Some Noobie Q about X-T5 Focusing

[Fulcanelli]

New to the X-T5. This camera is more like programming than the more primitive practices of M43 I have been shooting for the past years. I'm working on getting a handle on things and have some probably dumb questions.

I will be shooting in both AF and manual. Is there a way I can set up a custom setting that I can access with a minimal button clicking to reset my camera for manual shooting modes, most importantly to access the 'shoot without lens' setting? Is that something that the MY CAMERA is about?

I am used to setting focus by half-pressing the shutter and then composing my image. I noticed with the X-T5 that as I moved the framing - I lost focus on the target. Perhaps I am too conservative on how much pressure I am excerting on the shutter button? Yes I know I can use the focus lock - I am trying to get an overall sense of how the camera works. Whenever I search for info on that I get a string of videos all about back button focus. As I said, I want to know the perimeters of this camera.

I have hesitated asking this question here as it seems so basic and yet I am not finding that information in the form that is making sense to me.

Thanks.

 

[GMacF]

Perhaps I am not fully understanding of your quandary, but the obvious solution to me is indeed to just keep the camera in MF and use the AF-ON button to focus (AKA back button focus) as most of your research thus far as eluded to.

You can do this in AF-C and AF-S as well but you need to make sure to disable the shutter button from activating AF.

 

[Erik Baumgartner]

New to the X-T5. This camera is more like programming than the more primitive practices of M43 I have been shooting for the past years. I'm working on getting a handle on things and have some probably dumb questions.

I will be shooting in both AF and manual. Is there a way I can set up a custom setting that I can access with a minimal button clicking to reset my camera for manual shooting modes, most importantly to access the 'shoot without lens' setting? Is that something that the MY CAMERA is about?

You only have to set SHOOT WITHOUT LENS once and leave it on.

To switch to manual focus you just have to flick the front MCS switch to “M”

For manual exposure, there the isn’t an M on a PASM dial, you simply switch whatever parameter you want to control manually from “A” to whatever fixed value you want (nothing set to A = full manual mode.

If you don’t want to use the top dials for manual settings, there are also options to move control of the various parameters from top dials/aperture ring to the front and rear command dials - for example, I usually shoot in Aperture Priority with auto-ISO, so I set the aperture manually with lens ring (it can be switched to a command dial, but I prefer the ring), I set the top exposure comp. dial to “C” which shifts control to the front dial, my auto ISO Is usually set to A with one of the custom buttons assigned to quickly switch between the 3 auto-iso presets (primarily for setting the minimal allowable SS). If I want to force base ISO or set a particular ISO value, I simply rotate the dial from A to whatever fixed value i want to quickly override auto control as needed. The SS dial also sits at A which I can switch to a fixed value to override or, switching it to “T” mode transfers manual control to the rear dial. Since, in aperture priority mode, my EC control on the front command dials is in continuous control of both SS and ISO fine-tuning, after choosing a minimum allowable SS with an auto-ISO preset, I just need to set my aperture as needed and fine-tune the SS/ISO with the front (EC) dial when necessary. This works for almost everything, but I can always simply move any of the top dials from A when I need manual control over any parameter. There lots of alternative ways to set up the camera to shoot, this is just how I do it.

I am used to setting focus by half-pressing the shutter and then composing my image. I noticed with the X-T5 that as I moved the framing - I lost focus on the target. Perhaps I am too conservative on how much pressure I am excerting on the shutter button? Yes I know I can use the focus lock - I am trying to get an overall sense of how the camera works. Whenever I search for info on that I get a string of videos all about back button focus. As I said, I want to know the perimeters of this camera.

With the SHUTTER AF menu option set to ON (separate options for AF-C and AF-S) half-pressing and holding the shutter button in AF-S will lock focus at that distance until you full-press (not alway accurate if you recompose). In AF-C you’ll want to try Wide Tracking - half-pressing and holding the shutter button will lock focus at the AF box position, but then track that spot as you recompose elsewhere. AF-S with the AF box pre-positioned where you want the focus point with a single full-press of the shutter button is typically the most accurate and reliable AF method, IMO, including with most predictably moving subjects.

I don’t recommend back button focus except in manual mode - “M” on the front dial (which I use all the time). This does not not require turning SHUTTER AF off (it’s automatically off in M mode)

I have hesitated asking this question here as it seems so basic and yet I am not finding that information in the form that is making sense to me.

Thanks.

Don’t worry about it. There are about a million ways to set up and use these cameras, it will take some time to sort through all the options to figure out what’s going to work best for you. I do recommend exploring all the possibilities rather than just trying to make it work like a previous camera you were used to. Once you get your head around the “classic” Fuji interface you’ll likely find it to be very intuitive, flexible and usable in any situation with only the external controls, without having to regularly dive into any menus.

