New firmware with Focus Peaking

[JuJu]

Has anyone tried using focus peaking in "Posterization" Pic Style? It's quite a challenge to focus with this combo...

 

[douglasf13]

Focussing without a real viewfinder looks already awkward. Not speaking of this. Perhaps they should add a tripod and a some cloth so that it looks like using a large format camera.

Well, there's really nothing awkward about using the hood/magnifier combo. If you're used to using a Hasselblad, it is second nature and works great.

 

[BobYIL]

With the longer FLs like the 135mm Elmarit-R it works like magic, however large aperture wide angles could be problematic. I measured the depth shown by peaking with a Summicron-R 35/2 at f2.0; it's almost triple large as the actual depth of field

I am afraid that for critical focus below 50mm the 7x/14x will stay as being the only reliable way..

 

[ampguy]

So if you're focusing on a cat's face from 1m with a 50, can you isolate nose, eyes, ears with focus peaking, or do you need to go to 7x?

What's with the slow jog dial in drive mode?

Anyone test battery life?

 

[River Dog]

So if you're focusing on a cat's face from 1m with a 50, can you isolate nose, eyes, ears with focus peaking, or do you need to go to 7x?

Yes, with no magnification. Peaking worked fine in this situation. It is not great for very precise DOF focussing.

 

[Hatch]

It has it's limits , but this focus peaking certainly is useful.

I don't have to hunt for the reading glasses if I'm setting up for a quick shot.

Also the ability to see if anything is in focus in bright sunlight is a boon as well if you don't have a clearviewer as yet.

I like it🙂

 

[ampguy]

I'm going to hold off a bit. The ability for the Nex without peaking, but with 7/14x mag to precisely allow you to focus to within the accuracy of hand holdability seems to be tossed out with the peaking, which highlights a "range of focus".

In other words, why not go back to an RF, or even scale focus, if you don't really want precision?

Now those art filters look fun though!

 

[River Dog]

I'm going to hold off a bit. The ability for the Nex without peaking, but with 7/14x mag to precisely allow you to focus to within the accuracy of hand holdability seems to be tossed out with the peaking, which highlights a "range of focus".

In other words, why not go back to an RF, or even scale focus, if you don't really want precision?

Now those art filters look fun though!

You can always switch it off 🙂 I am getting more in focus more quickly with peaking. The magnifier is not ideal for street shooting.

 

[bobkatz]

Im done...

Im done...

Just updated..🙂
Fun to use.....nice picture effects too...😀

 

[douglasf13]

Something to keep in mind is that changing your jpeg settings like sharpness, contrast, etc, can affect the strength of the peaking function. I haven't dialed it in perfectly yet, but I think this peaking thing is a difference maker.

 

[ampguy]

well, I am trying it. So far, the focus peaking does little with a Canon 28/2.8, and a little more with the J3 50/1.5 @ 1.5, but still peaks at a wider range than is in perfect focus.

However, the scene effects are excellent. High contrast b/w, and toy camera modes are fantastic, the monocolor/bw and posterization are a bit novel. The retro is OK. Lots of fun!

I'm using peaking with yellow on medium. Anyone find a better selection? I've found the peaking useless in poserterization, but I'm not sure you need to focus in that scene mode.

 

[kshapero]

Focus peaking is awesome, makes using MF assist unnecessary.
The new scenes are pretty cool but you cannot use RAW with it so you are stuck with the mode. Would have liked to have seen it in RAW and then have a duplicate of the mode in the RAW software like Olympus does, so you can change it. Nevertheless a real nice upgrade especially for MF guys like us.

 

[douglasf13]

well, I am trying it. So far, the focus peaking does little with a Canon 28/2.8, and a little more with the J3 50/1.5 @ 1.5, but still peaks at a wider range than is in perfect focus.

However, the scene effects are excellent. High contrast b/w, and toy camera modes are fantastic, the monocolor/bw and posterization are a bit novel. The retro is OK. Lots of fun!

