focussing

All you established music photogs out there.

Just curious at what you like to use for focussing?

Are you a one shot wonder? Do you find that servo works best, or is it manual?

I'm a bit old skool. It's usually manual focus for me, unless it's an absolutely crazy band when i will use one shot AF.

What do you guys/girls do and are you pleased with the results?

x

Established...? Er... well,

I always (almost) use One Shot focus, even if i am shooting in bursts.

I can't shoot servo cos if i recompose then i lose it.

I rarely switch to manual, even though i have split image focus screens installed to help MF'ing.

I rarely get a shot that is out of focus (just plain OOF, not motion or camera blur).

My MF skill is ok for primes, but i find i am usually on zooms, so am better to rely on the AF, with visual confirmation in the viewfinder (from the split focus screen and the red blip).

On my Canon gear the AF is great and fast, but my Sigma 24-70 f2.8 EX DG Macro i find hunts a little too much when the light gets REAL low (when i usually switch to the nifty or something anyway). Not sure how the Canon version fairs in this respect, but i assume would be a little better on AF.

Well that is a bit of a rant isn't it

Rob

With longer lenses (80-200): AiServo.
50/1.4 and wider: Mostly one shot. (Also because it tends to be wildly inaccurate on AiServo).
Manual focus: Only with the Lensbaby

Wow. Thats interesting.

I mostly use AF, unless lighting conditions make it impossible. However, I've always felt a little ashamed about it - since our senior guys almost always use manual...

Wait till I tell them!

my contact lens-corrected eyesight still kinda sucks, so it's virtually all AF/AI Servo for me.

René Damkot wrote in post #3357554
With longer lenses (80-200): AiServo.
50/1.4 and wider: Mostly one shot. (Also because it tends to be wildly inaccurate on AiServo).

You hear that scream? That's me just realising what I've been doing wrong. I think my camera is set on servo.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

well i'd experiment....i've been using AI Servo exclusively for the last dozen+ shoots and it's been working well for me (i had been using One Shot)

i use AI servo and One shot mainly when they're very active bands.

x

shesgotthepic wrote in post #3358593
You hear that scream? That's me just realising what I've been doing wrong. I think my camera is set on servo.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Well it seems to have been working for you.
x

tipsy wrote in post #3358792
Well it seems to have been working for you.
x

But I've also had issues with front and back focusing so....

I'll have to play around with that.

one shot for me.

I think this just shows that there is no real right or wrong way, it is just what works for you.

Many of us experiment with new things now and then, and find things that we find work better and worse in the process.

Rob

(Post removed).

Almost always one shot AF for me occasionally I use AI servo but find I get more control with one shot.

Can't say that I'm particularly experienced/establishe​d, but I've been using AI Servo for the last couple of months, and I'm getting away from the center focus point more. So far I think I prefer Servo over One Shot in most situations...never tried manual, but I doubt I could pull it off.