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Archive 2017 · Are you an AF or MF 'tog?

lightskyland
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Are you an AF or MF 'tog?

I thought this would be fun.

Do you live to twirl the helicoid? Do prefer to just point the camera, click the shutter and have the camera handle focus?

I thought this would be a fun question, because I realized that I have somehow turned into a serious MF helicoid-head over the last year, which is a complete turnabout from where I was just a couple years ago.

Nov 20, 2017 at 09:05 PM

millsart
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Are you an AF or MF 'tog?

Not sure how you'd apply it, but I think a missing variable, one IMO the most important, what do you shoot with more.

I can only speak for myself, but I have quite a few MF lenses laying around, some are worth too little to even bother selling, but I tend to use AF glass about 95% of the time

So for me, I could say I have a lot more MF lenses, but that isn't a very good account of my actual use and shooting preference. It just says I'm a pack rat who likes accumulating photographic gear

Nov 20, 2017 at 09:15 PM

AdaptedLenses
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Are you an AF or MF 'tog?

How much for the bulk of the lenses lying about that aren’t worth selling on their own? :-)

I might have a problem too...

millsart wrote:
Not sure how you'd apply it, but I think a missing variable, one IMO the most important, what do you shoot with more.

I can only speak for myself, but I have quite a few MF lenses laying around, some are worth too little to even bother selling, but I tend to use AF glass about 95% of the time

So for me, I could say I have a lot more MF lenses, but that isn't a very good account of my actual use and shooting preference. It just says I'm a pack rat who likes accumulating photographic gear

Nov 20, 2017 at 09:23 PM

GMPhotography
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Are you an AF or MF 'tog?

I think you guys need to send them to me. Lol

Back to the poll.

I kind of use two kits in regards to lenses. For real paying work I will most likely lean to AF but any city, landscape and advertising type stuff that does give me time to shoot I will always reach for my primes and manual focus. For me it depends on what I’m going to shoot. I’m old school and like to manual focus so I do prefer to shoot like that but I will certainly lean on Af when it’s going to be a advantage

Nov 20, 2017 at 09:38 PM

123_Repeater
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Are you an AF or MF 'tog?

I don't have preference and think focus by wire is fine also.

Nov 20, 2017 at 09:45 PM

philip_pj
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Are you an AF or MF 'tog?

Some cope well with FBW. But imagine a focus by wire accelerator pedal in your car. Creative photography is hard enough without having to second guess the speed the focus ring needs to be turned - in this deal, you serve the machine's preference in an endless loop, as an afterthought to AF. With manual focus, the carefully engineered lens works with you, reliably and consistently, using a well-damped, custom designed focus ring. No comparison IMO.

Nov 20, 2017 at 10:03 PM

lightskyland
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Are you an AF or MF 'tog?

Really interesting to see all the MF lovers here

I think I blame Phillip Reeve's website and FM for getting me hooked.

My AF lenses are all languishing in the big rolling lens case. I feel bad.

The only zoom and AF lens I am using regularly these days is permanently attached to my RX10M4 (and to a lesser extent, the one attached to my RX100M2).

Edited on Nov 20, 2017 at 10:21 PM · View previous versions

Nov 20, 2017 at 10:17 PM

GabrielPhoto
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Are you an AF or MF 'tog?

I used to shoot only manual lenses at one point (Canon FD glass mostly) but with Eye AF, I moved to AF almost exclusively unless for some reason is not behaving.

Nov 20, 2017 at 10:19 PM

chrisgibbs
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Are you an AF or MF 'tog?

AF-S with small center-point, used exactly one would a spot meter. Portraits, EyeAF.

Nov 20, 2017 at 10:31 PM

DannyBurkPhoto
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Are you an AF or MF 'tog?

MF all the way. I clicked your first option, although truthfully I have 2 that will autofocus in theory. That function will never be used while I own them, however...

Could be something to do with my being a large format guy for decades. I converted to digital in 2015 and basically treat everything as a little view camera. Faster, smaller, lighter...but still a little view camera.

