Manual Focus Indication

I am considering the purchase of an EOS body (Elan II or EOS 5) and wondered if the Focus points light up when focusing manually. Does it make a difference if you have the camera set to manual focus, or autofocus with a USM lens? In general, I guess I'm trying to figure out how easy it is to manual focus. Compared to my Pentax K-1000 I imagine anything is rather easy to focus, but I don't know.

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Thanks,

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Tom

Tom: With EOS autofocus lenses, the switch controlling manual vs.

autofocus is located on the lens barrel, not on the camera. The

focusing points visible in the viewfinder are either user selectable

or can be controlled by the camera when in automatic focusing point

selection mode; in the latter case, the camera generally selects the

focusing point that falls on the object nearest the camera. Whether

shooting in autofocus or manual focusing, there is an "in focus"

indicator light (a glowing green dot) at the bottom right in the

viewfinder that will glow steadily once the camera believes the main

subject is correctly focused. (On some EOS cameras, one can set the

camera to emit an electronic chirp or beep when focus is achieved, and

this is simply an audible counterpart and an additional signal to you

that the camera believes correct focus has been achieved). However,

when manually selecting the focusing point, the camera will judge

correct focus based on the focusing point you've selected, whether

shooting in autofocus or manual focusing mode. In manual focusing

mode, you have 2 sources of data to determine if correct focus has

been achieved; the first is of course your own eyesight. (For

critical manual focusing using your own eyes, you can, if you want,

purchase an optional split focusing screen to aid in this task).

The second source of correct focus confirmation is the "in focus"

indicator light, which should remain illuminated once the camera

believes you've correctly focused the lens MANUALLY. But, remember

that the camera will base this decision on the focusing point you've

selected, and that focusing point will flicker (they look like little

red boxes) each time you partly or fully depress the shutter button.

For manual focusing one should generally avoid the automatic focusing

point selection feature, as it is not appropriate here; rather, you

should select the central focusing point sensor (the most sensitive

and accurate sensor) and place it at the desired point on the subject

if you want the camera's "in focus" indicator to assist you in

determining optimal manual focus. After this, recompose if necessary

and take the picture. These cameras/lenses are easy to manually

focus if you have good eyesight, and there's always the "in focus"

indicator to assist you if you're unsure of yourself (it's not

foolproof, but damn near), and you can always opt for a split focusing

screen if desired. The latter may, depending on the type, cause

darkening of much of the viewfinder if used at apertures smaller than,

say, f5.6.

Note that the focus indicator operates ONLY when using EOS compatible

autofocus lenses. It does NOT operate when you mount manual focus

lenses via adaptors (e.g. T-mount lenses, Tamron adaptall lenses).

I owned a K1000 for a number of years (79-98) and used it a lot. It

was a good camera, considering the price. I know what you mean when

you say it is hard to focus. The viewfinder is quite small and dark

and there is no split focus screen. It is without a doubt one of the

more difficult cameras of it4s generation to focus. Now I own a EOS5

wich I also like. The viewfinder is huge and bright and the autofocus

is extremely accurate in low light since the camera has IR assisted

focusing. That is the good news. The bad news is that manual focusing

sucks for all autofocus cameras, and Canon sucks the most. The

viewfinder screens are simply not constructed for manual focusing.

You have no split focus and no microprisms. The screens for the EOS5

are interchangable, but there is no alternative suitable for manual

focusing (there is a good one for the EOS1n). Another problem is that

the manual focusing mechanisms on the cheaper lenses are virtually

useless. The pro level lenses have passable focusing mechanisms, but

they are nowhere near as good as the manual lenses used to be. But

you should not worry about this since the Canon autofocus system is

superb. It will not let you down.

I have an ElanIIe and a Tamron AF 28 - 200 mm lens. Compared to

focussing my old manual Ricoh KR5 (a Pentax -compatible and close

counterpart in many ways to the K1000)with its split-image finder, my

new system is a dream come true.

I do a lot of low light (event photography) work and night

photography. Here's what I've found:

1. The autofocus assist beam, when emitted from the camera or my Canon

380EX flash, works superbly. I've gotten in-focus, good exposures

using both the body's and flash's AF assist beams with the Elan's

built-in pop-up flash and the 380EX when shooting tests in BLIND

DARKNESS. You'd think they were shot in daylight; and in all cases I

purposely threw the lens way out of focus before shooting.

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2. A limitation of autofocussing seems to arise in conditions that are

in-between near, total darkness eg. some street scenes at night, and

a low-light situation eg. some large interiors such as meeting

facilities.

Here, I've learned that manual focus with the aid of the in-focus

indicator is best achieved by turning the focusing ring VERY slowly

once you know you're in the ballpark. I find the in-focus indicator is

better than my eyesight in judging focus in many night photography

conditions.

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3. I highly recommend Eye-Controlled-Focusing! So, if you go with

the Elan, spend a tiny bit more and get the ElanIIe.It performs

exceedingly well in all but the toughest of the above-mentioned

conditions (as likely would any AF system). The ElanIIe offers

eye-control in both horizonal and vertical positions (unlike the

horizontal-only A2E)and it really does get more sensitive to your eye

the more you calibrate it in as many levels of light as you can.

Calibration takes only a few seconds and involves setting CAL on your

mode dial and staring at flashing index squares while you depress the

shutter button half-way. It beeps and you're done. ( Don't forget to

do it vertically as well.)

Eye-control focus has it all over other AF modes (also available on

the Elan, though I never use them). For example, I'm shooting a model

standing in an archway. If the focusing index points are on the arch

and it's closer, of course the AF will focus on it. With eye-control

I simply look at the focus index square that falls on the model and

press the shutter to focus on her. Another example: I'm shooting in a

crowd situation and someone is standing closer to the lens that my

subject whom I've framed in my 'finder. Once again, I simply look at

my subject and press the shutter button half-way. If I then want to

shoot the nearer person, I simply have repeat the procedure, ALL

WITHOUT EVER HAVING TO RECOMPOSE. This makes you faster and more

likely to "capture the moment".

By the way, though the manual tells you to look at the focusing index

square to select it, you can look anywhere ABOVE the squares, press

the shutter half-way, and the camera will select the focusing square

nearest to where you're looking!

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I'm sure if you go with the ElanIIe and a Canon or Canon-dedicated

autofocus lens such as the Tamron, you will soon forget your

frustrations with old-fashioned split-prism finders. You're in for a

treat.

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I think some people are a bit intimidated by eye-control. That's a

shame, because I believe if more people had experienced what I have

using it, eye-control would sweep the industry.

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You can even use it to lock an exposure without moving the camera

either at all or very much: say you're concerned that a bright white

subject will fool your light meter and cause underexposure. You might

LOOK AT a medium toned area in your 'finder such as green grass in

sunlight, focus on it (thereby taking an exposure reading via Canon's

AIM system) press the exposure lock button to retain the reading, take

your finger off the shutter, look at your subject, and press the

shutter. Wild, huh?

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Good luck. Roy