Focus point in OM Workspace

[sherman_levine]

I thought it might be useful for me to see where my OM1m2 was actually focusing (Bird, CAF, SH2, focus track over full image)

but the little green boxes don't seem very helpful either in the image shown or in the ones in the same burst on the strip below. Focus is obviously not on the water.

Is the OM Workspace focus point of any value?





--

Sherm

Sherms flickr page

P950 album

P900 album RX10iv album
OM1.2 150-600 album

 

[drj3]

The green dot indicates where on the EVF the focus was at the last confirmed focus. However, there is a very short delay between focus and exposure. If you were shooting a stationary target using a tripod, it should accurately indicate where the camera focused.

However, using a telephoto lens where even a small movement of the camera/lens after focus confirmation and exposure will result in the green dot not being on the target. I shoot a lot of fast moving bird and my panning is not prefect, so it is common for the green dot to be on the sky (typically behind the bird), even though the bird is in good focus, since the distance to the bird did not change significantly in that very short interval.

For your bird in the posted example, you probably moved the camera at a slightly different rate than the bird movement in the EVF. It is just an approximate point, that is likely to be less accurate for long telephoto lenses than normal or wide focal lengths for stationary targets.

 

[pop2eye]

I thought it might be useful for me to see where my OM1m2 was actually focusing (Bird, CAF, SH2, focus track over full image)

but the little green boxes don't seem very helpful either in the image shown or in the ones in the same burst on the strip below. Focus is obviously not on the water.

Is the OM Workspace focus point of any value?

The OM Workspace focus point is only useful when there is no reframing between the time the focus is locked and the shutter is released. In your example, I suspect the green box was pointed at the bird when the focus was locked, but then the frame moved before the shutter release.

 

[sherman_levine]

The green dot indicates where on the EVF the focus was at the last confirmed focus. However, there is a very short delay between focus and exposure. If you were shooting a stationary target using a tripod, it should accurately indicate where the camera focused.

However, using a telephoto lens where even a small movement of the camera/lens after focus confirmation and exposure will result in the green dot not being on the target. I shoot a lot of fast moving bird and my panning is not prefect, so it is common for the green dot to be on the sky (typically behind the bird), even though the bird is in good focus, since the distance to the bird did not change significantly in that very short interval.

For your bird in the posted example, you probably moved the camera at a slightly different rate than the bird movement in the EVF. It is just an approximate point, that is likely to be less accurate for long telephoto lenses than normal or wide focal lengths for stationary targets.

Thank you. Good to know.

--

Sherm

Sherms flickr page

P950 album

P900 album RX10iv album
OM1.2 150-600 album

 

[sherman_levine]

I thought it might be useful for me to see where my OM1m2 was actually focusing (Bird, CAF, SH2, focus track over full image)

but the little green boxes don't seem very helpful either in the image shown or in the ones in the same burst on the strip below. Focus is obviously not on the water.

Is the OM Workspace focus point of any value?

The OM Workspace focus point is only useful when there is no reframing between the time the focus is locked and the shutter is released. In your example, I suspect the green box was pointed at the bird when the focus was locked, but then the frame moved before the shutter release.

Thank you. That does make it less useful for figuring out why a picture might be out of focus, but it makes sense.

--

Sherm

Sherms flickr page

P950 album

P900 album RX10iv album
OM1.2 150-600 album

 

[MNE]

I noticed that for BIF, it doesn't always show the focus point on the target even though the subject is pretty sharp. I know mine didn't accidently focus on the blue sky.

 

[Skeeterbytes]

I mostly use it for "focus forensics" as it does not necessarily show the precise point of focus for each frame, but will document any focus drift and reacquisition during burst sequences.

Can also help inform me as to which focus point pattern to select for various shooting situations.

Cheers,

Rick

 

[sherman_levine]

I noticed that for BIF, it doesn't always show the focus point on the target even though the subject is pretty sharp. I know mine didn't accidently focus on the blue sky.

The lack of concordance is interesting - suggests that focus and shoot are quite separate events

--

Sherm

Sherms flickr page

P950 album

P900 album RX10iv album
OM1.2 150-600 album

 

[sherman_levine]

I mostly use it for "focus forensics" as it does not necessarily show the precise point of focus for each frame, but will document any focus drift and reacquisition during burst sequences.

Can also help inform me as to which focus point pattern to select for various shooting situations.

Cheers,

Rick

For stationary subjects, it's pretty close, but (at least in my hands) can be pretty far apart for moving subjects.

--

Sherm

Sherms flickr page

P950 album

P900 album RX10iv album
OM1.2 150-600 album

 

[Skeeterbytes]

I mostly use it for "focus forensics" as it does not necessarily show the precise point of focus for each frame, but will document any focus drift and reacquisition during burst sequences.

Can also help inform me as to which focus point pattern to select for various shooting situations.

Cheers,

Rick

For stationary subjects, it's pretty close, but (at least in my hands) can be pretty far apart for moving subjects.

I have, for a recent example, several long jump sequences with the jumper running directly at me. Large focus pattern set center frame. The WS focus point marker kind of wanders within the pattern bounds but mostly stays on the subject accurately, unless somebody walks in front, and is again challenged during the landing phase when the sand sprays and can conceal the jumper, who is often moving sideways.

ETA sample sequence.


3 seconds, and one roll film back in the day

Parsing the sequences helps me tweak settings for next time, such as a different pattern, a +/- C-AF sensitivity setting adjustment, etc.

OM series manages better than any previous camera I've used.

Cheers,

Rick

 

[MNE]

I mostly use it for "focus forensics" as it does not necessarily show the precise point of focus for each frame, but will document any focus drift and reacquisition during burst sequences.

Can also help inform me as to which focus point pattern to select for various shooting situations.

Cheers,

Rick

For stationary subjects, it's pretty close, but (at least in my hands) can be pretty far apart for moving subjects.

I have, for a recent example, several long jump sequences with the jumper running directly at me. Large focus pattern set center frame. The WS focus point marker kind of wanders within the pattern bounds but mostly stays on the subject accurately, unless somebody walks in front, and is again challenged during the landing phase when the sand sprays and can conceal the jumper, who is often moving sideways.

ETA sample sequence.

Parsing the sequences helps me tweak settings for next time, such as a different pattern, a +/- C-AF sensitivity setting adjustment, etc.

OM series manages better than any previous camera I've used.

Cheers,

Rick

Rick, what are the dimensions of the focus pattern you used?

 

[Skeeterbytes]

I mostly use it for "focus forensics" as it does not necessarily show the precise point of focus for each frame, but will document any focus drift and reacquisition during burst sequences.

Can also help inform me as to which focus point pattern to select for various shooting situations.

Cheers,

Rick

For stationary subjects, it's pretty close, but (at least in my hands) can be pretty far apart for moving subjects.

I have, for a recent example, several long jump sequences with the jumper running directly at me. Large focus pattern set center frame. The WS focus point marker kind of wanders within the pattern bounds but mostly stays on the subject accurately, unless somebody walks in front, and is again challenged during the landing phase when the sand sprays and can conceal the jumper, who is often moving sideways.

ETA sample sequence.

Parsing the sequences helps me tweak settings for next time, such as a different pattern, a +/- C-AF sensitivity setting adjustment, etc.

OM series manages better than any previous camera I've used.

Cheers,

Rick

Rick, what are the dimensions of the focus pattern you used?

Hi Mark,

Don't have the camera handy, sorry. The manual shows factory large pattern as 5x5 but it must more focus points than that, given the 1k+ total count.

Will try checking later, there might be a way to see the actual dimensions.

Rick