Manual focus technique- please help

button · 04-15-2007, 08:56 AM

Hello everyone,

I'm trying to improve my manual focus technique to the point of being able to reliably capture rapidly changing subject matter (my squirmy little daughter, for starters). What techniques do those of you who are good at it employ? WIth people, I typically focus on the leading (or better lit) eye. I saw a post by Jun Park who stated that he likes to fire multiple shots while "focusing through" the subject. I also saw that Benjamin Kenarak has "turned off" his autofocus. I currently use a Katzeye screen, which has helped, but I'm still dissatisfied with my lack of ability.

Thanks,
John

osv · 04-15-2007, 10:38 AM

more depth of field will help disguise focus issues... what is your aperture set at?

Jonas B · 04-15-2007, 11:28 AM

Just keep training. Learn different techniques with different targets.

Manual focusing has always been a challenge. Todays cameras doesn't make it easier. But, it isn't impossible!

Practise. Setup a training program! Make for a target (not a moving one) and start focusing, shoot, unfocus, focus and shoot. Repeat many times. Check the results from time to time and remember what you did, and saw in the finder. The trick is to learn to see how the target gets in and out of focus on the viewfinder screen. When you see an improvement you can get closer. Do it all again. You'll notice improvements. Keep on.

When I take pictures of people moving around I have to think about doing anything that can make the task easier; I have to try to estimate what that will happen, I may try to increase the distance somewhat to gain a bit of DOF, I don't use the split image part of the focusing screen (it's not easy to use it aiming at a face - to me it is easier to set focus on the matte screen), I increase the ISO to be able to use a smaller aperture and a shorter shutter time.

Before taking important pictures I try to learn my equipment. I want it to become a part of me sort of speak. I don't have time to look for stuff in the menues if there is a setting I need to change, I don't want to turn the focusing ring in the wrong direction (at least not repeatedly) and I want to know the limits of what the camera can help me to do and what I have to pay attention to myself.

That's the general stuff. For your post it seems as you are very close. If you can choose what eye to aim for you have decided for a pretty tight composition. You can't have that without paying a price. In this case you'll get a shallow DOF and small marginals for the exact moment of pressing the trigger. Give yourself a brake, back up a few steps and work yourself closer.

I hope this helps for a start, or something. "being able to reliably capture rapidly changing subject matter" isn't easy.

regards,

button · 04-15-2007, 01:35 PM

Thanks, guys, that helps. Yeah, I didn't expect a magic bullet- rather, I wanted to know how to work smarter. The fact that I've been shooting wide open a lot with my 43mm ltd certainly doesn't make it easier- I can't help it! I like the "target practice" approach, and I'll direct my energy with that in mind.

John

FotoPete · 04-15-2007, 02:08 PM

Yea I agree with Jonas, you gotta know your 'space' and anticipate the shot. Prefocus and wait till something interesting happens.

Theres a trick too with candids. Usually when you pull out your camera, people with either run away, cover their face or pose. The thing with manaul is that you keep the distance constant. Say the person is doing something 5m away. Find something else approximately the same distance away and fine tune the focus. Use the other eye to keep track of the person. When you see what you want, pan the camera over...SNAP...and then move on. It takes some practice but you can get really good candids without the person even seeing you shoot until its too late.

button · 04-15-2007, 02:41 PM

Originally posted by FotoPete

Find something else approximately the same distance away and fine tune the focus. Use the other eye to keep track of the person. When you see what you want, pan the camera over...SNAP...and then move on. It takes some practice but you can get really good candids without the person even seeing you shoot until its too late.

I like it. Thanks.

John

Kaimarx · 04-15-2007, 11:39 PM

One thing i used to do was sit in a parked car and take shots of oncoming traffic with a 200mm. Eventually i realised that all the cars had to pass a certain point in the road. After focusing on that point and timing the moment the cars reached it +90% of my shots came out sharp with no focus issues. Given that children are so much more unpredictable than traffic its a good timing execise that will help you with anticipation.

