This will be the last summary post in my review of the Fujifilm 30mm f/5.6 GF tilt/shift lens. It’s not about the lens in particular, but about how to handle tilt and focusing when using the GFX cameras with any tilt/shift lens.
- Examine the scene and decide where you want to place the focal plane. For the purposes of this discussion, let’s imagine that the lens must be tilted down to make the focal plane where you want it.
- Rotate the lens mechanism until the tilt axis is horizontal, so that when you twist the tilt knob, and lens will be tilting up or down.
- Lock the tilt mechanism rotation.
- Decide how much shift you want and in what direction.
- Set up the right amount of shift in the right direction, and lock that down.
- Then pick two places in the intended focal plane, one near to the bottom of the finder, and one near the top of the finder.
- In your mind, associate the top place with either tilt or focus, and the bottom place with the movement you didn’t pick for the top place. For example, associate the top place with tilt, and the bottom place with focus. I’ll assume that choice as I go on.
- Frame the image.
- Using the focus ring and magnified focusing with peaking, focus on the bottom place in the focal plane.
- Using the tilt knob and magnified focusing with peaking, focus on the top place in the focal plane.
- Repeat the two steps immediately above this one until the image is in focus in both places. At first, don’t bother trying to get the focus perfect, but as you iterate, toward the end get more picky. Stop iterating when you are satisfied that both areas are in focus.
- Check the framing again, and adjust if necessary.
- Double check the focus accuracy of the two areas you used above, and repeat the iteration if necessary.
- Check a few other places in your intended focal plane to make sure they’re in focus.
- Take the picture.
Don’t get in a rush. At first, this will seem painfully slow. After a while, it will get faster, but let that happen organically with experience.
[Edit 11/29/2024 below]
Erik Kaffehr has come up with a way that is probably faster:
- Decide on plane of focus.
- Find some object to focus on along the centerline and focus on that using magnified live view.
- Go out of magnified live view and shift to peaking and adjust tilt until I have peaking across the field, preferably at largish aperture.
- Stop down and check important focusing points using magnified live view, possibly with peaking.
Pieter Kers says
I very much like Nikon’s ‘Split Screen’ in the case of tilt, were you can see a the side of the image and the central area at the same time at 100% to adjust focus. It is a time saver.
Although their implementation could be better, I don’t know other camera makers that have such a tool.
JimK says
Indeed. Nikon’s implementation is an improvement. Two independently placed points would be even better.
Ed says
Hi Jim, a question on the side. I have an occasional issue where, when manually focussing, the camera will after a period jump the focus distance around, often to 10m. It’s been observed on the original GFX100, GFX100S, and now GFX100ii. Happens when set to manual mode and noticed mainly with the 20-35, often after a long time without the camera being touched (but standby mode turned off and being remote triggered and tethered to Capture One).
Also (!) any idea if the 100ii has additional power requirements when tethered than the 100 mk1 or GFX100S, as the connection is far less stable on this one.
Cannot think you enough for all of the years of information, you’re invaluable, and so glad you’re back on your feet again.
JimK says
I, too, have seen instability in the GF lenses focus by wire operation. Seems to be random.