AF lenses with nice focusing feel

apemen · 07-03-2010, 12:47 AM

Originally posted by DogLover

I'm going to go ahead and be the black sheep, here. I actually don't think the DFA100WR has good manual focus feel. I find it too hard to be precise as there's just not enough rotational throw. It feels hair-trigger to me. It's a phenomenal lens for the money and AF is so good with it on my K7 that I rarely actually need to manual focus. My Zeiss has pretty much spoiled me for manual focusing. I can't imagine any lens feeling better than that one. I realize that it's designed to be a MF lens and that there's a major price difference, but after you use the Zeiss you won't care about that. It also only does 1:2 instead of 1:1 like the DFA. But again, after you use it you won't care. Or at least I don't. I'm sorry to gush but hey, I'm in love!

I think you are not necessarily wrong when you say manuel focus with DFA100WR is not great considering the Zeiss you have. Same goes if I compare it to my Voigtlander 58mm.
But MF on DFA100WR is very very good among the AF lenses -at least mines-

Egg Salad · 07-04-2010, 10:10 AM

Very surprisingly the Sigma 70-200 is the best manually focusable AF lens I have. Feels a little bit "dry" but focusing is very precise and with some good amount of damping.
Like already said, the Sigma 1.8/28 Macro is also good. Not great because of its rather short focus throw but also well damped.
Both of them beat the 16-50 easily.

bdery · 07-04-2010, 03:22 PM

Definitely, the macros should go in that list. The FA 50 macro is gantastic to focus manually, especially with the focus clamp.

The DA21 LTD is also fantastic. The F50 f1,7 is pretty nice too.

Andi Lo · 07-04-2010, 05:43 PM

Sort of surprised you dont like the sigma 10-20/3.5 manual focusing... I find the 4-5.6 version to be the nicest manual focusing AF lens I have. What is it that you dont like about it? The focus throw?

I agree that the Tamron 28-75 is terrible for MF though

pentup · 07-04-2010, 05:59 PM

Originally posted by Ole

The FA* lenses have a good manual focus operation. They don't have the modern day Quick Shift, instead you pull the focusing ring towards you to manually focus, and push it out again to autofocus.

Interesting. But if you switch AF off altogether, on the body, do you still have to pull the ring toward you to focus?

drougge · 07-04-2010, 06:02 PM

Originally posted by Andi Lo

Sort of surprised you dont like the sigma 10-20/3.5 manual focusing... I find the 4-5.6 version to be the nicest manual focusing AF lens I have. What is it that you dont like about it? The focus throw?

The throw is fine, or at least I don't remember not liking it. But the mechanical feel is not so nice. Too much damping, and it feels a bit like using (fine) sandpaper on something. (So gritty is perhaps too strong a word, but it's not smooth.)

Also having the focus scale move more slowly than the ring feels strange, if I'm looking.

drougge · 07-04-2010, 06:04 PM

Originally posted by pentup

Interesting. But if you switch AF off altogether, on the body, do you still have to pull the ring toward you to focus?

I don't actually have any FA* lenses, but on my 645 FA lens, the ring becomes immobile when pushed to the AF position, so it seems likely that's also the case on the FA* lenses.

tim71 · 07-13-2010, 02:19 PM

Originally posted by Egg Salad

Very surprisingly the Sigma 70-200 is the best manually focusable AF lens I have. Feels a little bit "dry" but focusing is very precise and with some good amount of damping.

If looked this way, Sigma 100-300 is even better - good damping without the "dry" feeling. It also has push-pull focus ring and no HSM.

Zav · 07-13-2010, 02:30 PM

Originally posted by drougge

I suppose I should try to pretend my DA35 doesn't have quick shift and see how annoyed I get. I suspect I'll end up using only MF (and I don't need to buy more expensive AF glass in that case), but I've certainly been wrong before.

This is kind of a dangerous tips: when you have to manual focus quickly with an AF lens which doesn't have quick shift, press the release button near the body mount. This will uncouple the body and the lens AF system. However, be carefull not to totally remove your lens from the body

DogLover · 07-13-2010, 04:42 PM

Originally posted by tim71

If looked this way, Sigma 100-300 is even better - good damping without the "dry" feeling. It also has push-pull focus ring and no HSM.

I'll second that. The 100-300 is the best AF lens I have to manually focus. I would prefer a quick-shift to the push-pull collar, though. I like HSM a lot, but you really don't miss it on that lens.

drougge · 07-13-2010, 04:52 PM

Originally posted by Zav

This is kind of a dangerous tips: when you have to manual focus quickly with an AF lens which doesn't have quick shift, press the release button near the body mount. This will uncouple the body and the lens AF system. However, be carefull not to totally remove your lens from the body

Doesn't seem to be much of a risk when I try it, so I think it's a great tip. I suppose it might be more of a problem in the heat of the moment, or with a lens that mounts loosely or has stiff focusing.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
A Nice Problem To Have? Tamron Lenses on the K-x and K-7	bluegeordie	Troubleshooting and Beginner Help	9	07-08-2010 04:29 PM
Teleconverter affecting focusing of other lenses?	timhutchin	Troubleshooting and Beginner Help	3	06-09-2010 09:31 AM
Nice M-Series Lenses at Auction... Look Closely	jocko_nc	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	4	10-05-2009 07:32 PM
Focusing problems on zoom lenses	cooldude14es	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	0	06-17-2008 11:38 PM
Pentax A Lenses - Focusing Ring	webb	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	0	04-28-2008 06:05 PM

