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Manual Focus Cameras.
At the late of the '60, 35mm SLR cameras get more popular, all
of them came as manual focus cameras, event now, some cameras
makers still makes them.
To focus a manual focus SLR camera,
you look through the viewfinder, while turning the focusing
collar on the lens, until the area that you want to be sharp
come into focus. The viewfinder in a 35mm SLR camera usually
contains a split-image
rangefinder, microprism on mate
ground focusing screen. See
illustrated below. A
split-image rangefinder does what it say--SPLITS THE IMAGE.
With split-image rangefinder, you look through the viewfinder
at your subject and turn the focusing collar on the lens-clockwise
or counter clockwise- until the
split image in the viewfinder line up. The split-image
focusing work best when sufficient light and prominent line on
your subject. The disadvantage of split-image rangefinder is
that it blacks out when in use with some lenses had a small
apertures, mostly with telephoto lenses. You force to use the microprism
ring or the mate ground focusing area on the screen. Each
focusing aid has it advantages in certain situations.
- Split-image work best in bright
light, high speed lenses, and subjects with some lines
on it.
- Microprism ring is good for
macro/micro close-up photography
- Mate ground focusing area offer
the advantage of showing the entirely picture, what part
of the picture is sharpest focus relative to other part
of the picture. And if your camera had the DOF Preview
button, it also let you review depth-of-field over the
entire image area.
Practice focusing on your camera
until you feel comfortable with it, the more you practices,
the natural your eyes, hands and the focusing collar came
together.
NOTE:
Some cameras allow you
to change it focusing screen.
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| Most 35mm SLR cameras came with the
focusing screen as Split-Image Rangefinder, Microprism
with Mate Ground Focusing Screen. Photo at right |
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Out of Focus. Take a
close look at the center of Split-Image Rangefinder Area, the top half
was shifted to the right. The Mate Ground Focusing Screen is soft and blurring |
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In Focus. After
turning the focusing collar on the lens, the Split-Image Rangefinder
came together, the Mate Ground Focusing Screen getting clear and
sharp. |
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