Manual focus inconsistencies

robroy · 03-01-2011, 01:53 PM

Can someone verify how the manual focusing should work with K-r? In my camera there seems to be something wierd in it. It's very inconsistent. I haven't had a Pentax camera before.

When I press the shutter release button halfway down and rotate the focusing ring (slowly) in the manual focusing mode, often the focusing indicator (that green diamond) doesn't light up at all. When it does light up, it immediately goes off. Should it stay on when shutter release is still half pressed and image is focused? When I release the button, camera sometimes beeps later on as it would have focused. I feel that strange. Is it normal behaviour?

Then there's of course also that front focusing issue in tungsten light. When the indicator lights up and I take a picture, it will be out of focus... always. No problems with live view, but focusing with it is too slow in many occassions.

jannking · 03-01-2011, 05:52 PM

Yes, I think it is normal. It is the same as my camera. When the camera finds the central point in focus, it will beep to indicate that. So if you move your camera without having the shutter release button pressed, the camera will beep occasionally when central point accidentally gets in focus.

However, when you half press the shutter release button, a tiny movement may make the central point in and out of focus if you set your lens wide open. I guess that's the reason why you often see the indicator on and off all the time.

Originally posted by robroy

Can someone verify how the manual focusing should work with K-r? In my camera there seems to be something wierd in it. It's very inconsistent. I haven't had a Pentax camera before.

When I press the shutter release button halfway down and rotate the focusing ring (slowly) in the manual focusing mode, often the focusing indicator (that green diamond) doesn't light up at all. When it does light up, it immediately goes off. Should it stay on when shutter release is still half pressed and image is focused? When I release the button, camera sometimes beeps later on as it would have focused. I feel that strange. Is it normal behaviour?

Then there's of course also that front focusing issue in tungsten light. When the indicator lights up and I take a picture, it will be out of focus... always. No problems with live view, but focusing with it is too slow in many occassions.

ovim · 03-01-2011, 11:25 PM

Yes the "diamond" should stay lit if the image is in focus but it takes a little time for the camera to see the image is in focus. So if the focus confirmation lights up briefly it means you were in focus but went past it while the camera was trying to decide if its focused or not.

So when the focus confirmation blinks you have to turn the focus ring to the other direction verry slowly to get the focus confirmation light to stay on. Or the other way of doing it is to turn the focus ring in small increments and waiting for a while in between to see if the diamond lights up or not.

Sometimes the camera can't see if the image is in focus or not. That happens when there's nothing with a strong contrast in the focus area and this is the time when you have to rely on your eyes or to focus (on something else at the same distance) and recompose.

I always disable that annoying focus confirmation beep so I don't have much experience on it's behaviour.

robroy · 03-02-2011, 12:49 PM

Thank you for the information. At least my 50mm manual lens seems to be ok. I just need to be slower when focusing ;-) Now if Pentax would only fix that front focusing issue. Currently focusing indicator is not reliable indoors and accurate focusing with the small viewfinder is like a lottery.

**Lowell Goudge** · 03-02-2011, 02:01 PM

Originally posted by robroy

Can someone verify how the manual focusing should work with K-r? In my camera there seems to be something wierd in it. It's very inconsistent. I haven't had a Pentax camera before.

When I press the shutter release button halfway down and rotate the focusing ring (slowly) in the manual focusing mode, often the focusing indicator (that green diamond) doesn't light up at all. When it does light up, it immediately goes off.

you need to turn the focusing collar slowly, if you go too fast, you can move through focus before the indication comes on, or move through it and get a transient indication. Note that you need a sharp contrast point usually to get focus, either a line or something, but not a plain zero contrast surface

Quote:

Should it stay on when shutter release is still half pressed and image is focused?

yes

Quote:

When I release the button, camera sometimes beeps later on as it would have focused. I feel that strange. Is it normal behaviour?

yes, to an extent. when you press the shutter release half way this activates the metering and in focus indication, they stay on for a pre-defined time after letting go of the button

trmoore · 03-07-2011, 01:53 AM

I've got a K-x, not the K-r. I remapped the AF funcion off the half-press to to the AF/AE-L button. I'm guessing that a similar remapping is possible on the K-r. I found that it was a lot less tricky holding down the AF button completely than to try to maintain a half-press while manual focusing. It may not seem like much, but for me it means I can concentrate on using the focus ring smoothly and slowly.

