I don't understand how I am suppose to use this lens.

H

harmonica44

I was going to buy a 40mm prime lens for my Canon T2i, but the guy at the camera store, told me that he likes the 50mm better for movie shooting, cause the focus ring, does not stop, and you just keep turning it. The 50mm had a focus ring that can keep turning where as the 40mm had one that stopped.

I played around with the lens, but if you keep turning the ring, that does not help. You still have to turn it back anyway when focus pulling. Let's say you want to move the camera closer to someone's face for example.

You pull focus as you move in, then the focus ring, comes to halt. You then have to start turning the ring the other way as you continue to move in closer.

With this type of lens where their is no halt, you have to guess where the halt is, and then start moving back. So what's the benefit of not having a halt? Why have it so the ring keeps on turning, even though you are going to have move back anyway, but don't know when since their is no halt?
 
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Oh well then! I will see if I can exchange it tomorrow. The hard stop lens they had, the focus ring is right on the end, which makes it harder to put a follow focus around though. Any follow focuses for such a ring?
 
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harmonica44 said:
Oh well then! I will see if I can exchange it tomorrow. The hard stop lens they had, the focus ring is right on the end, which makes it harder to put a follow focus around though. Any follow focuses for such a ring?
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why dont you just give the model name of the lenses to make it easier for everyone, its no good saying it has a focus ring at the end, thats what my 1.8 mk2 50mm lens has, is this the lens you are referring to?

would you call up a tech support number saying i dont know the OS, or if its even a computer, but what i do know is that it turns on. see what i mean?
 
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I thought you said it was a 40mm lens?

In any case, yes - you can position any follow focus to work with the focus ring on the 50mm 1.4.

But that lens also doesn't have the focus ring right on the end, and I think it's got a free-spinning focus wheel. The 50mm f/1.8 version is the one with the hard stops and focus ring on the front (and is much cheaper). Are you sure that's not the one you were looking at? Personally I find that one to be a pain to use for video because of the placement of the focus ring, and I can't see it working well with a follow focus at all. It's fine for photography, but for video use you'd be better off with an older manual lens for a similar price.

KEH.com always has a good selection of older manual nikons:

Used Nikon Lenses

Any of those plus a $10 adapter will make a decent lens for video purposes and will work well with a follow focus.
 
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No I chose between this 50mm lens, which does not have a halt, compared to a 40mm at the store, which did. I don't remember the model number of the other one. I can go back and trade the lens, but if I do I have to do it today. The store does not seem to have a lens where the focus is placed more behind the lens, that does not have a hard stop though. I have to choose between having the focus ring in the front with a hard stop, and having the ring in the back without the stop.

What's better, or are they both bad?
 
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OK, so I'm going to assume you're talking about canon's new 40mm pancake lens, as I can't think of what else could possibly match your description.

And no, that one's probably not a good choice, it's designed to be ultra-compact at the cost of performance. The focus ring will be hard to deal with, and it's only an f/2.8 - which certainly isn't bad, but the 1.4 will give you better performance in low light situations.

So if you already have the 50mm just stick with it. The focus ring without stops isn't that big a deal, and it's a good lens overall. Just go shoot something with it. Please.
 
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You pull focus as you move in, then the focus ring, comes to halt. You then have to start turning the ring the other way as you continue to move in closer.
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What? I really don't understand what you said here.
I use a Sigma 30mm 1.4 which do not has a stop to the focus ring. But I have shooted a lot of jobs with this lens without feel any single difficulty on it. I'm trying to understand.
 
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Well without having the stop on the focus ring, I am having difficulty knowing when to start moving the ring in the opposite direction, when focus pulling. I have to guess basically, and it seems to throw off my focus pulling timing.
 
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Hmm, I still don't got it. Why would you need move the ring in the opposite direction? If the camera is closing in, if the focus get the maximum reach, will not help at all turn it to the oposite direction. Or am I missing something? If you start to spin the ring to the oposite way, you will lose focus, not gain it, right?
 
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harmonica44 said:
Well without having the stop on the focus ring, I am having difficulty knowing when to start moving the ring in the opposite direction, when focus pulling. I have to guess basically, and it seems to throw off my focus pulling timing.
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It's not the missing stop that's throwing off your timing, it's your lack of experience.

With practice you will learn how to tell which way to turn the lens based on a combination of what you see on screen and what you know is happening in terms of camera and subject movement.

Stick with the lens you've got. Go out and start shooting with it. Over, and over, and over again. Please.
 
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Okay thanks, I will keep practicing.

Out of curiosity why are newer lenses, not having the stops? I just don't get the reason why you would take them away and have the ring keep on going.
 
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It's because these lenses are designed for photography, not video. The autofocus can perform faster if it doesn't have to drive the focus ring too, so there's not a direct full-time connection between the ring and the lens elements. The ring is just free spinning, and when you turn it a clutch engages that moves the internal gearing.
 
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