Let's clearify somethings
The jump shots are not 99% keepers, I think about 2 out of 10 are really 100% the way I want them, and even than only 2-3 out of each session are REALLY the way I want them when everything comes together, but that is not because of focus, that's because of pose, timing etc.
I find the MF alot harder to time than a DSLR, but I have the hang of it now and have app 8 out of 10 timed correctly, however the model will always jump different so there is a real problem which is not solved very easily.
The jump shots are taken at app a 80mm and between f16-f11.
My PORTRAIT work and most other work is done with the 120mm and mostly between f8.0 and f16.00 with a sweetspot for my eyes at f11 (a little bit depending on distance).
What I meant to say, but obvious did not come over right, is that I have no problem with FOCUS on the AFD/II so I advised to check the system.
If I take a NORMAL session so without the jumping, just normal portrait and beauty work I get a 99% hit ratio in focus, the system hardly misses a focus.
I don't use a tripod by the way, I do sometimes when it's necessary to get a consistant framing.I have to add that even with the 5D I often used manual focus because I hated the large focus spot of the 5D, stepping to the macro mamiya is a wonderfull stepup, focussing is very easily due to the larger viewfinder and the precise focus setting of the lens.
It does take some time however during the session that's why for the faster paced sessions I use the 150mm AF.
I would LOVE to have a AF selection were you can select the top for example, but I responded to this thread because for ME PERSONALLY the step to MF has given me much better focus than my DSLR did.
Don't take it the wrong way as it is not meant that way, than I would just shut up and not post anything.
adding about the jumps.
Trust me on this one, I have been doing movement in sessions for the last 4 years and it took me 3-4 sessions to get from 5% keepers on the Mamiya to the same ammount as I had on the 5D.
The problem is I still shoot sports with the 5D so when I shot sports and I take the Mamiya I have to readjust for the slower mirror, but normally that takes now 2-3 jumps.
But as mentioned before not ALL shots are also good with jumps.
What I mean with hit ratio is the shots that are frozen, are in focus and are in on the floating point (not going up or down).
Composition is often way off because you can tell a model to keep her arms compact, but doing so is often difficult
posing in the air is something that also only 3-4 of my models can REALLY do, the other ones is just shooting a lot and if it doesn't work out using a small trampoline.
For the workshops I have 3 models that I dare to use for the jump shots, because they actually nail a jump every time.
The example I posted is from Stephanie, those where shot during a workshop I teached and I shot 20 frames and 4 were keepers were everything was absolutly perfect (see
www.doorhof.nl/models in the Stepahnie folder were I posted 3 of them), normally as mentioned before with jumps you will have a very low hit ratio were composition/expression is right, but that was not the basis of my post, sorry if that was misread.