07-03-2010, 12:47 AM	#16
apemen Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Ankara, TURKEY Posts: 181	Originally posted by DogLover I'm going to go ahead and be the black sheep, here. I actually don't think the DFA100WR has good manual focus feel. I find it too hard to be precise as there's just not enough rotational throw. It feels hair-trigger to me. It's a phenomenal lens for the money and AF is so good with it on my K7 that I rarely actually need to manual focus. My Zeiss has pretty much spoiled me for manual focusing. I can't imagine any lens feeling better than that one. I realize that it's designed to be a MF lens and that there's a major price difference, but after you use the Zeiss you won't care about that. It also only does 1:2 instead of 1:1 like the DFA. But again, after you use it you won't care. Or at least I don't. I'm sorry to gush but hey, I'm in love! I think you are not necessarily wrong when you say manuel focus with DFA100WR is not great considering the Zeiss you have. Same goes if I compare it to my Voigtlander 58mm. But MF on DFA100WR is very very good among the AF lenses -at least mines-

07-04-2010, 10:10 AM	#17
Egg Salad Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Berlin, Germany Posts: 344	Very surprisingly the Sigma 70-200 is the best manually focusable AF lens I have. Feels a little bit "dry" but focusing is very precise and with some good amount of damping. Like already said, the Sigma 1.8/28 Macro is also good. Not great because of its rather short focus throw but also well damped. Both of them beat the 16-50 easily.

07-04-2010, 03:22 PM	#18
bdery Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Quebec city, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,356	Definitely, the macros should go in that list. The FA 50 macro is gantastic to focus manually, especially with the focus clamp. The DA21 LTD is also fantastic. The F50 f1,7 is pretty nice too.

07-04-2010, 05:43 PM	#19
Andi Lo Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Posts: 2,924	Sort of surprised you dont like the sigma 10-20/3.5 manual focusing... I find the 4-5.6 version to be the nicest manual focusing AF lens I have. What is it that you dont like about it? The focus throw? I agree that the Tamron 28-75 is terrible for MF though

07-04-2010, 05:59 PM	#20
pentup Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Flushing NY Photos: Albums Posts: 413	Originally posted by Ole The FA* lenses have a good manual focus operation. They don't have the modern day Quick Shift, instead you pull the focusing ring towards you to manually focus, and push it out again to autofocus. Interesting. But if you switch AF off altogether, on the body, do you still have to pull the ring toward you to focus?

07-04-2010, 06:02 PM	#21
drougge Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Malmö Photos: Gallery Posts: 787 Original Poster	Originally posted by Andi Lo Sort of surprised you dont like the sigma 10-20/3.5 manual focusing... I find the 4-5.6 version to be the nicest manual focusing AF lens I have. What is it that you dont like about it? The focus throw? The throw is fine, or at least I don't remember not liking it. But the mechanical feel is not so nice. Too much damping, and it feels a bit like using (fine) sandpaper on something. (So gritty is perhaps too strong a word, but it's not smooth.) Also having the focus scale move more slowly than the ring feels strange, if I'm looking.

07-04-2010, 06:04 PM	#22
drougge Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Malmö Photos: Gallery Posts: 787 Original Poster	Originally posted by pentup Interesting. But if you switch AF off altogether, on the body, do you still have to pull the ring toward you to focus? I don't actually have any FA* lenses, but on my 645 FA lens, the ring becomes immobile when pushed to the AF position, so it seems likely that's also the case on the FA* lenses.

07-13-2010, 02:19 PM	#23
tim71 Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 38	Originally posted by Egg Salad Very surprisingly the Sigma 70-200 is the best manually focusable AF lens I have. Feels a little bit "dry" but focusing is very precise and with some good amount of damping. If looked this way, Sigma 100-300 is even better - good damping without the "dry" feeling. It also has push-pull focus ring and no HSM.

07-13-2010, 02:30 PM	#24
Zav Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,371	Originally posted by drougge I suppose I should try to pretend my DA35 doesn't have quick shift and see how annoyed I get. I suspect I'll end up using only MF (and I don't need to buy more expensive AF glass in that case), but I've certainly been wrong before. This is kind of a dangerous tips: when you have to manual focus quickly with an AF lens which doesn't have quick shift, press the release button near the body mount. This will uncouple the body and the lens AF system. However, be carefull not to totally remove your lens from the body

07-13-2010, 04:42 PM	#25
DogLover Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Tennessee Posts: 2,054	Originally posted by tim71 If looked this way, Sigma 100-300 is even better - good damping without the "dry" feeling. It also has push-pull focus ring and no HSM. I'll second that. The 100-300 is the best AF lens I have to manually focus. I would prefer a quick-shift to the push-pull collar, though. I like HSM a lot, but you really don't miss it on that lens.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

07-13-2010, 04:52 PM	#26
drougge Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Malmö Photos: Gallery Posts: 787 Original Poster	Originally posted by Zav This is kind of a dangerous tips: when you have to manual focus quickly with an AF lens which doesn't have quick shift, press the release button near the body mount. This will uncouple the body and the lens AF system. However, be carefull not to totally remove your lens from the body Doesn't seem to be much of a risk when I try it, so I think it's a great tip. I suppose it might be more of a problem in the heat of the moment, or with a lens that mounts loosely or has stiff focusing.