I have learned so much from this forum and from the photo of the day thread. I follow you all closely, even though you only hear from me when I have a total newbie question. Here is today's: I just bought the 50mm 1.8 lens (yesterday). I own the D60 so it will not auto focus. I have been wanting to learn to focus manually anyway so I am not complaining. I just wanted to know if anyone had any tips on manual focus or if it is really just one of those things that requires practice? I am sure it requires practice, but is there anything that I can keep in mind that may help speed up the process?
Beginner with a question about manual focus
(19 posts) (11 voices)-
Posted 3 years ago #
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Here is a tip for you, it is much easier to manually focus if you could find bright reflective spot on your subject and focus on it.
Other one is to use focus led indicator in a bottom of a viewfinder, just point focus marker to a subject and try to rotate focus ring back and forth until it lights constantly.Posted 3 years ago # -
Also, don't shoot at the max aperture. Try ƒ/2.8. Too shallow depth of field will make it difficult to get precise focus.
Posted 3 years ago # -
Just a quick note: Manual focus is much more difficult with todays digital cameras than it was back in the days of film. View finders are smaller and have no focusing enhancements like split screen etc. If you shoot with that lens wide open you will have a very shallow depth of field and focusing will need to be very accurate.
Posted 3 years ago # -
I agree totally with what crowhop said. Manual focus through a D60 viewfinder is tough but not totally impossible. My suggestion is that you become familiar with which direction (clockwise vs counter clockwise) your lens focuses and at what distance.
For example clockwise is going towards infinite and counter-clockwise is for close ups (well depending on your lens). So what I do is if my subject is far from me I instinctively turn focus all the way clockwise then I move back counter-clockwise slowly until my subject comes into focus. Hope that makes sense to you. That may seem pretty basic but you just have to practice with your lens until your familiar with how far you need to turn. It really helps. Just keep practicing.
You can also get a Katz Eye focusing screen, but it's about $100US and you'd have to install it yourself.
http://www.katzeyeoptics.com/cat--Nikon-DSLRs--cat_nikon.html
Posted 3 years ago # -
So far every single one of you have given me very specific information that is VERY helpful and actually makes sense to me. So practical. Thank you so much.
mb - I knew what that indicator was for when I read my manual 3 months ago but had completely forgotten. Thank you so much.Posted 3 years ago # -
I just got a Katzeye a couple of weeks ago for use with a manual focus 50mm lens. its nice. Much easier to focus with manual lenses. There is also another technique. Basically you turn the focus ring until you see that your object of interest goes out of focus. Take a note of where your fingers are. Then turn the ring back past the focus point till you can see that its out of focus again. and take note of that. Now half the distance between the first out of focus position and the new out of focus position and turn the ring into that middle location and you should have perfect focus!
Posted 3 years ago # -
I use katzeye, too. The only thing to be aware of is that slower lenses will blacken out the center area of the finder a bit, which is annoying.
Posted 3 years ago # -
hearty & tai doesn't the Katz Eye also effect the metering a bit because of the center area? Am I remembering correctly?
Posted 3 years ago # -
Some cameras seem to have an issue with metering.. Mine is fine. Not sure why that is the case as the light meter is behind the mirror and not near the focus screen.. Theoretically it should have no difference what focusing screen is used. However in practice there is some effect on some cameras. Check the KatzEye web site for your camera
Posted 3 years ago # -
Hey, hearty! I've been so meaning to order a KatzEye microprism screen for my D90 (like, ever since I got my D90, over a year ago), but never did because I didn't want to send it away to get it installed by them. Which body do you have it on? Did you send your body in or install it yourself? Any other downsides you haven't mentioned? Lastly, did you order the optional "OptiBrite" brightness enhancement as well?
Posted 2 years ago # -
oh wow, I hadn't heard of katzeye before, this is great!
because I mainly shoot with my old ftn I am always disappointed when I shoot digital and manual focus is such a chore. When the d90 replacement comes out, I can't wait to 5rrrrrrfffttt[[[-
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get one of these!
(sorry our new 8 week old kitty walked across the keyboard, normally I would fix it...but that's just adorable.)Posted 2 years ago # -
Jessi one piece of advice I can offer you is practise shooting only on a tripod until you get more comfortable with focusing manually. Basically, when shooting manually especially for landscapes you should be shooting on a tripod anyways. You will see the results right away. Both hands become free and you can just compose.
Also, try shooting manually with a macro lens like the older 105mm Ais for example. This will really improve your manual focus skills and fast. By shooting macro you will also get a better feel for your F stops and controlling what you want to see in your exposure.
Posted 2 years ago # -
@ studio : I have the S5pro(D200 clone). I did not get the optibright option. I got it specifically for my 50mm AIS but it has come in useful for my macro photography. Sure helps when the image snaps sharp..with that ring of microprism. Yeah such a joy to use.. I will be getting one for my D400 soon :-) all these new DSLR photographers don't know what they are missing.. lol!
I installed it myself... its a bit finicky.. but I have always been good with my hands. It comes with a documents and you can watch youtube videos of it being done now. still I had to have 3 goes at it before I was satisfied so took more than an hour of concentration !! LOL Still dont let me put you off... Its really easy now I know how to do it.. I can probably do it in much less than 5 mins now.
@foofie .. LOL !
Posted 2 years ago # -
this is still blowing my mind. I have always wondered, how the ___ am I supposed to manually focus with this (when I started using my dslr). My eyesight isn't perfect, and if I don't have my glasses I'm screwed. eventually I just gave up and I guess it's not the worst thing as it probably prompted me to shoot so much more film than I would have otherwise.
I saw that you can option to have the focus point squares added on as well for autofocus. Did you opt for this hearty? If not I would assume the little red lights just blink where the squares would have been?
Posted 2 years ago # -
When I'm using manual on my D90 I first try to get it reasonably focused by means of the green dot at the bottom left and then get to the 'middle' of that area where it stays on solidly as best I can. ( It's usually not too big. ) I'm pretty new to this business, though. :P
Posted 2 years ago # -
foofiebeast said:
this is still blowing my mind. I have always wondered, how the ___ am I supposed to manually focus with this (when I started using my dslr). My eyesight isn't perfect, and if I don't have my glasses I'm screwed. eventually I just gave up and I guess it's not the worst thing as it probably prompted me to shoot so much more film than I would have otherwise.I saw that you can option to have the focus point squares added on as well for autofocus. Did you opt for this hearty? If not I would assume the little red lights just blink where the squares would have been?
I just got the standard one for my camera..
Posted 2 years ago # -
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foofiebeast said:
so what happens when you are in auto focus mode?Where the focus points (squares a la: [ ] would normally be, do the lights still show up?
Every thing shows up as normal. including the grid lines which can be turned off and on in camera. All the electronic stuff are on another layer separate from the focusing screen. The focusing screen is just a piece of glass.
Posted 2 years ago #
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