PL-100-400 to M/A or not ?

[blackfox wildlife]

I have a omd1-mkii (firmware upgraded) and a pl-100-400 under most conditions I'm extremely pleased with it . and under most conditions its extremely sharp .but push the limits a bit further and the image deteriorates ,its like its focussing fine till 250 yards then losing its sharpness ..

I know I can micro adjust lenses on the body but how would you go about doing a m/a for distance without spoiling the close focus ability .or is this just something I have to put up with using a Olympus body and a Panasonic lens

has anyone else using the combo noticed the same or is it a matter of expecting to much from the sensor and/or lens resolution

 

[Phocal]

250 yards then losing its sharpness ..

Are you serious? 250 yards is an extremely long distance for any lens.

As to your question about micro focus adjustment and close vs long distance. I suggest you go back and read my write up where I talk about it: Micro Focus Adjustment

 

[blackfox wildlife]

Now read it for the third time .. I know what I’m doing ,it has helped with my 50-200 + ec14 .. .. the Actual question should read how can I micro adjust the lens for distance work without effecting close focus ?

 

[gwydionjhr]

I don't think it's focus, I find the pany 100-400 loses quite a bit of sharpness over 300mm.

 

[blackfox wildlife]

Hmmm could be right there, got to seriously check it against my other combo 150-200swd and EC-14 which gives me a faster aperture at 283mm . So I lose 117mm of reach but is it a better option ?

 

[blackfox wildlife]

one from yesterday in good light , fairly big crop to so perhaps the answer lies with the light .

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

 

[TNcasual]

Maybe you need to check your expectations. I wouldn't expect a large crop of an image with flying birds a long ways out to be very sharp from any lens on any system.

 

[Phocal]

the Actual question should read how can I micro adjust the lens for distance work without effecting close focus ?

the actual answer can be found in my write up.

In short you can’t. Lens error will change by focus distance.

 

[Danny.]

one from yesterday in good light , fairly big crop to so perhaps the answer lies with the light .

I don't think the answer lies in the light. The answer really lies in the expectations. To be honest, I wouldn't have pushed the shutter button and expect too much out of a crop from long distances.

All the best.

Danny.

 

[Bushboy]

Also experiment with manual focus.
The very nice, fine focusing adjustment modes, are fantastic.
It will surprise you, just how lazy, the In camera autofocusing is.
Lately, my so called, soft lenses, have sharpened up, considerably, with careful manual focusing...
I think

 

[mfturner]

More than 100 yards, depending on the day's weather, and you will run into atmospheric blurring, sometimes just haze from ozone and moisture, sometimes scintillation from thermal convection of the air. Paragraph 3 of this post gives a great description including a wonderful extreme example that makes me want to experiment with it:

https://www.mu-43.com/threads/updat...t-10-lenses-in-40mp-hr-mode.81291/post-830520

This "seeing" varies throughout the day and from day to day. Here in CO the distant mountain skyline shows me this every time I try to include it in a photograph, cool weather sometimes helps but not always.

 

[Avondale87]

Cant answer your question but I've been surprised with this lens on my EM5 2.
It varies so much and I've played with ISO, speed, f , and an answer seems to evade.
But good light, not harshest brightest sunshine is a sound ingredient IMO.
Blackfox you did warn me about The Light!
Also the shutter speed. There seems to be a 'nice' one, but haven't discovered a recipe yet!
Too fast and it seems to lose detail.
Bit of a revolving door one for me.

I'm watching this post with all ears open too ?

I've seen your posts and know full well you know your lenses. That shows.
No one can deny the quest to push the boundaries - go for it.

I'll add an observation from my surveying with a Nikon (ED glass) total station (theodolite).
The vagaries of atmospherics is highly magnified and it shows very quickly.
In that application what looks good with the naked eye is often pathetic through that lens.
Evenings or early mornings can be as bad as mid day sun.
Surfaces come into play and all manner of other parameters.

 

[Bushboy]

250 yards... that’s nothing.
In this pic, just a snap of my new garden. In manual focus with the highlight on, 3X magnification, I could see the critical focus, climb from my fence, through the middle ground, and all the way up the mountain in the background. That’s easily a distance of 500meters.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Try it and see.
Micro adjustment eh? I don’t even know what that is, but I suspect my camera is miles out, and at the moment, I’m not sure I trust my camera auto focus at all... :/

 

[Bushboy]

Danny, your laughing at my garden right?

 

[Danny.]

Danny, your laughing at my garden right?

No mate, I'm laughing because I can see a bird in the tree right in the middle on the far hill.

Sort of like ....... one flew over the cuckoos nest

 

[wjiang]

250 yards... that’s nothing.
In this pic, just a snap of my new garden. In manual focus with the highlight on, 3X magnification, I could see the critical focus, climb from my fence, through the middle ground, and all the way up the mountain in the background. That’s easily a distance of 500meters.
View attachment 787033
Try it and see.
Micro adjustment eh? I don’t even know what that is, but I suspect my camera is miles out, and at the moment, I’m not sure I trust my camera auto focus at all... :/

It all depends on atmospheric conditions. Cold, dry, still air is very clear, polluted hot and humid air is problematic. What conditions where you in?

Also, micro adjust only matters for PDAF. If you're using MF or S-AF or a CDAF-based C-AF it's irrelevant.

 

[Bushboy]

I’m not sure about the conditions, wjiang. I get what your saying, like some days it seems like you can see for miles, after rain and that.
I was saying that the zone of focus does seem very thin? And while checking it with the lcd screen and using highlights, it is very easy to see. Looking at it like this, it is either in focus, or not. And, things 250 meters out are not, focused/highlighted if you go past this and focus on say, a skyline a couple of kilometres away.
I think the theory, the cuckoos theory, says everything will be focused? I’m finding, if I want maximum available sharpness, i pays off handsomely, to check exactly where that zone of focus is.
Maybe I’m loosing it, I might need to see, Nurse Ratchet...
I think I’m on to something!

 

[Bushboy]

And Danny, there is a cuckoo up there!
I heard it screeching..

 

[Danny.]

Conditions make a huge difference for sure. There's a wall I call the wall of death and that wall doesn't care what focal length you use or what format, it doesn't even care how many pixels you have. It's exactly the same no matter what you do for every system out there on the same days.

If you try and go past that wall of death (spooky huh) then all you will get is less details and yes, that wall moves from day to day. Cold fine days are the best.

All the best and keep away from the damn wall

Danny.

 

[panamike]

Perhaps i have been lucky but over the years i have only ever fine-tuned the long end at the widest aperture, target about 25-30ft away, then relied on increased DOF for all other distances, at least it kept me sane