PhaseOne XQ3/XF Hyperfocal Tool

[spassig]

Hello
I‘m new in this forum.
I use in the past Hasselblad System 503 with analog film and later with digiback PO 45.
Now I have the system in title and learning the handling.
I make landscape.
Did someone use the hyperfocal tool to generate good depth of sharpness?
I saw the PO webinar Hyperfocal Focus using Wide Angle Lenses.
https://learn.phaseone.com/medium-f...rfocal-focus-using-wide-angle-lenses-webinar/
But I don‘t understand all things.

Jochen(.de)

 

[dougpeterson]

Hello
I‘m new in this forum.
I use in the past Hasselblad System 503 with analog film and later with digiback PO 45.
Now I have the system in title and learning the handling.
I make landscape.
Did someone use the hyperfocal tool to generate good depth of sharpness?
I saw the PO webinar Hyperfocal Focus using Wide Angle Lenses.
https://learn.phaseone.com/medium-f...rfocal-focus-using-wide-angle-lenses-webinar/
But I don‘t understand all things.

Jochen(.de)

This is one of my favorite tools. You can leave the camera on AF, but set the normal AF to the rear button (rather than shutter) and the HF to one of the other two buttons (e.g. your third finger) and with that trifecta of settings quickly manually, auto, or hyperfocal focus the system.

Note that the HF tool is just a set-focus-distance-recall function, so can be used for a variety of non infinity purposes. For example for street photography you can lock it at 6 feet such that, at any moment, without looking through the camera or looking/using any menu/screen you can jump the focus to 6 feet.

I'd really encourage you to work through this with your Phase One Dealer. It's literally their job to help you get the most out of these tools. This is a much harder tool to explain by text on a forum or general-audience video than it is 1:1 in person knowing your exact needs and wants. But hopefully the above helps you explore on your own, if you're so inclined.

 

[spassig]

Thanks for feedback

I'd really encourage you to work through this with your Phase One Dealer.
It's literally their job to help you get the most out of these tools.

I‘m agree.

This is a much harder tool to explain by text on a forum or general-audience video than it is 1:1 in person knowing your exact needs and wants.

I‘m agree.
I see you are PO Dealer.
Do you sure if I use the HF tool I have better handling the depth of sharpness by landscape as in the old days with manual focus and using the scale on lens by different apertures?

Jochen

 

[dougpeterson]

Do you sure if I use the HF tool I have better handling the depth of sharpness by landscape as in the old days with manual focus and using the scale on lens by different apertures?

I am very sure the hyperfocal tool on the XF (if set up and used correctly) is far, far better than manually focusing a lens based on the DOF scale. The tool on the XF is both faster, more accurate, more consistent, and is tailored to your use case and priorities. Work with your dealer on some testing and training; if you haven't previously done a training with them on the XF that covered the HF tool then you'll likely find a bunch of other tools on the XF you aren't getting the most out of. It's a really powerful body!

 

[Gerd]

Hello
I‘m new in this forum.
I use in the past Hasselblad System 503 with analog film and later with digiback PO 45.
Now I have the system in title and learning the handling.
I make landscape.
Did someone use the hyperfocal tool to generate good depth of sharpness?
I saw the PO webinar Hyperfocal Focus using Wide Angle Lenses.
https://learn.phaseone.com/medium-f...rfocal-focus-using-wide-angle-lenses-webinar/
But I don‘t understand all things.

Jochen(.de)

Hello Jochen,

nice to see you here...

Greeting Gerd

 

[spassig]

Hello
I saw the PO webinar Hyperfocal Focus using Wide Angle Lenses.
Jochen(.de)

Next week I have an instruction from dealer in HF as Doug say.
Maybe I will prepare my questions for instructure.
I see and hear in webinar something about MUC.
I see in www a description about Lens Position: 73, see screenshot.
I don't see in my picture nothing about Lens Position.

Why no Lens Position in my picture?

Jochen

 

[Gerd]

Jochen - the MCU value is only written during the HF setup under description. Outside the HF setup no MCU value is pushed.

Greeting Gerd

 

[spassig]

Jochen - the MCU value is only written during the HF setup under description. Outside the HF setup no MCU value is pushed.

Greeting Gerd

It works only by tethering?

Jochen

 

[Gerd]

I only used the HF setup with tethering. But the writing of the MCU value into the description field is done by the XF in the HF setup mode - Tethering should actually not be necessary for the writing of the value.

Greeting Gerd

 

[Christopher]

It’s an amazing tool! I used it regularly and just wish Phase One would make it possible to store more than one point! However, I have asked for it over and over again and so I mostly give up.... so sad, could be so easy and amazing.

 

[spassig]

I only used the HF setup with tethering. But the writing of the MCU value into the description field is done by the XF in the HF setup mode - Tethering should actually not be necessary for the writing of the value.

Greeting Gerd

Aha, yesterday I used HF without experience.
I don't focus the red house I think?
I'm not sure.
The MUC was write, see screenshot.
166, 171, 176, 181, 186.
Is it right if MUC were 0 that means the lens focus are infinitely.
But I must focus the lens to the horizon?



Jochen

 

[spassig]

Now I made five other HF shoots.
The focus was on the flagpole in the middle
The MUC = LP was write, see screenshot.
19, 24, 29, 34, 39.
After the shoots the value 29 was seen in HF display.
Why not 39?

Jochen

 

[spassig]

I read in https://captureintegration.com/xf-hyperfocal-calibration/ following:

The camera will shoot one frame at the spot the lens is currently focused at, with two shots at equal increments closer to camera and two shots at equal increments farther

My test show 19, 24, 29, 34, 39.
That means the AF motor move lens nearly to me.
Is it right?
If Yes the info in link is wrong.
You agree?

