How long have you been into photography?

[student]

actually hor... i use auto focus also =p

Actually hor....

I am aware of some "studies" which suggested that modern AF system can focus more accurately than the human eye.

But this precisely what I do not like. I like selective focussing. I like to decide precisely what I want in focus and what to be out of focus.

And besides, in rangefinder photography, no focussing is always faster than any autofocussing, especially in dim light!

 

[student]

My dad now has a better vision after he had a cataract removed too. But he still rely a lot on AF nowadays. Probably because the default focusing screen is just a plain matte screen without any split-image with a microprism collar. Even I find it hard to focus with a screen like that.

It is true that after cataract surgery the vision is often clearer and brighter.

Unfortunately, my cataract developed from an unusual reason that has nothing to do with aging. (I am old, but NOT THAT OLD!).

So I only had ONE cataract removed on my left.

And that created a BIG problem. Precisely because my left vision had improved, and my right eye remained in a rather myopic and presbyopic state, there is a perspective problem. A square do not look like a square to me. A rectangle does not look like a rectangle to me. A rectangle looks like a trapezoid to me. So I do not know if the horizon is level!

So I had to get all my viewing prisms to be gridded. Problem eh?

I do quite a bit of 4x5 photography, throwing things in and out of focus. No autofocus there. No split screen. Just my messed up vision and the plain viewing screen with grid.

But they turned out fine!

 

[Deadpoet]

Actually hor....

I am aware of some "studies" which suggested that modern AF system can focus more accurately than the human eye.

But this precisely what I do not like. I like selective focussing. I like to decide precisely what I want in focus and what to be out of focus.

And besides, in rangefinder photography, no focussing is always faster than any autofocussing, especially in dim light!

but you are assuming that I can see clearly, with some degree of precision, throught the view finder LOL

 

[student]

but you are assuming that I can see clearly, with some degree of precision, throught the view finder LOL

Wow! If you can't see what is in the viewfinder, then you must be REALLY bad!!

I suppose one day, I mayl have to take different kinds of images, because I will have to rely on autofocus. Or go completely on "pre-focussing".

 

[lsisaxon]

It is true that after cataract surgery the vision is often clearer and brighter.

Unfortunately, my cataract developed from an unusual reason that has nothing to do with aging. (I am old, but NOT THAT OLD!).

So I only had ONE cataract removed on my left.

And that created a BIG problem. Precisely because my left vision had improved, and my right eye remained in a rather myopic and presbyopic state, there is a perspective problem. A square do not look like a square to me. A rectangle does not look like a rectangle to me. A rectangle looks like a trapezoid to me. So I do not know if the horizon is level!

So I had to get all my viewing prisms to be gridded. Problem eh?

I do quite a bit of 4x5 photography, throwing things in and out of focus. No autofocus there. No split screen. Just my messed up vision and the plain viewing screen with grid.

But they turned out fine!

My dad too. Only one eye was diagnosed with cataract (can't remember which side though), so I guess it didn't develop due to aging too. Might it have to to do with too much photography or too much darkroom work?

 

[lsisaxon]

Actually hor....

I am aware of some "studies" which suggested that modern AF system can focus more accurately than the human eye.

But this precisely what I do not like. I like selective focussing. I like to decide precisely what I want in focus and what to be out of focus.

And besides, in rangefinder photography, no focussing is always faster than any autofocussing, especially in dim light!

Does AF and recompose work for you? But for micro work, AF is definitely out.

 

[student]

Does AF and recompose work for you? But for micro work, AF is definitely out.

I find that less precise for me. Because in the process of fixing focus with AF, locking focus, and then shifting the lens back to recompose, there must always be some changes. Especially with f1.4 or "faster" lenses. Maybe the difference might be more theoretical than real.

But I find it easier to use manual focus anytime. Besides, with 1.4 lenses and the very clear viewfinders of film cameras, manual focus and selective focus is so easy!

 

[lsisaxon]

I find that less precise for me. Because in the process of fixing focus with AF, locking focus, and then shifting the lens back to recompose, there must always be some changes. Especially with f1.4 or "faster" lenses. Maybe the difference might be more theoretical than real.

But I find it easier to use manual focus anytime. Besides, with 1.4 lenses and the very clear viewfinders of film cameras, manual focus and selective focus is so easy!

Yeah.. I feel the same way too, but usually I will stop down, so the DoF should be able to cover the subject sufficiently.. That's where fast lenses come in very useful, manual focusing can be very accurate.

Also, such fast lenses, especially if they're telephotos, may not perform as quickly in AF because once the focus is off, the sensor is unable to tell if it's near or far and it will hunt all the way over the whole focusing range and back to find the focus, but once it's locked, it's spot on! This is one scenario where MF might still be faster than AF.

With AF-S/USM technology, it becomes very easy to assist the camera by performing a manual rough focus first so that the sensor is able to lock quickly.

That was just some thought. I think it is time for me to take a break from AF and practise my MF before I lose the skill.

 

[adam72]

since 1989 where i developed an interest in photography when i join my JC's photo club, then seriously from 1990 when photography was part of my course in TP (i switched studies from JC). my interest? female portraiture

 

[ZeroDivine]

Only started when I got my dslr.. counting is 1yr 3 months now

 

[NE clicks clicks]

My first contact with a camera was the good old Yashica FX7(my brother owns it) back in 1988.
My interest really started after getting my own Pentax zoom 90 in 1990. My very 1st SLR was the plasticky Eos 1000FN (surprisingly still working !). Gone through the Eos 50 & EOs 5 before owning my latest Eos20D.
That make me something like 16 years into the hobby. Glad that it wasn't spur of the moment kind of interest.

 

[Sion]

Ummm what time is it now ? ... so if I started at around 9:30AM that would be ???

THAT LONG?