[dc1500]

Thanks Jack - yes I have, but not exhaustively under different conditions. I will persevere as the K3 is producing astounding results otherwise and others are having more success with this than me. Most of my testing has been with my DA*300 so will also try other lenses in case there is a minor fault there.

In fact further investigation is making me wonder if I have a camera fault. Just tried three different lenses, DA*300, DAL 55-300, Sigma 150-500 and this is what happens.
(Back button and shutter half pushed no difference). Tracks for approx 10 secs then just stops re-focusing until I release the button and refocus. Then tracks again for about 10 secs (but slightly different each time) then won't change focus till I release button and start agin. Seems like a short or overheating or something.

[devorama]

I adopted this focusing style after reading this article. For the most part, it's been awesome. The only downside that I just discovered is that using AFC focusing mode on the K-3 will disable the autofocus assist light. I noticed this because I just got the new AF360FGZ II flash. This flash can use the white LED as a focus assist light. I couldn't get the strobe's LED or the built-in green LED to light until I switched to AF.S or AF.A. Not a huge limitation, but something to keep in mind.

[MadMathMind]

I don't remember if your focus point and metering point are linked... so I don't want to give you a false answer there.

There is a setting to do that, so I imagine that unless this is set to yes, the answer is no, they are not linked.

[troika]

Great technical discussion, I've been playing with it this morning and I think it could really help out for some of what I do. Somewhere around page 4 there was a discussion about quick shift that I didn't really follow, but I have never been able to make QS work until changing to these settings, so I think that's good progress.

The tragedy with me here is that it appears that these settings prevent me from using Catch In Focus with my manual lenses, which is something that I do quite often. I got a little lost in the "multiple users" discussion. Is there a way to configure my camera to work with both CIF with a MF lens and this type of AF-C work with an AF lens? I thought that maybe shifting back to AF-S for the manual lens might do it, but it did not.

EDIT: It looks like I can re-enable CIF by just changing the "Shutter Button Half Press" setting back and forth. So, one menu change between modes is not bad, unless someone has a better method.

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Last edited by troika; 04-06-2014 at 09:33 AM.

[enoxatnep]

Okay, like the song that never ends, this seems to be the thread that never ends. So forgive me for dragging it on, but I just discovered it yesterday!

Going WAAYYY back to the first post, I'm fortunate to have discovered this method a few years back with my K20D, but I've used it minus the AF.C and SEL settings. I can see the AF.C being a good idea, but manually selecting the focus point in SEL mode to be a hard sell; not sure I'll go with that one.

My point: this method has worked wonderfully for me MINUS the SEL mode, so if I were you I would select center-point AF to avoid one less hassle. I wish I could have the one feature on my old Canon Elan IIe where you could select any focus point with your eye, simply by looking at it! But because no modern SLR seems to have this, I'll stick with the ol' center-point-focus-and-recompose method.

[wtlwdwgn]

Thanks for the tips. I'm constantly learning even after 50+ years.

[dcBear78]

But the point of using select focus is to frame your shot perfectly without recomposing and possibly losing that micro focus. I did the same thing when I first changed after reading this thread. The select focus was extremely foreign to me. And the change in focus technique didn't seem to make much difference.

But then I re-read the thread to see what I missed. Tried select focus and it all come together.

The K3 with extra focus points makes this technique even better.

Edit: here is a good example of using this technique (with select focus)



I was able to track focus on the plane from the run way up to this shot. I planned this shot, choosing a focus spot in the top right somewhere. I took about 20 shots as the plane took off, all in focus. And then picked the one that had the best framing.

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Last edited by dcBear78; 04-12-2014 at 02:44 PM.

[enoxatnep]

But the point of using select focus is to frame your shot perfectly without recomposing and possibly losing that micro focus. I did the same thing when I first changed after reading this thread. The select focus was extremely foreign to me. And the change in focus technique didn't seem to make much difference.

But then I re-read the thread to see what I missed. Tried select focus and it all come together.

... I was able to track focus on the plane from the run way up to this shot. I planned this shot, choosing a focus spot in the top right somewhere. I took about 20 shots as the plane took off, all in focus. And then picked the one that had the best framing.

Well, you might make me a believer in SEL focus yet! And yes, having way more AF points to choose from than the K5 would be nice, too.

[Tom777]

Just like to say what a great post,
As anew K3 owner
I hope someone can make a YouTube video on these settings and demonstrate this in action going through all the settings
That would be great for me as an older person and a bit slower at catching on,
Thanks Tom G

[troika]

I'm curious if this method would practically "speed up" the AF in Macro lenses that people say have AF rates too slow for things like children and pets. I realize of course, that the lens' AF speed wouldn't change, but if you are tracking and staying ahead of the shot with it, would it effectively get you more shots of moderately moving objects with a Sigma 70 or Tamron 90 Macro, lens, for example.

Anyone got one who's playing with this technique who would be willing to run a test for us?

[Wired]

Just like to say what a great post,
As anew K3 owner
I hope someone can make a YouTube video on these settings and demonstrate this in action going through all the settings
That would be great for me as an older person and a bit slower at catching on,
Thanks Tom G

I plan on doing this once it gets nicer outside as I lost my studio space

[Tom777]

I plan on doing this once it gets nicer outside as I lost my studio space

Hi Wired
Thanks for the answer I hope it gets nicer outside sooooooooooooon
would it be posted in the Tutorial section
Tom G

[Wired]

Hi Wired
Thanks for the answer I hope it gets nicer outside sooooooooooooon
would it be posted in the Tutorial section
Tom G

I'll submit to Adam when it's done

[dcBear78]

I was searching Youtube videos that show this technique. While there are a few that talk about it, show how to set it up (on Canikon's) and some demonstrate the benefits. NONE of them mention using selective focus points. Why is this? Are Canikons just that smart they can sense where you want to focus so people just use auto? They all talk about focus and recompose, and there is definitely a benefit there. But my experience has been so much better when using selective focus points.

[cxdoo]

I was searching Youtube videos that show this technique. While there are a few that talk about it, show how to set it up (on Canikon's) and some demonstrate the benefits. NONE of them mention using selective focus points. Why is this? Are Canikons just that smart they can sense where you want to focus so people just use auto? They all talk about focus and recompose, and there is definitely a benefit there. But my experience has been so much better when using selective focus points.

I wondered about that too. Apart from giving your camera to random people to take a photo of you, I don't see a situation where I'd prefer auto instead of select + above technique.