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06-23-2014, 05:18 AM   #1
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Street photography with manual focus lenses

Is it possible to do mostly "blind" fast shoots with manual focus, keeping "low profile" (not bringing too much attention to the camera)? No question about AF lenses, it's easy. But one day I'd like to try walking into crowd with, let's say, with Super Tak 50mm f/1.4 to document black friday madness for example.
I can not focus fast and not obvious with manual lens, I've tried to do that with Helios 44M-2, and nothing came out sharp enough.
So, give up that idea or it's possible?

06-23-2014, 05:32 AM   #2
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Go mirrorless with a folding LCD. The combination of focus peaking and the ability to focus without raising the camera to your eye will make you faster and much less noticeable. Holding the camera a waist level provided a nice change of perspective.
06-23-2014, 05:41 AM   #3
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how about hyperfocal?
Wide lens+small aperture+sunny day+hyperfocal focusing ===> can't go wrong (mostly..)
06-23-2014, 05:45 AM   #4
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Here is one little problem: I don't have mirrorless with folding LCD
I can use either small canon with live view and no focus confirmation for manual lenses, or pentax without live view but with focus confirmation (which is preferable).

---------- Post added 06-23-14 at 05:48 AM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by Pablom Quote
how about hyperfocal?
Wide lens+small aperture+sunny day+hyperfocal focusing ===> can't go wrong (mostly..)
But I still can mess up with focus, right? I thought about that. It's quite a pain to get used into calculating the focal distance.

06-23-2014, 06:05 AM   #5
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what i have been doing is to set the focus to a certain distance (fix with tape), set aperture to 8 (smaller never worked for me) and start practicing... after a long while I was able to catch some decent shots...
06-23-2014, 06:11 AM   #6
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Suggestions:
You could compromise between hyperfocal and using the distance sale - say use f5.6 and then roughly use the distance scale. That should be pretty fast. (Avoid using too low of a f-stop and your 'keeper' % will be much higher.)

If your camera is equipped with 'catch focus', it's good for this situation. Which model Canon body are you using? You can add 'catch focus' capability to many via the Magic Lantern software. (I've done so with a 6D, 60D, and 500D/T1i/Kiss3x and it worked well on all of those. I have a higher keeper rate if I set the focus point to center only in this situation.
06-23-2014, 06:22 AM   #7
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What about a CIF and continuous shooting combination, will miss some but should get a few hits...?

06-23-2014, 06:34 AM   #8
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Right altopiet, 'focus bracketing' can be quite helpful sometimes. Even without CIF. Just fire continuous and sweep the focus slowly through the desired range.
06-23-2014, 07:29 AM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by micromacro Quote
Here is one little problem: I don't have mirrorless with folding LCD
I can use either small canon with live view and no focus confirmation for manual lenses, or pentax without live view but with focus confirmation (which is preferable).

---------- Post added 06-23-14 at 05:48 AM ----------



But I still can mess up with focus, right? I thought about that. It's quite a pain to get used into calculating the focal distance.
Shooting "blind" you can mess up focus just as much with AF, at least from my experience.
IMO this is really the easiest solution for your problem, once you pre-focus you just have to keep the closest object you want to be in acceptable focus distant enough.
06-23-2014, 07:44 AM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by Pablom Quote
Shooting "blind" you can mess up focus just as much with AF, at least from my experience.
IMO this is really the easiest solution for your problem, once you pre-focus you just have to keep the closest object you want to be in acceptable focus distant enough
Agree - according to the manual for my Tamron Adaptall-2 24mm f/2.5 lens you have a DOF from 1.3 meters to infinity (for 35mm film format) when the distance scale is set to 3 meters and the lens is stopped down to f/8 and from 0.69 metrs to infinity af f/22.

So, for your purpose I'd set my lens to f/8 or thereabout and regulate ISO (unless you have Tav-mode?) to get a decent shutter time.
06-23-2014, 07:54 AM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by jbondo Quote
Which model Canon body are you using? You can add 'catch focus' capability to many via the Magic Lantern software. (I've done so with a 6D, 60D, and 500D/T1i/Kiss3x and it worked well on all of those. I have a higher keeper rate if I set the focus point to center only in this situation.
Canon sl1(100D). It has focus lock feature, as I understood, for AF lenses. Is it the same as catch focus? I'm not familiar with Magic Lantern software, and generally not very good with software to risk the camera.

---------- Post added 06-23-14 at 08:05 AM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by Stone G. Quote
So, for your purpose I'd set my lens to f/8 or thereabout and regulate ISO (unless you have Tav-mode?) to get a decent shutter time.
I have Tv mode in K200D.

It seems that I need to read the manuals again, and again, and all over. There are so many things I have no idea about.
06-23-2014, 08:07 AM - 1 Like   #12
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With a normal to wide manual focus lens and a d/slr you are going to be noticed in the middle of a crowd if you want the pictures to be in focus.
Embrace the experience and prepare to interact with your subjects.
All these were with an A50 1.7 as I was in possession of the Traveling Fifty one New Years a while back.




06-23-2014, 08:21 AM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by micromacro Quote
Is it possible to do mostly "blind" fast shoots with manual focus, keeping "low profile" (not bringing too much attention to the camera)? No question about AF lenses, it's easy. But one day I'd like to try walking into crowd with, let's say, with Super Tak 50mm f/1.4 to document black friday madness for example.
It's not only possible, it's a time honored tradition.

Just set the distance scale on the lens to the approximate distance you'll be shooting from, and stop the lens down to f/8 or f/11. Aperture priority and ISO 400. You'll be fine.
06-23-2014, 08:26 AM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by crewl1 Quote
Embrace the experience and prepare to interact with your subjects.
Great pictures, but it's not what I intend to do. I want candid shoots, not posing. I do similar things from the open convertible car (no worries I'm not the one who is driving ) with zoom lenses. Walking is different, it's more noticeable, and I'd like to be less noticeable.
Actually little canon with pancake on a wrist is an ideal set up for street photography, people pay less attention than to bigger pentax on the neck strap. It's easy to use, but I want manual lenses to use. Pentax is heavy, with the batteries and manual lenses to carry it like nothing on wrist.

---------- Post added 06-23-14 at 08:27 AM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by OregonJim Quote
It's not only possible, it's a time honored tradition.

Just set the distance scale on the lens to the approximate distance you'll be shooting from, and stop the lens down to f/8 or f/11. Aperture priority and ISO 400. You'll be fine.
That's a good start! Thanks.
06-23-2014, 10:23 AM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by crewl1 Quote
With a normal to wide manual focus lens and a d/slr you are going to be noticed in the middle of a crowd if you want the pictures to be in focus.
AF doesn't help much either with avoiding notice lol
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