Split prism focusing for portraits - on what do I focus?

southernjessie

southernjessie

Messages
602
Name
SJ
Edit My Images
Yes
Following on from my thread a few weeks ago when I said I was getting back into film, I'm taking my Nikon FE2 out for the first time tomorrow with the Ai-S 50mm f1.4 lens and just need some advice for exactly where to focus if I take any portraits.

So on digital you normally focus on the eyes or nearest eye but using the split prism of the FE2, would I be correct in thinking I need to focus on the nose since it's the only vertical object near the eyes?

If this is the case, and with the DOF being so narrow, should I avoid really wide apertures and stop down to f2.8 - f4? (I do this anyway with digital but I know a lot of people shoot wide open)

Thanks!
 
Thanks Nige - I would imagine it's pretty tricky to line up the eyes though within the split prism since they're 'horizontal'?
 
Well I don't have a FE2 but nothing has changed in head and shoulders portrait photography and the eyes are most important..erm well unless you want to show a great big boil on somebody's nose o_O get the eyes sharp (well at least the nearest one to you). The ideal lens for 35mm is about 85mm ( because e.g. if using say a 28mm the nose would look larger),,,but I'm sure plenty of photographers have got away with 50mm and have seen some great portrait shot using a 50mm f1.2 wide open. But for me I prefer to stop down for depth of field.
 
But the eyes are where you need to focus.
 
Last edited:
What you focus on doesn't need to be vertical, it just needs to be something that can be split by the focus aid, and brought together when focus is correct. The eyes are horizontal, but there's nothing to split - you'd just have one eye in each half of the split prism. You need to split one eye in the middle and bring the two halves together.
 
I had a volunteer to help me just now - I was focusing on the eyes but used the bridge of her nose to align - that must mean I would get a sharp shot?

Nomad Z said:
What you focus on doesn't need to be vertical, it just needs to be something that can be split by the focus aid, and brought together when focus is correct. The eyes are horizontal, but there's nothing to split - you'd just have one eye in each half of the split prism. You need to split one eye in the middle and bring the two halves together.
Click to expand...
 
Hi - I mean the circle and inner circle of the split prism is covering her eyes but the only way I can tell that it's out of focus is that the sides of the bridge of her nose right between the eyes are misaligned. They are to the left and right, so when I turn the focusing ring they come inwards to make the nose straight. Does that makes sense? It's really hard describing this in words

Nomad Z said:
What do you mean by align?
Click to expand...
 
I generally just ignore the split-prism for focusing with my cameras. Indeed, it can be worthless for many subjects and types of photography.

I usually use the area outside of the split prism to focus based on when my chosen subject (e.g., eyes for portrait) is sharpest in viewfinder.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top