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04-19-2010, 01:08 PM   #1
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How to keep viewfinder stays active?

Hi all,

I just got a Pentax-A 50mm F1.7 manual focus lens for my K-X. It's my first manual focus lens, and it's extremely sharp and fun to use. But I have one problem with it. Sometimes when I spend a little more time to fine tune the manual focus, the viewfinder indicators turn off and I can't get in-focus confirmation icon and beep. I have to press the shutter half way to activate the viewfinder again to get focus confirmation. It's kind of inconvenient. I'm wondering if that's an option to keep the viewfinder indicators active for longer time, so that I can fine tune the focus for target shots.

04-19-2010, 02:36 PM   #2
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You mean all of the bottom icons on the your viewfinder shut off? I think there's some menu option for idle time of the viewfinder, I'm not sure if it's in the custom functions or not but I would check out the menu system for it.
04-19-2010, 02:40 PM   #3
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I figured if I keep the shutter half pressed, then the viewfinder is always active, meaning all the icons are lit and focus confirmation is on. I was using a tripod and adjusting focus on a test subject, so I wasn't pressing the shutter. But it's no biggie now, thanks for your input.
04-19-2010, 06:02 PM   #4
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It normally goes to sleep mode to prevent battery drain, since you can always activate it anyway by a button press so it really shouldn't be a biggie.

04-19-2010, 06:20 PM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by sickguy Quote
I figured if I keep the shutter half pressed, then the viewfinder is always active, meaning all the icons are lit and focus confirmation is on. I was using a tripod and adjusting focus on a test subject, so I wasn't pressing the shutter. But it's no biggie now, thanks for your input.
You are right, you need to half-press the shutter button to see the Viewfinder info.

In the other hand, you can setup the time afterwhich your camera becomes idle to save some battery.

Enjoy your K-7...
04-19-2010, 06:24 PM   #6
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Yes, it becomes less of a problem now, I just half press the shutter if I need longer time to focus, I guess that's the price to pay for using a manual focus lens. Btw, it's a K-x, I love it so far and the quality coupled with a Pentax-A 50mm is awesome!
04-19-2010, 07:55 PM   #7
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My K200D allows the time before the meter goes to sleep to be set - and that's when the lights in the viewfinder turn off. I looked in the K-X manual, and it appears to be the same.

In Custom Setting 1 menu, set item 4. Meter Operating Time. Values are 3 sec, 10 sec (default) and 30 sec. Page 81 in the manual.

04-19-2010, 09:25 PM   #8
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Yes!! This is what I'm looking for! I read the whole manual, but they're some settings that I didn't fully understand, now this metering option makes sense to me. Thanks!
04-20-2010, 08:54 AM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by sickguy Quote
Hi all,
I just got a Pentax-A 50mm F1.7 manual focus lens for my K-X. It's my first manual focus lens, and it's extremely sharp and fun to use. But I have one problem with it. Sometimes when I spend a little more time to fine tune the manual focus, the viewfinder indicators turn off and I can't get in-focus confirmation icon and beep. I have to press the shutter half way to activate the viewfinder again to get focus confirmation. It's kind of inconvenient. I'm wondering if that's an option to keep the viewfinder indicators active for longer time, so that I can fine tune the focus for target shots.
Is it really such a problem to hold the shutter button half pressed? Just a suggestion. When using a lens like the A50 f1.7, if you've confirmed that what you see is what you get, forget about the focus confirmation beep and just focus, expose, and shoot.

04-20-2010, 09:04 AM   #10
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Not really unless using a tripod. I was wondering if that's an option to keep the viewfinder active for longer period of time while I was trying to manual focus on a test subject using a tripod. Because when using a tripod, you usually use self timer or remote release to take a picture, instead of pressing the shutter. So it annoyed me while I was manual focusing using a tripod for more than 10secs and the viewfinder became inactive. But in everyday use without a tripod, it's definitely not a problem because you half-press the shutter while focusing. Hope it clears up any confusion
04-20-2010, 09:12 AM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by sickguy Quote
Not really unless using a tripod. I was wondering if that's an option to keep the viewfinder active for longer period of time while I was trying to manual focus on a test subject using a tripod. Because when using a tripod, you usually use self timer or remote release to take a picture, instead of pressing the shutter. So it annoyed me while I was manual focusing using a tripod for more than 10secs and the viewfinder became inactive. But in everyday use without a tripod, it's definitely not a problem because you half-press the shutter while focusing. Hope it clears up any confusion
Yeah, Sorry, I didn't read through the entire thread. A lot of us are guilty of that at times. Might I suggest, when using a Tripod, you switch to Live View and zoom in. I know you're using a Kx but I've found that to be quite effective on my K7, especially for a small subject where I want to get really selective. That method didn't work worth rotten beans on the K20d but with the current line of cameras, big thumbs up from me..
04-20-2010, 09:56 AM   #12
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Not a problem, thanks to all yours feedbacks I learn more and more about my camera /lenses everyday. Right! Using live view is a good option. I totally forgot about this feature as I never really used it. But I guess the only time it can be useful is when shooting with tripod.
04-20-2010, 01:07 PM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by sickguy Quote
Not a problem, thanks to all yours feedbacks I learn more and more about my camera /lenses everyday. Right! Using live view is a good option. I totally forgot about this feature as I never really used it. But I guess the only time it can be useful is when shooting with tripod.
Not really, it is useful in shooting over your head if there is a crowd or something or the camera viewfinder is just out of your eyes way that you have to look at what you're shotting at or focusing through LV.
Before in film, there were such things as "waistlevel viewfinder" or "sports finder".
Now if they can only incorporate this again in leiu of the liveview..but that would be asking too much from the camera companies.
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