autofocus

Hi
Could someone tell me if one can change the AF on a IST DS. I mean, rather than having a 16 spots measurements, can one have a one or 2 or... x spots measurement possibility.

Don't sure I am clear

Thanks

Christophe

Page 125 of the manual, under the heading "Selecting the Focus Point (Focus Point)"

You use the [Swtch dst msr pt] in the [Rec. mode] menu. You can choose between auto, center spot, and manual select one of the 11 AF points.
Matt

Thanks a lot !
I though it was more complexe than just reading the manual

sorry

Christophe

And i am very glad that we can change the focus point! I found the auto setting to be a real nuiscance, it never knew what I was trying to focus on - maybe my pictures have unconventional composition.....

I'm happy now with the centre point fixed as the focus point.

I love the way people make such a 'song and dance' about the merits of multi-point autofocus and how it is so much better than older cameras with just a single point..............and then switch the facility off!

Many people find that degree of automation to be annoying and in most cases unnecessary, normally you would instinctively point the camera at the most important part of the subject, ascertain focus and exposure and then recompose.
Multi-point is undoubtedly useful for fast moving action shots but it's certainly not foolproof.

I recall a review of the Canon EOS5, with five eye-controlled focussing points - a brilliant innovation, as you look at a part of the viewfinder image, the camera adjusts the lens to focus on that part of the subject.
Once calibrated to the position of your eyeball, the system works very well but the reviewer switched the facility off after just a few minutes because he couldn't look around the frame or at the viewfinder display without the lens constantly changing focus - understandably very irritating

That's me too with the focus switched to centre point only.

I can see a poll coming up.

Just thinking about that Canon system - there's no way I'd be using a camera that was shining infra-red beams into my eyes!

I have a *ist 35mm with a similar 11 point AF system.

The Auto mode is distracting, as you try to keep track of where the camera is focusing -- the flashing red light showing changes in the focus point as you compose a shot.

The Center mode is limiting, I think, and doesn't take advantage of the camera's abilities.

I set mine to the "Sel" mode and select the center point. That way, by default, the camera focuses on the center point. If I want to change the focus point while composing, however, I can use the four-way controller to select another one without taking my eye from the viewfinder.

As a result, I have center focusing but can change the focus point easily and quickly.

I guess it wasn't just me thinking I was going crazy. Thanks for asking the question - I've learnt someting. I must admit I haven't found the right time to read the manual.

Question: Many people talk about the manual focusing on the istD - is there such a thing? I set the camera on M but that doesn't seem to affect the focusing. Am I just too thick-skinned?

Thanks
Jaycee

There's probably a whole generation of photographers that aren't familiar with manual focus.

With the camera set to manual focus, you turn the focusing ring on the lens until you think the subject in the viewfinder looks sharp....

This works just fine if your eyesight is up to it, but I'm not convinced that it works at all with electronic viewfinders. There are, of course, no Pentax electronic viewfinders!

"Manual" means YOU have to do it, with your own bare hands!

From the Latin: Manus = a hand

G

Thanks for what I hope were your "tongue-in-cheek" explanations. I grew up with the SPII and the ME so at least I knew what manual-focus is.

But, you did force me to look at the camera again and guess what? I FOUND the Manual Focus setting and that I could actually manual focus. The istD is my first DSLR and it's been a long learning curve.

Well, we all live and learn as the saying goes.

Jaycee

I know what you mean, it's difficult to give answers sometimes without knowing what the experience of the writer is. Even after many years, I can misunderstand things as well as the next person....

I'm glad you're enjoying your new camera. I think digital photography has improved the standard of photography in general. It has mine for sure.

When you look at photo magazines of say the 1960s or 1970s the pictures are so very often just poor compared with what we see now.

Long may we continue to progress!

These cameras are so complicated that I'm afraid there is no alternative but to read the manual. It's a bore, but it must be done!

G

So I guess I'm not the only one that turns off multi-point AF! I find that the lens in that mode is always searching and changing focus points.

Just using one point, so you lock the focus and then compose the picture, has always made more sense to me! Fortunately, the *st D has focus confirmation so you can use the AF system like the old microprisim focus aids.

Life is good!