[ultraviolet]

I guess this rules out dirty lens mounts?

Unfortunately, yes and that leaves you with problematic Camera hardware/Software.

[jatrax]

What is your setting for Custom-2 10? CIF will not work if this is set to 2 unless you also hold down the AF / AE-L button.

[Tippon]

If I aim at any subject, in focus or not and with switch set to MF or AF, when I press the shutter I get a picture. If I turn off CIF, the same is true. I already have the AF point set to center.

If the switch is set to MF, CIF is off and the subject is not in focus, are you saying the camera shouldn't allow me to take a picture? It does allow me to take the picture! Is this a problem or the problem?

I'm very new at this, so there was more luck than judgement in getting my solution!

I read your thread late last night and decided to try out CIF on my K-x. I was having exactly the same problem as you - as soon as I pressed the button, it would take a picture. I set my focal length on the camera to 50 (for a 35-70mm lens), set the aperture ring to A and the camera dial to M. I used the +- button for metering. The pictures were coming out very dark, and were being taken straight away.

I gave up, because it was very late, but just had another quick try this morning. I used the same settings, but set the aperture ring to 3.5, which is it's lowest setting, and it worked!

I don't know if it was too dark last night, if I got the metering wrong, if I set the aperture ring incorrectly, or if I was just too close to the objects I was trying to capture, but something was stopping it from working.

Hopefully there's something in there that will help you

[JeffJS]

Metering shouldn't matter. The lens is wide open (unless it's an M42 lens) until the picture is taken. If you're getting dark photos, then you are setting the exposure wrong. However, just like for AF to work, CIF does need light or at the very least, contrast. So if you're subject has none (contrast), then getting it to work at all will be troublesome.

[duetto96]

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for their advice and guidance on this problem. It remains unresolved and can only assume the problem lies within the camera itself. Your help and interest has been greatly appreciated.

David

[kh1234567890]

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for their advice and guidance on this problem. It remains unresolved and can only assume the problem lies within the camera itself. Your help and interest has been greatly appreciated.

David

I have a similar problem with a K-7 and a Super Paragon 300mm f5.6 mirror lens on a T2 mount adaptor. I've cleaned off the paint from the area of the mount where the contacts are, set everything up as it should be and CIF still refuses to work. All I get is a very brief flash of the centre focus point LED as I half press the shutter release button and then nothing.

Interestingly, if I put a Vivitar x2 teleconveter on the same lens, also with its paint cleaned off and with exactly the same camera settings, it works fine.

Strange.

[erangel]

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for their advice and guidance on this problem. It remains unresolved and can only assume the problem lies within the camera itself. Your help and interest has been greatly appreciated.

David

David,

I also own a K-x and I have found that CIF is very temperamental.

These are the steps I do to make it work (I'm sorry if this is all obvious, but I'm a newbie and I try to not skip steps for now ):

1-Turn off camera and set new lens.
2-Turn on camera. Camera should ask for Focal Length, input the correct value (I think if you hit Cancel, it will default to the last one used)
3-The camera will ONLY work on Manual, Aperture Priority & Movie modes. Selecting any other mode will default to Aperture Priority.
4-Make sure you have set the camera body focusing mode to AF (That's the button on the left side by the lens base.)
5-Use the menu to set AF Mode to AF.S. AF.A works too! I guess the camera makes the best assumption and figures that you want Single Auto Focus.
6-There is NO need to change the AF Point setting. At least on my camera it defaults to Spot mode.
7-Use the menu to enable CIF. Go to the Custom sections (C icon) page 3, and set item 21 to a value of 2.
8-Compose and adjust exposure (I use the Green Button).
9-Press and hold the shutter while using the lens focus ring to get the subject in focus. The camera WILL shoot when it thinks that the focus is right.

Now, that last point is the most important. I've noticed that my K-x is very sensitive to focus. Sometimes, when I try to take a second shot right on the same subject, the shutter will not work. On this situation I need to adjust the focus ring very slightly moving towards infinity and then back to focus, or just move the camera a bit forward and then back. This adjustment is very small, for example if I tilt my head a bit forward and then back, the CIF will fire.

I've been testing CIF on the last two days, with a M 120/2.8 prime and this has happened at different apertures, light conditions (early morning and night) and focusing distances.

I found this post on using the debug feature to adjust the AF. I'm not sure if this could be a solution to our problem, maybe someone with more experience can clear things for us.

[altopiet]

I agree with you Elias, except with

I found this post on using the debug feature to adjust the AF

. As you are using manual focus AF does not come into play.
I agree with Jeff

However, just like for AF to work, CIF does need light or at the very least, contrast.

. Using my manual lenses in M mode, CIF will work from fully open to about at about f8. If you stop down further than that, The camera is not able to focus, except if it is in very bright sunshine. I use most of my manual lenses at f5,6 with CIF, without any problems, except for a Cosina 100-500mm lens, but only at 500mm. if I bring it down to 450mm, no problem

[erangel]

I agree with you Elias, except with . As you are using manual focus AF does not come into play.

It is true that the camera is not focusing the lens by itself, you are doing it manually by turning the focus ring. But even then it's trying to compute if there is a subject in focus to trigger the CIF.

If it doesn't use the parameters configured for AF, then which ones does it use?

[altopiet]

It is true that the camera is not focusing the lens by itself, you are doing it manually by turning the focus ring. But even then it's trying to compute if there is a subject in focus to trigger the CIF.

If it doesn't use the parameters configured for AF, then which ones does it use?

Sorry, my mind was in manual, and very slow gear As CIF can only be used with AF, it might have an influence. I'll have to study this a bit further, maybe I was just lucky that I do not have a problem with one of my 10 manual lenses, except for the 100-500mm at 500, as mentioned already

[JOlshefsky]

I'm using an old (manual focus) Asahi 50mm f1.4 screw-mount (is that M42?) with a K-mount adapter on my new-to-me K-x. I couldn't get the Catch-In-Focus to work so I found this forum.

I finally tried using aluminum foil to cover the electrical contacts on the body. The flange on the K-mount adapter is not wide enough to actually touch the contacts at all, but it apparently holds the foil in place enough. Here's what I did:

1. Get a strip of aluminum foil. Fold it over 2-3 layers thick and shape it to fit over the contacts on the camera body.
2. Turn off the camera.
3. Place the foil over the contacts. My foil section spans about a 60° arc — far more than to cover just the contacts.
4. Insert the K-mount lens while holding the foil in place. I had to push harder than average to crush the foil, so I had the camera on a table, flat on its back.
5. Twist the K-mount in place while holding the foil to keep it from sliding off the contacts.
6. Turn on the camera. I did not get a request to pick the lens size (although I updated the firmware to 1.03, which may be the culprit.)
7. Set the CIF mode as discussed above (set C3-21 to 2, AF-S mode, AE button function to anything but #2). I also set single-exposure drive mode.
8. The camera should force A-v unless you pick manual or movie mode.
9. Compose a shot out-of-focus.
10. Press the shutter fully. Nothing should happen.
11. Rack the focus slowly into focus. When sharp focus is achieved, the shutter will fire automatically.

I was having the same problems as others, and I suspect the lack of electrical contact on the camera body to be the culprit since the aluminum foil fixed it.