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Focus peaking on x100s

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Wesley Wong

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Hopefully I don't get nuclear'd here, but I had the chance to play with the latest Fuji X100s, and tested the focus peaking....it's no where near the K-01/K30.

Tested on a typical restaurant scene from near tablet to a wall, about 20ft away, similar luminance (lighting is tungsten), it peaks everywhere, and I set the aperture at F/2.0. Man....

Pentax/Ricoh still holds the crown on the implementation of focus peaking, making it so attractive for manual focusing. Wondering why they stop the development of K-01 where others are still playing catch up.

I rest my case....
 
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Thank you for the info, i'm still attracted to the Fuji X series, i like their philosophy but the system is still young. I will wait a little longer.
 
Wesley Wong said:
Wesley Wong wrote:

Pentax/Ricoh still holds the crown on the implementation of focus peaking, making it so attractive for manual focusing. Wondering why they stop the development of K-01 where others are still playing catch up.
Click to expand...
Hah, and I was thinking the focus peaking on my Q feels a bit vague and mushy, so I have to open up to focus and then stop down to shoot, or it's not fully accurate. Maybe that's just because the Q is exceptionally demanding.

I guess it honestly wouldn't surprise me if other makers were worse. But focus peaking in general could use some further work -- make it both more visible and more sensitive to the really fine focus differences, like have the halos change from orange to green as it gets really exact.
 
hold on a second... not nuking you however but I've seen the focus peaking with the K-01 and Pentax A 400mm F5.6 be useless on a river scene with ducks, all the ripples in and out of focus where lighting up as in focus with the focus peaking, the Pentax system isn't perfect either
 
On the K-01, I have a 50mm f/1.2 permanently mounted and find that focus peaking is very effective. For critical focus (e.g. when shooting with a large aperture), the magnified mode makes it easier.
 
The K 01 works for me for a few reasons. The Focus Peaking is a good part of it. Don't forget anti shake and the DNG files.

I really wish they would come up with an improved model that would have possibly better AF. It is a lot of fun and I really do not want to go back to an SLR.
 
Wesley Wong said:
Wesley Wong wrote:

Pentax/Ricoh still holds the crown on the implementation of focus peaking, making it so attractive for manual focusing.
Click to expand...
Nonsense.
Wesley Wong said:
Wondering why they stop the development of K-01 where others are still playing catch up.
Click to expand...
Focus peaking has been a standard feature on camcorders before Pentax even started making digital cameras. It was never implemented on still SLR cameras as the mirror is usually in the way. Sony brought it to still cameras with Nex as they saw many people were using those cameras with old manual focus lenses. To somehow claim Pentax is inventor of focus peaking (LOL) is outright silly. .

Unlike focus peaking (which has been around for a a decade), Fuji X100s does have something original that helps in manual focusing. It's called split screen focusing. Look that up.
 
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ET2 said:
ET2 wrote:
ET2 said:
Wesley Wong wrote:

Pentax/Ricoh still holds the crown on the implementation of focus peaking, making it so attractive for manual focusing.
Click to expand...
Nonsense.
Click to expand...
Pentax Ricoh does indeed hold the crown, but not with the K-01.

In my own personal experience, Pentax's focus-peaking on the K-01 is better than Sony's on the RX100, while the Ricoh GXR's Mode 2 focus-peaking with non-digital full-screen magnification easily beats all.
 
ET2 said:
ET2 wrote:
ET2 said:
Wesley Wong wrote:

Pentax/Ricoh still holds the crown on the implementation of focus peaking, making it so attractive for manual focusing.
Click to expand...
Nonsense.
ET2 said:
Wondering why they stop the development of K-01 where others are still playing catch up.
Click to expand...
Focus peaking has been a standard feature on camcorders before Pentax even started making digital cameras. It was never implemented on still SLR cameras as the mirror is usually in the way. Sony brought it to still cameras with Nex as they saw many people were using those cameras with old manual focus lenses. To somehow claim Pentax is inventor of focus peaking (LOL) is outright silly.
Click to expand...

