{"id":361666,"date":"2022-02-17T09:47:14","date_gmt":"2022-02-17T09:47:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/?post_type=learning-centre&p=361666"},"modified":"2024-04-15T17:45:36","modified_gmt":"2024-04-15T16:45:36","slug":"refine-your-long-lens-technique","status":"publish","type":"learning-centre","link":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/en-gb\/learning-centre\/refine-your-long-lens-technique\/","title":{"rendered":"Refine Your Long Lens Technique"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

No matter how long you\u2019ve been making pictures, there\u2019s always more you can learn and better ways of working to try. This applies to all aspects of photography, and using long lenses is no exception. In fact, getting better, sharper and more creatively satisfying results with telephoto optics is something you can keep improving throughout your photographic life. Here are some tips that more experienced photographers might like to try.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use Your Focus Limiter<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When making wildlife, action and sports pictures, you\u2019ll often be in a position where there are objects close to the lens and between you and the subject. Out in the wild, it could be plant life and when working pitch- or trackside, it could be spectators or fences and safety equipment. The point is that it\u2019s easy for the camera to try to focus on what\u2019s in front of it, unless you tell it not to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One way of doing that is to work with subject tracking AF, which should lock on to the subject and ignore other objects in the scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Small,\n
\u00a9 John Gregor<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

But if you\u2019re using XF100-400mmF4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR or XF200mmF2 R LM OIS WR, you\u2019ll also have access to a focus limiter via a switch on the lens barrel. When activated, this prevents the lens from focusing at its full range, instead switching to a more limited distance, so foreground objects can be ignored. Using the focus limiter is also a good move when you deliberately want to focus through an object like a fence or a window.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On XF100-400mmF4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR, you can select Full (which covers 1.75m to infinity) or 5m to infinity. On XF200mm F2 R LM OIS WR, the full range of 1.8m to infinity can be limited to 5m to infinity, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"FUJINON<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s the same deal for the XF80mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro lens \u2013 but this time you get even more control. This lens\u2019s focus limiter gives three options, Full (which is 0.25m to infinity), 0.5m to infinity, and 0.25m to 0.5m. So in this case, the limiter helps you ignore objects in the foreground \u2013 as when shooting through leaves or grass \u2013 and discount objects in the far distance, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Silhouette\n
\u00a9 Mateusz Piesiak<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Selected X Series models have an AF Range Limiter setting in the AF\/MF Setting menu, which works with all XF lenses. X-T4, X-S10 and X-Pro3 all have this function, while X-T3 users can gain the feature by upgrading to Firmware v4.00. Once accessed, the AF Range Limiter has two presets \u2013 2m to infinity and 5m to infinity \u2013 plus a user selectable custom option.<\/p>\n\n\n

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