How do you use snap focus?

[LucaPCP]

I am very new to the GR, and so far I like it a lot. I use it for hiking / landscape / mountain biking photos -- so far. I still have to use as a street photography camera.

I see many of you praise snap focus. How do you use it? I tried it only quickly, and I failed to see how it would be critically useful to me... I was able to takes photos quickly, that is true, but the results were less than critically sharp. Do you have any advice for making good use of it?

In a related way, how do you use the focus button on the back of the camera? What kind of situations?

 

[morepix]

How about trying this:

1. Take a photo of some subject of interest to you, using snap focus. (Record the distance snap you used and your guess as to the distance you're interested in.)
2. Take a photo of as exactly the same subject as you can manage (using a tripod would help) but using autofocus.
3. Compare the two and make a note or two of your findings.
4. Post here an account of your results, along with the two photos for curious readers to peruse.

 

[rondom]

How about trying this:

1. Take a photo of some subject of interest to you, using snap focus. (Record the distance snap you used and your guess as to the distance you're interested in.)
2. Take a photo of as exactly the same subject as you can manage (using a tripod would help) but using autofocus.
3. Compare the two and make a note or two of your findings.
4. Post here an account of your results, along with the two photos for curious readers to peruse.

It would be a good exercise.

Although with some critical revision for #3 on your list “compare the two by obtaining varying size prints...”

My guess is that in presence of cameras with increasing megapixels and sensors getting bigger with every other generation, and people continuing to insist on viewing the results 100% on screen, snap focus will soon have less fans.

The whole idea of snap focus is to capture a scene “sharp enough”.

I think it will remain a useful tool for those who print.

 

[Tungsten Nordstein]

I am very new to the GR, and so far I like it a lot. I use it for hiking / landscape / mountain biking photos -- so far. I still have to use as a street photography camera.

I see many of you praise snap focus. How do you use it? I tried it only quickly, and I failed to see how it would be critically useful to me... I was able to takes photos quickly, that is true, but the results were less than critically sharp. Do you have any advice for making good use of it?

In a related way, how do you use the focus button on the back of the camera? What kind of situations?

 

[tampex]

Mainly I use it in aperture priority mode.

For me, snap focus means just focus locked to certain distance. Just like manual focus, but with less steps to choose from, so faster to change. (By default I have it 2,5m with aperture f/5.0).

As focus is already locked, I can point camera to certain light spot and lock exposure by half-pressing shutter. Then recompose and shoot. (Let camera choose the ISO and shutter speed).

If I want more precise focus (eg. when using large aperture or shutter priority), I use the back button focus lock for desired distance. And again separately lock exposure by half-pressing shutter.

That's how I use snap focus and back button focus lock.

Fastes way to change snap focus distance is to press and hold the macro-button (flower) and scroll front wheel with index finger. The distance bar has an additional green bar showing the estimated DOF for that distance with chosen aperture.

 

[morepix]

Mainly I use it in aperture priority mode.

For me, snap focus means just focus locked to certain distance. Just like manual focus, but with less steps to choose from, so faster to change. (By default I have it 2,5m with aperture f/5.0).

Pretty much the same for me, except I prefer f:5.6 or f:8 if the light permits. 2.5m is hyperfocal at about f:6.3 (i.e., everything from 1.25m to infinity is in focus). Anyway, that's how I use it.

 

[Model Mike]

I see many of you praise snap focus. How do you use it? I tried it only quickly, and I failed to see how it would be critically useful to me... I was able to takes photos quickly, that is true, but the results were less than critically sharp. Do you have any advice for making good use of it?

In a related way, how do you use the focus button on the back of the camera? What kind of situations?

Snapfocus is great!!! I have it as the default mode, with AF override via the backbutton.

Primary uses:

• street photography (snapfocus at 2 or 2.5 meters)
• shooting out of train/bus windows (TAv 1/800 sec f/2.8, snapfocus at infinity). Guarantees pin sharp images (lack of IBIS notwithstanding).

Snapfocus distance is assigned to a custom button.

I also make use of the custom shooting modes, it's well worth spending a few minutes familiarising with these.

--
Mike
http://flickr.com/photos/rc-soar

 

[LucaPCP]

I see many of you praise snap focus. How do you use it? I tried it only quickly, and I failed to see how it would be critically useful to me... I was able to takes photos quickly, that is true, but the results were less than critically sharp. Do you have any advice for making good use of it?

In a related way, how do you use the focus button on the back of the camera? What kind of situations?

Snapfocus is great!!! I have it as the default mode, with AF override via the backbutton.

Primary uses:

• street photography (snapfocus at 2 or 2.5 meters)
• shooting out of train/bus windows (TAv 1/800 sec f/2.8, snapfocus at infinity). Guarantees pin sharp images (lack of IBIS notwithstanding).

Snapfocus distance is assigned to a custom button.

I also make use of the custom shooting modes, it's well worth spending a few minutes familiarising with these.

This makes a lot of sense... I need to try it for street photography. So far I keep it at infinity focus, with the idea that if I need to grab a quick panorama shot while biking, I will be able to do so very quickly without worrying about where I put the focus point; just the framing.

I need to experiment a bit and see whether I should keep f/5.6 with 5m snap focus distance, or whether it's better to set infinity focus.

