Manual Focus Training

Might be a silly question but what is the most effective way to get better at focusing manually? I know all purists will say just keep shooting but in this day and age I would think we would have found a more effective way to practice. I've read online some people use a measuring tape to practice (shooting wide open and randomly picking spots on the measuring tape to practice). Are there any better ways out there to train? However silly this might sound but...are there are any software/hardware out there to help you train?

Have you got the precision screen for your 5D? I got one and that really helps me to see where the plane of focus is through the viewfinder.

I have been practicing using my lenses wide open doing candid photography lately. I use a technique that combines autofocus and manual focus. I autofocus on subject to get it in the range and move my camera back and forth to keep the plane of focus (usually on the eyes) following the subject. If the subject moves drastically I just use the autofocus to get it back in the range. When you can see the DOF things get easier. This has been working well for me lately, I got a great shot last night of my grandparents side by side with my 50mm lens @ f1.8 with both of their eyes in focus (but not their ears

Get a screen, see the DOF and practice makes perfect.

I've heard that term being thrown around. Do I need to buy a precision screen or will 1 already be in the original packaging?

The ee-a is the stock screen and the ee-s is the precision screen designed to facilitate manual focus with fast lenses.

How exactly does it work? Can you post up some photos?

big_apple_ken wrote in post #9337650
How exactly does it work? Can you post up some photos?

You take out the existing screen and insert the new screen...other than that, not sure what you mean by asking how does it work. If you're going to explore the world of MF, I would suggest using an MF lens (not the AF/MF variety). The focus throw on a purely manual lens will let you really dial in the focus (manually focusing an AF lens isn't so friendly). And no need to select a Focus Point...the precision screen will let you focus on an object located anywhere on the screen...no need to do the focus/recompose dance either.

We do lots of manual focusing, especially for macro. We have found that nothing makes fine focusing easier than a split-prism focusing screen. These used to be standard in the old days, but with the advent of autofocus systems, they have all but vanished.

We got ours from Katz-Eye Optics, and love it. Spring for the ultrabright coating. It's worth it.

http://www.katzeyeopti​cs.com/

I have tried MF utilizing my live view on my Ds Mk III an still can't get satisfying results...it's the throw delicacy that makes it difficult, even at 10x.

Regardless of the camera or the screen, I do it the same way. First, I'll say I typically photograph people, and of course focus on the eyes. There is always a highlight or "shiny" spot in the eye. That is the absolute only thing I look at. I'm zoned in on that highlight, and can see the instant it gets real sharp. It has almost a "glimmer" to it, sort of like lights in a city at night further away. I've found this to be quicker and more accurate than any split screen. But, this is a personal method, so perhaps others might not find it so easy.

chauncey wrote in post #9343342
I have tried MF utilizing my live view on my Ds Mk III an still can't get satisfying results...it's the throw delicacy that makes it difficult, even at 10x.

Yep...the focus throw on purely manual lenses really lets you dial in and fine-tune the focus. The very short throw on AF lenses when set to manual is deplorable, but a necessary evil for fast AF.

argyle wrote in post #9346328
Yep...the focus throw on purely manual lenses really lets you dial in and fine-tune the focus. The very short throw on AF lenses when set to manual is deplorable, but a necessary evil for fast AF.

The very short throw on AF lenses when set to manual, is a necessary evil for fast AF, as well as the bright but not accurate in precision viewfinder focusing screen because of the diversion of much of the light to the AF sensor, is deplorable.

big_apple_ken wrote in post #9336434
Might be a silly question but what is the most effective way to get better at focusing manually?

Wow, that's a weird question. I guess you have to ask that nowadays...

For me, it was learning on a Minolta SRT201, and then getting a Pentax K1000...