X-Pro2 as a manual focus platform?

[Dante_Stella]

I have a half-frame Konica SLR and was thinking it would be cool to use some of the same Tokina AT-X lenses with a digital body (a 24-40/2.8 and 60-150/2.8). It's somewhat slow going on an M due to the EVF recycling time (and the magnified focus), so I was thinking maybe an X-Pro2.

So... the question is how good (or annoying) the split screen focusing mechanism is with the EVF (and does the X-Pro2 have the tiny corner split like the X100T?).

Thanks!

 

[f16sunshine]

Dante
I prefer the higher VF magnification ability of the XT cameras.
I never used focus aids whether the Peaking or split image display.
The Big XT1 screen zoomed in to 10x was super.
The Uncoated Sonnar I bought from you was used on that set up. Was easy to focus even wide open.
If it was that tiny window in the corner of screen, I don't think I could have stayed with it for actual days use.

Cheers!

 

[coelacanth]

I have a half-frame Konica SLR and was thinking it would be cool to use some of the same Tokina AT-X lenses with a digital body (a 24-40/2.8 and 60-150/2.8). It's somewhat slow going on an M due to the EVF recycling time (and the magnified focus), so I was thinking maybe an X-Pro2.

So... the question is how good (or annoying) the split screen focusing mechanism is with the EVF (and does the X-Pro2 have the tiny corner split like the X100T?).

Thanks!

I wanted to use X-Pro 2 as, say, 75% Leica M lens platform. I found myself using EVF most of time instead of OVF + digital RF at the corner. Ultimately I decided to go with X-E3. That adapted lens/MF pref wasn't the only reason for the change, but I am happy with X-E3 and Leica lenses.

 

[sepiareverb]

...I am happy with X-E3 and Leica lenses.

Could you expound on this a little? What is the VF set-up you have with the X-E3 and MF lenses like? Focus peaking?

I'm looking at ditching all the Leica digitals and going X-something and the Hasselblad.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I'm surprised it is going at all on M with EVF. If lens is for half-frame it is not going to work on FF body.

 

[ptpdprinter]

I thought I would use my manual lenses on my XE2 (and later XT2) but I don't really have much confidence in my manual focusing abilities, even with focus split image/peaking, and zooming is too slow. Besides, with the crop factor, the 18-55 kit zoom covers most of my manual focal lengths so there is not much advantage in using them. Just because something can be done does not mean it should be done. YMMV.

 

[Dante_Stella]

Ko.Fe - they are full-frame lenses whose focal lengths are short enough to be useful for half-frame. No coverage issues!

D

 

[DwF]

The X Pro 2 has the hybrid finder like the X 100F. Shooting last summer with the CV 75mm f 1.8 I used the "tiny" split screen with OVF which produced nice results for me. Not exactly an "action shot" but here is the 75 X Pro combo in action here on Oregon Coast.

David

 

[kshapero]

My Nikon Lenses focus just fine on the X-e2 w/o any aids.

 

[shawn]

I have a half-frame Konica SLR and was thinking it would be cool to use some of the same Tokina AT-X lenses with a digital body (a 24-40/2.8 and 60-150/2.8). It's somewhat slow going on an M due to the EVF recycling time (and the magnified focus), so I was thinking maybe an X-Pro2.

So... the question is how good (or annoying) the split screen focusing mechanism is with the EVF (and does the X-Pro2 have the tiny corner split like the X100T?).

Thanks!

The split screen focusing mechanism works great with Fuji lenses, not as well with adapted lenses IMO. I think the camera uses the focus position function in the Fuji lenses to help make the split screen aid work.

For MF peaking with the EVF works and I also use the ERF mode. The ERF mode on the XP2 is better than what the X100T has. You can set it to the full frame view (to check exposure and framing) or it can be set to two different levels of magnified view of the focus point. Split screen and focus peaking are also available in the ERF mode.

When using an adapted lens I trick I use is the ERF mode with the camera in monochrome mode. That makes the ERF window monochrome and have focus peaking set to red which does show up in color. If you set the ERF window to the magnified focus point you can focus by watching the OVF and just looking for red to show up in the ERF. Once yet get the hang of it it works surprisingly well and I've shot some of my son's sports that way with a 105mm Nikon. To get color shots do all of the above but shoot RAW. What is great about the XP2 is it gives you multiple options.

Shawn

 

[coelacanth]

Could you expound on this a little? What is the VF set-up you have with the X-E3 and MF lenses like? Focus peaking?

I'm looking at ditching all the Leica digitals and going X-something and the Hasselblad.