Nov 20, 2017 at 10:54 PM

sebboh
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Are you an AF or MF 'tog?

i clicked all manual focus, but i do have an rx1. i just don't use the AF on it unless i only have one hand free.

Nov 20, 2017 at 11:29 PM

darbo
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Are you an AF or MF 'tog?

MF: CV 12, Loxia 21, Loxia 35, and CV 65

AF: FE 35 1.4, Batis 85, and Batis 135

I really like my modest, but excellent, kit of native e-mount lenses.

Nov 20, 2017 at 11:44 PM

freaklikeme
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Are you an AF or MF 'tog?

I have a couple of AF superteles (400/5.6L and Tamron 150-600), but I've only tested them out with AF. They get manually focused like the rest of my lenses in typical use. It's not that I don't appreciate the usefulness of modern AF, but doing it myself keeps me more engaged in the process.

I don't think there's been enough time and thought put in to how FBW could work. Since it's all computer-controlled, there's no reason it shouldn't also be user-defined via camera or a USB-dock. If you want all your lenses to focus like the 35/2.8 and 55/1.8, for whatever reason, you should be able to do that unilaterally across all your lenses. If you want your 50/1.4 to have a short focus throw between infinity and 3m, but then a much longer focus throw between 3m and MFD, you should have that option. It's an unexploited benefit of the lack of mechanical coupling. It won't ever replace the feel of a good dedicated MF lens, but it could be a lot better than they're allowing it to be at present.

Nov 20, 2017 at 11:49 PM

mudlake
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Are you an AF or MF 'tog?

Great poll. I've been a Canon shooter for over 20 years but am now waiting for my A7riii to arrive. I bought it mainly because it's going to let me shoot all my manual Zeiss and Pentax lenses more easily (well, that and a host of other reasons). So count me in the camp who love their manual focus lenses!

Nov 20, 2017 at 11:59 PM

jhinkey
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Are you an AF or MF 'tog?

Even when I'm in AF mode with my A7RII the camera is not totally in control - I put the AF spot where I want it and many times recompose before tripping the shutter.

Nov 21, 2017 at 12:08 AM

telyt
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Are you an AF or MF 'tog?

The a7rII is a digital back for my Leica R, Canon FD and Nikon AI lenses. I have no AF lenses.

Nov 21, 2017 at 12:09 AM

seurot
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Are you an AF or MF 'tog?

I do what needs to get the job done.

For landscape, I usually use the Loxia 21mm manual focus. For other stuff, I'll autofocus, unless its something where I need to manual focus to focus my specific target better...like a flower in a tree and autofocus keeps hitting branches instead of the flower. But even sometimes I'll autofocus first and switch to manual focus anyway.

I never used to do this with my Canon 6d. But since I switched to Sony, I find manual focus is so easy to do that I now kinda do a little of both. Though I admit, I'm still not confident in my manual focus speed enough yet where'd I could go with more manual focus lenses for general use.

Nov 21, 2017 at 12:13 AM

123_Repeater
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Are you an AF or MF 'tog?

I get every shot I want with focus magnification in almost the same speed. For video there's a difference. I'm not saying people can't like one or the other better. I have fun no matter what.

philip_pj wrote:
Some cope well with FBW. But imagine a focus by wire accelerator pedal in your car. Creative photography is hard enough without having to second guess the speed the focus ring needs to be turned - in this deal, you serve the machine's preference in an endless loop, as an afterthought to AF. With manual focus, the carefully engineered lens works with you, reliably and consistently, using a well-damped, custom designed focus ring. No comparison IMO.

Nov 21, 2017 at 12:15 AM

notherenow
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Are you an AF or MF 'tog?

Could not answer.

With my A7s, I use AF with native AF lenses, MF with MF lenses and for adapted AF lenses, also use MF for the most part.

Adapting some of the same AF lenses to M43 and I use AF a lot more as it is close to native for AFS.

The A7s can hardly be used for AFC anyway so AFS is what I use almost exclusively except some video use where it works ok for live bands that don't move far or fast.

Nov 21, 2017 at 03:54 AM

Phillip Reeve
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Are you an AF or MF 'tog?

90% MF

Nov 21, 2017 at 03:57 AM

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