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11-17-2017, 08:05 PM   #1
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Live View Tracking AF.C

Just playing about, I noticed that with Live View we have a few different options for Focusing, Tracking being one of them. It seems to do an ok job following an initial locked on target as they walk about a room, however is this feature properly dependent on certain lenses being attached? For example, I can be in LV mode, AF.C on, its tracking the subject but the focus never changes at all (not like how AF.C works with the OVF), so really... what is the point?

Cheers,

Bruce

11-17-2017, 08:08 PM   #2
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QuoteOriginally posted by BruceBanner Quote
so really... what is the point?
There is none. I'm not sure why the feature is even there other than maybe a visual aid.

Adam
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11-17-2017, 08:11 PM   #3
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QuoteOriginally posted by Adam Quote
There is none. I'm not sure why the feature is even there other than maybe a visual aid.
Ok... weird.

Because I think I read how the KP has a video feature that AF.C tracks and focuses properly, but only with certain lenses attached, I wondered if this was perhaps the case also with this feature. Guess not.
11-17-2017, 08:17 PM - 1 Like   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by BruceBanner Quote
Because I think I read how the KP has a video feature that AF.C tracks and focuses properly, but only with certain lenses attached, I wondered if this was perhaps the case also with this feature. Guess not.
Interestingly, despite having phase detection points on its sensor, the K-70/KP's live view phase detection is only used for video focusing rather than stills, and that focusing is nothing impressive.

I'm sure this will be improved in whatever comes next. The K-1 has no PDAF points on its sensor at all, so the focusing is purely contrast detect.


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11-18-2017, 12:12 AM   #5
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AFC tracking in LV mode: forget about it with Pentax cameras.
11-20-2017, 12:22 PM   #6
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So I handed my K-1 to a person that only use phone cameras. He pressed the shutter halfway, moved the camera so that the subject, that first was focused on, was where he wanted the subject in the image, the focus frame tracked the subject all the way. He then pressed the shutter and the subject was not in focus... BUT, that made me realise how to use this "feature".

1) Focus on the subject.
2) Without letting go of the halfpress, re-compose.
3) Let go of the halfpress, re-focus and take the image.
11-20-2017, 12:55 PM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by Tjompen1968 Quote
BUT, that made me realise how to use this "feature".

1) Focus on the subject.
2) Without letting go of the halfpress, re-compose.
3) Let go of the halfpress, re-focus and take the image.
Fascinating!

I just tried this on my K-3 and it worked like a charm. What tracks is the focus frame.


Steve

11-20-2017, 01:06 PM   #8
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I will give the camera to him again to see if there are more things that can be used in different ways.


The engineers that made the function should have told the people who writes the manual...
11-20-2017, 01:58 PM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by BruceBanner Quote
Live View Tracking AF.C
The AF mode is simply called "Tracking" and the description is simply, "Tracks the subject in focus". No promise of active AF-C is made, though it is easy to see how one might expect such.

QuoteOriginally posted by Tjompen1968 Quote
The engineers that made the function should have told the people who writes the manual...
Agreed. What is worse is that the feature has been poorly described on multiple models and for several years.


Steve
11-20-2017, 02:33 PM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by Tjompen1968 Quote
So I handed my K-1 to a person that only use phone cameras. He pressed the shutter halfway, moved the camera so that the subject, that first was focused on, was where he wanted the subject in the image, the focus frame tracked the subject all the way. He then pressed the shutter and the subject was not in focus... BUT, that made me realise how to use this "feature".

1) Focus on the subject.
2) Without letting go of the halfpress, re-compose.
3) Let go of the halfpress, re-focus and take the image.
Have I been wrong setting my camera to "S" mode to do that. That is how I did it with my Nikon.
11-20-2017, 08:56 PM   #11
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If the Aperture is narrow enough, using back button focus you can 'grab' the subject with the back button, recompose and frame better, then not even refocus just press the shutter button to finish the shot. You only need to refocus if the reframing is significant enough that the subject is now blurry.

What I've also noticed is that the tracker starts off after each shot in the middle of the screen. If for example you track a subject, recompose, but now change your mind and want to choose something else, fire off one single shot and the tracker resets to the middle allowing you to 'grab' a new subject to focus on, otherwise if you keep trying to grab something else its a bit hit or miss or tries to continually focus on that area it once was at.

I could find this mode incredibly handy, a little like Face Detection except you have greater control of whom it should track and not jump from one person to the next. Say for example a dinner party, you want to capture once face very in focus and the others not so much. So with the tracker in the middle you grab the persons face (lol) and then recompose the shot, refocus and bam!

I would like a mode like this on the OVF hehe, like single point SEL mode, the red square starts off in the middle, focus on the subject, you reframe, square stays on the initial subject, AF.C enabled also so no need to refocus, BAM! perfect shot lol
11-26-2017, 04:19 AM   #12
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Just wanted to say, after a bit of practice, Tracking in LV is fast becoming my favourite shooting mode! From zero to hero or what!
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