Manual focussing through the OVF eyepiece. Experiences please.

In film SLR days, all (perhaps not all) the eyepieces had split image viewfinders and/or microprism collars to help focus. The top end OM SLRs (like my OM4Ti) had interchangeable focussing screens. Split image viewfinders were fast, but how accurate were they?

Using magnified live view on the rear LCD screen (or on MILCs that come with an EVF) is very accurate but is not all that fast in my opinion. Its also difficult if you need reading glasses (and they are buried at the botom of a bag) as there is no dioptre asjustment on the rear screen!


So my question is how do you cope manually focussing through the OVF eyepiece on today's 4/3rd DSLRs? Is it accurate and is it fast or is it impossible. I know one answer is to find a model where you can install 3rd party Katseye focussing screens (so back to split image focussing), but what do most people do who haven't done this and if you have done this how fast/accurate is it compared to magnified live view?

On occasion, I use manual focus on my e-3, the plain ground glass that comes with the camera works fine for me. The split prism on the OM film cameras (and others) was nice, but not absolutely necessary IMHO.

In my experience, the E-510 (and by extension, the other three-digit bodies) is woefully inaccurate for fine manual focus. The E-30 is leagues better and the E-5, better still.

My suspicion is that especially with the pentamirror cameras, they're relying on microprisms to enhance viewfinder brightness and in turn, surrending accuracy. The pentaprism bodies seem much more accurate. This was taken with the E-30 and an 85/1.4 @ 1.4, handheld.


http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2675/4009477206_7a611dc723_z.jpg?zz=1

Cheers,

Rick

I posted the same question a while back. I'm getting older and as good as the OVF is, I have a problem with manual focus on my E3.

I didn't resolve much and right now I stay with Live View for critical shots. As you pointed out, it's not very satisfactory in a lot of situations but there aren't many alternatives.

I did consider the Katz Eye options but indications are that they affect metering and I'm not sure I want to open that can of worms. I might if my eyes get any worse though.

I'd be interested in what you decide so hopefully you can post something when you get a chance.

Thanks

Dave

Manual focusing at times can be a problem with 4/3 bodies. I constantly have to press shutter or otherwise the focus by wire is dead and turning the lens won't have effect. For shooting non moving object, I just turn on the live view on the E5, and focus though slower is more accurate and sharp. For fast moving object, I just pre focus.

Jakop

Before I got my Lumix G1 I was using my e-410 (smallish dimmish OVF) to manually focus old 50mm F1.8 lenses.

I had no trouble at all, however I expected mifocussed along with focussed results and always took a few frames of the same object.

With those old lenses it is a pleasure to bracket focus and take as many frames as I expected to need.

If I only have one chance (like ... never) I'd really want to go to an EVF and magnified view for the job.

OM User said:

OM User wrote:

In film SLR days, all (perhaps not all) the eyepieces had split image viewfinders and/or microprism collars to help focus. The top end OM SLRs (like my OM4Ti) had interchangeable focussing screens. Split image viewfinders were fast, but how accurate were they?

Click to expand...

I used to own an OM-10 and then an OM-40, the split prism was very useful for sure, but only on very bright lenses. If you stuck a modest telephoto on, they became useless (one half used to go black), and you had to judge focus by eye on the matte screen.

OM User said:

Using magnified live view on the rear LCD screen (or on MILCs that come with an EVF) is very accurate but is not all that fast in my opinion. Its also difficult if you need reading glasses (and they are buried at the botom of a bag) as there is no dioptre asjustment on the rear screen!

Click to expand...

I feel for you there. I wear specs for distance, but need to remove them for reading now (only started happening recently). I have to take them off to see the screen in focus - which is a bit easier, but you still have to find somewhere to put them. It is all wasted time.

OM User said:

So my question is how do you cope manually focussing through the OVF eyepiece on today's 4/3rd DSLRs? Is it accurate and is it fast or is it impossible. I know one answer is to find a model where you can install 3rd party Katseye focussing screens (so back to split image focussing), but what do most people do who haven't done this and if you have done this how fast/accurate is it compared to magnified live view?

Click to expand...

I actually get on OK with the OVF on my E-420, and use the technique on 'centring' the focus by moving backwards and forwards either side of the focus point, then judging where the centre is.

FWIW I tried an alternative focus screen on my E-1, but it really screwed up metering (by as much as 2 stops).

E-1/3/30/5 are generally easy to manually focus.
The E-### cameras have much smaller, more tunnel like VFs and are generally much more difficult to manually focus.. The E-620 was a slight step in the direction of "Better" but not much...
Having said that, I have done, and still do it with all of them.

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Larry Lynch
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Been following this thread as I also am playing with legacy glass, but mine are all Minolta as that was my 35mm film gear.

I have for this playing, my 50mm/f 1.2 and the Minolta Bellows unit. Both can be mounted to my little e-420. From the Goodwill site, I bid and won a Minolta 45mm/F2.0 lens in like new condition. This 45mm lens is a pancake and mounted on the e-420 is a ideal street lens. Manual focus is preset for where I may be at, by taking a shot to confirm focus. The problem for us 4/3 folks using old glass is the 2x crop factor, so my little 45mm lens is an effective field of view of 90mm, but at f/2.0.

