Manual Focus on EP1/EPL1

[clubgrit]

Above points being covered are really good, but I have this to add.

I am on MF 90% of the time with the PEN, because like in the days of E-1, AF is so slow, might as well go manual. Once you get the hang of it and practise enough, you can achieve faster than the fastest AF, accurately.

Haha, indeed, one good reason to MF, faster than Pen's AF for someone who can MF well.

But only with VF-2, not LCD, IMHO, as it is counter-productive to have to enlarge a view before shooting, another way to slow down someone's shooting or totally lose the shot in fast-paced situations.


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[elgkh]

In any case, I am now looking for a MF lens that is between 15-20 mm focal length with a aperture of at least f 2. Any recommendations?

There is an OM 21mm F2, I saw it selling at The Camera Workshop. Not sure if it is still there though.

 

[vainqueur]

Above points being covered are really good, but I have this to add.

The reason I am manual focusing on the EP2/EPL1 all the time through VF2 is because, the AF point on the PEN series cameras is big, and manual focusing allows me to fine tune the point I want to be in focus, especially when I have a close working range and allowing the AF to decide for me can sometimes results in a lot of grief later when I review the shot at home.

Also, as I have mentioned in the past, there is a lot of fun in photography when you use a lens designed for manual focusing, which is very unlike "fly by wire" lenses. That is why I love the SWD lenses. Mechanical focusing, which makes it doubly fun, AF or MF.

Other points have been covered by the others... lenses from older camera systems, etc.

I am on MF 90% of the time with the PEN, because like in the days of E-1, AF is so slow, might as well go manual. Once you get the hang of it and practise enough, you can achieve faster than the fastest AF, accurately.

Try it, don't take my word for it.

I am new to photography, but I kinda understand totally what you are saying. But I think I will need to get a EVF plus because it can kinda difficult to see whether the view is sharp enough on the LCD and like what you said, more practise, then I can really dump autofocus totally if I want...

 

[toledosun]

I am not sure that you will be able to focus more accurately using the EVF. If you think about it, the EVF is much smaller than the LCD screen so if you view the same scene through both of them, the image in the LCD screen is much larger and should be easier to focus.

 

[spidey89]

Only reason I can think of for inaccurate focus using LCD is during bright light situations

 

[pchmj]

I am not sure that you will be able to focus more accurately using the EVF. If you think about it, the EVF is much smaller than the LCD screen so if you view the same scene through both of them, the image in the LCD screen is much larger and should be easier to focus.

It's more of resolution and visibility. 230,000 dots of the LCD vs 1,440,000 dots of the EVF, so image on the EVF is much sharper. Like watching channel 8 and blu-ray on your same 40" HDTV.

 

[wonglp]

It's more of resolution and visibility. 230,000 dots of the LCD vs 1,440,000 dots of the EVF, so image on the EVF is much sharper. Like watching channel 8 and blu-ray on your same 40" HDTV.

haha, gd analogy!

I am not sure that you will be able to focus more accurately using the EVF. If you think about it, the EVF is much smaller than the LCD screen so if you view the same scene through both of them, the image in the LCD screen is much larger and should be easier to focus.

i started a thread on vf2 with some good contributions, hope can answer your question
http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=703347

 

[Oly5050]

BTW, I am now using 2 adaptors to put a OM lens on the PENS. Is it necessary? Is there like a direct OM to micro4/3 adaptor? Just checking....

If there is none, then what lens system out there, for MF, that has got the smallest setup in terms of flange distance that I can get with a focal length of less than 21 mm and aperture of 2 or less (numerically). Thanks!!!!

 

[spidey89]

BTW, I am now using 2 adaptors to put a OM lens on the PENS. Is it necessary? Is there like a direct OM to micro4/3 adaptor? Just checking....

If there is none, then what lens system out there, for MF, that has got the smallest setup in terms of flange distance that I can get with a focal length of less than 21 mm and aperture of 2 or less (numerically). Thanks!!!!

The original OM to m4/3 from Olympus,forgot what's the model,I'm sure there are 3rd party ones though

 

[vincentho]

i'm a e-pl1 user, just got myself a om zuiko auto-s 50mm f1.4 & try it out using manual focus M mode. i notice i can't change the aperture value in the LCD, only can change the shutter speed value. i read somewhere if using a MF lens, we need to set the camera to the aperture setting on the lens, to match it manually. i wonder how to set the aperture on the camera body to match the aperture value on the lens manually? or i miss out something here...

still a newbie in MF lens... tq

 

[ziggy]

i'm a e-pl1 user, just got myself a om zuiko auto-s 50mm f1.4 & try it out using manual focus M mode. i notice i can't change the aperture value in the LCD, only can change the shutter speed value. i read somewhere if using a MF lens, we need to set the camera to the aperture setting on the lens, to match it manually. i wonder how to set the aperture on the camera body to match the aperture value on the lens manually? or i miss out something here...

still a newbie in MF lens... tq

For MF, set the body to Aperture Priority. The body will not be able to read the lens aperture settings as there is no 'communication' between the MF lens and body. Metering still works - change aperture on the lens and the shutter speed reading on the body will change.

