Macro & AutoFocus? Or Manual Focus?

[Hidroj]

Hy to everybody!
Which flat port should I buy for my forthcoming 60mm macro lens?
The one that allows manual focus or the cheaper one that works only with AF?
I think manual will be better, at least the autofocus won't get crazy under difficult light conditions and I'll be able to move slightly back and forward to maintain the subject in focus.
But what do you prefer, experienced macro photographers? M or AF?
With M you'll maybe need another hand on the focus ring, with AF maybe the lens corrects the slight movement while diving.
It's not a poll, but sounds like...

Thanks very much!

 

[alcina]

I don't have a manual port available on the Subal for my macro lenses. I don't actually miss it, but I have been in situations where I could definitely see the advantage of having one!

If they came out with a manual capable port for my lenses I would not, at this time, buy one to replace what I have. My AF works just fine the vast majority of the time.

A good focus light will solve many issues, too (again, I don't have one and live quite happily most of the time without it).

 

[Hammerhead]

I don't have a manual port available on the Subal for my macro lenses. I don't actually miss it, but I have been in situations where I could definitely see the advantage of having one!

If they came out with a manual capable port for my lenses I would not, at this time, buy one to replace what I have. My AF works just fine the vast majority of the time.

A good focus light will solve many issues, too (again, I don't have one and live quite happily most of the time without it).

Motion seconded and carried (listen to that bit about the focus light - absolutely invaluable for low light).

 

[Hidroj]

Looking around I stumbled upon this web site by Stephen Frink:

www.stephenfrink.com/sf-tips/200601-macro-techniques/

There, he says, "Most modern digital SLR cameras offer multiple zones of autofocus and lenses that are very efficient at snapping into focus. However, the shallow depth of field of super macro makes manual focus often the better solution. I like to use autofocus for bold subjects like the eye of a peacock flounder, whereas the minimal depth of field and erratic motion of animals like shrimp or blennies make it easier to rack the lens to minimum focus on manual, slip on the wet diopter, and then just creep forward until the fish pops into focus on the ground glass.

Ideally, the housing will offer both autofocus and manual focus options with the macro lens, but if I had to choose one or the other (and with some housings you'll be forced to), with the 50mm lens I'd opt for autofocus, while with a 100mm, most subjects will be better served with manual focus."

Do you agree with him?

 

[alcina]

Sure...there's no wrong answer here

Is that how I do it? No. Does my way work just peachy fine? Yes.

Can you do that manual focus thing without manual? Yes. Simply prefocus your autofocus lens and "just creep forward until the fish pops into focus on the ground glass." - that in my mind isn't really "manual focus" as in using the little manual focus knob, anyway. This is a technique I use sometimes, too. Works well - I find it especially helpful if the area is tough to get into (crevices, walls on either side, lumps of whatever partially blocking my subject) because then I can concentrate more on framing and my position than on pushing the buttons.

 

[Taxgeek]

Hi Hidroj.
For the record, I use a 100mm on a Canon 5d in an Ike housing, which is more or less equivalent in magnification to a 60mm on a crop frame sensor (all other cameras except Canon 1d series). You don't mention what setup you're using.

1. Which housing to you have? With the port for Ike housing and Canon 100mm lense, you can't switch the lense from manual to autofocus while it is in the housing. Big design flaw. You have to pick at the beginning of the dive.

2. Which camera do you have and how well does it autofocus in low light? My 5d is great, even deep here in socal where it is soooo dark. And like Alcina said, a focus light can help that too even if your camera has issues. And some strobes have built in modeling lights.

3. How well can you see through the viewfinder with goggles on? I realized after I actually started using my rig that there is no way in heck I would be able to either (a) work the manual focus knob underwater or (b) move the camera in and out carefully enough to focus on most subjects. It might be my particular goggles and housing combo, but I believe I would be a complete failure at manual focus.

4. In my situation anyway, on the 5d with the 100mm lense, the focus increments of the lense are more than adequate - I very rarely have any hunting. Camera usually locks on well before I can get my eye locked on!

5. The ike manual focus knob kind of gets in the way. If buying again, I would get the other port without it.

Hope that helps a bit in your decision.
Susan

 

[Cacia]

My fav shot of yours so far!

 

[Hidroj]

Great focus example, Alcina. I like this Goby, with the focus set exactly on his eyes, and the pale rosa background.
And answering to Susan, I'm using (like you) an Ikelite Housing and plan to use Nikon's 60mm macro lens. The strobe I'm using now is the DS125 with the modeling light, so that helps a lot with difficult light conditions. And that's good, cause my D70 is IMO not really good if the light is worse. Ikelite's viewfinder isn't also that good to help me realizing if the lens is really "in focus" (and maybe that happens cause the viewfinder on the D70 itself is pretty bad and little).
The most interesting about what you're saying is that the manual focus knob gets in the middle, and that you won't buy it again. I suppose that finally I'll get the port without manual focus and will try to use Alcina's technique, learning to fix the focus with the AE-L/AF-L button and moving slightly back and forward.
Thanks for your help!

Jordi

 

[Mo2vation]

With my Ikelite and Nikon rig (with my 105 lens) I can seamlessly move from AF to MF my way of a focus ring.

It doesn't change the camera, it changes the LENS from AF to MF and back and forth.

That said, 99.9999% of the time I shoot in AF for macro. A couple of times I've hit the water, reached the site, spotted something I wanted to shoot - only to find I had bumped the lens into MF by mistake (and not loaded in the focus ring...) so I tried tromboning the cam closer and farther from the subject. Not fun.

With all of the Focus areas I can select from, I can create pretty much any effect I'd like managing DOF and just moving the focus point around the frame.

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Ken