Have a look at my pBase gallery for some of my Legacy Glass stuff at http://www.pbase.com/paulm2/legacy_lens

I have not used the bellows unit as of yet and referring back to previous posts on this thread about focus, I expect it to be quite difficult. Current plan is to obtain focus via live view and the 10x magnifier all on a tripod.

I obtained a "Tablet" awhile ago and have been searching for an "APP" to control the camera similar to what Olympus Studio2 does. Now if we had either a Canon or a Nikon high end model we could both use the "Tablet" for focus as well as camera control. From what I have found Olympus DSLR do not have this preview feature.

Last October I ordered a "TriggerTrap" from the INTERNET. The device itself ( a Dongle that plugs into the audio port of the Tablet) arrived in 3 days, but the cable that connects the camera (e-420) to this Dongle arrived in yesterdays mail from Hong Kong via the UK/Germany. I have not tried this yet. It will not let me focus via the tablet screen, but will allow shutter trip and all kinds of shutter control. Have a look at the TriggerTrap site.

Earlier Olympus cameras (P&S) had the ability to preview a shot on a TV. The downside was the avilable resolution on such a hook-up, very low, down on the 480 range. DSLR cameras do not hook-up to a TV for preview as far as I can figure out.

But using the e-410 with the Minolta 45mm lens, pre-focused, has resulted in some great flower shots hand held. (Manual focus, take a shot, touch up the focus if required and take your keeper shots.)

Paul

Maybe it's because I have been manually focusing since I started shooting 25 years ago but I have never had a issue doing it with any of my 4/3s bodies including the 300 and 330. Doing it with the E 5 and E 3 is just a joy as I never did like the split screen on my OM-g.

The only time I use AF is for moving things like birds in flight, bugs in flight or breaching whales because there isn't time to manually focus. Other than that I feel the camera is just guessing at what you want and even with AF a quick tweek will get me the sharpest shot possible.

It's a circular looking thing, but I can't off-hand remember the magnification. Slips right onto where your eye cup goes.

Not sure if this would be of help to you or not.

General shooting:
as an old time OM user and amateur astronomer I don't have any problems with OVF MF provided that there is enough contrast in the subject.

I also have the dandelion chip in each of my three OM-4/3 adapters and they do work well for me to assist in lower light situations.

I find it helps to scan the image looking at many different part of it, and to slightly rack the focus in/out as I get close to the sharp spot and then to half the final in-out.

Of course MF with the lens wide open, and then any stop down will increase dof and (hopefully) hide any MF error.

Macro Shooting:
I have a set of OM macro lenses (50/3.5 80/4, 135/4.5) and use them more often than the ZD macros. When mounted on the OM bellows you get very precise focus control via the bellows, but even then when the light is poor or at very high magnifications where I'm using macro flash I find OVF focussing is near impossible. My OM system Macro flash units all have built-in 'modelling' lamps but I don't have the necessary DC power supply for them. This is when I find the Live View magnified focussing most useful.

Peter

I always use my E5 with S-AF+M or C-AF+M with both the 12-60 and the 50-200 with or without the EC14 and prefocus manually for most things including BIF's. I used SLR's with manual focus for years and have no problem with manual focus with the E5 and the above lenses since the manual focus is very good with those lenses. However, I find it much more difficult to focus with lenses which focus by wire (not the same feel or response) and much more difficult with any lens on my E510 since the viewfinder is not nearly as bright.

With my old E500 manual focusing was not easy. The tunnel like OVF doesn't help much and the mate glass also. Is possible, but it take long time.

On my E-PL2 is very easy, you can magnify the view in the EVF (added EVF) or on the LCD and you don't need a special screen. Having an EVF was the first motif to buy an E-PL2.

Bought an E620 with twin kitlens in 2009. Had trouble time to figure out what is/are my next AF ZD lens to but in the meantime play around with old legacy manual focus lens bought cheaply on Ebay. I use spectacles but so far not much problem seeing through the E620 tunnel in good light of course.


1. 28mm/f2.8 OM-->24mm/f2.8 (m42) macro


-quite easy to focus with just OVF alone with occasional misfocus, for macro shot live view without magnification is just fine.


24mm f2.8

2. 50mm f1.8 OM

-easiest to focus using OVF alone- minimal misfocus, use live view occasionally




50mm f1.8

3. 135mm f2.8

-OVF alone is enough, never use in live view




135mm f2.8

4. 200mm f3.5 (M42)

-OVF alone ,no problem with misfocus




200mm f3.5

5. 300mm 5.6 (M42)

-OVF alone, occasional misfocus probably because of longer FL




300mm f5.6

Nothing will beat AF from your beloved 50-200ZD/ 12-60ZD for most of shot above, but with just 2 kitlens playing with manual focus lens can be quite fun.

























































--
Azimliza

I must thank everyone who took the trouble to reply and spend some time improving my own performance.

I guess you are still using some of your OM lens on your EM5. It must feels nice to use top of the line SLR even the manual focus one. Unfortunately I only started photography in 1995 with Nikon P&S film camera up to year 2003 when it was stolen. I use the manual focus lens to get some feel how people from yesteryears using the SLR, during time that I was not likely able to afford such thing.