photoomaha wrote:
I was out with the Nex 7 and 35 1.8 lens today. The auto focus really struggled in here. I had several out of focus images that the peaking was showing me 'in focus'. Any one else dealt with this? I do realize, after the fact, I should have put it in manual with the zoom function to dial in the precise focus. But from what I was viewing on the LCD, I thought all was good. Definitely a learning experience this afternoon.
You answered your own question. If the subject isn't moving and you want precise focus, use magnified view. When I use my 35/1.8 AF lens, I set the AF/MF button to hold and use it to switch to MFand zoom in.
As far as focus peaking, it's a great tool if you understand what it is doing. Focus peaking is showing you areas of high contrast, which usually, but not always, are an indication of an area being in focus. To get a high percentage of critically focused shots, I need to use focus peaking often in conjunction with magnified view. I save AF for times when my subject (usually my 8 month old daughter) is moving. When taking these sorts of photos, I've actually become a big fan of face detection AF.
Since this is the image thread, here's one I took with the 35/1.8 using face detection AF. She looks calm and poised, but as anyone with an 8 month old knows, she was only like this for about 1/2 second.
Jeff Kott wrote:
As far as focus peaking, it's a great tool if you understand what it is doing. Focus peaking is showing you areas of high contrast, which usually, but not always, are an indication of an area being in focus. To get a high percentage of critically focused shots, I need to use focus peaking often in conjunction with magnified view. I save AF for times when my subject (usually my 8 month old daughter) is moving. When taking these sorts of photos, I've actually become a big fan of face detection AF.
Since this is the image thread, here's one I took with the 35/1.8 using face detection AF. She looks calm and poised, but as anyone with an 8 month old knows, she was only like this for about 1/2 second. ...Show more →
Out of curiosity, do you use AF-C in these situations?
alwang wrote:
Out of curiosity, do you use AF-C in these situations?
I'm always in AF-S, but my understanding is that AF-C and AF-S on the Nex 7 only differ in that in AF-C the camera will continue to focus even though the shutter is pressed half way. Unless I'm in MF mode, the Nex 7 continuously focuses no matter how I set the camera, so no need for me to go into AF-C.
With my DSLRs, I have always set the camera to AF only when I'm pressing the AF-ON button. The only way I've figured out to control the AF on my NEX 7 is to either be in AF-S mode and half press the shutter to stop focusing or to be in MF mode, set my AF/MF button to hold and then when I press the AF/MF button, the camera will AF and when I don't press, AF is not engaged.
Another beautiful day on the Arizona desert with the Nex 5N
The first three images were taken with the Zeiss Biogen 35mm 2.8 at about F16. I have the Fotodiox Hellicoid adapter on this lens and the third image, the flower, used the close focusing mode of the adapter.
The final two images were unplanned. For all the time I spend on the desert this is the first time I have ever had a close encounter with a rattlesnake. The snake is slightly less than a meter long. I used a Contax g 90 lens.
sebboh wrote:
a few b&w shots with the 19mm sigmarit:
That third image really pops! I have not done B&W since I closed my darkroom thirty years ago. Are you using specialized software or off the shelf software like LR?
Jacob D wrote:
That bike really jumps off the page! Nice work. My Sigma 19 collects dust
thanks, mine mostly does too. i've only taken it out twice, pesky AF lenses. :/
ebookman wrote:
That third image really pops! I have not done B&W since I closed my darkroom thirty years ago. Are you using specialized software or off the shelf software like LR?
thanks, i just use LR for all my shots and i have 6 or so presets that i made that i choose as starting point and then do a little tweaking.
great desert landscapes btw! i'm curious, how come you're shooting at f/16? it seems like you still aren't usually getting the whole scene in focus and i expect f/11 would produce greater contrast and detail in general without much loss of dof.
sebboh wrote:
a few b&w shots with the 19mm sigmarit:
great desert landscapes btw! i'm curious, how come you're shooting at f/16? it seems like you still aren't usually getting the whole scene in focus and i expect f/11 would produce greater contrast and detail in general without much loss of dof.
I have no really good answer. Maybe I am reacting to the intense sunlight. The Zeiss Biogen is new to me and for some reason I am favoring F16 when I typically shoot landscapes between F8 and F11 with Contax g and Voigtlander lenses. I am not even thinking about it because the lens feels so consistent across the whole range. I will do some testing. Thanks for the heads up.
