autofocus question

[back alley]

does the af button on the back of the camera only focus when the camera is set to manual focus?
and in autofocus single mode it only locks the focus after the af sets it?

i'm wanting to not use the shutter release (pressed half way) to focus with...

 

[GaryLH]

Not my normal way of using the camera, but if I remember correctly....

- make sure ael/afl button is set to afl mode in menu
- set to manual focus
- use the afl button to af focus, it will not refocus again until u hit afl button again

U can also fine tune focus using the mf ring on lens and the mag feature on thumb area knurl/button..

Gary

 

[back alley]

yeah, that has to be set to manual focus to work...but to have the camera set to af and use the back button? no go?

i'm having a hard time not pushing the shutter release too much inadvertently while trying to achieve focus...so i have lots of poor shots that i never wanted in the first place.

 

[GaryLH]

As before, make sure ael/afl button is afl only. Use half press to get af lock, then hit the afl button to lock that distance. Note the distance on the scale for later verification. If u now move the focus point to a different location, near or farther and half press the shutter again, the original distance will not change until u hit tr ael/afl button again..

U know that the af is locked because the green af confirmation rectangle never goes alway until u hit the ael/afl button again.

In terms of not using half press method at all, I am never tried to do this, so I do not know if there is a way.

Gary

 

[GaryLH]

Forgot I also have the aelafl on setup in switch mode not while pressed.

Gary

 

[back alley]

As before, make sure ael/afl button is afl only. Use half press to get af lock, then hit the afl button to lock that distance. Note the distance on the scale for later verification. If u now move the focus point to a different location, near or farther and half press the shutter again, the original distance will not change until u hit tr ael/afl button again..

U know that the af is locked because the green af confirmation rectangle never goes alway until u hit the ael/afl button again.

In terms of not using half press method at all, I am never tried to do this, so I do not know if there is a way.

Gary

understood...but i'm not getting my point across well...on many dslrs one can push a button OR use the half press to get af working...does not seem to be the case on the x cameras...only works if on manual focus mode, which does what i want just not the way i want...i prefer to maintain both the half press and the rear button push as active options.

bottom line, i have too heavy a trigger finger and wind up taking shots not wanted.

maybe i'll try shooting without the soft releases...

 

[willie_901]

Sorry, the AFL/AFE button only initiates AF in MF mode. The half press in MF mode locks exposure unless you are in manual exposure mode.

Otherwise it locks the current focus and exposure or just one of those spending on the chosen menu options.

The roles of the shutter half press and the AFL/AFE button are reversed between AFS and AFC modes and manual focus mode.

 

[back alley]

i was afraid of that...
i'm a bit hamfisted for this camera...

 

[Darthfeeble]

Looks like there's not a way to do what it is you want. One thing I've found to smooth out the shutter release is to use the standard Abrahamson soft button. As he says, use the middle to first joint part of your finger and it helps to control the half release position. I've got arthritic fingers which have little to no sensation so this is a biggie for me. S

 

[Darthfeeble]

Drat! I forgot to mention that the half case that Fuji offers is also a big boon to handling the camera. I'm sure one of the other third party ones would do just as well. S

 

[back alley]

handling isn't really a problem for me...i use the fuji grip on the bigger camera and will get one for the x-e1 when they are available locally.
my biggest problem is 'feeling' when the half press to too much. i use tom's soft release, the big lucky 8 ones but i put on my mini softie yesterday and will see if that changes anything. i might need to order another mini.

 

[leica M2 fan]

Joe, on my D700 I use the AF-ON button only not the half-pressed shutter button and I like it way more. But when I first started out used the half-press and got along with it quite well. When I first tried the AF-ON button I couldn't get used to it, it took me 3 or 4 days and now use it exclusively. It would be so great for you, if you could use this on your camera to AF and not just Manual.

 

[back alley]

Joe, on my D700 I use the AF-ON button only not the half-pressed shutter button and I like it way more. But when I first started out used the half-press and got along with it quite well. When I first tried the AF-ON button I couldn't get used to it, it took me 3 or 4 days and now use it exclusively. It would be so great for you, if you could use this on your camera to AF and not just Manual.

i agree!

it's funny, on my nikon dslrs, i had that option but never used it...the shutter half press worked fine for me but not so much on the fujis...maybe in time.

 

[GaryLH]

my biggest problem is 'feeling' when the half press to too much. i use tom's soft release, the big lucky 8 ones but i put on my mini softie yesterday and will see if that changes anything. i might need to order another mini.

Have u tried w/o using any soft release. I wonder if the sift release is not providing the feedback needed to feel when u have reached the right pressure point? I never used a soft release on any camera currently..

Gary

 

[back alley]

i have tried w/o them as well. the release feels rough not very smooth at all so the softies do help in that regard.
i'll try the mini next time out to see if that changes anything.