R.H. Johnson Offline Image Upload: On
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p.1 #9 · Best way for manual focusing? | |
i shoot the 5D/40D combo and use the Ee-S screens. i have the original Canon FD-EOS adapter with a focus confirmation chip. when focusing the confirmation chip works pretty accurate but not dead on. there is play from when the chip confirms focus and when the focus point deactivates while continually focusing. i use the confirmation chip to give me an indication of when focus is in range and then tweak focusing to get dead on. same is true for an EOS EF lens in manual mode. with that said i find my focusing confirmation chip is most accurate when focusing from the near side (MFD) to infinity ie. i have more in focus keepers when i stop focusing just when the chip activates a focusing point when approaching critical focus from the minimum focusing distance end of the focusing range of a given lens.
when shooting BIF or any moving target i totally disregard the focusing confirmation chip and focusing points. i find that the in focus keeper rate increases when i use the entire view finder as a focusing aide. that is, instead of trying to keep the focusing point on the target and continually focusing to keep the focusing confirmation chip and focusing point active i keep the target in the view finder and keep that target in focus where ever it is located in the view finder and then pull the trigger. i have been shooting FD manual lenses 300mm f4l, 300mm f2.8l, 600mm f4l, and 800mm f5.6l, etc., on my 5D, 20D, & 40D continually for almost 3 years now and have been developing techniques to improve the in focus keeper rate. it can be quite frustrating to be shooting a burst only to discover on the computer that your most valued shots where not critically in focus.
live view is a God send for static manual focusing. can't wait for the 5D MkII with live view.
to test the accuracy of a focusing confirmation chip one needs to set up an optical bench to determine the focusing characteristics of the individual chip specifically to observe the focusing range vs. focus confirmation activation point. once focusing parameters have been ascertained focusing manually becomes some what easier. i will note that in my case i have one adapter and one confirmation chip to deal with. chip characterization can get quite laborious when dealing with multiple chip scenarios.
s23chang, i have 2 brand new Ee-S, 1 for my 5D, and 1 for my 40D waiting to have them Hi-Lux treated but i don't have a link to Hi-Lux. can you post a link. best regards and thank you in advance.
R.H. Johnson II
i ain't easy but it can be done using the afore mentioned techniques as demonstrated by this example image.
Canon EOS 5D iso 200 ~ Canon FD 800mm f5.6l ~ 1/1600 @ f8.0
Edited by R.H. Johnson on Mar 17, 2008 at 01:41 PM GMT
Edited on Mar 17, 2008 at 09:41 PM
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