Canon 50mm 1.2 Focus throw

[Jess]

Hi all. I have recently acquired a Canon 50mm 1.4 for my M6. However I am having a lot of trouble focusing the lens due to the length of the focus throw. It takes forever to focus! It has rendered the lens practically useless for anything that moves. So have a question regarding the 50mm 1.2. Is the throw as long on that lens? I am assuming that it would be due to it being faster. Can you guys recommend a 50 with a short focus throw? I have been looking at the Zeiss ZM 50s and have the 35 that I love. Any experience with those?

Thanks,

Jess

 

[Chris Bail]

The 50/1.2 has just as long a focus throw...which is nice when shooting wide open, but not great for moving subjects.

 

[Jess]

Perfect. That answers my question. Thanks.

 

[Chris Bail]

Also, I can wholeheartedly recommend a Konica M-Hexanon 50/2 for a high quality short-ish throw 50mm. No personal experience with the modern Zeiss 50's.

 

[ferider]

If the problem is for portraits, you might consider changing your technique: focus approximately first, and then move your body until your subject is in focus.

Roland.

 

[Chris Bail]

If the problem is for portraits, you might consider changing your technique: focus approximately first, and then move your body until your subject is in focus.

Roland.

It sounds to me like his chief complaint is the amount of turn of the lens that's required to moved from close focus to infinity. My completely uncalibrated test just now with some of my lenses:

Canon 50/1.4 - 180 degrees rotation
Canon 50/1.2 - 180 degrees
Zeiss Sonnar 50/1.5 LTM - 180 degrees
M-Hexanon 50/2 - 90 degrees
Pentax-L 43/1.9 - maybe 70 degrees
Summicron-C 40/2 - a little more than 90 degrees

Hopefully this is helpful.

 

[ruby.monkey]

50mm Summicron (type 2 rigid) is about 120 degrees.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Pulling focus to track a subject with a rangefinder is frustratingly difficult at best. As was mentioned, it's better to pre-focus then when your subject hits your plane of sharp focus, snap the image.

Phil Forrest

 

[t.s.k.]

Pulling focus to track a subject with a rangefinder is frustratingly difficult at best. As was mentioned, it's better to pre-focus then when your subject hits your plane of sharp focus, snap the image.

+1

Stop down, pre-focus, wait, shoot.
Rinse, lather, grab the autofocus camera 🙂

 

[Rangefinderfreak]

Get an acessory focus tab from E-ba,y epoxy it on and it turns the 50mm 1,2 to a sweet performer. You will instantly recognize the position of the tab for different distances. I have it on all (canon & Russian) lenses that lack the adequate tab originally.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Get an acessory focus tab from E-ba,y epoxy it on and it turns the 50mm 1,2 to a sweet performer. You will instantly recognize the position of the tab for different distances. I have it on all (canon & Russian) lenses that lack the adequate tab originally.

At and near close focus, the tab will block part of the viewfinder on the 50mm f/1.2. It has almost 180deg of focus throw which puts the focus tab right in the already almost blocked field of view in the VF due to the fat lens.

Phil Forrest

 

[Jess]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. The issue really is with things that are all over the place out of the way. I picked up the lens for $175 so I'm not complaining about it. It renders wonderfully. I'll look in to a focus tab. I have never been a fan of them myself but maybe it would be worth it on the 50.

 

[Monochrom]

the throw of the 1.2 is also very long...but the issue is always to prefocus...set the lens at 10-14 feet and you´ll be able to focus properly anything and at 5.6 or f8 it´s just no issue at all...