You're right, however it is great that pentax/ricoh was able to bring the same to us - pentaxian (and even before Nikon, Canon, Olympus, Samsung...) ;)
ET2 said:
Unlike focus peaking (which has been around for a a decade), Fuji X100s does have something original that helps in manual focusing. It's called split screen focusing. Look that up.
Click to expand...
I know this technology, but I'm not too convinced. I doubt it works better in practice than focus peaking.
Though I like much fuji's innovative spirit and solutions.
 
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anthony mazzeri said:
anthony mazzeri wrote:
anthony mazzeri said:
ET2 wrote:
anthony mazzeri said:
Wesley Wong wrote:

Pentax/Ricoh still holds the crown on the implementation of focus peaking, making it so attractive for manual focusing.
Click to expand...
Nonsense.
Click to expand...
Pentax Ricoh does indeed hold the crown, but not with the K-01.

In my own personal experience, Pentax's focus-peaking on the K-01 is better than Sony's on the RX100, while the Ricoh GXR's Mode 2 focus-peaking with non-digital full-screen magnification easily beats all.
Click to expand...
It may be, or then it does not. However Sony's focus peaking works also during Video recording, and that's great.
 
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temama said:
temama wrote:
temama said:
anthony mazzeri wrote:
temama said:
ET2 wrote:
temama said:
Wesley Wong wrote:

Pentax/Ricoh still holds the crown on the implementation of focus peaking, making it so attractive for manual focusing.
Click to expand...
Nonsense.
Click to expand...
Pentax Ricoh does indeed hold the crown, but not with the K-01.

In my own personal experience, Pentax's focus-peaking on the K-01 is better than Sony's on the RX100, while the Ricoh GXR's Mode 2 focus-peaking with non-digital full-screen magnification easily beats all.
Click to expand...
It may be, or then it does not. However Sony's focus peaking works also during Video recording, and that's great.
Click to expand...
There is simply no may be or may be not be about it. In my personal experience, the GXR Mode 2 with magnfication is the clear-cut hands-down beat-all crown-holding winner when it comes to focus-peaking. Have you actually tried it yourself to claim others may be just as good or better?

I actually use my Sony RX100 with focus-peaking turned off because it's more a hindrance than a help, especially during video where using my naked eye to judge focus actually works better for me instead of having practically everything on the screen shimmering with highights. So not so great as you claim.
 
anthony mazzeri said:
anthony mazzeri wrote:
anthony mazzeri said:
temama wrote:
anthony mazzeri said:
anthony mazzeri wrote:
anthony mazzeri said:
ET2 wrote:
anthony mazzeri said:
Wesley Wong wrote:

Pentax/Ricoh still holds the crown on the implementation of focus peaking, making it so attractive for manual focusing.
Click to expand...
Nonsense.
Click to expand...
Pentax Ricoh does indeed hold the crown, but not with the K-01.

In my own personal experience, Pentax's focus-peaking on the K-01 is better than Sony's on the RX100, while the Ricoh GXR's Mode 2 focus-peaking with non-digital full-screen magnification easily beats all.
Click to expand...
It may be, or then it does not. However Sony's focus peaking works also during Video recording, and that's great.
Click to expand...
There is simply no may be or may be not be about it. In my personal experience, the GXR Mode 2 with magnfication is the clear-cut hands-down beat-all crown-holding winner when it comes to focus-peaking. Have you actually tried it yourself to claim others may be just as good or better?
Click to expand...
I've used Pentax K-01 and NEX-6 focus peaking features. I have not tried GXR Mode 2 magnfication , only read about it. But also Sony's focus peaking works with magnfication. Actually it's very handy in DMF (direct manual focusing override during AF ) magnfication mode.
anthony mazzeri said:
I actually use my Sony RX100 with focus-peaking turned off because it's more a hindrance than a help, especially during video where using my naked eye to judge focus actually works better for me instead of having practically everything on the screen shimmering with highights. So not so great as you claim.
Click to expand...
Do you think so?

Well, I have not used the RX100. But I really like how focus peaking works with NEX-6, I use it all the time, never off. Have you actually tried NEX-6 focus peaking?
 
