True Focus for Landscapes

[cerett]

Does true focus have any use or value in landscape photography?

[jerome_m]

In a word: not really.

[rem]

two words... ;-)

[davidthescot]

Hi

I used Truefocus extensively including landscapes and buildings but not for the reason it was designed.  It has a helpful feature where focus is held for 30 secs (I think) while the image can be recomposed.  In the absence of a matrix of focus points on the H6 I found this to be a convenient way of working.

[tcdeveau]

I used it for focus and recompose with landscapes.  Did it matter that I was using truefocus or normal AF/MF?  Maybe/maybe not.  Never did any extensive testing or comparisons.

[cerett]

I used it for focus and recompose with landscapes.  Did it matter that I was using truefocus or normal AF/MF?  Maybe/maybe not.  Never did any extensive testing or comparisons.

I was wondering if using it for recomposing a landscape image would be of some value. That is why I asked the question. Apparently, for some, it is. I will need to try this.

[jerome_m]

You can use focus and recompose on all H cameras. True focus adds corrections which are only important at relatively short distances. That is the reason I think it is not essential for landscape.

[davidthescot]

It is true that it is not essential for landscapes but I use it for convenience as there is a useful little symbol in the viewfinder that tells me focus is being held.  In terms of the adjustments I agree that they are meaningless for landscape purposes.

[Hassilistic]

I used it for focus and recompose with landscapes.  Did it matter that I was using truefocus or normal AF/MF?  Maybe/maybe not.  Never did any extensive testing or comparisons.

I was wondering if using it for recomposing a landscape image would be of some value. That is why I asked the question. Apparently, for some, it is. I will need to try this.

Yes, I do that as I shot landscape only with the Hyperfocal method, as I would never trust a lens to focus automatically at infinity which it will not.  So I use a rangefinder, and a light meter, measure, True focus, recompose and release.

[Buddy]

Yes, I do that as I shot landscape only with the Hyperfocal method, as I would never trust a lens to focus automatically at infinity which it will not.  So I use a rangefinder, and a light meter, measure, True focus, recompose and release.
[/quote]

Can you elaborate a bit on this technique/workflow regarding a rangefinder? seems to be interesting. thanks

[cerett]

Yes, I do that as I shot landscape only with the Hyperfocal method, as I would never trust a lens to focus automatically at infinity which it will not.  So I use a rangefinder, and a light meter, measure, True focus, recompose and release.

Can you elaborate a bit on this technique/workflow regarding a rangefinder? seems to be interesting. thanks
[/quote]

Yes, I also find that interesting. Do you not find the scale on the lens also reliable for hyperfocal distance? Thanks.

[Hassilistic]

Can you elaborate a bit on this technique/workflow regarding a rangefinder? seems to be interesting. thanks

I am pretty sure I mentioned this here somewhere in the forum but happy to go over briefly here (the rest you have to read to understand more about the principle https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/hyperfocal-distance.htm). 
The idea behind it, in a nutshell, is that you are shooting for Depth of Field.  And that is governed by the Aperture of choice, therefore depending on what you pick, will determine what is in focus and what is not. Thanks to digital technology the math calculations are now done on the fly, while in the past we did so prior to leaving the house in order to save time when we are there on location.
When on the field, as an image must/needs to have a Foreground /Middle and back subject for it to be deemed great.  Two out of 3 will do, and here is where you make decisions that can contribute to a well-thought-out picture.  The idea will present itself.  For example: You may be shooting from behind a fence that is about 10 meters away, and you think that fence is ruining a great opportunity for you, well apparently it is, but there is always a workaround, and here with a few calculations you can place the fence in the out of focus area using a hyperfocal length measurement to blur out the fence from your photo while making sure you got the great scenery behind it.  With several obstacles to overcome, like There is no way for you to get that using a regular autofocus or manual (not on newer lenses anyway).  As this happens more than you know, for many of these places are now protected zones and are unreachable by foot, but you can still get the job done.  As well as other similar scenarios around the city.  Like a harbor with many sailboats and a beautiful sunset which you wish to include, while the light is affecting your focusing, that many sails are making it harder to pick a point without your autofocus going crazy trying to find one to lock on, which is were True focus comes in.  Many more examples, traffic light intersections, wheat field, etc.

So the workflow: Find the location, Compose the image, do the measurement on your telephone App by entering the Aperture/Camera model/Lens mm, after which it will spit out a distance point for you to focus on, you can adjust that to be closer stuff in focus, or reverse, and everything beyond in the distance is always focused to infinity.  In most cases where I shoot there is a lake or open meadow with nothing to get a focus lock on.  In the latter, I would use my partner to stand at that distance while I use my laser rangefinder to focus the lens on them, however over a lake that becomes a problem, and that is were a Laser Rangefinder comes in really handy (Tip: the longer the distance of measurement the more expensive the rangefinder).  For I would use the trees or rocks to find exact distance to focus lens on, True focus, recompose, mirror lockup, and release. 
Now the light meter was used before all of that to take zone system calculations of the entire scene, or partially for the sky, and another for the land, see how many stops apart they are, calculate as per sensor compensation, and shot for highlights or shadows depending on what you will do later with the image.  So if I am using a graduated filter for the sky, then I will measure for shadows, factor all those calculations in to get a Great Exposure that requires literally no work afterwards, and more importantly than anything, the greatest amount of resolution detail extracted as a result of that, which translates to a richly detailed image, and justifies all the trouble that went into taking one image.

Why isn't everyone doing this, the simple answer, is knowledge and cost/expense.  Now those 2 should not, in theory, be an issue for a Hasselblad photographer.  Others simply can't be bothered to go through all of that.  That said, once you do get a shoot that you can feel proud to present to Ansel Adams (God bless his soul), the feeling you get, the joy, the sense of accomplishment, is absolutely priceless.

Alternatively:  A person may come along and advise you to just stack photos and blend in PS.  This has a specific scenario that does not apply to above.  However, the situation may demand it such as: Macro Photography, and a scenario were you need to shoot wide open causing unwanted shallow depth of field.  Such as shooting in a cave, dark forest, low light situation were stopping down will effect detail.

Hope that helped, as photography is all about manipulating light, and these are nothing more than tools and tips to help you address such cases with a careful approach, it is what makes photography so fascinating, there is no one way to do something, but some are better than others, and what I've covered here is the Fine Art Technique and you have to go the extra mile, it is so rewarding in the end.

[Buddy]

Thank you for these detailed explanations. Will try this as well, having already a laser meter for golfing...

[cerett]

Thank you for your detailed response. I had asked you about simply using the depth of field scale on H lenses and if you find them reliable?