Originally posted by Na Horuk No. Catch in Focus requires camera to be set to AF, lens to be set to MF, and lens must have conductive mount base. There are some differences between cameras throughout the generations regarding the CiF conditions, so check your camera model manual for details
Pressing the lens release button can trick the camera into believing the lens is in MF mode, despite the lens being AF and not even allowing MF mode (since it has no swtich)
I think the main fear is that you might rotate the lens and damage the AF screw drive or even drop the lens. I think you have to press lens release and also rotate the lens a little so the lens contacts are no longer recognized. Its just a little fiddly and you have to be really careful.
I totally agree with you that it is pretty annoying that CiF is only available with AF lenses that have MF switch, and most modern FA and DA lenses do not have that switch. One thing you can do is purchase a fairly affordable M 50mm f1.7 or even splurge for an A 50mm f1.4. That way you get a lens that is different from the one you have and gives you additional features (CiF, faster aperture). Later you can decide which lens to sell or whether to keep both. Fortunately, you have lots of options between 35mm and 60mm. Many 50mm primes are very affordable. Just be careful not to get one that has plastic mount or anodized mount! That can also prevent CiF. But people usually scratch off the insulating coating or add some conductive foil as a workaround
Ah, ok. That might be a tad more fiddly and tricky to master then. I read
here for example first and then thought I should post the question on these forums. The user says;
"YOU CAN USE IT WITH ANY LENS. JUST SET AF-S, THEN USE YOUR FINGER TO PUSH DOWN THE LENS-RELEASE BUTTON AND.. YEEEAH! THE FEATURE IS HERE!
Ok, camera motor rotates wildly, but you just use your hand do focus. When camera detects focused image, it starts shooting.
SIMPLE.
And on K-5 remember to set AF priority to LOCKED focus otherwise it takes pictures even without being focused."
I wanted to see if any others here on these forums actually uses this trick frequently and can report back any more information or tips on mastering it.
Oh, and I have plenty of Manual lenses to test this feature on, such as a 50mm 1.7 and 24mm F2.8 etc, it works excellently, the downfall is lens swapping time when you want to toggle back to needing AF.
Originally posted by Arvid Ok, I see. Thanks for correcting that!
Edit.
Yup, I went and did what I should have done before posting: I checked it on my camera and of course it's the way Na Horuk said. I just remembered it differently, never used CiF much although I mostly use manual lenses. It limits you to the center focus point only and that's not really useful for me most of the time. Anyway, apoligies if my first comment came off a little rude, I will try to think at least twice and check once before hitting "post reply" next time.
That's ok
Originally posted by stevebrot Pressing the button retracts the AF pawl, but does not trick the camera into anything. For that one must block the data pin on the mount.
Addendum: Rotating the lens in the mount to disconnect the contacts carries the risk of poor exposure since the aperture actuator will not be properly engaged.
Using CIF is the same as using AF.S, center point only. There is no advantage to either accuracy or precision. Both use exactly the same mechanism and share the same shortfalls. Where CIF comes into its own is for focus trapping where the subject moves into focus to trigger the shutter.
If one has an AF lens mounted and detected as such, there is seldom any valid use case for CIF.
Steve
That's interesting Steve, did you try it for yourself or read that somewhere, or is that just following logic and reason to that point because yer... well... knowledgeable 'n' stuff lol.
Personally I have been in lots of scenarios whereby CIF works better than me using AF.S (center point only). Here's a few examples;
Example One; On Wednesday, parents were invited to 'sit & watch' week for those of us whom have daughters (and some son's) that do ballet. Normally the parents aren't allowed to watch but occasionally they permit a sit in week, usually once a term (and they are ok with photos being taken). It can be a quiet studio, and even with the sound effects off, the constant shutter clicking of the camera could become annoying to others, so it's something I am aware of, I want to take the least amount of shots possible to avoid being annoying to others.
At times the ballerinas are stationary, using MF or AF is fine in these instances, but often they are on the move, jumping and leaping
towards us parents. Now, even with AF.C selected, I think we can all agree that a fast moving target coming towards us AF.C just can't keep up, and if I toggle to MF only, by the time my focus indicator is up it's too late to take the shot as it will be out of focus, I just can't anticipate or react quick enough for those shots,
nor do I want to
spam the shutter. Having a CIF moment for these scenarios would be the best work around.
Example Two; Kid on a swing, yer taking pictures of them as they either swing towards you or away and you want the shot to fire off in focus, AF.S and AF.C cannot cope properly enough for these scenarios, CIF works best. But now the kid is off the swing and is now doing something else in the playground that AF.S or AF.C is suitable to use.
I don't want to have to swap a FA50mm 1.4 for a A series 50mm 1.7, and with kids and trying to 'capture the moment' by the time you've swapped they are probably stopped doing that CIF movement and are now onto something else! Hence the purpose to this thread. It maybe that I feel so strongly about CIF that I sell my brand new FA50mm 1.4 and try and hunt down a prime portrait AF lens that has a AF/MF switch on it.
I'm aware of tricks like applying foil to the connectors bla bla, but that obviously is not the solution that I need.
Cheers,
Bruce