Oly 60mm f2.8 macro focus limiting

The lens has 3 focal ranges and a spring loaded 1:1 range.  I don't understand the purpose of spring loading.  Can anyone explain why this is and how it's supposed to be used?

mariomirabile wrote:

When you turn the focus limiter toward the 1:1 position, the focus moves to the closest focus position the lens can give you. If you've got the camera in manual focus (as I often have when using this lens), it's a quick way to go straight to the closest focus position without having to crank the focus ring round and round. It's less useful when using AF, but if you're shooting at 1:1 or thereabouts, it will at least get you in the ballpark.

I get that, but why does it then spring back?

mine just fell apart - reverted back to the old FT 50mm

mariomirabile wrote:

BobT3218 wrote:

mariomirabile wrote:

When you turn the focus limiter toward the 1:1 position, the focus moves to the closest focus position the lens can give you. If you've got the camera in manual focus (as I often have when using this lens), it's a quick way to go straight to the closest focus position without having to crank the focus ring round and round. It's less useful when using AF, but if you're shooting at 1:1 or thereabouts, it will at least get you in the ballpark.

I get that, but why does it then spring back?

I guess because it's done it's job. The intent is to get it to 1:1, not lock it there. If you want to lock it there, just switch to manual focus.

OK, I think I get it.  I must admit, I've been using it on AF.

BobT3218 wrote:

mariomirabile wrote:

BobT3218 wrote:

mariomirabile wrote:

When you turn the focus limiter toward the 1:1 position, the focus moves to the closest focus position the lens can give you. If you've got the camera in manual focus (as I often have when using this lens), it's a quick way to go straight to the closest focus position without having to crank the focus ring round and round. It's less useful when using AF, but if you're shooting at 1:1 or thereabouts, it will at least get you in the ballpark.

I get that, but why does it then spring back?

I guess because it's done it's job. The intent is to get it to 1:1, not lock it there. If you want to lock it there, just switch to manual focus.

OK, I think I get it. I must admit, I've been using it on AF.

When using it handheld, you can use AF. You will soon find out though, AF is not very practical when optimizing your framing at higher magnifications. It is much easier in MF. You set MF to the approximate distance for your framing, and do the fine focus adjustment by varying the camera distance to the subject.

If on a tripod it is different, then you best use the focus ring for fine focusing. And after a while you buy a macro rail that is even more accurate for fine focusing and framing at higher magnifications. This lens can do up to 1:1 without any add-on tubes or close-up filters. This means a smaller type post stamp can completely fill your frame. 1:1 means your frame is exactly the size of your camera sensor.

Miron09 wrote:

mine just fell apart - reverted back to the old FT 50mm

Thanks for the detailed description and photo of the damage.

Dave in Wales wrote:

To me it has always been the most frustrating of lenses...

Why?

...there has to be a better way.

Better way to do what?

Dave in Wales wrote:

To me it has always been the most frustrating of lenses, there has to be a better way.

Would it be better if it stuck? Think about it. How many times would you wonder why AF doesn't work, throw the camera to the pavement, realize your mistake, and buy a new camera & 60?

BobT3218 wrote:

Can anyone explain why this is and how it's supposed to be used?

I think this has been answered already, but another way to put it is: This switch is not intended to override the camera body's setting of AF vs MF. You can't use it to switch the body to MF.

It might be cool if it did, but then what steps would be needed to revert the body back to AF - would you need to change both the lens switch and the body's setting?  Would the lens switch force the body back to AF even if you previously had the body set to MF? And would all the MFT camera body manufacturers agree to implement it the same way? (MFT bodies are made by more than just Olympus and Panasonic.)

Best wishes,
Sterling
--
Lens Grit

SterlingBjorndahl wrote:

BobT3218 wrote:

Can anyone explain why this is and how it's supposed to be used?

I think this has been answered already, but another way to put it is: This switch is not intended to override the camera body's setting of AF vs MF. You can't use it to switch the body to MF.

It might be cool if it did, but then what steps would be needed to revert the body back to AF - would you need to change both the lens switch and the body's setting? Would the lens switch force the body back to AF even if you previously had the body set to MF? And would all the MFT camera body manufacturers agree to implement it the same way? (MFT bodies are made by more than just Olympus and Panasonic.)

Most macro lenses do not have such a focus limiter switch. In fact, very few do.

So the question can be asked: why having it at all?

Because it CAN make life easier. Note CAN, not must.

If not needed, or not desired, the focus switch can simply be ignored. Use the 60mm lens like any other macro lens. It is not at all a requirement to set the focus limiter away from its normal position to shoot macro pics.

I see the focus limiter switch simply as a nice-to-have option. Great that Olympus included it in this lens almost for free. But nobody is compelled to use it. Like the snap focus clutch in the pro and some premium lenses. Nice to have it. But some people do not like it, so they simply do not use it.

To be honest, if there were two versions of the 60mm lens at the same price, one as is, the other with no focus limiter but instead the snap focus clutch, I would much prefer the latter .

