I find ability to use touch to set focus point quite powerful.. the way I generally use it is to leave the camera in an auto-focus select mode and override with a quick tap if doesn't select the right subject on it's own. I prefer Oly capacitive screen vs Pany's pressure sensitive screen
More times than not, especially with my prime lenses, I use the LCD to pinpoint focus on a subject with my G3. For me, it gives me greater control for what I want to be in focus and out of focus. More than I expected, my G3 tends to focus on something I don't want it to be focusing on. I don't own an Oly camera, so I may not comment on its LCD touch.
That's generally going to be the case when you let the camera evaluate your scene and guess at what you're taking a picture of. Unless you're using Face Detection and there are people in a scene, the potential scene and focus scenarios are limitless; I can't even comprehend the logic of making that an incredibly high accuracy prediction calculation. Before touch to focus, the fastest/easier way to do selective spot focusing like this was to leave a camera in center/spot focus, half press with your subject in the spot, then recompose and full press.
I almost always use touch focus when I have the camera mounted on a tripod. Other times I use the method as described by everythingsablur. "Before touch to focus, the fastest/easier way to do selective spot focusing like this was to leave a camera in center/spot focus, half press with your subject in the spot, then recompose and full press. "
? Not into using touchscreen features of the G2. Other body GF-1 is non-touchscreen. I shoot 99% of my images using an EVF. Hit the Qmenu button if exposure mode needs to be changed. Have assigned one of the "toggle" buttons to engage the focus box and just move it around & change size (clik wheel). Rotate the manual focus ring to engage focus aid if necessary. Activate if needed AF/AE lock while keeping the subject matter framed in the EVF. If using the LCD for composing an image the use of touchscreen focus point would probably be more efficient. Be interested in the ratios of touchscreen users who shoot primarily with the LCD vs. touchscreen users who use the EVF for framing their subject.
I don't use the touch focus at all on my G3 as all of my photos have been hand held. There is a mode that allows you to half press the shutter and, while pressed, use the focus ring to zero in on what you really want. I would say that I use that 80% of the time. If the auto focus is right on I use that but help it out a bit with the focus ring if it is not. What this does allow me to do is get two or three entirely different shots from the same subject simply by focusing just a little differently and thus changing the DOF.
Like most things, I like the option of it, and will use it when appropriate. On my GH2, i use it frequently as my video subjects aren't usually centered. I tend to use my GF3 in point and refocus mode.
Love touch focus selection. I find my self jabbing the screens on my other cameras and wondering why nothing is happening. Gordon
Having just received a GF3 I was surprised at the difference between its touchscreen and the one on my E-P3. I knew one was resistive and the other capacitative but the difference in use was night and day. I'm not sure I can get used to the "hard" press on the GF3, but who knows. Certainly I like the E-P3's touch shutter-release a lot for some shots.
I use the touch on my GF2 to select focus point, but use the shutter button to trigger exposure. During my brief ownership of the EP3, I used the touch screen to also trigger exposure. The touch screen of the EP3 was superior in my opinion.
Pany's resistive touch sucks for touch-to-shoot - the amount of pressure it needs seems to add camera shake..
Yes, I totally agree. Hopefully, they'll move to the EP3 and iPhone-like touchscreens in the future. I think the GF5 is still a pressure induced touch screen.
So, with 54 votes, about 74% of people either use or would like to use touch to set focus point .. Hope the next generation of pens have this as base functionality..
I would actually prefer a small touchpad on the side somewhere so I can use it to move the focus point while I'm using the EVF.
That would only be an option if all PENs are given touchscreens in the first place. It will be interesting to see what features Olympus uses as product line differentiators, but this clearly has been one of them, and may continue to be. Their use of a capacitive touchscreen is both better and more expensive than the resistive touchscreens Panny has been using in some of their models (not sure if they've switched, but I remember their first few models were resistive).
