Do other people have problems with manual focus of adp lenses?

I'm using the red peaking so as not to confuse myself too much. Sometimes it takes me a wee while to get my focus how I want it, but that doesn't bother me. That's mostly with the long lens (70-210). It's easier with the 35-70. I'm much happier with it now than I was, I think its a combination of getting used to it and practice.

 

Go into the menu and set teh bottom button on camera back to 'manual assist',..also turn off peaking. Place a small(ish) object with sharp edges or corners on a table in good light,.....if yo udon't posess a tripod, place an upright chair near to the table and rest the NEX on the chairback so that the object is in the centre of the screen. Now turn the focus ring of the lens until the object looks to have become reasonably clear and 'sharp'. Now press 'manual assist' twice to give the highest magnification and examine the outline of the object,...by playing with the focus ring of the lens you will be able to see where the point of focus is and practice going in and out of focus.... You will note that you can take the point of sharpest focus back and forth over the object,...so now choose where you want to be in sharpest focus and 'make the exposure'.

Excercise 2,.....try to keep the eye of a pet in focus using just the manual focus ring of the lens.

 

It can be due to inferior adapters too which do not focus to infinity properly. I have a couple of cheap adapters that require a slight turn back from the indicated infinity mark on the lens body to focus. I do use peaking and fit it really useful, but I generally use it in conjunction with manual assist.

 

My very first manual focus experience was with m4/3 earlier this year and though it was better after I bought an EVF, I still found it unreliable and frustrating (after 20 years using AF !). Then in early September I starred using a NEX with peaking, and I can say I've ditched AF since and am having a blast with MF !
Since I shot only moving targets (people and pets), magnification is useless to me, but peaking is godsent. I usually set it to Mid and use yellow in good light, and light in lower light.
What one needs is a LOT of practice, but you do get a lot better after a while.
So far AF performance in NEX (and I do have the new 6) hasn't made me want to give up MF.

 

For some reason, i found focus peaking better on the 5n with the Helios i have been using. I have it really frustrating on the 7, had to set peaking to high and still not as clear as on the 5n using mid. I got a different lens today, which seems to peak better, but it may be just that im getting used to the 7, still using high peaking though, in white.

 

I use Yellow medium peak as well - never actually tried low to be honest, I should probably experiment a bit more. I did try red and white though and found yellow the best in most cases, especially outdoors.

What I do notice though is that some lenses peak more than others - which makes them easier to use. I have only ever used the Nex 5 and rear lcd so cannot compare with other models or with using an evf.

 

As a general experience, I find it is directly related to how contrasty a lens is (which is only logical). Very contrasty lenses peak very well, lenses that lack contrast (the KAR 40/1.8 and 50/1.7 I tried had very low contrast) have a hard time peaking. My Hexanon 35/2 EE though had beautiful contrast and peaked very well.

 

Damn, i just bought the Hex 40. Another learning curve for me then  

It is entirely logical that it be relative to contrast. I do wonder if others think different NEX models differ in focus peaking sensitivity.

 

Maybe other 40:1.8 act differently. Another thing I've noticed (sadly) is strong sample variations...