M6II: Tips to focus correctly

StrugglingforLight wrote:

R2D2 wrote:

StrugglingforLight wrote:

R2D2 wrote:

StrugglingforLight wrote:

R2D2 wrote:

Badlagar wrote:

R2D2 wrote:

Badlagar wrote:

MyM6II wrote:

Badlagar wrote:

R2D2 wrote:

Badlagar wrote:

Hello,

I was this days playing a lot with the M6II and while some of my photos were perfectly focused with the 22mm, some of them were not so good.

I am not sure what is the best mode to set the autofocus and how to do it properly.

Do you know any guide/video/tutorial about how to correctly setup the focus and how to properly take photos with this camera? If not, could you give me some tips?

Spot AF with Servo delivers for everything. Nearly a 100% keeper rate!

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/64108171

R2

Thank you for the answers! I was testing and I do not know if something is misconfigured or there is some step that I am not doing.

I set Spot AF and Servo AF. Then focus point is now in the center of the screen (I use the EVF to take photos), I point in the center to the place I want to focus and then reframe the photo but the focus point is in the center so I lose the focus.

Is there anything that I am not doing correctly?

If you are using the (old?) reframing technique, you should not use Servo AF. Use One Shot instead. (And turn off continuous focus in the menu.)

When you are using Servo AF you should always keep the focus point over the subject that you want to have in focus.

Yes I use the "old" but being sincere, I do not know the new

How is the new technique using the Servo?

Remove focus from the shutter button completely! Use the AF-On (back button) to focus. The camera will focus whenever you have the button pressed, and will stop focusing when you let up. Easy peasy.

If you're a left-hemisphere person, you can instead configure the AF-On button to "Stop Focus" instead. ...or was that right-hemisphere?

R2

ps. Keep in mind that the AF will not focus on horizontal lines. If you come across this, just rotate the camera about 30 degrees and then lock focus (remove thumb from the AF-On button).

I have to test this, really makes sense.

Having that kind of AF flexibility at the touch of a button is really nice, and matches up perfectly with how I like to shoot. I keep the camera in Servo AF mode 100% of the time.

Other folks really love using the shutter button for focusing, but you do need to find a way to lock focus if you’re using Servo (and recomposing).

I like to have servo enabled 100% of the time. With the above method, you can stop the AF at any time to lock the focus, and thus not need One Shot AF at all.

R2

For those of us without the AF lock button (or using the shutter button for focusing)

You need to create an “AF lock button.” It’s not pre-programmed.

You simply go into the “Customize buttons” menu and reprogram the function of the AF-ON button (the button surrounded by the “MF/AF” switch). Instead of using it for focusing, you can reprogram it to Stop Focus instead (the shutter button is still used for focusing).

So now any time you hold down the “AF-ON” button, it will stop the camera from focusing. And as long as you are holding down the “AF-ON” button, you can press and release the shutter button any number of times, and the camera will not try to refocus. Take your thumb off the button, and normal operation resumes.

how would we lock focus with Servo AF mode?

Once you’re in the “Customize buttons” menu (which is “C.FnIII:Operation/Others”), hit “SET” and then scroll down to the button you want to reprogram (in this case the AF-ON button). Hit “SET” which takes you to the large selection of choices for that button, and scroll over to “AF-OFF” (AF stop), hit “SET.” Voila!

Would we have to switch to One Shot AF?

No. I haven’t used One Shot AF in years. Instead I use the AF-ON button for focusing (and have focusing removed from the Shutter Button), so any time I want to lock focus, I just lift my thumb off of the AF-ON button. I can start and stop (and pump) the autofocus any time I want.

It takes a little while getting used to focusing this way, but the control and flexibility are unmatched.

You can of course go the “AF stop” route, which is essentially the opposite of BBAF, but it’s up to you (and how your own brain works) .

Have fun playing around!

R2

ps. The one instance that “One Shot AF” can be helpful (in my experience), is if the light levels are super low and the Servo AF is struggling. Switching to One Shot AF can help with focus acquisition.

I meant how would someone with a camera (in my case the M200) without an AF Button, work around that limitation? In that case we would have to use One Shot AF?

Ooops. Didn't realize you weren't talking about the M6ii.

Edit: I see in the manual it's possible to set the * button to AF lock.

Give it a try and be sure to report back!

R2

It does work. Half press shutter to focus, press and hold the * button to AF Lock (keep holding until shot is taken). You can release the shutter, which would've been harder to hold in position.:-D Recompose. Press shutter button to take shot.

Feels awkward but maybe it's something I'll get use to.

Edit: Just discovered a "better" option. Set Custom Function of the * button to AE/AF, no AE lock. With this option the focusing is taken away from the shutter button and placed on the * button. Pressing the * button focuses and locks the focus, behaving like One Shot AF. Pressing and holding the * button behaves like normal Servo AF. Pretty cool.

Edit 2: This is how it's described in the manual.

3. AE/AF, no AE lock
This is useful for subjects that keep moving and stopping repeatedly.
During Servo AF, you can press the * button to start or stop the
Servo AF operation. The exposure is set at the moment the picture is
taken. Thus, you can set your camera to always maintain the optimum
focusing and exposure and wait for the decisive moment.

Glad it's working for you!

I too actually prefer the back button for starting autofocus instead of stopping it.

R2