 

[ziggy]

MF on a Pen is rather clumsy - when set to 'enlarge' for critical focusing and need to see the full frame, you have to press the menu button. On a Panny, you only need to lightly press the shutter to see the full frame.

 

[wonglp]

BTW, I am now using 2 adaptors to put a OM lens on the PENS. Is it necessary? Is there like a direct OM to micro4/3 adaptor? Just checking....

If there is none, then what lens system out there, for MF, that has got the smallest setup in terms of flange distance that I can get with a focal length of less than 21 mm and aperture of 2 or less (numerically). Thanks!!!!

There r many om-m43 3rd party u can find on eBay. Locally, chiif and xc pictorial sells it too. I use the ones from eBay works fine, I dun mount heavy lens on it, just 50mm primes.

For lens <21 and large aperture and short flange distance, closest I can think of is contax g 21f2.8(need some modification to fit into m43 camera) not really bright for ur needs...it's hard find. Here's the lens mount list which shows flange focal distance may be useful for u...
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_lens_mounts

 

[Oly5050]

MF on a Pen is rather clumsy - when set to 'enlarge' for critical focusing and need to see the full frame, you have to press the menu button. On a Panny, you only need to lightly press the shutter to see the full frame.

That's not true. On the olympus, u have 3 options for MF. Auto, or to a button press, or not at all. In addition, u can set to mag to either 10 x or 7 x. So a total of 5 permutations. Does the Panny have these?

 

[Oly5050]

So there is a direct one-piece OM to m4/3 adaptor? But I suppose it is just as thick as having the OM-4/3 and the 4/3-m4/3 adaptor together right?

 

[wonglp]

So there is a direct one-piece OM to m4/3 adaptor? But I suppose it is just as thick as having the OM-4/3 and the 4/3-m4/3 adaptor together right?

Yes & yes. The focal distance has to be conformed to

 

[spidey89]

i'm a e-pl1 user, just got myself a om zuiko auto-s 50mm f1.4 & try it out using manual focus M mode. i notice i can't change the aperture value in the LCD, only can change the shutter speed value. i read somewhere if using a MF lens, we need to set the camera to the aperture setting on the lens, to match it manually. i wonder how to set the aperture on the camera body to match the aperture value on the lens manually? or i miss out something here...

still a newbie in MF lens... tq

For manual lenses,can use in both aperture priority or manual modes, just that for ALL aperture settings, need to go back to the lens to set, that's how its done in the ole days, there is no way to set on body to match the lens except for using the simulator chips, which I'm not sure whether it works on the pens

As for the OM to m4/3, I use a OM to 4/3 then the MMF1, but my OM to 4/3 is thick but very solid, I saw someone using a thin one though, if can find a thin should be useable, more important is can it focus well

 

[vincentho]

Thanks for the reply. That mean if I set the lens aperture to f2.8, then in the body screen LCD I only have option to change the shutter speed & use the +-EV to match back a suitable shutter speed where the +-EV is 0 level? This is how I do it currently, wonder is there another better way to use the MF lens tgt with oly pen...

Btw, I'm using a OM to M4/3 adaptor, is quite thick & heavy as it's all in metal, but start to love the MF lens + EVF on pen d

 

[niwdehos]

I chanced upon the EOS EF Canon to M43 adaptor on evilbay... anyone using it? imagine mounting 16-35 L 2.8 on your EP or GF1... cool! :bsmilie:

 

[spidey89]

Thanks for the reply. That mean if I set the lens aperture to f2.8, then in the body screen LCD I only have option to change the shutter speed & use the +-EV to match back a suitable shutter speed where the +-EV is 0 level? This is how I do it currently, wonder is there another better way to use the MF lens tgt with oly pen...

Btw, I'm using a OM to M4/3 adaptor, is quite thick & heavy as it's all in metal, but start to love the MF lens + EVF on pen d

Just use aperture piority mode, the camera will take care of the shutter for you. What you've been doing is more or less right, control the shutter speed in camera manually in manual mode, as to whether EV is 0, its up to you,sometimes under exposure is nicer,sometimes over is nicer, go with what is pleasing to you rather than technically correct