From the DOF formula, using 1 px as the circle of confusion, I get in mm for f/5.6:

Hyperfocal distance = 18.3^2 / (5.6 * (15.6 / 3264)) = 3264 * 18.3^2 / (5.6 * 15.6) = 12,512 mm, or about 12.5m. So at f/5.6, if I focus at 5m, this implies that the infinity has a circle of confusion of 2px, more or less. Hmmm. Perhaps I am better off with infinity focus, or with choosing each focus point. The GRII is so sharp that it puts higher requirements on the focus to get all possible sharpness out of it.

 

[tinternaut]

http://www.waloszek.de/gr_hfd_e.php

Helps to have some basic foundational knowledge to make the best of it. In some situations it can, I suppose, be the ultimate auto focus (by not needing auto focus at all).

 

[Model Mike]

In some situations it can, I suppose, be the ultimate auto focus (by not needing auto focus at all).

Night time street photography - the GR is great for this. Snapfocus on a pool of light e.g. from a shop display, and wait for something to happen.

This kind of thing is quite tricky with other cameras I've tried (Pentax, Pana MFT), which seem to be designed around their AF systems. Manual focus+peaking comes close but IMO snapfocus (or should that be called 'prefocus') is still easier.

Setting the shooting mode to 'continuous' futher increases the keeper rate.

--
Mike
http://flickr.com/photos/rc-soar

 

[Woodyz]

I am very new to the GR, and so far I like it a lot. I use it for hiking / landscape / mountain biking photos -- so far. I still have to use as a street photography camera.

I see many of you praise snap focus. How do you use it? I tried it only quickly, and I failed to see how it would be critically useful to me... I was able to takes photos quickly, that is true, but the results were less than critically sharp. Do you have any advice for making good use of it?

In a related way, how do you use the focus button on the back of the camera? What kind of situations?

Yeah, you kind of have to mash on the top shutter button to bypass half-press... and hope you don't do it too hard so that it induces shake. I wish I could assign the back button to snap focus!

 

[LucaPCP]

http://www.waloszek.de/gr_hfd_e.php

Helps to have some basic foundational knowledge to make the best of it. In some situations it can, I suppose, be the ultimate auto focus (by not needing auto focus at all).

You seem to be using 0.02mm as the circle of confusion there. But a GRII pixel is 0.0048, or 4 times smaller. So that seems a high estimate (and that is the difference between my numbers and yours).

I will try with f/5.6 and 5m as snap focus distance and see how I like it. That would be a circle of confusion of 0.012, which is still equal to 2.5 pixels, so perhaps too large, but worth trying.

 

[LucaPCP]

But can't you just configure the camera so that the back button retains the focus also when you release it? Then you focus on the pool of light with the back button, and when you want to take a photo you press the shutter.

 

[Model Mike]

But can't you just configure the camera so that the back button retains the focus also when you release it? Then you focus on the pool of light with the back button, and when you want to take a photo you press the shutter.

That's certainly a way if there's enough contrast to bite on, and if you get on with bbf in 'toggle' mode.

Personally I get on better with the back button in 'press and hold' rather than 'toggle' mode as with the latter I tend to lose track of what mode it's in. This makes bbf a little less practical for me when there are long intervals between shots.

 

[rube39]

For 'street' just set it to 1.5 (or 2.5), see it and shoot it. It is faster than anything but maybe the latest, greatest AF systems. Make sure the shutter speed it high enough to avoid motion blur, and you will be stying. It is basically for street only, so do not over think it. And you can set one of the function buttons to toggle between Snap and regular focus, so it is a no brainer for street. In the day time, I almost never miss a shot with snap focus. And I shoot everyday (but not only with a Ricoh).



These were taken with the GRD4 (my GR died this summer) but sn







ap focus works the same.



















--
Rube

 

[LucaPCP]

Interesing Rube, and nice photos!

Do you bring the camera up when you shoot, or do you shoot from your hip? Do you walk around with the camera ready in your hand?

 

[rube39]

Interesing Rube, and nice photos!

Do you bring the camera up when you shoot, or do you shoot from your hip? Do you walk around with the camera ready in your hand?

Thanks.

I mostly 'bring the camera up' when shooting, and I always have the camera, with a wrist strap, in my hand whenever I leave the house. And of course I use Snap focus. GRIN.

 

[Lessiter]

One trick to get better at judging distance is to set the back button af so that it shows the distance scale.

I have my camera setup in MY2 so that the shutter button has Multi AF, the back button Pinpoint AF and the quick press snap focus.

When using pinpoint AF I try to remember the distance displayed to get better at judging distance. I've found it important to have fast enough shutter speed when going snap focus. Because generally my camera moves a lot when I try to shoot quickly,

 

[Tungsten Nordstein]

For 'street' just set it to 1.5 (or 2.5), see it and shoot it. It is faster than anything but maybe the latest, greatest AF systems. Make sure the shutter speed it high enough to avoid motion blur, and you will be stying. It is basically for street only, so do not over think it. And you can set one of the function buttons to toggle between Snap and regular focus, so it is a no brainer for street. In the day time, I almost never miss a shot with snap focus. And I shoot everyday (but not only with a Ricoh).

These were taken with the GRD4 (my GR died this summer) but sn



ap focus works the same.

Nice photos, Rube.

But one thing you said bothers me If the GR is set to a fixed focus (snap), then how can any AF (even the best there is) ever be faster?

--
'I don't take photographs, I delete them.'
Tungsten Nordstein, 2909