Originally posted by StigVidar On K-7, custom function 14 set to off is the most important setting in my opinion. It let you focus when you want with the AF button and it let you take pictures at exactly the right moment.
So you prefocus a few seconds before taking pictures and are ready for that special moment.
That's another button to push and another operation that can screw up. After yesterday I'm thinking manual focus is the reliable way to go. Unfortunately, with the looking into a tunnel viewfinders that APS-C camera have, manual focus is not a dream come true.
It is most likely better than what I am finding to be rather vague and unreliable AF.
Originally posted by impact Still, if the camera indicated good focus (green hexagon lit up), it should let you take a picture. Unless of course it was waiting for the flash to recharge or something.
My flash doesn't talk to the camera. The camera managed to blow it for me all by itself.
Originally posted by Ash Sorry for that experience Wheatfield.
I just don't get why the cams didn't fire seeing as though AF locked on.
Flash wasn't P-TTL and so won't stop camera from firing if not ready to discharge.
Care to shed some light on the possiblities there?
The only think I can think is that the AF locked and the subject moved slightly out of focus prior to the shutter release, thereby negating the focus lock. I'm also wondering if the AF sensor isn't a bit colour blind and so wasn't seeing as well as it could have.
Originally posted by WalterGA If the camera tells you the subject is in focus, flip the camera af switch to M, then take the picture. I use that technique all the time. The focus won't change, unless you change the distance between the camera and the subject.
Could be, also, that you need a more modern, sophisticated flash unit.
Too time consuming. With a lot of this stuff, by the time it's obvious that the camera has dropped the ball, the opportunity is gone. The handoff at a wedding only takes a couple of seconds, and generally the ideal photo happens in the space of about a half second.
My experience with modern, sophisticated flash units is that they are less reliable than my old non TTL, plug it into the PC socket dinosaur. I have an AF540 FGZ that I pretty much never use because it just doesn't do what I want.
Originally posted by MJB DIGITAL How good is your second shooter?
I can imagine the feeling (and the look on your face) after missing the second missed shot....
Sorry man. So how do you have your AF set up? Is it connected to the shutter button?
No second shooter, I play these things as a one man band. The AF just plain failed. I've tried a few of the suggestions here, but they either don't fit into the way I work, or don't work.
When the camera is set to AF, disableing it with the AF button doesn't allow manual focus with a screwdrive lens, since all the button does is turn off the AF. It doesn't disengage the mechanism.
I use the AF connected to the shutter button. The only time it's ever been a problem is when I need the camera to shoot at a fairly specific moment, at which time it always seems to do a faceplant for me.
I tried AF-C during the processional (it was VERY slow moving so I was able to make adjustments to the camera, something I try to avoid), but found that the camera wasn't following the subject accurately.
I should have just switched the AF off completely.
Live and learn.
Fortunately, I don't shoot weddings very often.
I was ranting a bit to one of the shooters at the studio, a D300 user. She was completely aghast that a camera would drop the ball that way. Apparently this is not an issue with her Nikon. It locks on and takes the picture every time.
Pentax has a way to go in the AF department still. This isn't really surprising, they are still using what is essentially an 8 year old AF system.