100/105mm Macro Users Using Manual Focus?

Curious what you 100mm or 105mm macro shooters think of using manual focus on either of these lenses. Have you found that underwater auto focus with these lenses works fine or have you resorted to shooting in manual mode? I am new to auto focus and have done some testing in a pool and so far it seems manual may be the way to go with 1:1 magnification. There are several focus options with the system I use that I am experimenting with including using the "*" button to control focus, but I value you opinions here and would like to know what you think.

Keith

Hi Keith,

JMHO but,

Prefer MF as it lets me set focus on the exact point of the subject intended. Usually this means something stationary, Nudibranch, Pygmies, gobies.

Otherwise, I find it easier as well to use it on smaller moving subjects in low light as the AF searching doesn't allow me to get the shot when I'd like to get it. It drives me nuts to have the lens zooming in and out searching for the subject. Plus, it's just a lot of fun to be tracking, focusing and tripping the shutter. Kinda like skeet shooting.

AF seems best with larger, fast moving subjects. YMMV

Rand

I agree with Rand. I rarely use AF with macro regardless of lens. I find it works best with larger subjects and with the 50/60mm lenses. With the other lenses I never use it.

Properly set up, a Canon rig takes away much of the penalty associated with AF but I still don't like it. I just hate it a lot less. Others feel very differently.

Since you are using the 1Ds/Seacam which is what I have now, I think you should definitely map AF to the * button. I found the manual focus knob difficult to use because of its awkward position and am working with Seacam on a revised Systemport that will fix it. The Systemport is basically a modular macro port system that will house a variety of macro lenses (plus the 70-200 f/4L!). It's major benefit is that it has a focus knob on the port body where it is much better to use with the longer lenses. I intend to use that port with the 100mm and up. The 70-200 f/4 is a lens that I hope will be a nice alternative to Nikon's zoom macro lens. It's image quality is good, it's easily housed and reasonably priced. You have to use diopters with it, though. It works very well as a macro lens above water.

Thanks for the responses so far. So it sounds like manual focus is the way to go. I did try out "*" for focusing in the pool and it worked but will take some getting used to. Your right hand gets a workout! One nice thing is that while underwater I can try out a variety of settings and switch back and forth with the Seacam housing.

Keith

We need a dissenting opinion here. I use autofocus when I can - more than I did before when I had a film housing. That's mainly because I shoot the S2, which has a small viewfinder to begin with, and there are no special optics available on the Subal S2 housing to make looking at it through a mask any easier. In my view, this is the biggest shortcoming of the S2 rigs, at least mine. Seacam housings are said to have wonderful viewfinder optics, so this shouldn't be a major issue for you.

The "hunting" problem can be minimised by using a focusing light even in daylight. I use a Hartenberger mini with a wide-angle reflector on top of the housing.

But there are situations where there is no alternative to manual focus. One is shooting in very shallow water and bright sunlight, where you get little ripples of dark and light passing over the subject. It sends the little autofocus brain in the camera into catatonic shock or something.

The other is when the subject is partially obscured at least some of the time by things in front of its plane - commensals in a crionoid, shrimps or whatever in bushy black coral or sea whips. Things that move in the water. The autofocus will try to shift everytime something in foreground comes into the zone. Here, you need to set focus manually and then make fine adjustments with the camera while waiting for an unobscured shot.

Thanks Robert, I too came from a film housing and was all manual until this year. I recall my left hand in "manual hunt" mode on occasion. On a side note checked out your Bali photos and really like the garden eel shot. I have tried that same shot with my old film housing which I only had two lenses for a 20mm and 50 macro. I could never get close enough to the little guys to get a good shot like yours. I will have an opportunity in the next couple of weeks to try again with my new housing...

That was the only time I've ever been able to get a decent shot of garden eels in wide angle. There was a slight current that I knew would take me into the "garden", the exposure happened to be set right, etc. I just allowed the current to carry me in, holding my breath and w/o finning. Thanks for noticing.

I'm more than a year behind on Indonesia u/w shots on the website, but hope to get some recent stuff from Raja Empat up in the next week or so.

Robert

I think that your choice will be impacted heavily by the performance of your camera - both viewfinder and AF system. I shot exclusively manual with my D100 and Aquatica housing - largely for the same reason that robert shoots AF. It was difficult to see, so I very carefully moved the camera in and out of the focus zone to confirm focus - I didn't trust the AF as much as Robert does. Now that I shoot an F100 in seacam housing, I use mainly AF - it is easier to tell if the camera is having difficulty, and I can then switch to MF - or better yet find the desired focus distance and hold focus with the AF/AE button. The focusing ability of the camera is also much better in low light than my D100 was - especially in the peripheral sensors. I never thought I would switch to AF for macro, but I love it!

I followed Craig's recommendation and bought the 70-200 F4 L and I can't speak highly enough of this lens. It's really small, not heavy, and focuses fast. It's about the same size as the Nikkor 70-180, but it's USM (Sames as AF-S in nikonese) so focuses really fast. On the 20D with a +2 diopter, it will do 1:1 equivalent at about 8 inches. I need to remeasure all this now that I have the 1D.

In any case, I think it'll be a good alternative to the 70-180.

Cheers

James

MF. I prefer to place the plane of focus, not the autopilot.

All the best, James

I followed Craig's recommendation and bought the 70-200 F4 L and I can't speak highly enough of this lens.

This sounds intriguing, with the diopter and the fact it is a zoom, would you notice any decline in sharpness/image quality compared to 50/60mm macro or 100/105mm macro? Or is this splitting hairs?

Keith

I think with this body, any of those lenses will be within the threshold sharpness for the sensor. Used with a good diopter, I'm sure it will be sharp. I'll post some "ruler shots" at some point or maybe Craig will post some...:-)

Cheers

James

Thanks James!