How / how well does manual focus work on Fuji?

[Azimuth Jones]

I'm interested in using the Mitakon Zhongyi speedmaster 35mm f/0.95 on APS-C for low light, high ISO event shots indoors, without flash.

I do not own any Fuji gear yet and wondered how manual focus works with this lens.

I was also looking into this lens with a Sony a6xxx body and was told that focus peaking by itself could be inaccurate and that magnification with an unchipped lens couldn't be invoked automatically so you also needed to assign a button to manually push each time to invoke magnification.

That seems a little clunky, so I was wondering if focus peaking + magnification was any better with an X-T2 or X-T30.

 

[Tom Schum]

I have the Mitakon 35mm F 0.95 Mark II x-mount lens and use it with my Fuji X-E1 and X-T3.

Yes you always will have to push something to engage the focus magnifier with a non-electronic manual lens. The camera will not figure this out by itself.

I have the default in the X-E1: you need to push the control wheel on the back of the camera, then turn it to get two different magnifications.

In the X-T3 I have the default, same as on the X-E1, and the function button to the right of it. Pushing the control wheel can change the focus mode if you hold it down too long, so I put the magnifier also on the AF-L button.

With the magnifier and focus highlighting, it is very easy to focus the Mitakon. I don't understand why some people would complain about this.

When you are viewing an image you've previously captured, pressing the control wheel will zoom into the image to the location where you had the focus area centered. This way, it is very easy to check for good focus after the shot.

 

[JNR]

I'm interested in using the Mitakon Zhongyi speedmaster 35mm f/0.95 on APS-C for low light, high ISO event shots indoors, without flash.

I do not own any Fuji gear yet and wondered how manual focus works with this lens.

I was also looking into this lens with a Sony a6xxx body and was told that focus peaking by itself could be inaccurate and that magnification with an unchipped lens couldn't be invoked automatically so you also needed to assign a button to manually push each time to invoke magnification.

That seems a little clunky, so I was wondering if focus peaking + magnification was any better with an X-T2 or X-T30.

Just adding to how Tom responded, I can't help but be a bit less diplomatic.

Focus peaking isn't precise, and certainly not so at 35/f/0.95. This is a very narrow DoF.

So, you seriously think that - at your option - designating a button to magnify a scene for accurate focusing (whether it be focus peaking or standard view, or split focus) - qualifies as "a little bit clunky"? What did you have in mind exactly? Mental telepathy?

For the record, I strongly recommend that you would want to use the standard view for any kind of magnified focusing - at least that is the case when shooting Fuji. As for X-T2 vs. the X-T30 for manually focusing, you want to go with the X-T2 because the viewfinder is larger and brighter, allowing for precise levels that Sony bodies have never exhibited in anything on a crop sensor body.

Not that the X-T30 viewfinder is much of a problem... certainly far better than the Sony 6-series viewfinders - but that isn't saying much regarding the ability to focus properly in MF.

 

[Inukim]

Magnification is going to be more precise than peaking, especially with a F0.95 lens. I prefer to have magnification enabled by a button press rather than automatically so I can frame easier. It is another step, but I like it better than way.

 

[Tom Schum]

Magnification is going to be more precise than peaking, especially with a F0.95 lens. I prefer to have magnification enabled by a button press rather than automatically so I can frame easier. It is another step, but I like it better than way.

Yes, with Fuji electronic lenses you can have the magnification kick in automatically when you start to rotate the focus ring.

--
Tom Schum
Copper: Mankind's favorite electrical conductor

 

[Azimuth Jones]

So, you seriously think that - at your option - designating a button to magnify a scene for accurate focusing (whether it be focus peaking or standard view, or split focus) - qualifies as "a little bit clunky"? What did you have in mind exactly? Mental telepathy?

The answer to your question is that I'd wondered if there was, for example, an option to automatically invoke both peaking and a magnification insert when the lens was turned, as I know that peaking itself can automatically be invoked with lens turns in some camera bodies.

I've gotten helpful answers from other respondents that address this already.

 

[Azimuth Jones]

Thanks, That's one option I was hoping would be possible. Is that available on all interchangeable-lens Fuji bodies? I've seen people with this lens using it a lot on YouTube with the X-T2, but I was also considering the X-T30.

 

[Azimuth Jones]

Thanks. Very helpful.

 

[baobob]

Focus peaking is excellent with the magnification using the red color

 

[Tom Schum]

Thanks, That's one option I was hoping would be possible. Is that available on all interchangeable-lens Fuji bodies? I've seen people with this lens using it a lot on YouTube with the X-T2, but I was also considering the X-T30.

Yes you have this on the X-T30.

Unfortunately this feature only works with Fuji electronic lenses, not non-electronic manual lenses.

 

[Doug MacMillan]

I enjoy using vintage film camera lenses and use manual focus frequently. I use a combination of focus peaking and magnification.

I grew up with manual focus and it is second nature to me. I find manual focus with Fuji cameras faster and more accurate than with microprism finders on SLRs. Rangefinder focusing with my Leica M3 can be marginally faster, but not as accurate.