[Hidrieus]

I enjoy photographing with the HELIOS-44M on my K-5. But I have noticed that it is slightly front focusing from the view finder. I mean that when I see the subject perfectly focused in the view finder and the red rectangle glows momentarily with the confirmation hexagon continuously lighting, when I switch to Live View and magnify up to x10 the image needs just a tiny turn of the focusing ring towards the infinity to achieve perfect focus. At the menu feature number 26 'AF Fine Adjustment' there is only the 'Apply All' option. What should I do?

[stevebrot]

I mean that when I see the subject perfectly focused in the view finder and the red rectangle glows momentarily with the confirmation hexagon continuously lighting, when I switch to Live View and magnify up to x10 the image needs just a tiny turn of the focusing ring towards the infinity to achieve perfect focus. At the menu feature number 26 'AF Fine Adjustment' there is only the 'Apply All' option. What should I do?

If you only require a tiny nudge at 10x live view with positive focus confirm, that is much better than expected. I would do nothing. FWIW, 8x is probably closer to 100% (1:1) on the K-5.


Steve

[Bertrand3000]

At the menu feature number 26 'AF Fine Adjustment' there is only the 'Apply All' option. What should I do?

It's probably because "AF Fine Adjustement"... is for auto-focus lenses, and the Helios 44M is not.

For what you said, I would not worry. In my experience, autofocus confirmation might not trigger exactly where you want it to be, but usually depth of field will be large enough to allow acceptable focus on the desired subject.

[shyrsio]

I guess the camera cannot memorize the AF adjustment to the specific lens since this is a "rogue" lens in the Pentax database, the camera does not recognize it. So this brings the problem that while you fix this lens you put the others out of focus.

[35mmfilmfan]

I guess the camera cannot memorize the AF adjustment to the specific lens since this is a "rogue" lens in the Pentax database, the camera does not recognize it. So this brings the problem that while you fix this lens you put the others out of focus.

Surely, as has been said, the Helios is manual focus, so AF adjustment will make no difference.

[clackers]

Surely, as has been said, the Helios is manual focus, so AF adjustment will make no difference.

Guys, the autofocus system is used in focus confirmation with manual lenses, that's what the beep and the green hexagon is all about.

So microadjustment can of course be done. But without a chip in the lens it'll be universally applied to the camera body.

[35mmfilmfan]

Guys, the autofocus system is used in focus confirmation with manual lenses, that's what the beep and the green hexagon is all about.

So microadjustment can of course be done. But without a chip in the lens it'll be universally applied to the camera body.

Thanks for explaining - did not know that ! Live and learn.

[clackers]

Thanks for explaining - did not know that ! Live and learn.

Never too late, mate! Makes things much easier.

[35mmfilmfan]

Never too late, mate! Makes things much easier.

Then again, one day I'll die and forget the lot. Thank goodness PF is here to make all the useful info available to others.

[q_crack]

I am very interested in this subject. Thank you very much for posting this, I am using many manual focus lenses, some very old. Now the focus issues that I encountered make more sense to me and I can adjust my approach.

[clackers]

I am very interested in this subject. Thank you very much for posting this, I am using many manual focus lenses, some very old. Now the focus issues that I encountered make more sense to me and I can adjust my approach.

Yep, your magnified Live View is great for this, superior to Focus Peaking IMHO. And when many of us can't justify putting a Hoodman or similar loupe on the rear screen, if you're preferring the slower pace of shooting 'many manual focus lenses, some very old', this may be an entirely sensible thing for you to do.

[c.a.m]

I mean that when I see the subject perfectly focused in the view finder and the red rectangle glows momentarily with the confirmation hexagon continuously lighting, when I switch to Live View and magnify up to x10 the image needs just a tiny turn of the focusing ring towards the infinity to achieve perfect focus. At the menu feature number 26 'AF Fine Adjustment' there is only the 'Apply All' option. What should I do?

Is it possible that the subject you see in the viewfinder is not focused perfectly? I know with most of my manual focus lenses, I have a difficult time to achieve a spot-on focus using only my eyesight through the viewfinder.

As @clackers says, the camera's focus detection circuit and confirmation indicator are used for autofocus lenses and manual focus lenses. Unfortunately, the Green Hexagon is typically illuminated over a range of focus distances, so it is difficult to decide on the correct, true focus position.

You might be interested in this article that describes the problem with the Green Hex and suggestions to achieving accurate focus: Achieving Better Manual Focus with the Green Hexagon - PentaxForums.com

And some discussion on the topic: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/6-pentax-dslr-discussion/402088-new-arti...n-hexagon.html

- Craig

[Hidrieus]

Is it possible that the subject you see in the viewfinder is not focused perfectly? I know with most of my manual focus lenses, I have a difficult time to achieve a spot-on focus using only my eyesight through the viewfinder.

- Craig

Thank you for posting the links.
With manual focusing it helps a lot to first disable the option for the central focus point to glow red momentarily, it distracts the eye. I spend quite a time focusing manually every shot and when I could see the subject as best focused as possible in the view finder, checking with Live View in magnification I could affirm that focus was near perfect. But the Green Hexagon was not lighted at this point. I used AF Micro Adjustment for all and now the Green Hexagon lights when near perfect focusing. If the K-5 had adjustment range from -20 to+20 I could adjust it perfectly. Now I am at -10 and it probably would need -12 for perfection.

[c.a.m]

I used AF Micro Adjustment for all and now the Green Hexagon lights when near perfect focusing. If the K-5 had adjustment range from -20 to+20 I could adjust it perfectly. Now I am at -10 and it probably would need -12 for perfection.

Good to hear, thanks. Sounds like you're able to achieve a pretty good focus by eye, which is something I have trouble doing even when wearing my eyeglasses.

- Craig

[stevebrot]

I guess the camera cannot memorize the AF adjustment to the specific lens since this is a "rogue" lens in the Pentax database, the camera does not recognize it.

The camera does not recognize it because it has no way to tell the camera its name (id code and unique identifier). No M42 lens has this capability.

BTW... congratulations on success with the "all" option for AF fine adjust on non-AF lenses. There are a couple of users on this site who do that.


Steve