G9 users : how much percent % you use manual focus in all your shoots ?

[7up]

G9 users : how much percent % you use manual focus in all your shoots ?


manual % ?

auto % ?

[thaivo]

I use manual focus sometimes in macro mode, and when the camera seems to focus on the wrong thing. I'd say

Auto = 90%
Manual = 10%

I think with the new screens on the G10, manual focus will be even easier.

[WYPhotoguy]

Auto = 99%
Manual = 1%

I think I have used the manual focus once since I have owned the G9, so far I have not really had a need to use the manual focusing. Although I like having the option available.

[Piet]

manual 20%

auto 80%

I use manual always for macro and night time shots, the rest is mostly auto.

[denncald]

I almost always use manual for macro shots. I first see if I can get auto focus to do the job, if it doesn't, then I switch to manual for the follow up macro shot. My experience has shown auto is okay in a pinch, but I will mostly have to use manual to get the specific areas I want in sharp focus. The LCD on my G9 is a lot better than the LCD on my older A620 (2"), but I would guess the G10 would be even better than my G9. I do not intend on moving up to the G10, so I will stick with my trusty G9.

I almost always use auto focus for non-macro shots. If I cannot get auto to lock on, then I will use manual focus. I don't take much in the way of night shots, so I don't know if I would use auto or manual most in that situation. I have taken some moon shots, and auto has worked for that.

Dennis

[JohnJ80]

0% manual.

It's kind of lame manual focusing with a point and shoot.

J.

[Jannie]

Manual for closeup shots, Af for everything else. Manual is hard because I mostly shoot outdoors and it's pretty bright to try and judge the focus on the screen. But this camera is so much fun to use in closeup MF mode. I cannot grab shots wide angle closeup with my 5D and any lens in this way, longer lens yes but not with say 35mm because for one the camera is so small and doesn't block the light nearly as much as a larger camera.

I lent my G9 to a friend for about a month and kind of forgot how much fun it is. So about 20 minutes before I found this thread I picked it up and took a few snapshots, using Manual exposure and Manual Focus. Yes I know the camera has blown out whites but I don't care, it's a snapshot, hand held 200 ISO (which isn't all that great) and took almost no effort to shoot. It's just a fun camera and MF is a really effective way to use it with closeups.

Shot in RAW, no PP, shot on wide and f2.8 1/30th second shutter

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb200/palousegirl/g91.jpg

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb200/palousegirl/g92.jpg

Here's the first shot with sharpening and noise reduction in LR2

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb200/palousegirl/g93.jpg

[Jannie]

The bottom line is with all of it's drawbacks as a point and shoot, I cannot get the kinds of shots possible with a DSLR that I can get with this little camera without a lot of effort, tripod, extension tubes etc.


I can't help but wonder what I could do with closeups and the Manual Focus on the G10? Could I shoot these same shots with that setup but at 400 ISO ?

I'm sitting here, going back and forth wondering if I might go to the store and get the G10 or forget about it. I can't decide, I'd assumed I'd get one as soon as they came out but the deal breaker is whether I can shoot at at least one stop higher ISO with the same quality.

Otherwise there's not much point in the upgrade that I can see, okay some reason but I'm still waffling.

G9 200 ISO f3.5, Manual Focus on the lens barrel trying to hold enough focus for the Canon nameplate.

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb200/palousegirl/g94.jpg

[MarKap77]

I use manual about 10-15% of the time. I am frequently shooting things at great distance but the camera doesn't want to focus at infinity. So, I just punch a few buttons and put it on infinity and shoot. Works great.

[WatchFan1]

I found manual usable only handful of times. Even when needed it to focus into infinity
(shots through airplane window), it seemed to 'jump back' and I needed to refocus on
every shot. Yes, I find it lame as well, generally speaking.\

99.9% auto for me as i do not trust the manual on P&S.

[Piet]

I found manual usable only handful of times. Even when needed it to focus into infinity
(shots through airplane window), it seemed to 'jump back' and I needed to refocus on
every shot.

Try to disable the feature "Safety MF" in these situations. If enabled, the camera tries to finetune your manual focus when pressing the shutter halfways and overwrites your choice.

[WatchFan1]

thanks, Piet.

never thought of that !!

[GordonSBuck]

I almost always first use auto focus but then sometimes switch to manual to tweak the auto selected distance. This is especially so for macro and landscape. Probably manual focus for about 20% of my shots.

[runninmann]

My G9 has manual focus? :);)