Focus help with TT Artisan 50 mm f/1.2

[Jim White]

Hello, this is my only manual focus lens  and I really struggle nailing the focus with it. I did mainly buy it to play around with the f/1.2 aperture so that doesn't help! I find when shooting with it the focus looks dead on in the viewfinder or the LCD but when reviewing the image later on the computer or in camera the focus is off just enough to ruin the photo. I've tried most of the things I can think of: using a higher shutter speed, usually the case when shooting at f/1.2, as well as the various focus assist features built into the camera, focus peaking, groundglass, split image and zooming in while focusing. None seem to help me much. 

I have many years of manual focus experience using film cameras with no problem. But don't seem to have much luck with this lens on my Fuji's (xe-2s and xS10). Any help with this lens or advice on manual focusing in the digital age would be appreciated. Thanks, Jim White

[jerryy]

For what it is worth (HTH):

I use focus peaking quite a bit, with the highlights in white.

I use the joystick to move the focus box to where I would normally use for auto focus, then push in the rear command dial. This zooms in, filling the evf or lcd with only the part of the image that is inside that focus box area. My X-T30 has two levels of zoom, rotate the rear command dial to swap between them, usually I just leave it at the maximum zoomed in level, but normal usage seems to kick this between the two settings (the size of the focus box tells you at a glance which level you are in). Pushing the rear command dial again takes you back to regular full screen viewing.

Once zoomed in, rotating the focus ring in the lens will move the focus in or out of course, but after a short time the white pixels from the highlights will start dancing to show you where the focus is. As you slowly, repeat slowly, did I mention slowly?, rotate the ring, the dancing pixels will either disappear or more of them will appear. As you sweep back and forth, find where the most dancing pixels are and take the shot. If there are not any or very few dancing pixels, you are probably not in focus.

I use the white - highlights menu setting mostly for the usual type of contrast in the scenes I find because their dancing pattern catches my vision quickly, but the other colors and lows vs highs also work for differing contrast scenery.

Edited April 8, 2022 by jerryy

[Jim White]

Thank you both for your tips. I will give focus peaking another try. It drove me a bit crazy the first few time I used it. I also bought the lens just for the f/1.2 and the narrow depth of field, if I stop it down I think I'll just use my Fuji 18-55 instead. That and I think auto focus has ruined me!

[jerryy]

Hang in there! Patience with practice pays.

if you use the technique with a wide angle lens instead of a normal or telephoto lens you can see the focus ‘line’ sweep from front to back or from one side to the other if you orient portrait-wise.

 

[Sany]

On 4/8/2022 at 11:25 PM, jerryy said:

but after a short time the white pixels from the highlights will start dancing to show you where the focus is.

Hi @jerryy - just to clarify, are you referring here to 'focus peaking' or is there some other setting that you are referring to to see the dancing pixels? I am having the X-S10. Thank you.

[jerryy]

Yes, yes I am referring to 'focus peaking'. It takes some practice, but it works well for me when I am using manual focus lenses (or auto focus lenses in manual focus mode).

Once you get used to it (or any of the other techniques) you can become fast using it and, if you are careful, you can get the focus very specific beyond what auto focus gives you. For a lens with such a shallow depth of field (f1.2) that Jim White is wanting to use it with, sometimes the auto-focus box will be very close, but manual focus will be right there -- if you can get it to work.

[jerryy]

On 4/13/2022 at 5:43 PM, Jim White said:

...

Edited April 18, 2022 by jerryy

[jerryy]

2 minutes ago, jerryy said:

 

@Fujiron posted an image in the Nature >> Flowers thread using this lens at f1.2. It looks good and shows it is possible.

[jerryy]

7 minutes ago, cpX said:

Maybe you have a link for the photo in original resolution? I would be interested to see this in big.

You will have to ask @Fujiron.

Edited April 18, 2022 by jerryy

[Fujiron]

48 minutes ago, cpX said:

Maybe you have a link for the photo in original resolution? I would be interested to see this in big.

This is a little larger and better resolution. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=5314956068549628&set=pcb.5007175032699516

[Fujiron]

23 minutes ago, cpX said:

If I click on the link, then it says on the Facebook page that the content is not available...

Sorry then it is the only site where I have a larger file posted.

[Fujiron]

1 hour ago, cpX said:

If I click on the link, then it says on the Facebook page that the content is not available...

Go to FB and look in the Fuji X Users Group and the Ultimate Fuji X Users Group and you'll find them there.

[Sany]

It would be good if people start adopting other alternatives other than FB. Hating FB because they force people to login even those who want to stay away from the social media thingy. We must explore other venues. While instagram and Flikr are social media they are very limited and focused which is good but there is no way to create a group and to host high res images. It is sad we are unable to look at the pics.

[Jim White]

Thanks again everyone for your advice and encouragement. I will keep at it. I do occasionally get an in focus shot but I never know for sure...:) I also mainly use Flickr for posting photos, I would include a link but it seems that can be problematic for people to view. Thanks again, time to put the TT lens back on the camera and get to work! Jim White

[Sleeping Dog]

One thing to realize about the TT Artisans 50mm F1.2 is that wide open, the focus is a bit soft, by F2.8 the image becomes tack sharp. 

As other's have mentioned, focus peaking is very helpful, but consider changing the peaking color, depending on the background and subject you're shooting, as you want the peaking color to be as distinctive as possible.