too much 'travel' to focus on 80mm CF. Is CFE better?

[sperera]

hi there.....anyone else find the 80mm CF (ok, now im not even sure about whether CF version) annoying to focus cos of all the times you have to swing round the focus......I've never used the CFE version...is THAT a more-user friendly version of the classic 80mm?

 

[fotografz]

hi there.....anyone else find the 80mm CF (ok, now im not even sure about whether CF version) annoying to focus cos of all the times you have to swing round the focus......I've never used the CFE version...is THAT a more-user friendly version of the classic 80mm?

Same focus throw.

here's a tip for general shooting with any manual focus lens:

get into the habit of returning the focus ring to infinity after each series of shots. This will mean that as you go to focus, you'll always be going one way and not hunting back and forth. Also, if you look at the DOF scale on the lens you'll see that most shots are only a short distance from infinity ... and as you get closer to a subject the focus throw becomes greater and greater. However, a majority of shots are toward the infinity end where the distances become closer and closer in terms of how much you have to move the focus ring.

BTW, there is a handle you can get that makes the 80mm a bit quicker to focus.

 

[sperera]

thanks for your reply....yeah, I know about the handle but I've heard its not that 'safe' to use....though I'm sure it probably is.....

 

[blowupster]

I'have had several lenses. The "C" one were very hard to focus and the ring cut my figers. The CF lenses are better in this way. My first CF 150mm was hard to focus and the seller said that was on purpose : it helps to get more precision.

My "barly very used" FE 110mm is very soft and I cann turn it easily. A real fun to work with.
BTW it happen to me that way to foccus with "moving portrait".
I focus with the ring as occurate as possible, then I move my head "glued" to my Hassy front/rear to chose witch eye will be sharp.

 

[polypal]

The handle is safe to focus but quite a few users find it not practical.

Those used to focus with their left hand find it unsuitable because it interferes with lens controls.

 

[CarstenW]

The handle is safe to focus but quite a few users find it not practical.

Those used to focus with their left hand find it unsuitable because it interferes with lens controls.

Yet more evidence of the correctness of the cross-left-index-finger for releasing the shutter. I find the arguments compelling and the evidence overwhelming, but I still put my right-hand index finger on the shutter every time I pick up the camera.

 

[polypal]

Yet more evidence of the correctness of the cross-left-index-finger for releasing the shutter. I find the arguments compelling and the evidence overwhelming, but I still put my right-hand index finger on the shutter every time I pick up the camera.

Old habits die hard!

 

[wbulte]

Yet more evidence of the correctness of the cross-left-index-finger for releasing the shutter. I find the arguments compelling and the evidence overwhelming, but I still put my right-hand index finger on the shutter every time I pick up the camera.

Bah... use what you personally find most practical. I'll never get used to that weird X-finger idea that is supposed to be the standard. If I was supposed to handle my Blad's that way Mother Nature would have equipped me with universal joints instead of normal wrists..

Wilko

 

[cs_foto]

This difficulty gets even worst when you use the cf lenses on a digital slr through and adapter. Like on a canon or fuji body. By the way. Where can i find the Handle and is it only available for the 80mm?

 

[polypal]

QF handle

The handle can be used with all CF lenses from 40 till 80 mm.

It folds flat for easier storage.

Try auction sides and large traders to locate one.
They are not easy to find as against the older design for C lenses that is in good supply.
Those handles will not fit CF lenses!

 

[wbulte]

The handle can be used with all CF lenses from 40 till 80 mm.

It folds flat for easier storage.

Try auction sides and large traders to locate one.
They are not easy to find as against the older design for C lenses that is in good supply.
Those handles will not fit CF lenses!

Having used handles on the C50 and CF150 lenses as wel as (very briefly) on a CF50 and CF40 I must say that they are (in my opinion of course) quite useful on the C series. And not at all practical on the CF series.

The reason for that is that on the CF series (unlike the C series) you cannot arbitrarily position the handle on the distance ring. The CF handles replace the dust cover ring between the camera bajonet and the distance ring. In the distances ring there are notches that 'click' the handle (or dust cover ring) into place.

I quickly gave up on the CF handle. On my C150 the handle is still in place, and I like it there. The C50 has been replaced by a CF50FLE which I like a lot as-is (so handle-less).

YMMV..
Wilko