Film beginner - focussing help needed please (canon A1)

[Dan1984]

Guys,

I just purchased a Canon A1 which is my first ever film camera.

On my digital camera I can select specific focus points but I dont know how this will work with the A1. If I am taking some outdoor portraits and want shallow depth of field, if the image is in focus will the camera automatically focus on whatevers closest to the camera?

I'm worried about ending up with a lot of shots where what I wanted is not in focus yet other parts of the image are.

Does anyone know how I can make sure that what I want in focus in the picture is?

Sorry if this is a bit of a remedial question but I'm new to film and would really appreciate a few responses on this if you guys can spare the time.

Thanks in advance

Danny

 

[Mcary]

Guys,

I just purchased a Canon A1 which is my first ever film camera.

On my digital camera I can select specific focus points but I dont know how this will work with the A1. If I am taking some outdoor portraits and want shallow depth of field, if the image is in focus will the camera automatically focus on whatevers closest to the camera?

I'm worried about ending up with a lot of shots where what I wanted is not in focus yet other parts of the image are.

Does anyone know how I can make sure that what I want in focus in the picture is?

Sorry if this is a bit of a remedial question but I'm new to film and would really appreciate a few responses on this if you guys can spare the time.

Thanks in advance

Danny

The focus on the AE-1 doesn't work anything like what you're use too. This is because its 100% manual focus.
To focus with a manual focus SLR place the focus aid(located in the center of the view finder) on the eye of the subject(for portraits) Then slowly turn the focusing ring on the lenses until the subjects eye is in focus. Once that's done adjust the framing to what you like (called focus and recomposing ) then take the shot.
Note 1 if you're really close to your subject and using a large F-stop, recomposing/reframing the shoot may cause the focus point to shift to such a degree that effect what's in focus.
Note 2 I'd suggest starting out shooting stopped down a stop or two Example 50mm F1.8 shoot at F 2.8 or 3.5 to start out then once you get use to the focusing try larger apertures.

 

[jschrader]

I assume You mean the Canon A1 from about 1985?
This is manual focus. You just set the focus by hand and see on the screen what is in focus.

 

[Mcary]

I assume You mean the Canon A1 from about 1985?
This is manual focus. You just set the focus by hand and see on the screen what is in focus.

Actually the A1 and AE-1 or two different cameras with a number of differences in how their controls are laid out.

 

[FrankS]

Actually the A1 and AE-1 or two different cameras with a number of differences in how their controls are laid out.

But they are both manual focus.

 

[Peter_wrote:]

an additional note: as already said, the A-1 has to be manual focused. when u have the standard screen, there is a focusing help in the middle, the so called split screen.

you can easily see its function just by focusing e.g. a vertical line. as long as the line is a out of focus, the pictures of the 2 half circles in the middle of the screen don't match together. in focus u will see this line uninterrupted then.

here you can find the english manual for the canon a-1 for free (3 pdfs) http://www.butkus.org/chinon/canon/canon_a-1/canon_a-1.htm

 

[rxmd]

Does anyone know how I can make sure that what I want in focus in the picture is?

You look through the viewfinder, turn the focus ring until you see that what you want in focus is in focus, then you take the shot. Easy as pie.

It's the beauty of a single-lens reflex camera. Your viewfinder offers all sorts of focusing aids (split-image rangefinder, microprism ring etc.) to help you determine that something is in focus.

EDIT: It doesn't sound like you're holding that Canon in your hands just yet. When you do get it, just look through the viewfinder and turn the focusing ring, it will be really obvious. Familiarize yourself with the controls of the camera before shooting your first roll of film.

 

[btgc]

I once tried to select focus point on DSLR. This is too awkward to try it ever again. Focus and recompose is times faster. Of course I didn't use f/1.1 tele lens wide open which could become slightly out of focus when recomposed.

 

[lynnb]

Your camera will keep the aperture wide open until you actually press the shutter button to take a picture. The image on the viewfinder screen shows focus, and depth of field, at widest aperture. This has two benefits:
- it keeps the viewfinder view bright
- it helps you to judge focus easily, as the lens always has shallowest depth of field with the lens at widest aperture.

