rob_ww
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 Re: Focusing manual lenses at f1.2 or f1.4 for portraits | |
Up until about 2018 I only used manual focus -- various Leica M models with f1.4 lenses. It is possible to get a good % of keepers and practice helps enormously. It becomes subconscious. I do think the rangefinder focusing is much better than simple magnification. The image 'pops' into focus when the two areas in the patch are aligned. And I do believe Sony could provide much smarter MF assist if they thought about it. One thing I do like about MF is you get to choose exactly what you want to be in focus.
By 2018 my eyesight was starting to deteriorate and I could no longer see well enough to focus manually, so I moved to autofocus cameras. Initially, Leica autofocus (based on Panasonic) which was pretty awful. Very frustrating for portrait work. Then I changed to Sony in 2022. Hello world! This is what AF should be.
Now I have had my cataract operation I could go back to MF and in some ways I would like to, but the MF assist in Sony and other manufacturers is not good enough to use in real world situations.
As others have said, if you are prepared to carry the extra size/weight the AF does the work and you can pay attention to capturing the right moment -- the 'decisive moment' if that phrase is still used.
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