Background:
I'm keeping a minimum film M setup (M4-P, 50 Lux, 35 Cron) because I'm emotionally attached to it and hoping I'll be shooting more film in near future. For the time being, I'm pretty much shooting Fuji X only unless I'm diving (then OM-D).

I'm keeping only one XF native lens which was 23/2 and now 23/1.4. Although usually that's the lens attached to X-E3, I need other focal lengths time to time. When I do need the Summicron 35 and Summilux 50, I use Fuji's M adapter and focus with Focus Peaking (red) and add magnification (rear dial press) as needed.

When I'm using the native 23mm, I use AF with a function button and not with shutter release half-press. I use MF with native lens time to time, and I'd imagine I'll be doing more of that with 23/1.4 that's coming.

So my use case might not be a typical or as Fuji intended, but I'm quite content with this setup, and I appreciate the small size and light weight of X-E3. It's like the Leica CL (the film one, confusing now isn't it?) in digital format.

 

[sepiareverb]

Thanks much for that. I suspect the camera will get limited use with the M glass, and peaking seemed like the better option, that window in the corner of the X-Pro2 seems like it would be very hard to get used to.

 

[Dante_Stella]

So if the split image doesn't work that well with adapted lenses, I should just stick those on my a6300? I guess they could autofocus too with the Techart, but... split screen on the Fuji!

Dante

 

[coelacanth]

Thanks much for that. I suspect the camera will get limited use with the M glass, and peaking seemed like the better option, that window in the corner of the X-Pro2 seems like it would be very hard to get used to.

It was do-able, but not intuitive to me personally. BUT, if you think it's a Barnack Leica, then it makes more sense in your head especially if you magnify what's shown in the DRF. 😉 Focus, then shift your eye for composition.

Again, I could live with it, but X-E3 (with XF23/2 bundle) was a lot cheaper than X-Pro2 even against its private selling price, and I had been a big fun of X-E line so I made the switch. X-E3 doesn't have physical ISO dial, but you can assign it to the front dial and freely change or lock in by a press so it's even quicker than fiddling with physical lift-up dial on X-Pro2 (thought I personally liked X-Pro2's nostalgic implementation).

 

[Archlich]

The X-T and X-E are ideal for this use. I use focus peaking and custom set the top Fn button to toggle on magnification mode. Works really well.

I do have a X-pro2 for now but its small(ish) viewfinder isn't particularly good for manual focusing, if not downright a hassle in the OVF mode.

 

[BillBingham2]

How do you deal with setting the aperture and focusing? Do you focus wide open then adjust the aperture to where you want it? Do you set your exposure then focus? I heard from some that it's harder to accurately focus when you are stopped down (kind of why auto-return apertures were such a big thing when they came out).

My new to me XE-2 came the other day and I'm going to try some adapted Nikkors on her this weekend.

Any thoughts on your experience would be most appreciated.

Thanks.

B2 (;->

 

[shawn]

So if the split image doesn't work that well with adapted lenses, I should just stick those on my a6300? I guess they could autofocus too with the Techart, but... split screen on the Fuji!

Dante

If you are shooting wide open it is useable with adapted lenses. But the more you stop down the less obvious the split screen is.

Shawn

 

[willie_901]

The XP2's OVF split-screen ERF implimentation is significantly better than the X100T's.

Until the XP2, the OVF split-screen focusing mode rarely seemed as useful as focus peaking. I never use it in the X100T.

Using the focus ring on XF lenses, I find the XP2 ERF is useful for critical OVF manual focusing. The system is very responsive and the OVF full-screen, zoomed, split-screen view is fast. The simulated split-image shift range is perfect. With adapted lenses display lag shouldnot be an issue. I do not use adapted lenses so I can't test ERF split-screen focusing with stopped-down apertures. For adapted lenses I don't know if the split-image movement range would be similar for all focal lengths. Still, I think the ERF split-screen would be a viable solution with adapted lenses. The least useful scenario will be in very low light since the split-screen EVF will be noisy. A less common issue will be ERF image flicker when the focus region is lit by frequency-modulated light sources (fluorescent and, or some LEDs).

Based on using XF lenses with the focus-by-wire manual focusing, I believe the ERF with focus peaking is also practical. The XP2 implementation is the best of all the X-Series cameras I've owned. Using AF or MF, with mirrorless cameras, focus-region contrast is important for CDAF and PDAF (more so for the former). The only time the OVF-ERF focus peaking would fail is with low-light, low-contrast focus regions.

Since you already have a A6300, the similarities of the two cameras' sensor performance (dual-gain ISO) mean the Techart Pro M adapter must be considered. I've never used the that system, so I'm assuming the Techart Pro is a robust solution.