Xpro 1 AF in OVF

[goffer]

Played with the camera quite a bit this weekend. I havent been very pleased with it AF performance in OVF mode. It seems to back focus constantly . I switch to EVF and it focuses fine. I had the same exact issue with x100 which was what lead me to eventually sell it.

It seems as if the AF box is too large. I figured out how to change the box to small in EVF mode, but no such setting for OVF that I can find.

The issue seems the worst at ~ .5m to 1m, but about 1/2 the shots I did at 3+ meters this weekend had missed focus.

I have done the following to troubleshoot:

Updated body firmware to 2.01
Updated 18mm f2 firmware to 2.01

 

[gavinlg]

Played with the camera quite a bit this weekend. I havent been very pleased with it AF performance in OVF mode. It seems to back focus constantly . I switch to EVF and it focuses fine. I had the same exact issue with x100 which was what lead me to eventually sell it.

It seems as if the AF box is too large. I figured out how to change the box to small in EVF mode, but no such setting for OVF that I can find.

The issue seems the worst at ~ .5m to 1m, but about 1/2 the shots I did at 3+ meters this weekend had missed focus.

I have done the following to troubleshoot:

Updated body firmware to 2.01
Updated 18mm f2 firmware to 2.01

Do you have 'AF correction frame' turned on in the menu?
Your OVF focussing frames should look like this:

If there's only one box there in OVF, you're doing it wrong.

 

[goffer]

Thanks! That seems a lot better, at least in my testing so far from ~.5m to 3m.

 

[gavinlg]

As a bit of further explanation, the bottom right AF box is representative of where you should aim the camera at minimum focussing distance, and the top left box is where you should aim the camera for subjects at infinity. So you have to guess in your head a little bit - if the subject is 2-3 meters away you have to imagine the AF point is closer to the bottom right box, but kind of in the middle. The AF point will light up as a 3rd green box when AF has been locked, and its position in relation to the two 'guide' frames shows you roughly at what distance the AF has locked.

In the above picture, it's AF'd at infinity.

 

[jsrockit]

Also, if you are focusing on small objects, it seems to miss a lot too.

 

[GaryLH]

Also, if you are focusing on small objects, it seems to miss a lot too.

Out of curiosity, have u tried sitting af sensor area to smallest possible?

Gary

 

[jsrockit]

Out of curiosity, have u tried sitting af sensor area to smallest possible?

Gary

Maybe I haven't... how do I?

 

[GaryLH]

Maybe I haven't... how do I?

Af button on the left bottom back of the camera. Press once u should c a bunch of areas to move af focus point to different area of frame.

While u are in this mode, the scroll wheel above the green play button can be used to enlarge or decrease the af area to be used.

Hope that helps
Gary

 

[Brody LeBlanc]

I find the OVF is best for candid/casual shooting. When I need critical focus, I always use the EVF. If I could change one thing about the X-Pro1 one is would be a higher quality EVF.

 

[GaryLH]

Do you have 'AF correction frame' turned on in the menu?
Your OVF focussing frames should look like this:

If there's only one box there in OVF, you're doing it wrong.

Btw did u buy an xp1 after returning loaner?

Gary

 

[back alley]

Af button on the left bottom back of the camera. Press once u should c a bunch of areas to move af focus point to different area of frame.

While u are in this mode, the scroll wheel above the green play button can be used to enlarge or decrease the af area to be used.

Hope that helps
Gary

cool...i didn't know that either.
thanks gary!

 

[gavinlg]

Btw did u buy an xp1 after returning loaner?

Gary

Gary, I only returned it end of last week but I will 98% be buying one very soon. I'm going to hire out a 5dIII just to put my thoughts to rest (I've waited a long time for this upgrade) but to be honest the 3.5K body only and then 1.4K per prime lens cost of it really makes it seem a silly choice compared to 1.7Kaud for an x-pro1 plus 35mm lens. The fuji XF lenses get you the same sort of optical quality as the canon L lenses at about 1/3 of the cost, and are about half the size.

It really is a fantastic camera...

 

[GaryLH]

Nothing wrong with dslr.. One of my good friends down in Los Angeles has both Canon dslr and Fuji. He complains the xp1 is too light for him. Lol. He shoots new 1D and the older 5D.

He is a bird, landscape and astronomy. Has t4 adapters to his big telescopes.

Gary

 

[eleskin]

A note from a Pentax 645N and M8 user (And future X Pro1 user)

A note from a Pentax 645N and M8 user (And future X Pro1 user)

I currently use a Pentax 645N and a Leica M8. With my 645N I have a choice of a wider field auto focus or spot auto focus. I normally set it to spot auto focus for the narrowest point of focus. I normally focus on one point and recompose. When I get an X-Pro 1 I will set it up in the same way. I have shot numerous weddings this way with a Sunpack 622 Super potato masher flash with reflector. My assumption is the autofocus on my Pentax is a dog compared to the Fuji or many other modern digital cameras today. Funny thing is almost ALL of my wedding shots were in focus all the time! I guess I knew the beasts (Pentax 645N) limits and capabilities and I have "certain skills" as Liam Neeson said! I am sure you will be able to set up the Fuji with great precision in terms of focus ability. Every camera has its own personality. The challenge is how you as a photographer understand the beast (Fuji X-Pro1) and use its abilities to your advantage based on your skills (previsualization ,artistic choice and technical skills in that order).

 

[jsrockit]

Af button on the left bottom back of the camera. Press once u should c a bunch of areas to move af focus point to different area of frame.

While u are in this mode, the scroll wheel above the green play button can be used to enlarge or decrease the af area to be used.

Hope that helps
Gary

Thanks, I'll check it out.

 

[willie_901]

......

It seems as if the AF box is too large. I figured out how to change the box to small in EVF mode, but no such setting for OVF that I can find.

The issue seems the worst at ~ .5m to 1m, but about 1/2 the shots I did at 3+ meters this weekend had missed focus.

....

I use the OVF mode whenever I can.

There is no way to change the AF region in OVF mode.

While one can use the OVF at distances from .5 to 1 m, this is not recommended due to parallax error. There is a reason the camera has an EVF mode. Even the corrected OVF frame is only an estimate. It is a good estimate, but often not good enough for critical focusing at short distances. When the EVF is needed, just use it.

I suspect after you get used to the corrected frame option and understand parallax error, your success rate at distances of 6 m will increase. At 6 m it is possible for the camera to find a higher contrast object behind your intended focus object. In these situations I look at the HUD focus scale to see if the focus distance makes sense.

I like manual focus mode and often use the AFL/AEL button to initiate AF . In this mode you can use OVF and press a button to switch to either 3X or 10X electronic zoom. Another press returns to the OVF.

 

[jsrockit]

There is no way to change the AF region in OVF mode..

Grrrr, I thought this is what gary meant. I'm fine in EVF mode.

 

[Lss]

How much smaller is the small AF box?

 

[furcafe]

There is no smaller AF box in OVF mode.

How much smaller is the small AF box?

 

[Lss]

Oh, too bad.