an embarrassing AF question

[FHPhotographer]

This is so basic I am embarrassed to ask, but here goes.

On the K20 with a DA-35 and AF: I can use the quick shift to manually fine tune the focus, but when I push the shutter it AFs back to the original point. I can use MF of course, but what's the value of the quick shift in AF? Do I have something set up wrong on the camera?
Brian

[LeDave]

I don't know about the K20D. but on my K2000, I set it so that when I press the shutter button, it will do nothing but snap the shutter; I use the AF button to AF and then quick-shift after letting go of it and the shutter button does not interfere with it.

[WMBP]

Originally Posted by FHPhotographer

This is so basic I am embarrassed to ask, but here goes.

On the K20 with a DA-35 and AF: I can use the quick shift to manually fine tune the focus, but when I push the shutter it AFs back to the original point. I can use MF of course, but what's the value of the quick shift in AF? Do I have something set up wrong on the camera?
Brian

Brian,

Not a dumb question at all.

Like "LeDave," I don't auto-focus by pressing the shutter halfway down. I have that function disabled and use the AF button instead for auto-focusing.

HOWEVER, I just re-enabled shutter-press auto-focus and tested it, and you can use quick shift focusing there, too. It's kind of like focus and recompose: you focus (by pressing the shutter down half way), then you quick shift to fine tune the focus, then you press the shutter down the rest of the way to take the photo. If you let your finger off the shutter in the middle there, well, you have to start all over from step 1.

Will

[Ash]

That's right.
Keep the button half-pressed and after the camera locks AF, you can then quick shift and press it all the way to take the shot.

[FHPhotographer]

Thanks to one and all. This is what, when I was teaching, we called an "ah ha" moment, I got it now,
Brian

[rfortson]

Originally Posted by FHPhotographer

This is so basic I am embarrassed to ask, but here goes.

On the K20 with a DA-35 and AF: I can use the quick shift to manually fine tune the focus, but when I push the shutter it AFs back to the original point. I can use MF of course, but what's the value of the quick shift in AF? Do I have something set up wrong on the camera?
Brian

I had the same question for years, and then it dawned on me to half-press, get AF, (here's my 'ah ha' moment) keep the shutter half-pressed, make the fine focus adjustment with the shutter half-pressed.

It took me a couple of years before I actually tried it/found a compelling need for it. Once I did, however, I've used it often. I like it.

[Parallax]

Originally Posted by FHPhotographer

Thanks to one and all. This is what, when I was teaching, we called an "ah ha" moment, I got it now,
Brian

Or as Homer Simpson would so eloquently put it: D'Oh!

[brecklundin]

Originally Posted by FHPhotographer

This is so basic I am embarrassed to ask, but here goes.

On the K20 with a DA-35 and AF: I can use the quick shift to manually fine tune the focus, but when I push the shutter it AFs back to the original point. I can use MF of course, but what's the value of the quick shift in AF? Do I have something set up wrong on the camera?
Brian

Really your question isn't basic and should not be embarassing...prolly cuz most everyone has run into the same situation, especially when new to a DSLR or never ran into a camera that gives so many ways to take a picture.

Anyway, I have the same gear. When I got my K20D one of the first things I did was decouple AF from the shutter button so that when you half-press (and hold of course) the shutter button, it only starts the SR if I have it enabled. This leaves the AF button to activate the AF.

Setup like this you can AF then QS a manual fine tuning if need be...and you can also keep the SR activated w/o affecting your focus.

[ROBEFFY]

I just tried this, and wondered why the green hexagon stays lit up after you Manually Focus.
The manual for my K10D says the green hex indicates focus, and it lights up After you get a focus lock. Shouldn't the green hex turn off once you manually focus?
Thoughts on this?

[Damn Brit]

Moved to DSLR forum as this is about camera function.

[Marc Sabatella]

Originally Posted by ROBEFFY

I just tried this, and wondered why the green hexagon stays lit up after you Manually Focus.
The manual for my K10D says the green hex indicates focus, and it lights up After you get a focus lock. Shouldn't the green hex turn off once you manually focus?

It stays on as long as your subject is in focus, and turns off if the subject goes out of focus (because it moved, you moved, or you turned the focus ring).

[ozlizard]

Hmmm how do I say this....what the hell is quick-shiftand how do you "fine tune" the AF? My turn to be embarrased now. I use the AF button not the shutter button.

[Damn Brit]

Originally Posted by ozlizard

Hmmm how do I say this....what the hell is quick-shiftand how do you "fine tune" the AF? My turn to be embarrased now. I use the AF button not the shutter button.

Quick-shift is a function of certain lenses that allows you to take control of the focusing manually without moving the AF switch to MF. Fine tuning the AF is something you would do when, for example, you have elements in the frame that are close to each other and the camera hasn't focused on the subject you want in focus, quick-shift allows you to quickly focus on that subject. On other occasions, you might use the AF to get you in the ballpark (because AF gets you to that point quicker than turning the focus ring yourself) and then take over using quick-shift.

[Andi Lo]

Originally Posted by ozlizard

Hmmm how do I say this....what the hell is quick-shiftand how do you "fine tune" the AF? My turn to be embarrased now. I use the AF button not the shutter button.

quick shift is when your lens' focusing ring can turn freely despite the camera being set to AF. All the DA lenses (sans the DA-L series) have this feature. By 'fine-tune' it just means you turn the focusing ring manually until it looks right.