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temama said:
temama wrote:

Well, I have not used the RX100. But I really like how focus peaking works with NEX-6, I use it all the time, never off. Have you actually tried NEX-6 focus peaking?
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No, not the NEX. I imagine Sony's focus-peaking is implemented the same across all their cameras as I can't see why they would make it different for each camera. If it is indeed different/better than the RX100 then I can't include it in my personal experience opinion.
 
anthony mazzeri said:
anthony mazzeri wrote:
anthony mazzeri said:
temama wrote:

Well, I have not used the RX100. But I really like how focus peaking works with NEX-6, I use it all the time, never off. Have you actually tried NEX-6 focus peaking?
Click to expand...
No, not the NEX. I imagine Sony's focus-peaking is implemented the same across all their cameras as I can't see why they would make it different for each camera. If it is indeed different/better than the RX100 then I can't include it in my personal experience opinion.
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RX100 has smaller sensor (1") and relatively slow zoom (F1.8 - F4.9). That's why (large DOF) it may be problematic to use focus peaking with it. Because most of the field is in focus, and everything on the screen shimmering with highlights ;)
 
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ET2, don't get me wrong, in my original post I never claimed Pentax to originate the technology. We all know the technology was long used in video cams, however, I'm just sharing the experience of it on the X100s vs Ricoh/Pentax.

I tested the new X100s with full anticipation of something exciting but it just fall short of expectation. The digital split screen is a good attempt (sincerely) however in actual use, it's just harder to use.

I also have a Ricoh GXR on hand, and yes the Peaking Mode 2 (monochrome) is really awesome. Fastest ever to achieve focus manually with the lenses I tested (Voigtlander 40/2, from f2 to f8).

The omission of peaking during video mode on the Pentax K01/K30 has been discussed at length for a year, and we can only hope somehow, things get improved in future products. Even the omission of this feature from the K5 II/ IIs is mind boggling.

Cheers...Wes
 
Xerox invented the mouse but they never really got the PC thing down. Ricoh Pentax has the Focus Peaking quite developed as well as some other areas. I would like it during video. That would be a great help. However, as a whole, the K 01 and other products are great. Not perfect, but have some unique and highly useful abilities.
 
JoeDaBassPlayer said:
JoeDaBassPlayer wrote:

Xerox invented the mouse but they never really got the PC thing down. Ricoh Pentax has the Focus Peaking quite developed as well as some other areas.
Click to expand...
There is nothing much to "develop" here. All focus peaking does is highlight edges on the screen that are sharpest. Sony was able to do it just with a firmware upgrade on the original Nex-5/3.. This technique has been around for years. There are third-party monitors (also around for years) that can do this with any camera. You can do this on Canon cameras with Magic Lantern (which is free firmware) (http://www.magiclantern.fm/ ).

Pentax/Ricoh was neither the first to bring it to still cameras, nor is their version any better (as it doesn't work in video mode).

There is much ado about nothing here. For a still camera (especially a DSLR) PDAF auto focus performance is far more important. Isn't that one of the main reason to buy a DSLR over mirrorless?
 
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ET2 said:
ET2 wrote:

There is much ado about nothing here. For a still camera (especially a DSLR) PDAF auto focus performance is far more important. Isn't that one of the main reason to buy a DSLR over mirrorless?
Click to expand...
Not really as some still like using their old MF lenses and focus peaking with a Pentax is also a blessing.

Hey, that is one reason why there are also a lot of Canon users using a FW mod to use old Super Takumars on their system (aside form just using MF w/ those excellent lenses of course)
 
ET2 said:
ET2 wrote:
Click to expand...
ET2 said:
There is nothing much to "develop" here. All focus peaking does is highlight edges on the screen that are sharpest. Sony was able to do it just with a firmware upgrade on the original Nex-5/3.. This technique has been around for years. There are third-party monitors (also around for years) that can do this with any camera. You can do this on Canon cameras with Magic Lantern (which is free firmware) (http://www.magiclantern.fm/ ).
Click to expand...
True. But Sony's "offical" focus peaking implementation is better than magic lantern unoffical hack. Also Pentax/Ricoh focus peaking is better, but it does not work for video yet - which is a pity.
 
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