Last edited by Kaimarx; 04-15-2007 at 11:46 PM.

db2 · 04-16-2007, 03:01 AM

Hi Button, have you tried trap focus On my istd I use afS, hold down the shutter release while at the same time focusing (make sure the object is out of focus to start with) when focus is achieved the camera automatically fires the shutter. With good light this works well for me with manual focus lenses. cheers Pete.

erex · 04-16-2007, 06:21 AM

I usually benefit from red squares (superimposed focus point/s) when object focussed in manual mode.
Regards

FotoPete · 04-16-2007, 09:27 AM

Originally posted by Kaimarx

One thing i used to do was sit in a parked car and take shots of oncoming traffic with a 200mm. Eventually i realised that all the cars had to pass a certain point in the road. After focusing on that point and timing the moment the cars reached it +90% of my shots came out sharp with no focus issues. Given that children are so much more unpredictable than traffic its a good timing execise that will help you with anticipation.

LOL STALKER!

But yea its a good technique to use.

db2 · 04-16-2007, 02:41 PM

The red squares are showing where in the frame the focus point is, the green hexagon lights up to confirm focus. At least on the istd.

Kaimarx · 04-16-2007, 07:01 PM

Originally posted by FotoPete

LOL STALKER!

But yea its a good technique to use.

Teehee, you can always shoot outgoing traffic to look less inconspicuous lol

mickeyobe · 06-18-2007, 06:23 PM

John,
I don't know what lens you are using but you might try a longer lens. The focussing will be more pronounced although your depth of field will be reduced.

I do think that pre focussing as previously mentioned is a very useful technique. When shutter lag is a problem it is almost useless but with DSLR's that is not relevant.

carpents · 06-18-2007, 06:35 PM

One more thing that hasn't yet been mentioned - after you get about 10,000 or so good, focused shots of your kid, you won't mind if you miss one or two because you enjoyed the moment so much. Getting your child to enjoy posing for pictures is worth about as much as the picture itself.

Oh, and what the hell am I going to do with the 10,000 that I already have?!?

Well, I guess I'll print them...eventually.

Panache · 06-19-2007, 06:56 AM

I didn't know what it was called before, but I like using 'trap focus' for those quick, candid shots. On my K100D the switch has to be in the AF position for it to work, but it works like a charm. When I've got time to play with the focus, I use MF.

04-15-2007, 08:56 AM	#1
button Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 241	Manual focus technique- please help Hello everyone, I'm trying to improve my manual focus technique to the point of being able to reliably capture rapidly changing subject matter (my squirmy little daughter, for starters). What techniques do those of you who are good at it employ? WIth people, I typically focus on the leading (or better lit) eye. I saw a post by Jun Park who stated that he likes to fire multiple shots while "focusing through" the subject. I also saw that Benjamin Kenarak has "turned off" his autofocus. I currently use a Katzeye screen, which has helped, but I'm still dissatisfied with my lack of ability. Thanks, John

04-15-2007, 11:39 PM	#7
Kaimarx Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Auckland Photos: Gallery Posts: 452	Shot that car! One thing i used to do was sit in a parked car and take shots of oncoming traffic with a 200mm. Eventually i realised that all the cars had to pass a certain point in the road. After focusing on that point and timing the moment the cars reached it +90% of my shots came out sharp with no focus issues. Given that children are so much more unpredictable than traffic its a good timing execise that will help you with anticipation. Last edited by Kaimarx; 04-15-2007 at 11:46 PM.

04-16-2007, 03:01 AM	#8
db2 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: gisborne Posts: 111	trap focus Hi Button, have you tried trap focus On my istd I use afS, hold down the shutter release while at the same time focusing (make sure the object is out of focus to start with) when focus is achieved the camera automatically fires the shutter. With good light this works well for me with manual focus lenses. cheers Pete.

04-16-2007, 02:41 PM	#11
db2 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: gisborne Posts: 111	red squares The red squares are showing where in the frame the focus point is, the green hexagon lights up to confirm focus. At least on the istd.

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04-15-2007, 10:38 AM	#2
osv Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: So Cal Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,080	more depth of field will help disguise focus issues... what is your aperture set at?

