K5 AF issue - to beep or not to beep

Jim Radcliffe · 07-26-2012, 07:12 AM

I have two DA* lenses which I thought had problems but it turns out they do not. Others may have also had this feeling. Let me describe what I experienced.
When using the K5 and doing a half-press to lock AF you are most often rewareded with the red box lighting up and an associated electronic beep from the camera. On numerous occasions I would do a half-press and the red box would liight up but no-beep was forthcoming. This became very frustrating because I prefer to hear the beep for AF confirmation and wrongly assumed the camera would always beep when AF was locked. I was at the point of sending a couple of the lenses in for "repair" due to this.

It turns out that if the camera is already focused for the subject (maybe from a previous shot) that the red box will light up but the beep is not produced unless the camera/lens actually is required to make a focus adjustment.

I began to start shooting when there was no beep but the red box lit and the photos were in focus. More often than not I rely on that beep to tell me I have focus lock but with the K5 you will not always hear that beep if the subject is already in focus. Just passing this along in case others had the same misconception about the beep for focus lock.

To test the theory I performed a number of shots on the same subject and noted that the beep ONLY occured when the camera actually made an "adjustment" in focus. I then defoucsed the lens manually and was always rewareded with both the red focus box lighting up and the expected beep after doing a half-press for focus lock.
This may be in the manual somewhere but I never saw it.

Timd · 07-26-2012, 07:32 AM

I disabled the focus confirmed beep. Noise pollution!

JinDesu · 07-26-2012, 07:37 AM

I think, based off foggy memory, my k-x also does the same where if the camera is already locked and is sure of it, it will not beep.

However, I've turned off my beep for the last year or so, so that's why I can't be sure. I could try checking later at night.

rawr · 07-26-2012, 07:52 AM

Turn off the beep, just use centre spot AF, and turn off the focus point display in the viewfinder too. Life can be simple.

fotogaffer · 07-26-2012, 08:49 AM

Another vote for disabling the focus confirmation beep. Some shooting situations call for the least attention possible on the photog, so I generally disable the beep first thing on initial setup of any new camera and rely on the visual viewfinder focus confirmation. Thanks for the tip though, didn't know this happened until you pointed it out.

**Rense** · 07-26-2012, 10:04 AM - **1 Like**

Turned of the beep of the camera long, long time ago... Have enough beeps in my head to make life complicated without the camera beep....

So, another vote for turning it off!

riveredger · 07-26-2012, 11:25 AM

Thanks for the info. Unlike others, I won't make you feel that you shouldn't use the beep ;-)

Tatume · 07-26-2012, 01:13 PM

How does one turn off the beep?

steve1307 · 07-26-2012, 01:35 PM

Originally posted by Tatume

How does one turn off the beep?

[press Menu]
[press right 4 way arrow across] - to Setup (the little spanner icon) page 1
[press down 4 way arrow] - down the bottom of the screen : Beep [press OK]

then then change the setting to off [press right arrow]
or
untick what beeping beeps you dont want to beep. ( In-focus , AE-L, RAW, Self-timer, Remote)

Gimbal · 07-26-2012, 01:42 PM

We all know that the red box is NOT the in-focus-confirmation light, right?

Tatume · 07-26-2012, 03:40 PM

Is there in in-focus confirmation light, or is the beep the only indication?

twitch · 07-26-2012, 04:54 PM

I hate the beep, one of the first things I turn off in a camera. I also don't like logos for a similar reason, I electrical tape my cameras now.

fotogaffer · 07-26-2012, 05:16 PM

Originally posted by Tatume

Is there in in-focus confirmation light, or is the beep the only indication?

The focus indicator (confirmation) is the green hexagon that lights up and stays steady at the bottom of the viewfinder when focus is achieved. It blinks if focus is not achieved. The red box is the auto-focus point. It does flash a second time briefly when focus is achieved and the green hexagon lights up and stays on.

rawr · 07-26-2012, 08:20 PM

The focus indicator is the hexagon in the viewfinder, located here:
Name: k-5-focus-indicator.jpg
Views: 1168
Size: 148.0 KB

JinDesu · 07-26-2012, 08:34 PM

Originally posted by fotogaffer

The focus indicator (confirmation) is the green hexagon that lights up and stays steady at the bottom of the viewfinder when focus is achieved. It blinks if focus is not achieved. The red box is the auto-focus point. It does flash a second time briefly when focus is achieved and the green hexagon lights up and stays on.

Any option to keep it on? Out of curiousity.

