How Do I Improve Manual Focus Skills? I have a Rebel T6 and multiple AF lenses. I have had no issues with AF. Recently my Dad gave me his old Canon FTB camera and a couple of his old...

kenievans Loc: Dallas

I have a Rebel T6 and multiple AF lenses. I have had no issues with AF. Recently my Dad gave me his old Canon FTB camera and a couple of his old Canon FD lenses from the 70's, a 100-200mm and a 24mm. I haven't shot with this equipment since I was in high school. I got an adapter to use them on my T6. I am having a really hard time getting a good sharp focus. I remember using his camera and the telephoto lens back then but I don't recall having the same issue with manual focus. Could it be a mechanical issue, issues with my vision since I am quite a bit older now or just bad technique? Any advise on how to improve my manual focus skills would be greatly appreciated.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

kenievans wrote:

I have a Rebel T6 and multiple AF lenses. I have ... (show quote)

Try using the DSLR's LiveView and the 10x zoom to manually focus, easier with the camera mounted to a tripod so you can concentrate on adjusting the lens without having to hold / support the camera. Does the adapter allow you to focus with the lens aperture stepped down? That is, if you want a composition at say f/5.6, can you set that aperture on the lens and will the camera meter properly for this exposure? If you have to focus and shoot wide open, many of these FD lenses will not seem as 'sharp' as they could be stepped down from wide open.

In reality, the FD lenses are much, much easier to use on a mirrorless body, with IBIS support and the EVF to focus peek to 10x with the camera held to your eye rather than via the backside LCD display.

User ID

AF SLR viewing screens are nearly useless for MF. Compare directly to that FTb finder screen and see for yourself.

IIRC you can opt for an adapter with a chip to activate the electronic in-focus indicator in your AF SLR and be free of attempting nearly impossible subjective sharpness judgements in your optical finder. I put a real focusing screen into a Canon SLR. It helped with lenses 50mm and up, but wide lenses still require switching to the LV magnifier.

When you need really critical focus you hafta switch to LV and use the magnifier.

“”””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””

Seems Paul and I were writing our replies simultaneously so please excuse all the redundancy. OTOH it’s now very clear that “great minds think alike” (occasionally) :-)

wjones8637 Loc: Burleson, TX

CHG_CANON is right on. The older slr body had focusing aids built into the view finder tha tmade focusing much easier. He is also right about older lenses easier to focus as you had to move the focus ring a lot farther to move the focus point a given distance than with new lenses. I believe this is to help attain focus quicker with autofosus systems.

Bill

timoore Loc: Bordeaux, France

Does the adapter have a glass element in it? If not, you won't be able to focus your FD lenses at infinity, and potentially not far from the camera at all. If it does, perhaps the quality is just not great. I second the suggestion to use Live View.

User ID

timoore wrote:

Does the adapter have a glass element in it? If not, you won't be able to focus your FD lenses at infinity, and potentially not far from the camera at all. If it does, perhaps the quality is just not great. I second the suggestion to use Live View.

Maybe just buy some film for the FTb and forget about adapters. Forget about the meter as well. Can’t trust it even if it may appear to be working.

spaceylb Loc: Long Beach, N.Y.

Which adapter are you using?

BebuLamar

User ID wrote:

Maybe just buy some film for the FTb and forget about adapters. Forget about the meter as well. Can’t trust it even if it may appear to be working.

Yeah I think so or I would shoot with the empty FTb.

stevefrankel

One very obvious thing you've probably already done: Adjust the sharpness of a far-away image when the focus is set to infinity. One it's set, you won't have to change it unless you shoot with different glasses, if you wear glasses.

Try to keep your other non-viewfinder eye open when you shoot and get in the habit of viewing the subject through the non-viewfinder eye and then through the viewfinder eye. You can eventually get to where you can view the subject through both eyes. Depending on whether you're right-eyed or left-eyed, and the position of the viewfinder, you can't always do this, but if you can, it will up your game considerably.

kenievans Loc: Dallas

CHG_CANON wrote:

Try using the DSLR's LiveView and the 10x zoom to ... (show quote)

I was able to adjust aperture and the camera did adjust the exposure although when I look at the metadata it did not capture the Fstop I used, just the ss and ISO. I attached one of the shots that I processed in PS. I will try it next time on the tripod.

(Download)

kenievans Loc: Dallas

User ID wrote:

AF SLR viewing screens are nearly useless for MF. ... (show quote)

I appreciate you taking the time to respond. The adapter was not very expensive and I don't know that the use I would get out of the lens would be worth paying for something more. If it turns out I really like the results from this telephoto lens it might make it worth it.

kenievans Loc: Dallas

timoore wrote:

Does the adapter have a glass element in it? If not, you won't be able to focus your FD lenses at infinity, and potentially not far from the camera at all. If it does, perhaps the quality is just not great. I second the suggestion to use Live View.

The adapter does have a glass element but it was not a top of the line piece of gear. I will keep playing with it.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

kenievans wrote:

I have a Rebel T6 and multiple AF lenses. I have ... (show quote)

The old camera had a split screen or checkerboard focus that made manual focus much easier. I don't know of any digital cameras with that feature.
Some put the camera on live view and use the larger back screen for manual focus. But that doesn't work well in bright light, too hard to see the screen.

It is possible that the old lens + adaptor are either front or back focusing. That will have to be tested (tutorials on YouTube) and compensated for.

It is also possible that the combo just isn't very sharp with your present camera.

Good luck!

kenievans Loc: Dallas

stevefrankel wrote:

One very obvious thing you've probably already don... (show quote)

I had read about the infinity focus when I first looked into getting the adapter. Although I tried it, it didn't really help me. I appreciate the tips on the viewfinder. I do wear bifocals so I have to be careful how I position the viewfinder.

kenievans Loc: Dallas

robertjerl wrote:

It is also possible that the combo just isn't very sharp with your present camera.

Good luck!

I thought this could be a possibility. If it is the case at least I am not out of a lot money. The adapter cost more than the price of the lens on Ebay today.