03-01-2011, 01:53 PM	#1
robroy Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 34	Manual focus inconsistencies Can someone verify how the manual focusing should work with K-r? In my camera there seems to be something wierd in it. It's very inconsistent. I haven't had a Pentax camera before. When I press the shutter release button halfway down and rotate the focusing ring (slowly) in the manual focusing mode, often the focusing indicator (that green diamond) doesn't light up at all. When it does light up, it immediately goes off. Should it stay on when shutter release is still half pressed and image is focused? When I release the button, camera sometimes beeps later on as it would have focused. I feel that strange. Is it normal behaviour? Then there's of course also that front focusing issue in tungsten light. When the indicator lights up and I take a picture, it will be out of focus... always. No problems with live view, but focusing with it is too slow in many occassions.

03-01-2011, 05:52 PM	#2
jannking New Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 24	Yes, I think it is normal. It is the same as my camera. When the camera finds the central point in focus, it will beep to indicate that. So if you move your camera without having the shutter release button pressed, the camera will beep occasionally when central point accidentally gets in focus. However, when you half press the shutter release button, a tiny movement may make the central point in and out of focus if you set your lens wide open. I guess that's the reason why you often see the indicator on and off all the time. Originally posted by robroy Can someone verify how the manual focusing should work with K-r? In my camera there seems to be something wierd in it. It's very inconsistent. I haven't had a Pentax camera before. When I press the shutter release button halfway down and rotate the focusing ring (slowly) in the manual focusing mode, often the focusing indicator (that green diamond) doesn't light up at all. When it does light up, it immediately goes off. Should it stay on when shutter release is still half pressed and image is focused? When I release the button, camera sometimes beeps later on as it would have focused. I feel that strange. Is it normal behaviour? Then there's of course also that front focusing issue in tungsten light. When the indicator lights up and I take a picture, it will be out of focus... always. No problems with live view, but focusing with it is too slow in many occassions. Last edited by jannking; 03-01-2011 at 06:11 PM.

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03-01-2011, 11:25 PM	#3
ovim Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Tre, Finland Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,229	Yes the "diamond" should stay lit if the image is in focus but it takes a little time for the camera to see the image is in focus. So if the focus confirmation lights up briefly it means you were in focus but went past it while the camera was trying to decide if its focused or not. So when the focus confirmation blinks you have to turn the focus ring to the other direction verry slowly to get the focus confirmation light to stay on. Or the other way of doing it is to turn the focus ring in small increments and waiting for a while in between to see if the diamond lights up or not. Sometimes the camera can't see if the image is in focus or not. That happens when there's nothing with a strong contrast in the focus area and this is the time when you have to rely on your eyes or to focus (on something else at the same distance) and recompose. I always disable that annoying focus confirmation beep so I don't have much experience on it's behaviour.

03-02-2011, 12:49 PM	#4
robroy Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 34 Original Poster	Thank you for the information. At least my 50mm manual lens seems to be ok. I just need to be slower when focusing ;-) Now if Pentax would only fix that front focusing issue. Currently focusing indicator is not reliable indoors and accurate focusing with the small viewfinder is like a lottery.

03-02-2011, 02:01 PM	#5
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,891	Originally posted by robroy Can someone verify how the manual focusing should work with K-r? In my camera there seems to be something wierd in it. It's very inconsistent. I haven't had a Pentax camera before. When I press the shutter release button halfway down and rotate the focusing ring (slowly) in the manual focusing mode, often the focusing indicator (that green diamond) doesn't light up at all. When it does light up, it immediately goes off. you need to turn the focusing collar slowly, if you go too fast, you can move through focus before the indication comes on, or move through it and get a transient indication. Note that you need a sharp contrast point usually to get focus, either a line or something, but not a plain zero contrast surface Quote: Should it stay on when shutter release is still half pressed and image is focused? yes Quote: When I release the button, camera sometimes beeps later on as it would have focused. I feel that strange. Is it normal behaviour? yes, to an extent. when you press the shutter release half way this activates the metering and in focus indication, they stay on for a pre-defined time after letting go of the button

03-07-2011, 01:53 AM	#6
trmoore New Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Ohio Posts: 7	I've got a K-x, not the K-r. I remapped the AF funcion off the half-press to to the AF/AE-L button. I'm guessing that a similar remapping is possible on the K-r. I found that it was a lot less tricky holding down the AF button completely than to try to maintain a half-press while manual focusing. It may not seem like much, but for me it means I can concentrate on using the focus ring smoothly and slowly.