Pro1 low light focusing

[Phil Tee]

Does anyone have any advice on how to improve the low light focusing abilities of the Pro1:

- by technique?
- by settings?
- or by accessories (for example, would the focus assist beam on the Speedlite 430EX work with the Pro1)?

(I have recently upgraded from my much loved and much used G3)

[SonyaL]

I have the sigma super 500 DG flash for the pro 1 and I love it.

Can you show us exactly what you are talking about thats happening with your pics?


Sonya

[Action_Man]

Shouldent you be able to go into manual focus and lower the shutter speed and when you have your focus set just wind it back to your normal shutter speed ...

[rpolitsr]

- or by accessories (for example, would the focus assist beam on the Speedlite 430EX work with the Pro1)?
The Pro1 can not use the assist beam of the 420EX, I am almost sure that the 430EX assist beam will not work either.

[DocFrankenstein]

I'd have to say by jumping to a good DSLR... of live with it.

[Terrywoodenpic]

The easist way on any camera, especially with short focal length lenses is simply to estimate and set that distance manually.
This has always been good enough for any social type shot.
Few non DSLR Digital cameras have focussing with out steps, the camera just choses the nearest step. it is easy to guess as accurately.( this includes G cameras and their like}
The easy way to estimate your height is to emagine falling straight towards them, then shuffel back, till you feel you will not bang your head on their feet. This is very accurate for most people. Four feet will be about where you can reach if you twist sideways at full arm stretch.
You could always buy an old fashioned range finder.

[superkully]

I got verrily miffed at the focussing abilities of my G5.

Then I started using rangefinders with wide lenses (15/21mm) and I read an article on hyperfocal focussing in for the G3.

So...

I have C1 set at f/4, focussed at ~2.17m and
C2 set at f/5.6, focussed at ~1.53 metres.

That means the following is in focus for the two modes:

C1: Between 0.77 metres and 513.5 metres
C2: Between 1.08 metres and infinity.

I use C1 for general stuff out and about in grey old England. And C2 for the few days it is sunny and with flash.

Using these settings also means shutter lag stops becoming an irritant.

Just remember that the sensor size and lens length on your Pro1 is probably different to that on the G5 so you'll need to work out your settings here: http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html

Hope that helps, this brought my G5 out from the cupboard and back into use.

[bullrage22]

Just remember that the sensor size and lens length on your Pro1 is probably different to that on the G5 so you'll need to work out your settings here: http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html

Very good site! I need to take a lesson too!