Trying to avoid Autofocus induced GAS

[mojojones]

Autofocus can be great but it puts you in a different psychological space. When your picture comes back out of focus from a AF camera, your response is: "That d*mn piece of sh*t, what the f*ck is wrong with it????" Whereas, with a manual focus camera the response is: "Darn-it, I missed that one." :angel:

 

[ch1]

Autofocus can be great but it puts you in a different psychological space. When your picture comes back out of focus from a AF camera, your response is: "That d*mn piece of sh*t, what the f*ck is wrong with it????" Whereas, with a manual focus camera the response is: "Darn-it, I missed that one." :angel:

Or sometimes with manual focus you shake the camera and say - "why can't you see as well as I can anymore!!!"

After years of "great shooting", there's nothing like a couple of OOF rolls from a manual to get you thinking about visiting the optometrist and start searching eBay for diopters! 😀

 

[Taipei-metro]

I keep finding myself in a cycle of wanting to buy a new Elan 7n, they are cheap and really good, just to have, and saying that I don't want another film SLR. That of course points me to a DSLR, which I am critical that I can't buy any fast prime lenses for it in standard or wide focal lengths because of the crop factors. This circle normally leads me back to the tracks of my fellow Luddites and I stick with the RFs.

EOS 7 is the best buy now, 7N only a few dollars more and not much improvement.
DSLR(non full size) is still $1,000 or more( 2 lenses) investment, and on bullet train speed model change, quite scary.
There are how ever, SO MANY excellent lenses prime or zoom or Macro for any DSLR, let me think, 40mm 2.8, 31mm 1.9, 77mm 1.9 Pentax.
20, 24, 28mm 1.8 or 2.8, new 30mm 1.4 Sigma, 50 or 60 or 100,105mm 2.8 Sigma or Tokina macro.
On Nikon or Canon side, there are so many lenses shorter then 30mm with 1.8 or f2 plus a vast AI-S to mount on Nikon DSLRs. How many lenses do you want? for what purpose? I think most people do not follow or realize the fast pace and amount of lenses produced by Japanese companies, for those who can't get the full info, it's like getting into McDonald, Burger King, only mainly cheeseburgers was served, Wait till you get into a Chinese restaurant that over 200 entrees availible
New Japanese Digital Magazines sprouting out like after spring rain, try to get some, I know it's hard for people lived outside big US cities to get the magazine, but you don't have to read Japanese to understand it, the pure vast choice is amazing. These 3 company, Sigma, Tokina, Tamron pumping out outstanding lenses in an incredible speed even the Japanese photographers can't follow!
Kodak is buying out ALL Chinon factories, doing digitals, P&S EasyShare featuring Schneider lenses actually are very high quality, after Fuji E510, I will buy the Kodak Z730, because I'm interesting in Schneider, my Rolleiflex has a Schneider 75mm 3.5, I hope Japanese Chinon/Kodak/Schneider is a great lens.
AF film bodies or not is not important, in many shooting situations you must turn from AF to MF for fast shot. Hexar Silver or 28ti,35ti, TC-1, GR-21, GR1-V(or GR-10), T3, Klasse, not to forget Fuji Natura stuff, is all you need for 2nd or 3rd body AF.

 

[DougK]

Bertram has the most intelligent perspective.

Tell James Nachtwey that AF is 'for girls.' Those systems go to war. Steve McCurry's results are better than those of anyone above expressing such ridiculous prejudice. And, nobody shoots Formula 1 with a rangefinder.

A good AF system is far quicker and more accurate than pure manual focus, and every good AF system also allows manual focus. It's unfortunate that some of you have had poor experiences with AF. Too many people don't know how to use it, and/or settle for certain 'default' setups, such as allowing the multi-sensor array to determine focus. The accurate way, the way the pros and knowledgeable users set it up is to choose one focus sensor. Either stick with the Central point, or use the cursor or wheel to choose one of the others, as necessary. Then, there's no guessing what's being focused upon. And, there's still a huge difference between AF on something like a sophisticated EOS versus a Contax G2 or Hexar AF.

No argument here. For me, it's simply a preference based on what and how I shoot, not a prejudice; AF provides no significant advantage when doing landscape work from a tripod. Were I shooting sports, action, or for some other reason needing to work quickly, an AF camera would definitely be appropriate in that situation.

 

[Doug]

I was very dubious about AF when I got the used Canon PowerShot G3, but it worked pretty well... So I thought I might give it a real try, and found a nice Fuji GA645 on eBay. I liked that surprisingly well, though as mentioned I had to learn to be very careful where the focus point was, and usually had to lock focus and recompose. Then I'd get frustrated and go back to the Bronica RF645 and prefer manual focus for a while for the much more positive reassurance.

I wanted a good fast 21mm and decided on a cheap Contax G1 with the Biogon, and that got out of hand as I accumulated more lenses. Same experience as with the Fuji, I liked the AF and disliked the AF and would go back to the Minolta CLE or M2 for manual focus... But the AF does seem better in some situations, so as I figure that out I tend to use each kind alternately.

 

[Major Black]

I've manually focused professionally since 1982.
I got my first AF this past summer, a Canon 20D.
Generally, I find autofocusing frustrating. The 20D's tiny viewfinder for manual focusing can also be very frustrating.
I just want a viewfinder like a Nikon F3HP or even an FM3a. Dear Canon, let me see so that I may focus. I don't need any other help, thank you. You can even slash all the prices of your L lenses by making them all MF, OK?

 

[Major Black]

I would love a decent Clack or Click if anyone wants to part with one at a reasonable price.
🙂 Just got an Isola.
They seem dirt cheap in the EU, but get really pricey over in the USA. :bang: