Fuji X series, X-T1 and X-Pro2 switching between S (AF) and M (MF)

[Paul2660]

I find that for pano work, it's sometimes best to move the lens off of AF mode once I have the correct focus.  Mainly because in AF mode as you pan you may hit a patch of sky or an area in the background that the camera for some reason cannot lock on with AF.  This is more important with hand held panos not those taken with a nodal bar/tripod etc.

With Nikon, Canon etc. it's simple enough to set the lens to AF, hit your focus, then switch the lens back to MF and complete the series.

Since I have been using the X series, manly X-T1 and now X-Pro2, my technique has been to use the S,C,M dial on the lower front right of the camera.  Using AF to again find my distance, then dialing the camera to M.  I have realize that with the X-Pro2, when you do this, the camera loses the correct focus and blurs just a bit.  I had never realized that this happened with my X-T1, and went back and tried it, and yes it will do it also, but seemingly not as a dramatic a shift.  But it does explain some series I have taken where I noted a bit of softness. 

I have tried all the settings on the X-Pro2, under AF, and then tried holding the AF down 1/2 way and moving to MF, but really nothing will allow this.  I guess this is due to the AF design of the lenses.  On a tripod, it's easy enough to just move the AF point to where it will register something, but hand holding, I just prefer to hit the AF the first time and go from there. 

AF is very accurate, but just can't find anyway to switch to MF mode once I have that setting and not have the camera lose the sharp focus. 

Has anyone figured a technique around this? 

Thanks
Paul C

[Manoli]

From memory there's a menu setting , 'AF-ON SWITCH ' (or something similar) which if set to ON will allow you to lock focus if and when you hit the [AF-L] button.

No guarantees.

[armand]

Switch the dial on the front to M and then use the AF-L button to autofocus.

[Paul2660]

Switch the dial on the front to M and then use the AF-L button to autofocus.

Many thanks, that got it.    A bit of bad technique on my part, should have caught this long before now, thanks to both of you.

Paul C

[Paul2660]

Switch the dial on the front to M and then use the AF-L button to autofocus.

Hello Armand:

I tested this a bit more, and I am finding that on the X-Pro2, in M mode, and hitting AF-L, gets very close but not as sharp as straight AF.

My testing, in on tripod. Subject a large tree about 40 yards away. 

First shot in S mode AF hits, and image review is very sharp.  Then I am moving the switch to M, and hitting the AF-L button.  You get the focus confirmation sound and green light, but the shot is just a tad softer than the image taken with straight AF.  I was shooting a pine tree, so the finer needles showed the difference.  It's a very fine difference but is still visible on the Camera LCD at 100%.

For now, I guess the best solution is to just use the joystick, if needed to an area where the camera will lock AF, and not have issues.  Joystick makes this much easier. 

If you get a chance to try this on your camera I would appreciate it. 

Sincerely
Paul C

[armand]

I don't have the X-Pro2, only the X-T1 where the AF-L button in M mode is slower but I did not notice a problem with accuracy. I'll test it again. Are you looking at live view or the actual picture? Did you try to change the size of the focus area?

[Paul2660]

I don't have the X-Pro2, only the X-T1 where the AF-L button in M mode is slower but I did not notice a problem with accuracy. I'll test it again. Are you looking at live view or the actual picture? Did you try to change the size of the focus area?

I am using both the EVF and Liveview on the LCD.  Currently I have focus area the smallest, but will try to use a large focus area to see if that helps.

I went back and tried the X-T1 again, and it doesn't seem to have the issue, at least not as noticeable, but it may be the difference in resolution, i.e. larger 100% view available. 

Paul C

[bcf]

Hi Paul,

I'm interested… Did you finally find a solution for this problem?

[Paul2660]

Hello Bernard:

I have spoken to Fuji a bit on this, US support.  The "instant AF" should allow you to still use AF in the M mode, but with my X-Pro2, this method is not accurate and provides slightly softer images, especially with the 16-55, and 50-140 on the wider end.  As you get closer to the far side, 35mm and up on the 16-55 and 80-90mm and up on the 50-140, the "instant AF" button seems to work as it is supposed to.  On the X-T1, I do not see the same issues, as both test images I have shot will be the same.   For sure, if you obtain a focus solution in S mode with AF, and then switch to M Mode, your lens will drop out of focus. 

The difference between S mode and normal AF (half press of the shutter button) and M mode and "instant AF" is close, most of the time, but it's not identical. so I am going to send some images off to Fuji soon.

I also realized while doing this, that due to the design of the Fuji Cameras, and their fly by wire AF motors, none of the Fuji lenses are really good for night work, at least stacking for star trails, they might fair better on milky way work.

The X-Pro2's limited battery life, would only allow about 45 minute of continuous shooting, maybe 1 hour, after which you would need to change the battery out.  This requires you to turn the camera off, thus the focus motor will reset and when the camera is turned back on, you are out of focus and trying to manually focus at night is next to impossible.  Even if the camera is turned of in M mode, the lens will loose it's focus when you turn on the camera.  This is unlike any other system I have used, Nikon, Canon or Sony. 

The X-T1 with the grip will work much longer, most likely up to 2.5 hours, with 2 batteries installed, but it has the same issues with the lenses. 

At least the 14mm F 2.8 does have a AF clutch on the lens, (which more of the Fuji lenses has this), so you can totally control the manual focus process without the camera getting involved.  And you can turn off the camera (with the lens clutched to non AF) and then back on and the lens will not pop out of focus.  Which is something all other Fuji lenses do, ( at least the ones I have tried). 

Paul C

[bcf]

Thanks for this detailed reply.

Have you tested other X-Pro 2 bodies? I suppose your findings apply to any X-Pro 2?
It will be interseting to see if Fuji comes up with something.

Regarding the 14mm (and other lenses with an AF clutch): the clutch does allow you to switch to "full manual" mode - but I guess it is impossible to focus the lens in AF mode, then use the clutch (which involves sliding the lens barrel) to switch to MF, without compromising the focus a little bit? This means that, if you use the clutch to switch to MF, you have to focus "by hand" afterwards. Not always an easy thing to do.

[Paul2660]

Thanks for this detailed reply.

Have you tested other X-Pro 2 bodies? I suppose your findings apply to any X-Pro 2?
It will be interseting to see if Fuji comes up with something.

Regarding the 14mm (and other lenses with an AF clutch): the clutch does allow you to switch to "full manual" mode - but I guess it is impossible to focus the lens in AF mode, then use the clutch (which involves sliding the lens barrel) to switch to MF, without compromising the focus a little bit? This means that, if you use the clutch to switch to MF, you have to focus "by hand" afterwards. Not always an easy thing to do.

Yes, that is what I found also with the 14mm.  For some reason I find the 14mm a bit easier to manually focus than other Fuji lenses, it might be because the 14mm actually has a stop, where as all the other lenses just keep turning around. 

And as you pointed out, when you slide the clutch on the 14mm from AF to MF, about 70% of the time the lens slips off tack focus. 

What all this has made me appreciate, is that Fuji's X series are very dependent on the AF motor in the camera/lens for exacting focus especially with wides.  The LCD on the X-T1 and X-Pro2 do not have enough resolution to really allow perfect MF, at least for me, coming from Canon and Nikon LCD"s. 

I have not tested this on any other X-Pro2, but would appreciate anyone else with a X-Pro2 to try it especially with a wide like the 16-55 or 18-55 and see if there is not just a bit of focus slippage, (M mode, and using Instant AF, vs just S mode and AF via a 1/2 depress of the shutter).

Paul C

[mvsoske]

I used my X-Pro2 using my 18-55 set at 18mm also about 40 ft from my subject (a car door handle with raindrops on it) 1st using instant AF, 2nd using AF-L, 3rd Oisin MF with AF-L, and 4th using instant AF then switching to Manual. All on a tripod.  I have duplicated your issue with the 1st shot clearly the sharpest.  All the others were a bit soft and not as crisp.  I have not tried with my X-T1 yet.

Mark

[RPark]

Hmmm. I'll have to try this with my X-Pro2/23mm f 1.4. However, I usually just focus manually for panos and the like on a tripod.

[armand]

There are several lenses with focus clutches: 14 2.8, 16 1.4 and 23 1.4

[Paul2660]

Thanks for the list. Might have to get the 16 1.4 after all.

Paul C