Try this: in bright light, pick a fairly close subject (about portrait distance, say, 2m) and manual focus the lens as described in the posts above. Set the aperture to f11 or f16. To start with, choose an easy subject to focus like a paling fence that runs away from the camera. Twist the lens focus ring quickly to watch the desired focus point snap into and out of focus (in=clear, out=blurry looking), and then fine tune the exact focus using the split image in the central circle of the viewfinder. As mentioned above, just centre the split image circle over a vertical line (i.e. a fence paling) that is your focus point and turn the focus ring until the vertical edge of the paling is no longer split. When the vertical edge of the paling is unbroken, it's in focus.

Now slowly press the depth of field preview button or lever. This forces the aperture to close down to the selected aperture, as long as you keep your finger on the lever. You'll notice the viewfinder darken as the aperture becomes smaller - ignore this. Just look at the depth of field. You'll see it gradually increase as the aperture closes. Learning to recognise how acceptably sharp things are in front of and behind the actual focus point using the dof preview lever is a judgement you'll pick up with a little experience. Of course you could just look at the dof scale on the lens barrel, but that means taking the camera away from your eye.

Some cameras have interchangeable focusing screens. I'm not sure if the A-1 does or not. If it does, and the one in your camera is dirty or scratched, you can replace it with a new one. That will make focusing easier. Also, some types of focusing screens can be easier to focus with.

 

[Dan1984]

Thanks for all the replies guys, very helpful and much appreciated.

I am aware the camera is manual focus and understand the general focusing it was more a case of say I wanted to take a portrait slightly off centre with a shallow DOF to blur the background, would you guys suggest I put the subject centre frame, focus and then recompose to put the subject off centre and then take the shot??

Cheers

Danny

 

[sevo]

If I wanted to take a portrait slightly off centre with a shallow DOF to blur the background, would you guys suggest I put the subject centre frame, focus and then recompose to put the subject off centre and then take the shot??

That would be the common procedure, and certainly advisable if you shoot wide open. If you have enough light to see the matte screen clearly, and stop down by two stops at least, you can also focus directly on the matte screen off centre. But beware, the default matte screens from the eighties on were designed for brightness rather than focus accuracy, and can be very misleading if you have an eye condition and don't compensate that with the appropriate eyepiece dioptre.

 

[Mcary]

I once tried to select focus point on DSLR. This is too awkward to try it ever again. Focus and recompose is times faster. Of course I didn't use f/1.1 tele lens wide open which could become slightly out of focus when recomposed.

Think it really depends on how the controls are laid out.
Example I find changing a selecting different focus point simple, quick and easy on Canon DSLRs like the 5D, 7D and 20-40D series due to the control(s) being located in such away that I can easily find and operate them with my thumb, without ever having to remove my eyes from the viewfinder or finger from the shutter release.
On the other hand doing the same with Canon Rebel line of DSLRs is much much harder due to the different way its controls are laid out.

 

[Peter_wrote:]

Some cameras have interchangeable focusing screens. I'm not sure if the A-1 does or not. If it does, and the one in your camera is dirty or scratched, you can replace it with a new one. That will make focusing easier. Also, some types of focusing screens can be easier to focus with.

there are different screens for the A-1 available, but in contradiction to the screens for e.g. the AE-1, they are not designed to be changed by the user. but i don't know how difficult it would be to do it by yourself anyway.

by the way here http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/canon/fdresources/SLRs/a1/html/index1.htm you will also find a lot of information on the A-1. and on the same site also a lot about other fd-mount cameras and lenses.

and here you can find user reviews of fd-mount cameras and lenses http://www.fdreview.com/

 

[ronnies]

there are different screens for the A-1 available, but in contradiction to the screens for e.g. the AE-1, they are not designed to be changed by the user. but i don't know how difficult it would be to do it by yourself anyway.

by the way here http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/canon/fdresources/SLRs/a1/html/index1.htm you will also find a lot of information on the A-1. and on the same site also about a lot about other fd-mount cameras and lenses.

and here you can find user reviews of fd-mount cameras and lenses http://www.fdreview.com/

The AE-1 does not have user changeable screens, that was the AE-1 Program.

Ronnie