Manual Focus or Auto Focus?

[intheviewfinder]

I had Amblyopia (lazy eye) as a youngster. It was corrected and up until my teenage years when Myopia set in. As a film photographer I could purchase an eyepiece diopter correction lens. From sometime in the mid-1990s until I purchased a Nikon D70s I used zone focus because I couldn't fine focus properly. Talk about frustrating - there were just some things I could not do. I sold my M3 years ago to finance my entry into the digital world. I still have an old MP and a few lenses sitting in a protective box. I do take it out now and again. It's probably wishful thinking that I'll pull it out to use the darn thing. Today I shoot mostly with Fuji X-E2 and Fuji'crons. Thankfully the diopter adjustment is built into the camera.

In any case I'd like you to take a few moments to participate in this poll. The upper half is asking how much you use Manual Focus. The lower half is asking how much you use Auto Focus. Just don't answer the -----

 

[narsuitus]

For my Nikon 35mm film SLRs: 75% manual focus, 25% auto focus

For my Nikon digital SLRs: 75% auto focus, 25% manual focus

For my Fuji mirrorless and my micro 4/3 digitals: 75% auto focus; 25% manual focus

For my Leica M6 film and Leica M10 digital: 100% manual focus

For my M42 35mm film SLRs: 100% manual focus

For my medium format film cameras, 100% manual focus

For my large format film camera: 100% manual focus

I voted 50/50.

 

[Mcary]

Shooting 100% with my Leica M9 so 100% manual focus these days and for the foreseeable future.

 

[besk]

I'm 75 and realize that AF is most likely in my future for people type photos. Therefore am trying to get used to it in a Nikon N75.

With the Nex 3n it is manual focus (using peaking) 100% because I only use legacy lenses.

 

[Dogman]

I jumped to Canon from Nikon when Canon's AF was more reliable. That was in the 90's.
Today, everyone makes cameras with reliable AF. Today, I use Fuji AF equipment.

I didn't vote. I'm 100% percent AF. Presumably that was meant to be the last category in the poll but it has a typo, saying "100% MF".

 

[willie_901]

I choose >75% AF.

However, I use AF manually with an OVF. The focus region is set for the frame center and I use focus and recompose. With either a shutter half-press or back button press AF is set. Intended focus subject selection is confirmed by glancing at a small projected window in the finder that displays just the focus region with peaking in real time.

For situations when focus and recompose is inappropriate and, or more precise frame lines are important, I use an EVF. I set the focus region in the frame manually but use still use the shutter half-press or back button.

Rarely I use continuous AF, automatic face detection or some other fully automated method where the camera is completely responsible for Af.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I'm 90% MF for the street and 75% at home with AF.
MF with RF, can't do it on glass. AF with dSLRs and classic dP&S. And I like touch screen on my old iPhone. 🙂

 

[jsrockit]

No 100% AF choice?

 

[intheviewfinder]

Yeah I goofed and didn't see the typo!@$#%#
The last item should be 100% AF!

Luckily a moderator stepped in an made the correction.
Thanks Doug!

 

[kuuan]

abt. 98% manual focus with my cameras, and 100% AF with my handphone, that made me vote >75% MF and <10% AF

my cameras are digital mirrorless and those I use have EVFs with good enough diopter adjustment so that I can use them without optical eye-glasses.
( diopters of some other mirrorless cams can't be adjusted strongly enough. )

manual focus is more satisfying and fun
much dislike when AF is hunting or focusing wrongly, however I am sure that there are cameras with superior AF than I have experience with

I want my most used camera to be light and small.
Small manual RF lenses on small mirrorless camera is my optimal compromise

 

[AlwaysOnAuto]

The older I get the more I'm leaning towards getting more AF type glass to put on my Sony A7ii. I love the old lenses on it, but it is too slow for shooting grandkids and other non-static subject matter.
As my user name implies, I've used AF for a long time on my D7000 as I never really bothered with using MF lenses on it.

 

[Michael Markey]

Use an A7r2 with Leica lenses so clearly manual focus but mostly shoot non static subjects so then its a Canon DSLR .

 

[rhl-oregon]

50/50 because when I pack RF (Leica, Fuji GF), I want to use it—not second-guess it with AF. Sometimes I pack the GR as back-up, its weight/size being negligible.

I also enjoy letting the brilliant AF/system lens designs do their work—A7/55, RX1, GR, Klasse, GA645–without fuss or fidget.

And then there are the Sigma Merrills ;-).

 

[bhop73]

I put 50/50. Not sure if that ratio is completely accurate, but my reasoning is that when I use a camera that has AF (F100, F4, D3s, X100t) i’ll only use AF, and the rest of my cameras only have MF capability (Leicas, Nikon MF cameras), but I think I use both types equally.

For example, I just finished a roll in my F100 earlier today, and I just loaded a new roll into my M2 to go out wandering.

 

[Gerry M]

35mm: 75% mf
25% af (G1/G2)

120: 50% mf (Rollei & P645N)
50% af (GA645)

 

[Darthfeeble]

I'm probably 100% AF but I have a couple Epson RD1s and just sold a Leica M9.

 

[RichC]

100% manual... on advanced digital bodies. I don't own any autofocus lenses.

This is my Nikon D800E and Mamiya 55-110mm shift zoom - weighting about 2 kg (4.5 lb). I now use a Sony A7R II with this lens, which has become a tilt-shift.

 

[raid]

I have never had an AF SLR system, and I have only one AF lens with my M 4/3 camera. AF is great if you have problems with your eyesight and for action/sports/children photography. I prefer manual focus lenses and cameras. When Canon went from the FD system to EOS, I was appalled. To me, AF meant "plastic" and "cheap" and "not for me".

 

[madNbad]

I just gave my only AF lens to a friend.

 

[intheviewfinder]

When Canon went from the FD system to EOS, I was appalled.

Oh don't get me started :bang: