continuous focus mode question

tbarker13

tbarker13

shooter of stuff
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So I may have missed this elswhere. But when I use the XP1 in Continuous mode, this happens:
I press the focus button and the lens searches for focus for about two minutes before stopping.
I mean, I can shoot the image I want and then leave the camera alone. The lens will continue moving in and out for a full two minutes (I timed it today) before it stops. Each time I press the focus/shutter release button, it initiates another two minute cycle.
I sort of assumed the lens would stop its continuous focus mode once I'd taken my finger off the shutter release button. This would seem to create a silly waste of battery power.

Again, I may have missed an earlier discussion on this, but didn't find much in my Google search on the topic.
 
Not sure what to make of the lack of any response to this question.
How about his. Can one of you other Xpro 1 owners tell me what happens when you put your camera in Continuous focus mode?
Take a picture and then set the camera down.
Does the camera continue to search for focus for a couple of minutes after you've taken the photo?

EDIT: I realize the only reason the camera ever stops focusing is because i have the camera set to power off after 2 minutes. So basically, when set to Continuous mode, the camera never stops hunting for focus. The lens constantly moves in and out. Can this really be by design?
 
Its just as you describe - and it sort of makes sence, the camera is constantly focusing so when you press the button its ready to capture - As it says in the manual - Focus is continually adjusted to reflect in the distance to the subject EVEN WHEN THE SHUTTER BUTTON IS NOT PRESSED 1/2 WAY...
 
That's not exactly what I told it to do. I told it to go into continual focus mode. And then I want it to do its job when I hold the shutter release down when I'm ready to frame and take a photo.
I don't want it to waste precious battery power doing nothing of value.

I can't think of any reason why you wouldn't want this feature to shut off when you take your finger off the shutter release.

My DLSRs also have a Continuous focus mode. They handle it much better.
 
The camera is designed to do what it declares, not what you want it your way.
The concept is very simple:
- you set the CF mode (AF C)
- you press shutter 1/2 way telling the camera to start CF operation
- the camera continues focusing if you move it (or if target moves) until it times out, which happens exactly after 2 minutes.
To end AF C mode change to AF S or manual.
This makes sense when your subject is moving, you follow it (like if shhoting a video) and you want to be ready to shoot when you decide, having AE and AF ready.
quote
I mean, I can shoot the image I want and then leave the camera alone.
unquote
Then you set to AF S (single shoot), why setting to AF C?
 
Actually the more I look at it, I realize the camera starts focusing before I even touch the shutter release button. Continuous means the camera (if on) is always focusing. That's a waste of battery power and a silly design. It could just as easily have been configured to have the shutter release act as a toggle switch - as other camera makers do.

As for why to use AF (C) versus AF (S) - in my experience thus far, the camera tends to focus quicker when in Continuous mode. It's a way of working around the somewhat sluggish focusing of the S mode.



luibargi said:
The camera is designed to do what it declares, not what you want it your way.
The concept is very simple:
- you set the CF mode (AF C)
- you press shutter 1/2 way telling the camera to start CF operation
- the camera continues focusing if you move it (or if target moves) until it times out, which happens exactly after 2 minutes.
To end AF C mode change to AF S or manual.
This makes sense when your subject is moving, you follow it (like if shhoting a video) and you want to be ready to shoot when you decide, having AE and AF ready.
quote
I mean, I can shoot the image I want and then leave the camera alone.
unquote
Then you set to AF S (single shoot), why setting to AF C?
Click to expand...
 
tom.w.bn said:
They chose the typical implementation for compact cameras (continuous without touching the release button) instead of the typical DSLR implementation (continuous as long as you touch the release button). I like the DSLR implementation more and don't know what drove the Fuji engineers to chose the happy snapper implementation.
Click to expand...


Thanks. That explains where it came from. I've never used a compact digital camera - probably why this was so jarring to me. I much prefer the DLSR version.
 
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