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05-05-2009, 02:06 PM   #16
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QuoteOriginally posted by LeoTaylor Quote
The instructions I came up with for a K100D for taking photos with a manual lens as long as an object is in focus have a few more steps:

------------
Mode Dial > M
Record Menu > AF Mode > AF-S
Record Menu > Swtch dst msr pt > Center Spot (may be greyed out)
Setup Menu > Auto Power Off > OFF
Custom Menu > Using Aperture Ring > Permitted
Fn Button Menu > Drive Mode > Continuous
Front of camera slide switch > AF
Rear of camera slide switch > SR Off
I used external power since the camera was left on for over an hour.

Focus camera at desired distance.
Aim camera slightly away from any background objects at the focus distance.
Lock shutter with remote shutter cable or shorting plug.
Test by passing your hand slowly through focus point.
-----------

I used this procedure when aiming the camera to one side of a squirrel feeder. I came back later and had 900 photos and most had a squirrel in focus.
I left out all the non-focus steps deliberately.

It is not necessary to set the focus point to centre when using a manual focus lens. That is the only point that is active when the camera thinks that a MF lens is attached.

I first tested using my A 70-210/4 a long time ago. I bought this lens when my AF camera was the SF-1. I used it on my hummingbird feeder and got good shots of hummingbirds. I focused on the perch very carefully, then lifted the focus point to above the perch about an inch.

You have a good point about turning SR off on the tripod, but if using CIF to catch the soccer ball at the goal line, you would want SR on. SR has no effect on CIF functions.

05-05-2009, 04:13 PM   #17
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QuoteOriginally posted by kitkat Quote
Thanks. That explains what I did not understand described in the manual for my K-m. On Catch-in Focus, the manual states (the following quote is a copy&paste from page 118):
'How to Take Pictures
1 Attach a proper lens to the camera.
2 Set the focus mode lever to AF.
3 Set AF Mode to AF.A or AF.S.
4 Set focus on a position the subject will pass.
5 Press the shutter release button fully.
The shutter is released automatically when the subject comes into focus in the set position.'

I think the manual is either wrong or confusing. I had taken the step to 'Press the shutter release button fully' to mean press it all the way down as opposed to half way. You explain that the button has to be held down until the subject comes into focus, at which point the camera will take the shot. I'm not sure what step 2 means. I have writtet to Pentax asking for a clarification.
Yeah - based on what you've copied here, I'd guess there's a typo in the manual. If step two was "Set lens switch to MF" it would make sense, though you can just use a MF lens for this too.

I think you correctly understood what I was saying about the shutter release button, but I'll say again for clarity. To take the picture using catch in focus, you do hold the button pressed all the way down, or alternately you can use a cable release which has a lock mode to hold the button down for you. Then, when the camera senses that the center AF point is in focus, the shutter releases. Various uses of this are to pre-focus on a point where something will be later (say a humming bird), and have the camera fire the shot when something comes into focus there, or you can hold the button down while turning the focus ring for a human powered AF system (camera fires when lens reaches focus). I've played with this second use, but not too much, as I'd rather time the shot myself.
05-05-2009, 05:38 PM   #18
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I neglected to mention that the Remote F will not work properly, according to some brief testing I have done. I think one needs a wired release.
05-06-2009, 05:49 PM   #19
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QuoteOriginally posted by Canada_Rockies Quote
The K10D has no special Catch-In-Focus mode. (The OP has a K10D). It uses Snap-In-Focus which was introduced with the SF-1. Snap-In-Focus requires no special techniques. All it needs is a manual focus lens mounted on the camera, and the camera's AF set to AF.S. The camera won't take a picture until things are in focus. So here are the instructions for using a manual focus lens on the camera in Snap-In-Focus mode.
1. Mount a manual focus lens (or cheat with silver foil)
2. Set the camera to AF.S
3. Set the lens' focus to where you want to trap
4. Press and hold the shutter button until the camera takes the picture.

.
I tried this, and it didnt work with a manual lens i had mounted. I deliberately backed off the focus so it was just off of in focus, went to hold the shutter down ready for re-focusing, and the shutter went off. I of course got blurred photos.