04-15-2007, 11:28 AM	#3
Jonas B Inactive Account Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Göteborg, Sweden Posts: 810	Just keep training. Learn different techniques with different targets. Manual focusing has always been a challenge. Todays cameras doesn't make it easier. But, it isn't impossible! Practise. Setup a training program! Make for a target (not a moving one) and start focusing, shoot, unfocus, focus and shoot. Repeat many times. Check the results from time to time and remember what you did, and saw in the finder. The trick is to learn to see how the target gets in and out of focus on the viewfinder screen. When you see an improvement you can get closer. Do it all again. You'll notice improvements. Keep on. When I take pictures of people moving around I have to think about doing anything that can make the task easier; I have to try to estimate what that will happen, I may try to increase the distance somewhat to gain a bit of DOF, I don't use the split image part of the focusing screen (it's not easy to use it aiming at a face - to me it is easier to set focus on the matte screen), I increase the ISO to be able to use a smaller aperture and a shorter shutter time. Before taking important pictures I try to learn my equipment. I want it to become a part of me sort of speak. I don't have time to look for stuff in the menues if there is a setting I need to change, I don't want to turn the focusing ring in the wrong direction (at least not repeatedly) and I want to know the limits of what the camera can help me to do and what I have to pay attention to myself. That's the general stuff. For your post it seems as you are very close. If you can choose what eye to aim for you have decided for a pretty tight composition. You can't have that without paying a price. In this case you'll get a shallow DOF and small marginals for the exact moment of pressing the trigger. Give yourself a brake, back up a few steps and work yourself closer. I hope this helps for a start, or something. "being able to reliably capture rapidly changing subject matter" isn't easy. regards,

04-15-2007, 01:35 PM	#4
button Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 241 Original Poster	Thanks, guys, that helps. Yeah, I didn't expect a magic bullet- rather, I wanted to know how to work smarter. The fact that I've been shooting wide open a lot with my 43mm ltd certainly doesn't make it easier- I can't help it! I like the "target practice" approach, and I'll direct my energy with that in mind. John

04-15-2007, 02:08 PM	#5
FotoPete Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,774	Yea I agree with Jonas, you gotta know your 'space' and anticipate the shot. Prefocus and wait till something interesting happens. Theres a trick too with candids. Usually when you pull out your camera, people with either run away, cover their face or pose. The thing with manaul is that you keep the distance constant. Say the person is doing something 5m away. Find something else approximately the same distance away and fine tune the focus. Use the other eye to keep track of the person. When you see what you want, pan the camera over...SNAP...and then move on. It takes some practice but you can get really good candids without the person even seeing you shoot until its too late.

04-15-2007, 02:41 PM	#6
button Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 241 Original Poster	Originally posted by FotoPete Find something else approximately the same distance away and fine tune the focus. Use the other eye to keep track of the person. When you see what you want, pan the camera over...SNAP...and then move on. It takes some practice but you can get really good candids without the person even seeing you shoot until its too late. I like it. Thanks. John

04-16-2007, 06:21 AM	#9
erex New Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Istanbul Photos: Gallery Posts: 5	I usually benefit from red squares (superimposed focus point/s) when object focussed in manual mode. Regards

04-16-2007, 09:27 AM	#10
FotoPete Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,774	Originally posted by Kaimarx One thing i used to do was sit in a parked car and take shots of oncoming traffic with a 200mm. Eventually i realised that all the cars had to pass a certain point in the road. After focusing on that point and timing the moment the cars reached it +90% of my shots came out sharp with no focus issues. Given that children are so much more unpredictable than traffic its a good timing execise that will help you with anticipation. LOL STALKER! But yea its a good technique to use.

04-16-2007, 07:01 PM	#12
Kaimarx Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Auckland Photos: Gallery Posts: 452	Originally posted by FotoPete LOL STALKER! But yea its a good technique to use. Teehee, you can always shoot outgoing traffic to look less inconspicuous lol

06-18-2007, 06:23 PM	#13
mickeyobe Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,759	John, I don't know what lens you are using but you might try a longer lens. The focussing will be more pronounced although your depth of field will be reduced. I do think that pre focussing as previously mentioned is a very useful technique. When shutter lag is a problem it is almost useless but with DSLR's that is not relevant.

06-18-2007, 06:35 PM	#14
carpents Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: West Chester, PA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,420	One more thing that hasn't yet been mentioned - after you get about 10,000 or so good, focused shots of your kid, you won't mind if you miss one or two because you enjoyed the moment so much. Getting your child to enjoy posing for pictures is worth about as much as the picture itself. Oh, and what the hell am I going to do with the 10,000 that I already have?!? Well, I guess I'll print them...eventually.

06-19-2007, 06:56 AM	#15
Panache Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 142	I didn't know what it was called before, but I like using 'trap focus' for those quick, candid shots. On my K100D the switch has to be in the AF position for it to work, but it works like a charm. When I've got time to play with the focus, I use MF.