What % of your photos are made with manual focus?

[jkaufman]

<p>Greetings All,<br>

As an afterthought to Walter Strong's recent posting questioning our usage of various exposure modes, I would like to following question: <strong>What percentage of your photos are made with manual focus?</strong></p>

<p>My response is:</p>

<p>Nature shots = 100% (especially with live view)<br>

Snapshots of family = 10% or less</p>

<p>Regards,</p>

<p>Jason<br>

<b>[signature URL Removed]</b>

[bryanr]

<p>0.127%</p>

[KenPapai]

<p>Approx. 8% are MF.</p>

[brucecahn]

<p>I am new to Canon. I use whichever focus works. There are times when my favorite (85L) lens will not focus manually, which is what I prefer. I do not know why. I do have it set on manual at these times. If someone knows whether user ignorance causes this, please let me know so I will be less ignorant. The camera is a 5D2.</p>

[bobatkins]

<p>None unless the lens I'm using doesn't have AF (a few adapted lenses or a 2x TC on certain f4 telephotos)</p>

[trevor_martin]

<p>The only time I'm likely to use manual focus with my AF camera is when shooting macro, in which case I'm using liveview. My eyesight is so bad I have trouble manually focusing through my 40d's viewfinder. </p>

[Charles_Webster]

<p>100% of studio photos are with manual focus - mostly using LiveView.<br>

100% of landscape photos are with manual focus - none using LiveView.<br>

0% of event photos are with manual focus - I can's see and react as quickly as the auto focus.</p>

<p><Chas></p>

[stp]

<p>0.427%</p>

[jim_service]

<p>in the past it was 100% of the time, and i would prefer it were still so, with a couple exceptions (eg. auto racing, birds in flight etc.). but i feel that my 5d2 viewfinder is its major shortcoming and it is very difficult to do critical focusing with it.<br>

yes, live view is a solution but it is awkward, hard to see in the sun, and too slow for quick action and grab shots.<br>

for an example of a good viewfinder, find a nikon n90s and look through it. it's like standing at a picture window.</p>

[geoffs1]

<p>1973-2002: 100% MF<br>

2002-2005: 80% AF, 20% MF<br>

2005-present: 99.99% AF</p>

[ben_goren]

<p>When handheld, it’s usually autofocus but occasionally manual if the circumstances warrant

it. The most likely — though still rare — would be when the point of focus isn’t

near an AF point and focus-and-recompose isn’t an option.</p>

 

<p>When on a tripod, if there’s something in particular that needs to be at the center of the focal

plane, I use the Live View autofocus (the slow mode). It’s slow for autofocus, but both faster

<em>and</em> more accurate than I can do myself. But, if there’s a range of things I want in

acceptable focus, I do a bit of finger gymnastics and simultaneously hold the DoF button while

manually adjusting both focus and aperture (again in Live View).</p>

 

<p>If the viewfinder on the 5DII were comparable to the one on a Pentax ME Super, those ratios would

change in favor of manual focus.</p>

 

<p>Cheers,</p>

 

<p>b&</p>

[eric merrill]

<p>Very close to--but slightly more than--0%.</p>

<p>Usually just whenever I can't get autofocus to pick out a static subject because of an obstacle. That doesn't happen very often. And really doesn't result in a good picture, anyway. :)</p>

[paddler4]

<p>A large proportion of my macro shots. All of my macro shots with extension tubes. Very few non-macro shots.</p>

[chris_clarke3]

<p>It's 95% AF for me. Although I have been using MF a lot more since I got the 100L. There was a good recent thread on this on the FM Canon mount forum.<br />I've now started playing with my 50mm on MF and I just ordered the E-GS focusing screen for my 5D2 and we will see what happens!</p>

[John Crowe]

<p>For the past 27 years it's been manual focus. I recently got an autofocus converter for my Nikon lenses so while 100% of my landscapes, architecture and portraiture are still manual focus about 50% of my sports shots are now autofocus, although I will be re-evaluating that amount this year since my best shots are still manual focus.</p>

[mbkissel]

<p>Very close to 0%. </p>

[savagesax]

Depends on the lens. Macro lens work will have to be manual focus. With TS-E lenses you have no choice! Selective focus comes in handy when needed. Therefore I'd say about 95% is auto focus.

[steven_f1]

<p>For me I would guess its about 20% manual focus. It depends a lot on what I am doing. </p>

<blockquote>

<p>I am new to Canon. I use whichever focus works. There are times when my favorite (85L) lens will not focus manually, which is what I prefer. I do not know why. I do have it set on manual at these times. If someone knows whether user ignorance causes this, please let me know so I will be less ignorant. The camera is a 5D2</p>

</blockquote>

<p>When the lens is in manual focus <em>you are focusing mechanism</em>. If you cannot get it to focus <em>you</em> are doing something wrong. Perhaps you are getting to close to the subject. Most lenses are limited as to how close you can get to the subject. The 85L has a minimum focusing distand of 3.2 feet (0.95m). If you cannot focus it but the camera can in auto focus mode then it might be the diopter setting of the viewfinder. Most viewfinders can be adjusted for people that wear glasses. If that is not set correctly the image may appear to be out of focus to you but will be correctly focused in the final image (in auto focus mode).</p>

[steve_robertson2]

<p>Event & indoor available light<br>

20% with 5d/mk2, ~2% with 7d.</p>

[david_oskarsson1]

<p>Previously with my 30D: Next to never.<br>

Now with 7D: Probably it's going to be 10% or more (Live view/ better VF)</p>

[borek_lupomesky]

<p>Approximately 90%.<br>

All my lenses save one are manual focus.</p>

[robert gordon]

<p>When using my 40 year old Leica M2, the percentage is 100.</p>

[cow]

<p>Bruce Cahn,<br>

if memory serves me right, the 85L will not manual focus in any of the full auto modes on the 5D II. Its a quirk.</p>

<p>hope this helps.<br>

jason</p>

[tveck]

About 60% to 70%. Most of landscape and macro;s are with MF, using a Katz-eye or put it at the hyperfocalpoint. But with a Nikon, which I think doesn't matter.

[bert_liza2]

<p>I have a 5D2 and for my EF 24-70L and 70-200L f2.8 IS, I use AF almost all the time. On my EF 35f2.0 and an EF85f1.8, wide open, I find AF a hit or miss and therefore use MF whenever possible wide open. I have Nikkor MF lenses, a 35mm f1.4 AIS and a 50mm f1.2 AIS which I use exclusively for low light and for better DOF control (f2.0 or wider) and a 20mm f3.5 AIS for my occasional UWA needs. For more accurate MF at f2.0 or wider, I have depended on 10X Live View rather than my EG-S focusing screen.</p>