Do you dare cover an event with full manual focusing?

scorpioh · 01-12-2011, 10:28 PM

I am contemplating if I should attempt that with a wedding event for a friend. In the age of AF, manual focusing seems a bit strange and unfamiliar to many. I am quite a fan of manual focusing but usually do so for my own leisure shots. In fact not too long ago, before AF was invented, manual was the only way too go! But somehow going manual seems to rob a sense of security from me. On the other hand, I have found that in the field, AF isn't all that reliable (at least on my k7) afterall. Sometimes it hunts and sometimes the focus just isn't accurate.

Any advise?

I am thinking of using a Zeiss ZK 35mm and a A501.2 here.

rhodopsin · 01-12-2011, 10:42 PM

My advise is stick with what you know, manual focus; not a time to be experimenting with AF, which as you note, adds problems.

Mike Cash · 01-12-2011, 11:13 PM

Yes, I do events with manual focus lenses.....manual stop-down lenses too, for that matter. But they're what I shoot every day anyway and my focus screen is a Katz-Eye.

I do swap off for an autofocus zoom if the situation calls for it, though; no need to be pig-headed about it.

AOShep · 01-12-2011, 11:21 PM

Whichever way you go, make sure you confirm your focus. For me, AF tends to drift to something other than my indended subject. I also grew up using MF. Actually, manual everything. Also, a split image focusing screen is helpfull with MF.

RioRico · 01-13-2011, 02:48 AM - **1 Like**

Warning bells go off in my head! Not about manual focus, but: Have you shot weddings before? Do your friends expect professional results? Do you have only one camera body? Do you expect to change lenses often? I only formally shot one wedding (long ago, disastrously) but I've shot formal events, and never with just one camera. Stuff happens. Things fail. Entropy wins. If the event is important enough to shoot seriously, backups are critical. How important is this friendship to you? Will it survive a major OOPS?

scorpioh · 01-13-2011, 03:00 AM

Originally posted by RioRico

Warning bells go off in my head! Not about manual focus, but: Have you shot weddings before? Do your friends expect professional results? Do you have only one camera body? Do you expect to change lenses often? I only formally shot one wedding (long ago, disastrously) but I've shot formal events, and never with just one camera. Stuff happens. Things fail. Entropy wins. If the event is important enough to shoot seriously, backups are critical. How important is this friendship to you? Will it survive a major OOPS?

Not really. Ha. My friend doesn't quite have any expectations though I would really give my best. I do have a k10d as well which I'll mount the 50mm with. Intending to use either a 24 or 35 on the k7 (with flash). But I am not exactly sure what other lenses should I bring along though I am thinking of sticking to the 35mm throughout if possible.

scorpioh · 01-13-2011, 03:01 AM

Originally posted by rhodopsin

My advise is stick with what you know, manual focus; not a time to be experimenting with AF, which as you note, adds problems.

I am ok with both but gets a bit of jittery for MF in an event (spells fast-paced?)

Mike Cash · 01-13-2011, 03:26 AM

Originally posted by scorpioh

I am ok with both but gets a bit of jittery for MF in an event (spells fast-paced?)

I do dance performances manual focus, but as I mentioned earlier I have daily practice and that wonderful split-prism. Shooting this way for me means keeping the camera glued to my eye, keeping the split-prism on a line on the subject perpendicular to the split and doing constant follow-focus, then very quickly shifting to frame the shot when I see a Kodak Moment.

Regarding what lens to bring, I would just like to suggest that no matter what the event is and whether you think you will need it or not, always bring along the widest angle lens you have that isn't a fisheye. In case you're called on to do a group shot that gets larger than you may have anticipated you'll be covered.

Wheatfield · 01-13-2011, 05:18 AM

I shoot weddings with manual focus (and primes). I don't find AF to be reliable enough to allow the camera to take the picture in focus when I want it to take the picture.

eddie1960 · 01-13-2011, 07:15 AM

I shoot live music with M series lenses (stop down metering as well as manual focus, but I also have a couple of AF lenses with me usually. Couple that with the fact that most venues i know the lighting well enough that rarely meter it.
a wedding is a whole other thing though. That being said before digital got good enough most wedding guys shot with Medium format kits (Bronica in particular was quite popular 645 and 6x6) . All manual in this case (most guys i talked with about it didn't use AE prisms, they just used hand held meters and experience.....and big ass flashes that could easily cover 45-60 feet at iso 100 like the metz CT45 and CT60.
So it's doable, but I would likely want to be primarily AF if i was shooting something I was unfamiliar with like a wedding so I could concentrate on Composition and lighting.

Good luck with it

eddie1960 · 01-13-2011, 07:18 AM

Originally posted by Wheatfield

I shoot weddings with manual focus (and primes). I don't find AF to be reliable enough to allow the camera to take the picture in focus when I want it to take the picture.