If the 60mm was offered $50 cheaper without the focus limiter, I would buy the cheaper version. But since it only comes with focus limiter, I do use it. Quite a lot actually.

I have no issue with focus limiters as such.  It's this spring loaded 1:1 thingy that I'm not convinced significantly improves anyone's workflow.  Perhaps I just don't full understanding what it does.

BobT3218 wrote:

I have no issue with focus limiters as such. It's this spring loaded 1:1 thingy that I'm not convinced significantly improves anyone's workflow. Perhaps I just don't full understanding what it does.

The focus limiter lever has 3 fixed positions you can select:

- 0.4m to infinity, select this to use it as a normal 60mm lens like for portraits, and NOT for macro at all.

- 0.19m to infinity, in this position the lens behaves like any other macro lens that does not have a focus limiter. If you do not want to use the focus limiter, leave it in this position permanently.

- 0.19m to 0.4m, select this to use the lens for macro only, and NOT as a normal lens.

And the last position has additionally a spring loaded detent. With this you can instantly set the lens to a 1:1 reproduction rate. No need to use AF, no need to even touch the MF focus ring. The lens is set to its minimum focus distance which corresponds to its maximum 1:1 reproduction rate. Camera is best set to MF mode. Frame your bug, and adjust your camera distance to get it sharp (do not use to focus ring or you will get away from the 1:1 magnification). Don't like this feature, just don't use it. I personally find it very useful and time saving, much faster than turning that electronic focus ring 3 times to ensure the same result. PS: DONT try to use AF when close to 1:1 ratio, it will just drive you mad as it will be hunting like crazy if you are just a little too close to the subject.

I think you just need to play around with it a bit. After 10 minutes it should all be 100% logic and clear.

cba_melbourne wrote:

BobT3218 wrote:

I have no issue with focus limiters as such. It's this spring loaded 1:1 thingy that I'm not convinced significantly improves anyone's workflow. Perhaps I just don't full understanding what it does.

The focus limiter lever has 3 fixed positions you can select:

- 0.4m to infinity, select this to use it as a normal 60mm lens like for portraits, and NOT for macro at all.

- 0.19m to infinity, in this position the lens behaves like any other macro lens that does not have a focus limiter. If you do not want to use the focus limiter, leave it in this position permanently.

- 0.19m to 0.4m, select this to use the lens for macro only, and NOT as a normal lens.

And the last position has additionally a spring loaded detent. With this you can instantly set the lens to a 1:1 reproduction rate. No need to use AF, no need to even touch the MF focus ring. The lens is set to its minimum focus distance which corresponds to its maximum 1:1 reproduction rate. Camera is best set to MF mode. Frame your bug, and adjust your camera distance to get it sharp (do not use to focus ring or you will get away from the 1:1 magnification). Don't like this feature, just don't use it. I personally find it very useful and time saving, much faster than turning that electronic focus ring 3 times to ensure the same result. PS: DONT try to use AF when close to 1:1 ratio, it will just drive you mad as it will be hunting like crazy if you are just a little too close to the subject.

I think you just need to play around with it a bit. After 10 minutes it should all be 100% logic and clear.

Now I understand.  Thanks for that.  I've really only used the lens for focus stacking macros.  I haven't worked at 1:1 but I can see how being able to quickly set the lens to 1:1 would be useful and yes a focusing rail or a hand far steadier than mine, would be necessary.  I almost bought a focusing rail once but for what I do, a simple nodal rail was sufficient.  I slide the camera on the rail to get the composition I want, focus at the appropriate spot and focus stack.  All you guys have now kindled an interest in me for 1:1.

Tom Caldwell wrote:

David5833 wrote:

Dave in Wales wrote:

To me it has always been the most frustrating of lenses...

Why?

...there has to be a better way.

Better way to do what?

I have the Olympus 60/2.8 Macro - a fine lens. But also the recently released 7Artisans 60/2.8 MkII which is a fully internal focusing manual focus lens. It racks to 1:1 at 0.175m on the focus ring quite simply. No springs and things. It also seems a quite decent lens and quite affordable.

There are lots of macro and quasi-macro lenses, tubes, diopters, reversing rings, piggyback configurations, etc., that would be "decent" and many would cost much less than the Olympus 60mm, or even the 7Artsans. However, the Olympus 60mm works seamlessly with the electronic coupling, autofocus, bracketing, stacking, and other useful features of compatible Olympus cameras and it also isn't priced exorbitantly in the overall scheme of things...IIRC, I paid about $300 for a factory refurb one. So, IMHO unless the optics of some other macro solution would be appreciably superior to the Olympus 60 (which would be awesome if true), it wouldn't appeal to me as an Olympus camera user to give up the quality and features that the Oly 60 brings to save the $ difference. For $180 USD, the 7Artisans sounds like a good way to dip your toes into macro, but the admonition to "cry once" is worth considering if you are an Olympus shooter.