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split focus

Started Dec 3, 2018 | Discussions thread
ProfHankD
ProfHankD Veteran Member • Posts: 9,147
Re: split focus

SmoothOperator wrote:

There are some nice split focus filters out there, but I'm wondering if other lenses like a pair of bifocals can be repurposed, or these graded optometrist test lenses, that step up a quarter of a diopter.

Does anyone make a circular splitfocus, where the center is closer, and the outside can be focused on the background. Somewhat like the minolta variable field lens.

Does the accessory lens need to have the same optical center, or can you basically wave a magnifying glass in frontof the lens.

The old Minolta 24mm f/2.8 VFC (Variable Field Curvature) lens is definitely the way to go. There's one under $400 on eBay now (and several more expensive).

The really cheap alternative is, if you have a sufficiently programmable camera, to capture 2 or more shots in a burst varying focus and then align and merge them in postprocessing. Quite a few cameras allow focus bracketing, but usually not with a very large change in focus distance....

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