 

[Fulcanelli]

Thanks for this. The reason I questioned this, ON for "shoot w/o lens" is because the first time I attached a manual lens to the camera, I heard motorized sounds from either the lens or the camera and wanted to make sure I wasn't damaging the gear. And when I purchased the manual lenses the salesman said something to the effect that I would have to set that, "Shoot Without Lens" each time I wanted to shoot with a manual lens.

 

[Fulcanelli]

Thanks. I think a salesman gave me misinformation about shooting with manual lenses thus the confusion. I also was unable to find a comprehensive third party manual on the camera - what I really want is a guide to all the menu settings with an explanation of what each setting is for.

To aid in focus with manual lens, if I understand this, are the two tools, peaking and the magnifying tool that activates when I move the focus ring (and have activated it from the menu.) Yes? This past summer I re-engaged with 35mm film and want to not depend on the auto focus system in the camera, at least some of the time.

 

[Erik Baumgartner]

Thanks for this. The reason I questioned this, ON for "shoot w/o lens" is because the first time I attached a manual lens to the camera, I heard motorized sounds from either the lens or the camera and wanted to make sure I wasn't damaging the gear.

And when I purchased the manual lenses the salesman said something to the effect that I would have to set that, "Shoot Without Lens" each time I wanted to shoot with a manual lens.

Are we talking about manual lenses with no electronic connection?

He was definitely wrong about the shoot without lens, but you might have to set the focal length of the adapted lens for the IBIS to work properly (I think there are user defined presets for that).

 

[enigmatico]

Thanks for this. The reason I questioned this, ON for "shoot w/o lens" is because the first time I attached a manual lens to the camera, I heard motorized sounds from either the lens or the camera and wanted to make sure I wasn't damaging the gear. And when I purchased the manual lenses the salesman said something to the effect that I would have to set that, "Shoot Without Lens" each time I wanted to shoot with a manual lens.

You can select "shoot without lens", and keep the camera on that setting for all time. You never need to touch it again. With an AF lens attached it will focus automatically unless you switch the camera to M focus mode. With a manual focus lens attached, or even with no lens attached, the shutter will activate when you press the shutter button.

I use my X-T5 with manual focus lenses more than 50% of the time. I enjoy focusing myself and the expanded range of lenses I have to choose from. I use peaking to verify the focus, but it is not 100% reliable since in some lighting conditions the peaking stays on through a significant amount of focus ring adjustment. So when I am working quickly it's difficult to ascertain the point of true focus. Also - and this is a big frustration for me with the X-T5 - the focus peaking lights stay on all the time. In previous models like X-T2 and X-T3, the peaking lights disappeared with a half press of the shutter, thus freeing up the viewfinder to concentrate on composition. You will find in some scenarios, so much of the scene is in focus that the viewfinder is alight in red, yellow (or whatever colour peaking is selected) and you can no longer see the actual scene. So I have programmed the function button next to the shutter button to switch the peaking on and off. When it is off, I find I can simply use the EVF to focus without any aid at all. The 3.6m dot EVF is enough. I do miss absolute focus sometimes but mostly it works just fine like this.

I suspect the noise you are hearing from the camera when the manual lens is attached, is the IBIS in action. This is normal. If you switch IBIS off, you should no longer hear the noise.

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[Fulcanelli]

Yes - that is what he said. I obviously got a sales person who doesn't like "cheap" manual lenses.

 

[jrk]

Take a look at this:

Fujifilm Back Button Focus (NEW) - YouTube

 

[Fulcanelli]

Thanks. Yes have watched some of his videos. He's very good.
However - I am wanting to know the out-of-box method. I was composing a shot and half-pressed the shutter button, held it down and the focus shifted as I move. I don't know if it's because I wasn't applying enough pressure. I basically want to know this camera out-of-the-box. I have been shooting M43 mostly for years now and the level of control and adjustment from settings in the menu on the XT5 is daunting.

 

[Erik Baumgartner]

Thanks. Yes have watched some of his videos. He's very good.
However - I am wanting to know the out-of-box method. I was composing a shot and half-pressed the shutter button, held it down and the focus shifted as I move. I don't know if it's because I wasn't applying enough pressure. I basically want to know this camera out-of-the-box. I have been shooting M43 mostly for years now and the level of control and adjustment from settings in the menu on the XT5 is daunting.

Were you in AF-S mode, and do you have SHUTTER AF turned on for AF-S (in button and dial settings)? If so, the focus should lock with a half-press and remain locked as long as you hold the half-press.

 

[Fulcanelli]

Possibly - not. I do not recall as it was the first tie I picked it up.

 

[Erik Baumgartner]

Were you in AF-S mode, and do you have SHUTTER AF turned on for AF-S (in button and dial settings)? If so, the focus should lock with a half-press and remain locked as long as you hold the half-press.

Possibly - not. I do not recall as it was the first tie I picked it up.

How about now? Have you sorted out how to do what you want or not? With those settings, the camera should behave, I think, like you expected it to - half-press to focus and hold, recompose, full-press to shoot (though, as I mentioned, that is not the most accurate way to go about it).

 

[Fulcanelli]

Yes. Thanks