How to Enable Zone Focusing on Fujifilm Cameras
While visiting Porto this summer, I was tempted to try something new, but old. And for me, very different. It's a camera that's been around for a while, and it has a unique feature that has really captured my imagination. But before I show you what it is, let me show you what it can do.
If I were to list the specs of this camera, I doubt you would get very excited. The resolution is pretty typical of even modern cameras, and the autofocus isn't the best.
So what is it about this camera that I was so curious to try? Well, from the brand name, you'd expect me to start ranting about colors. But that's not why I bought the Fujifilm X-T2.
The Fujifilm X-T2 felt like the sweet spot for the features I wanted. But it seems to be the often overlooked iteration of the X-T line. It doesn't have the cult status of the X-T1 sensor, or the strong video credentials of the X-T3. Instead, it's been lost in the noise, waiting for someone to pick it up again.
But why would you pick it up? And why did I? Well, as a street photographer, this camera has a unique feature I've always wanted to shoot with.
The Secret Fujifilm Feature No One Talks About
I want to show you something that I think is really cool.
Now I find it really weird how few Fujifilm street photographers talk about this feature. There's always a lot of talk, understandably, about Fujifilm colors. But why is nobody talking about Fujifilm focus?
Since the downfall of DSLRs, we no longer have autofocus lenses, which double as great manual focus lenses for zone focusing. But as of this generation of the X-T line, we can create this effect in camera.
You can do this with any autofocus lens, Fujifilm or third party like this T.T.A. 23mm. Go to your AF-MF settings in the menu, then page 2, go to depth of field scale. Set this to film format basis instead of pixel basis. Next, go to your setup menu, then button/dial settings, then the function AEL and AFL button settings, and change your AFL button to AF-ON. And last but not least, change your focus mode to manual.
With these settings enabled, you can see your focus scale at the bottom of your display, much like a manual focus lens. This white line is your exact focal point where your image is sharpest. Then this blue area on either side is the area that is deemed an acceptable focus. This works the exact same way as shooting with a vintage manual focus lens, and using the zone focus markings on the lens.
The further we close down our aperture, the deeper our depth of field becomes. This means instead of trying to lock focus on a subject on the street, we can pre-focus our lens to the right distance, then shoot without needing to focus.
But why did we set the AFL button to AF-ON? Well, by pressing the AFL button, we can enable autofocus if we want to use it in some situations, without changing mode. Or we can use it to pre-set our focus distance for accurate zone focusing.
