus Micro Adjust. You go through the same steps as if you were using an autofocus lens and you can micro adjust your focus confirmation chirps for that lens. Have I done it? Yes. Does it matter? No. I never use that feature. I only use direct Live View focusing for my tilt and shift lenses. It's more accurate anyway. Remember that there is come degree of variability in the focus confirming, just the same way there is in autofocus itself. Much less so when you do it yourself at ten ex.


May 20, 2014 at 08:34 AM
Mike K
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · 24 Tilt Shift Focus Question


When using a tilt-shift lens movements you should not expect focus assist to yield accurate focus. Have you noticed that the focus ring on TS lenses can move well beyond infinity focus? This is due to the fact that lens movements may require it. The 17 TSE has some field curvature at the corners of the frame. Thus as you shift, the focus of the lens along the edge of the frame may likely change. Magnified Live View is always right and for critical focus and tilt adjustments is a dependable focus aid.
Mike K



May 20, 2014 at 12:02 PM





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