p.1 #1 · Frequent focus failing on X-T2 using wide angle lenses for landscapes
I've been frustrated by frequent focus fails on my X-T2. I shoot a lot of landscapes with this setup and I am starting to find that pretty consistently about 1 out of every 6 or 7 shots is just soft and out of focus. I can't tell what is causing the problem, I shoot everything on autofocus and I am in bright sunlight with plenty fast shutter speeds and OIS turned on. I can't pin it down to a specific lens either as I have multiple lenses where this issue comes up.
I often shoot with a polarizer, could this be causing issues?
Is there some setting I should be sure to enable? I have focus check on and the focus priority set to focus and not release.
Is this something I should send in to Fuji to look at?
p.1 #2 · Frequent focus failing on X-T2 using wide angle lenses for landscapes
Try it on a tripod with the lens OIS turned off. This will eliminate technique issues or poor OIS function. I find stabilization in a lens for landscape shooting to be more trouble than its worth. While it has been great in some instances, most of my success has been found on a tripod.
What apertures are you shooting? Typical landscapes for me tend to be f/8-16.
Is your polarizer cheap or not clean? Cheap filters are just a headache that I have had far too many times. Now I temd to stick with some very good ones, but certainly not the best.
p.1 #3 · Frequent focus failing on X-T2 using wide angle lenses for landscapes
TheEmrys wrote:
Try it on a tripod with the lens OIS turned off. This will eliminate technique issues or poor OIS function. I find stabilization in a lens for landscape shooting to be more trouble than its worth. While it has been great in some instances, most of my success has been found on a tripod.
What apertures are you shooting? Typical landscapes for me tend to be f/8-16.
Is your polarizer cheap or not clean? Cheap filters are just a headache that I have had far too many times. Now I temd to stick with some very good ones, but certainly not the best....Show more →
I'll give it a try with OIS turned off. I've had issues even with my 23mm f/1.4 which doesn't have OIS.
I tend to shoot my landscapes between f/5 to 7 since that seems sharpest to me (when the focus does work). Also it is never horribly out of focus, it is just soft and I know something is up. And what I think it is odd since shouldn't it just be AF to infinity for landscapes.
I have a decent Hoya polarizer, but given I do a lot of my landscapes while hiking sometimes it can be dusty so that might be it.
p.1 #5 · Frequent focus failing on X-T2 using wide angle lenses for landscapes
After using my X-T2/18-55 for a few day, I tuned the OIS off and have not had a focus problem since. I shoot handheld and really like the X-T2/18-55 combo.
Basically when using a wide angle lens in a landscape setting and focusing at infinity the focus distance will fail randomly and result in an out of focus shot. This happens even in ideal lighting conditions. The workaround seems to be to pay attention to the focus distance meter and if it gives an unreasonable measurement just refocus.
If anyone else has this issue it would be great to raise concerns so hopefully Fuji notices.
p.1 #8 · Frequent focus failing on X-T2 using wide angle lenses for landscapes
Manually focusing with a tripod may be a better suited for landscapes vs OIS + AF. I've never had an issue with sharpness w/ my rokinon 12mm when manually focusing.
p.1 #9 · Frequent focus failing on X-T2 using wide angle lenses for landscapes
I think the innacuracy of the distance scale in the viewfinder may be a red herring, on another forum a couple of us have been discussing this with the 14mm. I have also noticed with a borrowed 10-24. The other participant has queried it with Fuji USA who acknowledged it and are awaiting an opinion from Japan.
However, the innacuracy is only with the read out, and happens in af and mf. I have not had any problems when focussing (on an Xpro2) at infinity by manual focus, by scale focus on the 14mm, or on AF as long as I have chosen a sensible place to focus. Its easy to include sky (no contrast for the af to work with) or nearer objects in the focus frame and then its pot luck what the software choses to focus on. AF only works at all well if you fill the focus point with objects at the plane of focus you want. It can't know what you intend if there are objects at different distances, or no contrast to lock on to.
p.1 #10 · Frequent focus failing on X-T2 using wide angle lenses for landscapes
gyoung143 wrote:
I think the innacuracy of the distance scale in the viewfinder may be a red herring, on another forum a couple of us have been discussing this with the 14mm. I have also noticed with a borrowed 10-24. The other participant has queried it with Fuji USA who acknowledged it and are awaiting an opinion from Japan.
However, the innacuracy is only with the read out, and happens in af and mf. I have not had any problems when focussing (on an Xpro2) at infinity by manual focus, by scale focus on the 14mm, or on AF as long as I have chosen a sensible place to focus. Its easy to include sky (no contrast for the af to work with) or nearer objects in the focus frame and then its pot luck what the software choses to focus on. AF only works at all well if you fill the focus point with objects at the plane of focus you want. It can't know what you intend if there are objects at different distances, or no contrast to lock on to.
In my experience and testing when the focus scale is wrong (saying 15ft rather than infinity on a distant landscape shot) when I autofocus, take the picture and then review it's out of focus. When I repeat the process when the focus scale reads infinity the picture will be sharp. So I am certain that's the issue - at least in my experience.
There is a silver lining in knowing this because now I am going to pay more attention to the focus scale in landscape shots and when it shows something very unreasonable, I know to just refocus and I am good.