07-26-2012, 07:12 AM	#1
Jim Radcliffe Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Dallas, Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 171	K5 AF issue - to beep or not to beep I have two DA* lenses which I thought had problems but it turns out they do not. Others may have also had this feeling. Let me describe what I experienced. When using the K5 and doing a half-press to lock AF you are most often rewareded with the red box lighting up and an associated electronic beep from the camera. On numerous occasions I would do a half-press and the red box would liight up but no-beep was forthcoming. This became very frustrating because I prefer to hear the beep for AF confirmation and wrongly assumed the camera would always beep when AF was locked. I was at the point of sending a couple of the lenses in for "repair" due to this. It turns out that if the camera is already focused for the subject (maybe from a previous shot) that the red box will light up but the beep is not produced unless the camera/lens actually is required to make a focus adjustment. I began to start shooting when there was no beep but the red box lit and the photos were in focus. More often than not I rely on that beep to tell me I have focus lock but with the K5 you will not always hear that beep if the subject is already in focus. Just passing this along in case others had the same misconception about the beep for focus lock. To test the theory I performed a number of shots on the same subject and noted that the beep ONLY occured when the camera actually made an "adjustment" in focus. I then defoucsed the lens manually and was always rewareded with both the red focus box lighting up and the expected beep after doing a half-press for focus lock. This may be in the manual somewhere but I never saw it.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Lost my beep	dshombert	Pentax DSLR Discussion	7	07-23-2012 12:34 PM
Nature Beep Beep	Bob Harris	Post Your Photos!	35	12-18-2011 01:22 AM
Nature Beep-Beep	Bob Harris	Post Your Photos!	17	02-09-2011 03:35 PM
K7: Even with Manual Focus it gives off the AF beep?	Daemos	Pentax DSLR Discussion	12	10-14-2010 11:47 PM
K20D: What the Beep?	jeff knight	Pentax DSLR Discussion	12	09-01-2010 06:18 PM

07-26-2012, 07:32 AM	#2
Timd Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Cape Town, SA Posts: 262	I disabled the focus confirmed beep. Noise pollution!

07-26-2012, 07:37 AM	#3
JinDesu Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: New York City Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,638	I think, based off foggy memory, my k-x also does the same where if the camera is already locked and is sure of it, it will not beep. However, I've turned off my beep for the last year or so, so that's why I can't be sure. I could try checking later at night.

07-26-2012, 07:52 AM	#4
rawr Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11,913	Turn off the beep, just use centre spot AF, and turn off the focus point display in the viewfinder too. Life can be simple.

07-26-2012, 08:49 AM	#5
fotogaffer Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 716	Another vote for disabling the focus confirmation beep. Some shooting situations call for the least attention possible on the photog, so I generally disable the beep first thing on initial setup of any new camera and rely on the visual viewfinder focus confirmation. Thanks for the tip though, didn't know this happened until you pointed it out.

07-26-2012, 10:04 AM - 1 Like	#6
Rense Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Zetten - The Netherlands Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,050	Turned of the beep of the camera long, long time ago... Have enough beeps in my head to make life complicated without the camera beep.... So, another vote for turning it off!

07-26-2012, 11:25 AM	#7
riveredger Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: NJ Photos: Gallery Posts: 77	Thanks for the info. Unlike others, I won't make you feel that you shouldn't use the beep ;-)

07-26-2012, 01:13 PM	#8
Tatume Forum Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Gloucester, Va. Posts: 76	How does one turn off the beep?

07-26-2012, 01:35 PM	#9
steve1307 Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Sydney Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,130	Originally posted by Tatume How does one turn off the beep? [press Menu] [press right 4 way arrow across] - to Setup (the little spanner icon) page 1 [press down 4 way arrow] - down the bottom of the screen : Beep [press OK] then then change the setting to off [press right arrow] or untick what beeping beeps you dont want to beep. ( In-focus , AE-L, RAW, Self-timer, Remote)

07-26-2012, 01:42 PM	#10
Gimbal Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Sweden Posts: 2,106	We all know that the red box is NOT the in-focus-confirmation light, right?

07-26-2012, 03:40 PM	#11
Tatume Forum Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Gloucester, Va. Posts: 76	Is there in in-focus confirmation light, or is the beep the only indication?

07-26-2012, 04:54 PM	#12
twitch Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 4,571	I hate the beep, one of the first things I turn off in a camera. I also don't like logos for a similar reason, I electrical tape my cameras now.

07-26-2012, 05:16 PM	#13
fotogaffer Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 716	Originally posted by Tatume Is there in in-focus confirmation light, or is the beep the only indication? The focus indicator (confirmation) is the green hexagon that lights up and stays steady at the bottom of the viewfinder when focus is achieved. It blinks if focus is not achieved. The red box is the auto-focus point. It does flash a second time briefly when focus is achieved and the green hexagon lights up and stays on.

07-26-2012, 08:20 PM	#14
rawr Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11,913	The focus indicator is the hexagon in the viewfinder, located here:

07-26-2012, 08:34 PM	#15
JinDesu Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: New York City Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,638	Originally posted by fotogaffer The focus indicator (confirmation) is the green hexagon that lights up and stays steady at the bottom of the viewfinder when focus is achieved. It blinks if focus is not achieved. The red box is the auto-focus point. It does flash a second time briefly when focus is achieved and the green hexagon lights up and stays on. Any option to keep it on? Out of curiousity.