You are very experienced with MF and weddings both though Wheat

I use MF almost exclusively now, but would still want one of my 2 bodies set with AF. I'm pretty fast with the focus, but selective focus AF can be faster than me in the right light

**BigDave** · 01-13-2011, 07:31 AM

After many years of JUST using manual focus, I have started using AF with my K7. Although sometimes it is helpful, most of the time it can be problematic. The comment earlier up that mentioned AF can 'drift" as the sensors pick up something it likes better than what YOUR intended subject is, is valid. I have messed up one shot this way and will not do so again! For formals and the ceremony, where you do have some seconds to focus, go manual focus. For candids on the dance floor, an AF zoom (very wide to a little telephoto) will do you well.

Besides the 50mm, which now makes a great portrait lens on the smaller sensors (equal to about a 75mm), something in the normal range (28 to 40) will also work. If you know the venue for the ceremony, then a supper wide (15-20mm or wider) can be useful to capture the church/hall. Past this, you probably don't need much more. Your lighting equipment will be more or just as important!

Regards,

**Lowell Goudge** · 01-13-2011, 11:16 AM

I shot the only wedding I ever did as the only photographer, on film before the advant of AF. I also shot many weddings as guest on film some with and some without the benefit of AF

so to answer your question, can you shoot a wedding with MF glass, yes, tons of people did it long before both AF and digital were available. There is no big deal IF you know what you are doing, and IF your gear is set up to manually focus efficiently (i.e. split image or other focusing aid)

It will slow you down a little, which may be a good thing, because you will think a little more about your images as you take them.

One thing I recommend is to make a checklist of shots you want to take, so you don't forget anything.

magkelly · 01-13-2011, 01:01 PM

Honestly I think AF would just slow you down under those circumstances but a lot depends upon how good you are at MF too. If you're good at it then I say use it. I don't like AF much myself actually. I actually find my pics are coming out better the less I use it, seriously.

scorpioh · 01-15-2011, 07:03 AM

Thanks everyone for your helpful and kind advice. I have gone through the session and I got back to AF for the super-fast paced solemnization. In fact, I had to hold a k7 with a 24mm on one hand and a k10d with a 70mm on the other hand.

01-12-2011, 10:28 PM	#1
scorpioh Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Singapore Photos: Gallery Posts: 182	Do you dare cover an event with full manual focusing? I am contemplating if I should attempt that with a wedding event for a friend. In the age of AF, manual focusing seems a bit strange and unfamiliar to many. I am quite a fan of manual focusing but usually do so for my own leisure shots. In fact not too long ago, before AF was invented, manual was the only way too go! But somehow going manual seems to rob a sense of security from me. On the other hand, I have found that in the field, AF isn't all that reliable (at least on my k7) afterall. Sometimes it hunts and sometimes the focus just isn't accurate. Any advise? I am thinking of using a Zeiss ZK 35mm and a A501.2 here.

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01-12-2011, 10:42 PM	#2
rhodopsin Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Deep Forest Posts: 643	My advise is stick with what you know, manual focus; not a time to be experimenting with AF, which as you note, adds problems.

01-12-2011, 11:13 PM	#3
Mike Cash Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Japan Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,950	Yes, I do events with manual focus lenses.....manual stop-down lenses too, for that matter. But they're what I shoot every day anyway and my focus screen is a Katz-Eye. I do swap off for an autofocus zoom if the situation calls for it, though; no need to be pig-headed about it.

01-12-2011, 11:21 PM	#4
AOShep Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Eastern PA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 293	Whichever way you go, make sure you confirm your focus. For me, AF tends to drift to something other than my indended subject. I also grew up using MF. Actually, manual everything. Also, a split image focusing screen is helpfull with MF.

01-13-2011, 02:48 AM - 1 Like	#5
RioRico Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Limbo, California Posts: 11,263	Warning bells go off in my head! Not about manual focus, but: Have you shot weddings before? Do your friends expect professional results? Do you have only one camera body? Do you expect to change lenses often? I only formally shot one wedding (long ago, disastrously) but I've shot formal events, and never with just one camera. Stuff happens. Things fail. Entropy wins. If the event is important enough to shoot seriously, backups are critical. How important is this friendship to you? Will it survive a major OOPS?

01-13-2011, 03:00 AM	#6
scorpioh Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Singapore Photos: Gallery Posts: 182 Original Poster	Originally posted by RioRico Warning bells go off in my head! Not about manual focus, but: Have you shot weddings before? Do your friends expect professional results? Do you have only one camera body? Do you expect to change lenses often? I only formally shot one wedding (long ago, disastrously) but I've shot formal events, and never with just one camera. Stuff happens. Things fail. Entropy wins. If the event is important enough to shoot seriously, backups are critical. How important is this friendship to you? Will it survive a major OOPS? Not really. Ha. My friend doesn't quite have any expectations though I would really give my best. I do have a k10d as well which I'll mount the 50mm with. Intending to use either a 24 or 35 on the k7 (with flash). But I am not exactly sure what other lenses should I bring along though I am thinking of sticking to the 35mm throughout if possible.

