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#1
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auto focus mf camera
What cameras are there in the Medium Format that are auto focus.I was at
camera store today and could not find one. Anyone have any suggestions for a auto focus MF camera? Don |
#2
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auto focus mf camera
On 13-Feb-2004, "Don" wrote: What cameras are there in the Medium Format that are auto focus.I was at camera store today and could not find one. Anyone have any suggestions for a auto focus MF camera? The Contax 645 has AF. Many of the rangefinders like the Fuji have AF. -- Tom Thackrey www.creative-light.com tom (at) creative (dash) light (dot) com do NOT send email to (it's reserved for spammers) |
#3
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auto focus mf camera
"Don" wrote in message ... What cameras are there in the Medium Format that are auto focus.I was at camera store today and could not find one. Anyone have any suggestions for a auto focus MF camera? I can think of 5 off hand. The claim is that the Hasselblad H1 is the best/fastest. It's a tad pricey. I'd guess that it has the best glass. Other options include the Pentax, Mamiya, and Contax. The Pentax is probably the most reasonably priced. The Contax glass may be the best of the three, although the reviews I've seen say there isn't much difference. There's an AF version of the Rollei 6008, although AF lenses are in short supply. I don't know about the Pentax, but all the other cameras have limited choices for AF lenses. I'd personally lean towards the Pentax. Observing the landscape magazines in Japan, the Pentax is clearly the 645 camera of choice for landscape photography here. All are glacially slow compared to the cheapest Canon Rebel 35mm film camera. If you really need AF, you probably don't really need MF. Get the Canon 300D for your sports, kids, available light work, and a manual focus MF for quality work. David J. Littleboy Tokyo, Japan |
#4
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auto focus mf camera
do a google on the words: autofocus camera 645
denny "Don" wrote in message ... What cameras are there in the Medium Format that are auto focus.I was at camera store today and could not find one. Anyone have any suggestions for a auto focus MF camera? Don |
#5
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auto focus mf camera
I own a Fuji GA645Zi. This is a very nice AF/MFcamera w/zoom lens; it takes
wonderful MF pictures. It is light weight and makes for a good walking around/travel/vacation camera. One drawback is it has a slow lens 4.5-6.9 at 55mm-90mm focal length. I use mine mostly outdoors but it does have a built in flash. The prices have been coming down on these in the used market. Regards, Gary |
#6
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homebrew AF confirmation for non-AF kits? AF mf camera
I think the major benefit of AF for many of us using MF would be confirming focus, esp. for low constrast scenes and wide angle lenses? Rather than buying new AF bodies and all new AF lenses, I would like to find a means to modify a prism or chimney finder to indicate in-focus or not using LEDs or whatever. One of the pentax transitional 35mm SLRs ( ME-F, IIRC?) was an intermediate design with focus confirmation but w/o AF mount or lens control interface. The lights in the prism indicated in or out of focus. Has anyone experimented with a focus indication module to see if these can be reworked for standalone use (e.g., Nikon Multi-CAM530 autofocus module etc.)? Perhaps a simpler sensor from a low cost P&S unit could be used too? thanks for any ideas or pointers and tips ;-) bobm PS see http://medfmt.8k.com/third/af.html AF problems pages - to see many reasons why AF is not always a great solution to many photo problems ;-) -- ************************************************** ********************* * Robert Monaghan POB 752182 Southern Methodist Univ. Dallas Tx 75275 * ********************Standard Disclaimers Apply************************* |
#7
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homebrew AF confirmation for non-AF kits? AF mf camera
yes, there are conditions where using ultrawides or in low contrast or lighting situations where focusing becomes more problematic ;-) The early ME-F and F3-AF you cited are probably examples of the simplest sensors and electronics, as they were for the early systems (but performance may not be as good as currently possible?). At worst, it might be feasible to take a P&S and use the electronics modules from them. Sadly, I don't have access to camera repair tech magazines, so I don't have the direct info I would need to scope out which modules would be the simplest to modify/use? You don't have to use on-axis light or the center point; the old vivitar AF lenses (200mm f/3.5 AF) provided autofocus using internal electronics and motors and batteries in the lens, not the camera body. They used off axis lighting to do the AF sensing. But yes, it would be interesting to see if there is a simple module such as those for Nikon I cited (not so simple, as they use multi-sensor points etc.), which could be easily adapted to a chimney finder or prism module. Just power and LEDs, ignore the motor control outputs etc.? Then again, if I wait a bit, perhaps Kiev folks will come out with this kind of prism too - they just delivered on the spotmeter variant ;-) grins bobm -- ************************************************** ********************* * Robert Monaghan POB 752182 Southern Methodist Univ. Dallas Tx 75275 * ********************Standard Disclaimers Apply************************* |
#8
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homebrew AF confirmation for non-AF kits? AF mf camera
Bob Monaghan wrote: I think the major benefit of AF for many of us using MF would be confirming focus, esp. for low constrast scenes and wide angle lenses? Rather than buying new AF bodies and all new AF lenses, I would like to find a means to modify a prism or chimney finder to indicate in-focus or not using LEDs or whatever. The Rollei 6008AF does indicate focus confirmation on many of the manual focus lenses. I have not tried one, so I have no comments on how well that works (or not). One of the pentax transitional 35mm SLRs ( ME-F, IIRC?) was an intermediate design with focus confirmation but w/o AF mount or lens control interface. The lights in the prism indicated in or out of focus. Has anyone experimented with a focus indication module to see if these can be reworked for standalone use (e.g., Nikon Multi-CAM530 autofocus module etc.)? Perhaps a simpler sensor from a low cost P&S unit could be used too? One weird idea is to use the module from a Polaroid SX70. These are sonar autofocus, but they have a simple mechanical drive to move the lens. Perhaps a rework of one could be rigged. The device is easy to remove from the SX70. Ciao! Gordon Moat Alliance Graphique Studio http://www.allgstudio.com |
#9
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homebrew AF confirmation for non-AF kits? AF mf camera
Hi Gordon, that's an idea; you can buy a stand-alone module for distance measuring, but the SX70 setup uses sound traveling time/2 to estimate the distance setting. Bit tricky if you wanted to focus on the middle person in a line, say, since the return would be from the first one? ;-) I do suspect that there are some modest cost replacement part AF sensor modules out there which could be remounted with simple power setup and diode LED readouts to provide in and out of focus signals using contrast differentials directly. Why bother, some ask? Because it would be a lot cheaper than investing in an AF kit in medium format just 'cuz our eyes are getting older and less flexible ;-) I guess I will try asking on the camera fix mailing list to see if any of the repair techs can suggest a likely candidate module, perhaps one with only one AF sensor point for simplicity to start. ;-) grins bobm -- ************************************************** ********************* * Robert Monaghan POB 752182 Southern Methodist Univ. Dallas Tx 75275 * ********************Standard Disclaimers Apply************************* |
#10
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homebrew AF confirmation for non-AF kits? AF mf camera
"Bob Monaghan" wrote: Why bother, some ask? Well, wide angle lenses really are hard to focus... Because it would be a lot cheaper than investing in an AF kit in medium format just 'cuz our eyes are getting older and less flexible ;-) You should be able to adjust your viewfinder diopter + glasses combination so that you can focus on the screen. YMMV, but I find that even with glasses, adjusting the diopter setting is both important and helps a lot, at least with faster longer lenses. I have varifocal glasses, so I have to be sure to always use the same section of the glasses for viewing. David J. Littleboy Tokyo, Japan |
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