Jochen

 

[spassig]

I read in https://captureintegration.com/xf-hyperfocal-calibration/ following:

The camera will shoot one frame at the spot the lens is currently focused at, with two shots at equal increments closer to camera and two shots at equal increments farther

My test show 19, 24, 29, 34, 39.
That means the AF motor move lens nearly to me.
Is it right?
If Yes the info in link is wrong.
You agree?

Jochen

My mistake.
I think the LP focus on flagpole in the middle is 29.
19, 24 focus is further.
34, 39 focus is nearer.
So it's clear my sentence before.

After the shoots the value 29 was seen in HF display.

See screenshot

Jochen

 

[4*Paul]

Hello Jochen
There may be a language issue here but it would be a whole lot worse if I was to try and help in anything other than English!

Just so that we are on the same wavelength, my understanding of the term Hyperfocal is that it is the closest focusing point for a particular lens/sensor combination, at a given aperture, that also enables objects at infinity to be acceptably sharp.

There are plenty better explanations on the internet but hopefully this covers what you are trying to achieve but, if your furthest required “in focus” distance is less than infinity, it will the same principles but with a modified technique.
I can see from your screenshots that you are using an IQ3 50mp sensor and SK 150mm lens at f10.

According to the Lumariver DOF app (at my C of C settings) the Hyperfocal distance for an SK 150mm Lens at f10 on the your sensor is 166 metres. Which will then give everything from 83.2m to in sharp focus.
You are using the Calibration tool on the XF and have taken 5 frames at 5 MCU intervals and you should be looking at which of those frames has in sharp focus or is the closest to having it sharp.

The sequence you show (and asked whether it is correct) looks right to me - with the middle one (29) being your selected focus point to test.
You then have two focused further away (24 & 19) and two nearer (34 & 39).
It is at ,this point that I’m not sure I understand your question so please forgive me if my explanation below is irrelevant to you but I’m hoping it might help.
In your second test shots I can’t really see whether you have anything at in your shots (which may be a problem as is almost as far away as eternity ).
If you do it’s then just a case studying the points of focus in each frame and, if none of them are achieving sharp , it’s just a matter of deciding which direction you need to go with your trial focusing - by increasing or decreasing your MCU - and then repeating the process all over again and shooting the 5 test frames. Until you find the one that gives the result you want.
It is your judgement that counts here and the XF will not decide the HF point for you. Infinity is almost certainly not going to be at 0 on your lens (it isn’t on any of mine) so don’t let that confuse you.

Once you have found the MCU that gives the focus depth you want, it’s then just a matter of saving that value from the hyperfocal calibration tool. And then, if the HF focusing icon is selected, it will go back to this focus point every time for this lens. And it will be spot on if you have calibrated it correctly and are using the same aperture.

The XF is a great tool and has so many useful functions that it takes a while to get to know them. But it is worth the effort.
I hope that this helps.
Paul.

I wrote this before reading your last post so there is some unnecessary explanation above. Sorry.

 

[spassig]

Hello Jochen

I wrote this before reading your last post so there is some unnecessary explanation above. Sorry.

Hello Paul.
Thanks for feedback.
I will read your explanation later.
Before I play with the HF tool my first thinking was that I can define deepth of sharpeners direct with the XF.
Now I learned I must do this with support of CAPTUREONE or other RAW converter.

Jochen

 

[dougpeterson]

Hello Paul.
Thanks for feedback.
I will read your explanation later.
Before I play with the HF tool my first thinking was that I can define deepth of sharpeners direct with the XF.
Now I learned I must do this with support of CAPTUREONE or other RAW converter.

Jochen

In camera review can also be used. It is not required to use Capture One, though that would be my preferred way.

 

[4*Paul]

In camera review can also be used. It is not required to use Capture One, though that would be my preferred way.

Definitely my preferred way for rather aged eyes.
In Capture One at 100% magnification on a minimum of 13” laptop is the only way I can be confident that my focus is truly sharp. Who knows when I will want to print at 5ft wide
Best of luck.
Paul.

 

[spassig]

Hello

I have shoot five pictures with standard settings in HF tool.
I use AF and focus horizon of the sea.
Then I switch to HF tool and XF make the work.
Is it right workflow?

You see an overview and the five shoots with different lens position.
Did You see the different sharpness?
What's Your rating or opinion?

Jochen

 

[4*Paul]

Hello


You see an overview and the five shoots with different lens position.
Did You see the different sharpness?
What's Your rating or opinion?

Hello Jochen
I’m only looking at these on an iPad and I’m not sure that the sea is really the best feature to check sharpness - it’s very pretty though!
From what I can see, the files with Lens Position (MCU) of 33 and 38 seem to have the sea in sharp focus. And the foreground flowers (weeds?) are beginning to come into focus at LP 38.
I must emphasise that I’m no expert on this but have done it several times now and my recommendation would be to do another 5 shots at 38, 43, 48 and 53.
You will see the flowers coming more into focus and, hopefully one of the shots will still have the sea sharp.
The problem is that you may not be able to do that if (from the Lumariver App) those flowers are less than 83.2m away. The theoretically calculated HF of your 150mm lens at f10 will only encompass to 83.2m. But it is worth trying.
Ideally though I would suggest finding a test location with distant towers or pylons and some mid distance things that will give you a much better chance of checking focus.
Hope that helps - you are getting closer!
Paul.