01-13-2011, 03:01 AM	#7
scorpioh Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Singapore Photos: Gallery Posts: 182 Original Poster	Originally posted by rhodopsin My advise is stick with what you know, manual focus; not a time to be experimenting with AF, which as you note, adds problems. I am ok with both but gets a bit of jittery for MF in an event (spells fast-paced?)

01-13-2011, 03:26 AM	#8
Mike Cash Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Japan Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,950	Originally posted by scorpioh I am ok with both but gets a bit of jittery for MF in an event (spells fast-paced?) I do dance performances manual focus, but as I mentioned earlier I have daily practice and that wonderful split-prism. Shooting this way for me means keeping the camera glued to my eye, keeping the split-prism on a line on the subject perpendicular to the split and doing constant follow-focus, then very quickly shifting to frame the shot when I see a Kodak Moment. Regarding what lens to bring, I would just like to suggest that no matter what the event is and whether you think you will need it or not, always bring along the widest angle lens you have that isn't a fisheye. In case you're called on to do a group shot that gets larger than you may have anticipated you'll be covered.

01-13-2011, 05:18 AM	#9
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,981	I shoot weddings with manual focus (and primes). I don't find AF to be reliable enough to allow the camera to take the picture in focus when I want it to take the picture.

01-13-2011, 07:15 AM	#10
eddie1960 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,666	I shoot live music with M series lenses (stop down metering as well as manual focus, but I also have a couple of AF lenses with me usually. Couple that with the fact that most venues i know the lighting well enough that rarely meter it. a wedding is a whole other thing though. That being said before digital got good enough most wedding guys shot with Medium format kits (Bronica in particular was quite popular 645 and 6x6) . All manual in this case (most guys i talked with about it didn't use AE prisms, they just used hand held meters and experience.....and big ass flashes that could easily cover 45-60 feet at iso 100 like the metz CT45 and CT60. So it's doable, but I would likely want to be primarily AF if i was shooting something I was unfamiliar with like a wedding so I could concentrate on Composition and lighting. Good luck with it

01-13-2011, 07:18 AM	#11
eddie1960 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,666	Originally posted by Wheatfield I shoot weddings with manual focus (and primes). I don't find AF to be reliable enough to allow the camera to take the picture in focus when I want it to take the picture. You are very experienced with MF and weddings both though Wheat I use MF almost exclusively now, but would still want one of my 2 bodies set with AF. I'm pretty fast with the focus, but selective focus AF can be faster than me in the right light

01-13-2011, 07:31 AM	#12
BigDave Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Hudson Valley, NY Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,626	After many years of JUST using manual focus, I have started using AF with my K7. Although sometimes it is helpful, most of the time it can be problematic. The comment earlier up that mentioned AF can 'drift" as the sensors pick up something it likes better than what YOUR intended subject is, is valid. I have messed up one shot this way and will not do so again! For formals and the ceremony, where you do have some seconds to focus, go manual focus. For candids on the dance floor, an AF zoom (very wide to a little telephoto) will do you well. Besides the 50mm, which now makes a great portrait lens on the smaller sensors (equal to about a 75mm), something in the normal range (28 to 40) will also work. If you know the venue for the ceremony, then a supper wide (15-20mm or wider) can be useful to capture the church/hall. Past this, you probably don't need much more. Your lighting equipment will be more or just as important! Regards,

01-13-2011, 11:16 AM	#13
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,888	I shot the only wedding I ever did as the only photographer, on film before the advant of AF. I also shot many weddings as guest on film some with and some without the benefit of AF so to answer your question, can you shoot a wedding with MF glass, yes, tons of people did it long before both AF and digital were available. There is no big deal IF you know what you are doing, and IF your gear is set up to manually focus efficiently (i.e. split image or other focusing aid) It will slow you down a little, which may be a good thing, because you will think a little more about your images as you take them. One thing I recommend is to make a checklist of shots you want to take, so you don't forget anything.

01-13-2011, 01:01 PM	#14
magkelly Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,901	Honestly I think AF would just slow you down under those circumstances but a lot depends upon how good you are at MF too. If you're good at it then I say use it. I don't like AF much myself actually. I actually find my pics are coming out better the less I use it, seriously.

01-15-2011, 07:03 AM	#15
scorpioh Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Singapore Photos: Gallery Posts: 182 Original Poster	Thanks everyone for your helpful and kind advice. I have gone through the session and I got back to AF for the super-fast paced solemnization. In fact, I had to hold a k7 with a 24mm on one hand and a k10d with a 70mm on the other hand.