Selectable auto focus points

I was using back button focusing for a ages and really liked it but have gone back to using the shutter release and selecting focus points and not doing half press, so single press to focus and let the camera release the shutter when it's obtained focus. I like that way too now but that's only been on stationary objects so probably no good on anything moving.

When using this technique do you set for AF.S or AF.C?

Hi Barry,

AF.C but the finger on the AF button over-rides the AF.C I think, as the camera continuously focusses with the AF button pressed,

Then I just have a finger on the shutter release and the 2 work fine together, I think thee is a way of overriding the focussing on the shutter release somewhere in the menu, but I've never needed to did.

Yeah, I use AF.C with shutter button AF disabled. Its there in the menus somewhere. I usually either select single point central AF or the 9 point expanded. For static subjects I do sometimes use the AF point above the centre point for focusing on the eye, even for wildlife.

I use the the AF button with the shutter disabled. But normally with AF.S and center point. I'll have a try at these, thanks.

Chris. Even if you use the AF button, in AF.S the focus will lock and hold until you release the AF button.

Hi Barrie,

I use AF-C

I thought you meant the AF button gave you continuous focus regardless of how the mode lever was set

Ah, ok, no, set AF-C then a finger on the AF button on the back of the camera and another finger on the shutter release

Can feel a little awkward until you get used to it

That's my experience too but, the main issue I am trying to overcome is keeping the spot on a very small object flying very close at relative high speed.

Yesterday on Skomer I found it easy to nail a Fast Flying Puffin from 60 metres but at 6 metres it is almost physically impossible.

Between 6-60 metres the challenge to track the bird varies with focussing distance but even at 20 metres those Puffins are a "focussing challenge" ( for me anyway) .

Multipoint focussing on the K3 II and the K1 is definately capable and I don't see either the Canon 6D or the Nikon D810 being better , maybe not as good as.

When the moving object is large in the view finder area and has higher contrast than the background both Pentax's are spot on.

However as the object size diminishes and the back ground area increases, multipoint seems to find anything with contrast in the background.

Making the object area smaller exponentially increases the failure rate but; see Tomkeet's Sandmartin in this weeks ( or last weeks gallery) that is some capture.

For me there are two key issues; keeping up with the subject and keeping the bead on it when it is relatively small in the area of the view finder ( big birds are easier by a long way)

I think that is a skill issue ( lack of it in my case) not the hardware.

I do agree though, that the focus button is the best way, and in my experience, with anti shake off , hold off and anything else that gives the processor something to do while we are trying to focus on a speeding bullet, which is what Tomkeets sand martin shot is about.

Regards