I'm using peaking with yellow on medium. Anyone find a better selection? I've found the peaking useless in poserterization, but I'm not sure you need to focus in that scene mode.

If you take the camera out of Picture Effect mode and use the normal Creative Style mode, adjusting various creative style parameters like contrast and sharpness can affect the effect of peaking, so you can dial it in a little more.

 

[dexdog]

Just downloaded the software update, and it is way cool. I agree with previous posters that it is not as precise as using 7x or 14x, but I don't think that it makes much of a difference, unless you are pixel - peeping. Have to play around with it more, but it works pretty well with a wide-open J-3.

 

[rxmd]

well, I am trying it. So far, the focus peaking does little with a Canon 28/2.8, and a little more with the J3 50/1.5 @ 1.5

So it seems useful, but the usefulness is somewhat limited if it works mainly with the equivalent of a very fast tele lens.

It's not that surprising, though. It works by detecting local contrast (i.e. if it's blurry, it's probably not in focus; if there are sharp edges, it's probably in focus). Consequently it works well with longer lenses that deliver a lot of blurriness, but not with shorter and/or slower lenses that don't.

Also I'd expect it to work well with Sony lenses that can be stopped down automatically, and not so well with adapted lenses that are stopped down manually. On the other hand this forces you to shoot wide-open with lots of blurriness in your shot, so you'll have to shoot that J3 in the f1.5-f2.8 range; if you stop it down it probably won't work well anymore. (You can stop down after focusing of course, but you lose part of the ease of through-the-lens focusing in the process, and also it means that NEX users now get to enjoy focus shift.)

 

[ampguy]

yes, that's pretty much it

yes, that's pretty much it

but I don't think the function of it was to replace the 7x/14x focusing when that level is desired, it's just that in the non magnified view, it gives a quick rough idea of where your dof lies without having to press any buttons at all.

So say there are 3 subjects you are shooting and the left is in front of the center, and the right is behind the center. You can quickly focus selectively forward, so say the first and center are in best focus, or rear focus a bit so center and r subject are in best focus.

Yes, as you stop down (but more like f4/5.6/8+) it get's harder to focus on the single point (this is usually when I go for 14x), but most focus shift issues I've seen with RF's and Nikon lens have been in the fastest areas, and that's covered well, by the 7x/14x method on the nex, or probably most magnified live view systems, as well as SLR's with good screens and finders in stop down mode.

So it seems useful, but the usefulness is somewhat limited if it works mainly with the equivalent of a very fast tele lens.

It's not that surprising, though. It works by detecting local contrast (i.e. if it's blurry, it's probably not in focus; if there are sharp edges, it's probably in focus). Consequently it works well with longer lenses that deliver a lot of blurriness, but not with shorter and/or slower lenses that don't.

Also I'd expect it to work well with Sony lenses that can be stopped down automatically, and not so well with adapted lenses that are stopped down manually. On the other hand this forces you to shoot wide-open with lots of blurriness in your shot, so you'll have to shoot that J3 in the f1.5-f2.8 range; if you stop it down it probably won't work well anymore. (You can stop down after focusing of course, but you lose part of the ease of through-the-lens focusing in the process, and also it means that NEX users now get to enjoy focus shift.)

 

[ampguy]

posterization example:

more here:

 

[AFenvy]

I just updated my NEX-5. Focus peaking works great on a 50mm lens, I haven't tried any others. I am not sure if it is faster than the focus assist (7x/14x), but I don't have to fiddle with zooming in which is nice. It was accurate at f1.4 on the 50mm, and easy to use.

Sample shot with peaking only at f1.4 and using my Zuiko 50mm lens.

 

[luuca]

Now it's really a joy to manual focus... Perfect with my summilux50 and tele elmarit. 90

No need to recompose after focusing, everything is fast and precise (don't know with wide angles)

Nex+tele elmarit 90 @F2.8

 

[douglasf13]

With the settings dialed in, this peaking thing is manual focus bliss, for me. Once you get a sense of how to judge the intensity of the color overlay, it becomes pretty easy. I'll probably only use 7x magnification on a tripod from here on out.