Catch in focus- wow!

Just discovered something strange on my K-5...

I have the M50 1.7 on, and CIF works flawlessly when I am using 'M' mode...

However with the same setting under 'User' (Set to M mode), my shutter just fires when I press the shutter regardless whether the scene is in focus or not o_0!?

Can anyone help me confirm if this is the case please?

somewhere in your menu system is an option for shutter priority that will fire the shutter if the af is locked on or not... my guess is that is activated (by choice or by default) in your "user" preferences options...

Checked that, and it is 'AF.S = Focus Priority'.

Just to confirm, I am using the 'M' mode under 'User', and the focus switch is on AF.S, with the exact same custom settings as my M mode.

Any more inputs on this?!?

You using shutter release for focus or the back button?

You may already know this, but the settings you save in User Mode can override whatever the physical AF-S switch is set to.

Ah! Resolved!

In my User 'M', I have set 'Shutter Button Half Press' to 'OFF', of which 'Shutter Button Half Press will not trigger AF action'!

I use it all the time when shooting bugs (as long as they are still). Because I use the tubes and the 50mm I have to get very close to the subject so this has to be done with a great deal of stealth. So by holding down the shutter release and very, very slowly creeping up on the bugs I can focus on getting the part of the bug I want in focus. Works a treat.
great feature.

As well as the CIF setting and the AF-S Lens MF setting, when using CIF, you need to ensure that menu item 3 -15 is set to 1 - Focus Priority. If set to 2 the camera will always allow a picture to be taken whatever the state of focus. You also need to check that this is enabled for all the mode settings, eg if you have "user modes" set, you need to save the 3-15-1 setting for all 5 modes. It took me a long time to figure this out, but now CIF works every time (K5+Sigma 50-600 non OS)

Just tried CIF with my K5 using the steps listed by RioRico for an AF lens (hold lens release button etc). I defocussed on a bookcase and moved towards it until was sharp enough to fire the shutter. During this approach the focus motor ran more or less all the time - faster when farther away from the focus and slowing as the focus was reached. Is this normal? I can't see how this would work for wildlife unless it's hard of hearing.

Jim

You need to have a manual focus lens, or a lens switched to manual focus, and the camera set to AF. You prefocus and lock the focus on a particular point and when that point becomes in focus the shutter will fire, providing full pressure has been kept on the shutter release.

The AF motor running indicates you have the AF system/lens combination active which isn't the right way to do it.

John

According to RioRico's post CIF works with AF lenses provided the "connection" is disabled and apparently this is achieved when the lens release button is pressed. Is this right?

In my test I moved towards the bookcase but equally well the bookcase (aka a wild animal) could have moved towards me: in either case the shutter would have fired at the same separation distance which corresponded to the sharpest focus. I'm also unclear over "focusing on a point" and the shutter NOT firing until "that point becomes in focus". Surely it's already in focus.

I'm keen to use CIF but (a) have no manual K lenses and (b) have a fear of using an adapter ring on my M42 lenses and not being able to get it off the camera. But that's a separate issue and if anyone has any suggestions...

Jim

If it`s a genuine adapter you should have no trouble at all - I keep mine permanently on the *istD to save hassle and make me use all my lovely old lenses.

Tony

I have used it to try to catch Swifts in flight, but after an hour holding my K5+Bigma up to the spot I wanted to catch one had to give up for the day. I will get a good shot one day though.

I think what Riorico meant was you need to press the lens release button so the AF is disengaged, but the screw drive is still turning freely so you get the noise. As you say, not good for wildlife and perhaps not the best way to treat your AF motor, but the only way to use catch in focus unless your lens has an AF/MF switch right on the barrel. There's no way I would want to do it like that. Perhaps Don's suggestion of covering the contacts with tape would work better.

It just comes down to using catch in focus in the way intended, which is without risk and works.

This really means manual focus lenses, or at least one with an AF/MF switch.

Under these circumstances, the shutter will only release when the green hexagon steadies and confirms focus, so if you move the focusing ring from out of focus into focus, when you reach that point the shutter will fire. Conversly, this will also happen if something moving moves into a point the lens is focused on, hence the application of the technique to moving objects.