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05-17-2010, 04:54 PM   #1
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Catch-in Focus with fully manual lens

Hello all,

I was reading up through the manual and on the forum about the catch-in focus feature on Pentax DSLRs. I have a Tamron Adaptall-2 60-300mm lens that I use to shoot macro, but I'd like to get crisper shots the first time I hit the focus point. I set up my camera as guided through threads and the manual (set camera to Autofocus, AF mode on AF-S, and set the custom menu option for Catch-in focus to enabled).

My lens is attached to my K-x using an Adaptall-2 PK adapter, which has no leads that attach to the camera's, so it is truly, fully manual.

And I can't get catch-in focus to work.

Do I still need to short out the leads on the camera even though they are obviously not being used?

If anyone out there uses a Tamron Adaptall-2 PK adapter and has experience with this, please advise!

Thank you very kindly!

05-17-2010, 05:30 PM   #2
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QuoteOriginally posted by JClay Quote
Do I still need to short out the leads on the camera even though they are obviously not being used?
As long as the mount of the adaptall is metal, it's already shorting the contacts.
05-17-2010, 05:44 PM   #3
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JClay,

What you need is an Adaptall 2 P/KA adaptor.

alohadave is right. The soiid metal flange is shorting everything out.

Why don't you try covering the Adaptal flange with cellulose tape and see what happens.

Mickey
05-17-2010, 06:08 PM   #4
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Unfortunately, I think the part of the flange touching the area is actually a plastic layer (attached to the grips around the side) on top of a metal adapter.

The reason I only got a PK adapter and not a PK/A was the fact my lens did not seem to be an automatic aperture model... and the PK/A adapter was 3 times the price I paid for the lens.

05-17-2010, 06:11 PM   #5
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I'm not 100% sure about this - I have a K20d, not a K-x - but according to my manual, you set the camera to AF-S, manually focus the lens to the spot you want "something" to trip the shutter, and use the CS-205 cable switch and fully depress the shutter button on it.

When I tried this, I didn't have the CS-205, but used a wireless remote and that worked fine. I've never tried it with just using the camera's shutter button,so don't know if that will work.

You shouldn't need anything else.
05-17-2010, 06:16 PM   #6
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From what I understand, it should not take any picture when the shutter button is pressed unless the camera has the subject in focus. The camera takes the picture regardless, focused or not.
05-17-2010, 06:19 PM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by JClay Quote
From what I understand, it should not take any picture when the shutter button is pressed unless the camera has the subject in focus. The camera takes the picture regardless, focused or not.
Sounds like the use of a remote shutter release is required then - the CS-205 or one of the wireless ones.

05-17-2010, 06:26 PM   #8
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Well, I'll try it, but it sort of defeats the purpose of my intentions on doing handheld macro shots.
05-17-2010, 06:42 PM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by ChipB Quote
Sounds like the use of a remote shutter release is required then - the CS-205 or one of the wireless ones.
I'm sorry to say that the use of a remote shutter release is irrelevant to this matter of subject ..
catch in focus seems to work with some lenses and some not, screwmount lenses w. an m42-pk adapter seem not to trigger the catch in focus and lets you take pictures regardless of in focus or not.. might need another adapter or it simply does not work .. .. but focus confirm should work..
05-17-2010, 06:45 PM   #10
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Indeed, focus confirmation has always worked great. I just have no clue why I can't get this other option to work instead.

I guess I'll be lens hunting some more.
05-17-2010, 06:45 PM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by JClay Quote
From what I understand, it should not take any picture when the shutter button is pressed unless the camera has the subject in focus. The camera takes the picture regardless, focused or not.
Do you have AF de-coupled from the shutter button?
05-17-2010, 06:47 PM   #12
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What option is it in the custom menu? The name of it, that is.
05-17-2010, 06:54 PM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by tonyjayice Quote
screwmount lenses w. an m42-pk adapter seem not to trigger the catch in focus and lets you take pictures regardless of in focus or not.
Aluminum tape on the base of the lens shorts out the contacts and catch focus works.

---------------------

Edit: You get the tape in the AC/heating duct section of your hardware store, but a $9 roll only takes care of about 5,000 lenses.

Last edited by Ira; 05-17-2010 at 07:25 PM.
05-17-2010, 08:02 PM   #14
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Just did a little playing around here at my desk - using an "A" lens, CinF did NOT work by pressing the shutter button - essentially nothing happened. Using a remote release and locking the shutter "on", CinF DID work. As soon as something came into the focus point, click!

And, I did (sorta) verify what Ira said - using a screwmount lens with the M42 adapter, as soon as I pressed either the shutter button or the remote button, click! So, sounds like some metal tape is in order (don't have any, so couldn't verify).
05-18-2010, 03:59 PM   #15
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Interesting thread!

I use catch-in-focus quite a lot, and there appear to be a number of misunderstandings here.

You need to enable 'catch-in-focus' in the custom menu. That's item 34 on my K20D.

You can use it on any lens, fully manual or M42. You can also use it on a regular PK Adaptall-2 adapter, or even a cheapo ebay Chinese PK Adaptall-2 adapter that's missing the aperture linkage. You don't need a PKA one. But see the next point about electrically conductive mounts.

The lens must have an electrically conductive base to short the camera contacts. You MUST short the contacts for catch-in-focus to work. Many M42 lenses, including Takumars, are painted in a non-conductive black paint, so you'll need to scrape some paint off, or apply a bit of metallic tape, in the correct location. The tape method is reversible, but gets messy after a while and will need to be replaced. I went for the permanent scraped paint method, on several Takumars and a couple of eBay Chinese Adaptall-2 mounts (the black ones).

IMPORTANT: if you have 'AF by press halfway' disabled in your custom menu (item 14 on my K20D) then catch-in-focus will NOT work, UNLESS you are also pressing the AF button when the green hexagon lights up.

Last edited by thoughton; 05-18-2010 at 04:13 PM.
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