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06-05-2013, 02:45 PM   #1
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Can you lock focus on a K-5 II?

Thinking about buying a K-5 II.

Question -- is there a button that you can push to lock the focus point (besides a half-press on the shutter button)?

I like to leave my focus point in the center of the screen, and it would be useful to be able to lock focus in the same way that I can lock exposure on my K-01.

06-05-2013, 02:47 PM   #2
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You can link focus lock to the AE-L button via a custom function.

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06-05-2013, 03:07 PM   #3
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Thanks Adam -- but then you couldn't use the AE-L button for exposure lock? Is there any way to set up different buttons... like the AE-L button for exposure lock, and a different button for focus lock?
06-05-2013, 03:10 PM   #4
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in fact the k-5 or k-5 II/s are the easiest to lock focus... use your thumb to press "AF" button to lock focus while pressing the shutter button with your index finger.

06-05-2013, 03:12 PM   #5
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You could set it to focus when you press the AF button instead of on half press.
06-05-2013, 04:11 PM   #6
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Or you can set the K-5 family of cameras to use the AF button to *cancel* AF. This comes in very handy at times and is another way to lock focus.

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06-05-2013, 05:41 PM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by jon404 Quote
Thanks Adam -- but then you couldn't use the AE-L button for exposure lock? Is there any way to set up different buttons... like the AE-L button for exposure lock, and a different button for focus lock?
I'm not sure I understand your question, but the K-5 has seperate AF and AE-L buttons on the back of the camera;



06-05-2013, 06:31 PM   #8
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Sorry, I guess I didn't make myself clear. Let's imagine a scene with someone in the foreground, left of center. I want to do two things -- first, lock the exposure from some part of the scene, using the AE/L button.

Second, I want to point the camera at the person, lock the focus distance, and then re-compose the scene with the person to left of center. And I'm confused how to lock the focus on the K-5 II. Not just lock it temporarily, as long as you hold a button down. But lock it the same way you use the AE/L button on my K-01... as a toggle to turn the lock on, and then later off, after taking that picture, or any number of pictures.

Manual focusing is a workaround, I guess. But I was hoping these more-expensive DSLRs did it also.
06-06-2013, 01:17 AM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by jon404 Quote
Sorry, I guess I didn't make myself clear. Let's imagine a scene with someone in the foreground, left of center. I want to do two things -- first, lock the exposure from some part of the scene, using the AE/L button.

Second, I want to point the camera at the person, lock the focus distance, and then re-compose the scene with the person to left of center. And I'm confused how to lock the focus on the K-5 II. Not just lock it temporarily, as long as you hold a button down. But lock it the same way you use the AE/L button on my K-01... as a toggle to turn the lock on, and then later off, after taking that picture, or any number of pictures.

Manual focusing is a workaround, I guess. But I was hoping these more-expensive DSLRs did it also.
OK I get it now, I do that all the time using the AF button. I've set the AF button up to cancel AF.
1. You meter and lock the exposure using AE/L
2. You center your foreground subject in the frame
3. You half-press the shutter button to focus on the foreground subject.
4. You press and hold AF with the right thumb to lock the focus
5. You recompose and take several shots, releasing and repressing the shutter button all while holding the AF button.

Alternatively, you can do 4a, flick the focus mode lever from AF-S to M with your left thumb and stay away from
the lens focus ring. But you knew that already.

Regards,
--Anders.
06-06-2013, 01:46 AM   #10
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@asp1880 -- thanks Anders -- but please tell me -- where you say,

"4. You press and hold AF with the right thumb to lock the focus
5. You recompose and take several shots, releasing and repressing the shutter button all while holding the AF button."

I take it that you have to hold down the AF button while shooting... it's not a 'set and forget' like the AE/L button? Thanks for your patience -- I moved up from an XZ-1 to my K-01, and don't know much about DSLRs. But it would be neat to have a focus lock button that works like the AE/L button on my K-01.
06-06-2013, 03:39 AM   #11
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The easiest way to exposure lock in the situation you are referring is to use manual mode and your green button. Then, you have AE-L button available to do whatever you want after that. If I want to "lock focus" for an extended time, I just flip the switch to manual focus and don't adjust further.
06-06-2013, 03:56 AM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by jon404 Quote
I take it that you have to hold down the AF button while shooting... it's not a 'set and forget' like the AE/L button?
Yes, it's press and hold. You can temporarily release the AF button after you release the shutter button. But you have to press and hold AF again before pressing the shutter again. Otherwise the camera will refocus.

Regards,
--Anders.
06-06-2013, 04:37 AM   #13
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You may also see if an option like this may be useful, perhaps in combination with the other suggestions people have already made:
Attached Images
 
06-06-2013, 10:04 AM   #14
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Thanks all! Rondec, manual focus will work just fine. Have to keep remembering that I can manual focus these Pentax cameras -- on the Olympus XZ-1, it's a pain, and you end up autofocusing all the time. Plus, on the XZ-1, whatever you set for manual focus goes away when you turn the camera off, then on again. Anyway, thanks again to everybody for your patience and making this clear.
06-08-2013, 08:08 AM   #15
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I find it far easier to explicitly focus when I need it than to disable AF.

That's why I configured the camera to not AF on a half-press of the shutter release button.

I configured the AF button to enable AF, so when I want to focus, I just quickly press the AF button with my thumb. After that, I can shoot as many times with the same focus in place without holding down anything.
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