05-06-2009, 08:04 PM   #20
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QuoteOriginally posted by Squier Quote
I tried this, and it didnt work with a manual lens i had mounted. I deliberately backed off the focus so it was just off of in focus, went to hold the shutter down ready for re-focusing, and the shutter went off. I of course got blurred photos.
Make sure your AF system is set to AF.S on the front switch. You might have had the camera in either MF or AF.C. That is the only way I know of to cause the effect you describe. Snap-in-Focus works on my one A lens and both M lenses on my K10D.
05-07-2009, 03:31 AM   #21
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Yup CR - it was set to AF-s
05-07-2009, 05:28 AM   #22
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Slightly out-topic (I mean that I won't propose a solution for the OP in this post), Trap-focus is quite easy to obtain with AF lenses...

Just depress the lens locking button (it will disengage the AF screw) before a full shutter press, and wait for the subject to be in focus...
Of course, you'll have to endure the sound made by the motor trying to move the lens, but it's a small price to pay...

05-07-2009, 08:31 AM   #23
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QuoteOriginally posted by Canada_Rockies Quote
Make sure your AF system is set to AF.S on the front switch. You might have had the camera in either MF or AF.C. That is the only way I know of to cause the effect you describe. Snap-in-Focus works on my one A lens and both M lenses on my K10D.
Trap focusing does not work with my M42 Lenses on my K10D.

It works perfectly on all of my other old MF lenses that are all K-Mount.

Why is that? Some one told me to use foil to short out contacts on the camera.

I don't like that idea AT ALL!
05-07-2009, 08:46 AM   #24
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QuoteOriginally posted by res3567 Quote
Trap focusing does not work with my M42 Lenses on my K10D.

It works perfectly on all of my other old MF lenses that are all K-Mount.

Why is that? Some one told me to use foil to short out contacts on the camera.

I don't like that idea AT ALL!
Why not? The lens mount shorts them all out when you mount a lens without the A contacts. Is your M42 adaptor metal? If not, you will have to short out the contacts to make it work. It is also possible that the mount adaptor does not reach out far enough to short the contacts.
05-07-2009, 09:10 AM   #25
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QuoteOriginally posted by Canada_Rockies Quote
Why not? The lens mount shorts them all out when you mount a lens without the A contacts. Is your M42 adaptor metal? If not, you will have to short out the contacts to make it work. It is also possible that the mount adaptor does not reach out far enough to short the contacts.
The good M42 adapters (the kind which let you focus to infinity) fit entirely within the mount ring, and won't short the contacts - some m42 lenses do, and some don't. Like C_R says, an M lens or similar will short the contacts so it shouldn't be a big deal... Here's the definitive solution rather than foil.
05-07-2009, 11:04 AM   #26
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QuoteOriginally posted by Squier Quote
I tried this, and it didnt work with a manual lens i had mounted. I deliberately backed off the focus so it was just off of in focus, went to hold the shutter down ready for re-focusing, and the shutter went off. I of course got blurred photos.
Squier: I had the same problem initially. It was confusing because some of the M42's worked and others didn't. It most likely is because the mount is too small and doesn't short the contacts. My 28 mm/3.5 is a good example. I can see all the contacts clearly outside of the lens. Others have said that if the lens base is painted you have to either sand off the paint or use foil, etc.

thanks to CR and all others in the thread. I think that in my case the lens must have lost AF lock just prior to pressing the shutter release. The part that is hard to understand is that this only happens once and a while so I can't be more specific as to what is going on- but I am keeping an eye out. Also, typically, when my camera loses focus the lens motor can be heard and often the lens hunts the entire throw of the lens. This is not what happens in the cases I described in my original post. It acts more like the catch/snap focus.
05-07-2009, 11:19 AM   #27
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None of my lenses are M42 mount. I only tried a full manual lens, as opposed to an A or AF

Out of all the lenses i own, most are manual. Only 2 are 'A' built. A Kobori Koboron 24-70 , and SMC 50 f1.7

Might be worth trying some others i guess, though its not that important to me. Be nice to know if i could get it to work though.
05-07-2009, 12:53 PM   #28
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QuoteOriginally posted by Squier Quote
None of my lenses are M42 mount. I only tried a full manual lens, as opposed to an A or AF

Out of all the lenses i own, most are manual. Only 2 are 'A' built. A Kobori Koboron 24-70 , and SMC 50 f1.7

Might be worth trying some others i guess, though its not that important to me. Be nice to know if i could get it to work though.
On another thread about the AF 1.7X converter, I was convinced to throughly clean the base of my M 400/5.6 that was acting up. Once I did that, everything was copacetic again. You might try cleaning the lens base with microfiber cloth and alcohol.
05-07-2009, 01:29 PM   #29
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I'll always try good advice - thanks CR
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