AF lock

[SamHH]

Do any Canon SLRs have a button to lock the focus or do any of them have a button that can be customised to do this? I quite often want to do this and it's annoying that my camera (300D) can't.

[paul911]

In AF focus on your subject and then switch the lens to MF. The focus is then fixed. Is that what you mean?

[stigmundfreud]

in canon you can focus on what you want and recompose if you keep the shutter button half pressed

[SamHH]

paul911 said:

In AF focus on your subject and then switch the lens to MF. The focus is then fixed. Is that what you mean?

Yes, like that, but with something more easily used than the switch on the lens. Like a button where the AE lock button is.

stigmundfreud said:

in canon you can focus on what you want and recompose if you keep the shutter button half pressed

I do that but sometimes I want to be able to release the button.

[stigmundfreud]

I cant understand why

[GetCarter]

Now I know why I chose Nikon (tut)

[stigmundfreud]

GetCarter said:

Now I know why I chose Nikon (tut)

I'm gonna buy a camepr van and park it on your drive!

[SamHH]

For example, taking a landscape shot into the sun where the camera won't autofocus, I have to focus away from the sun then move back. If I want to take 4 or 5 shots changing settings in between, I have to repeat this process every time or struggle to keep my finger on the shutter all the time. Anyway, I take it the answer is "no"?

[SamHH]

GetCarter said:

Now I know why I chose Nikon (tut)

They've got an AF lock button?

[crmcatee]

You can set the buttons on the rear where your thumb is to act as the focusing point (using the focus point in the view finder) then recompose and shoot using the shutter - it basically turns off the focussing operation of halfway shutter.

On mine it's called Shutter Button/AF-On I've got it set to AE Lock/Metering +AF Start which lets me push the button marked * which will focus on the selected focus point in the viewfinder then recompose and shoot when I want - the focused point will remain sharp.

Is this what you are looking for ?

[stigmundfreud]

I shal go read my manual for my canon and find out, I am sure I saw it mentioned. Why you cant just focus manually is beyond me

[GetCarter]

SamHH said:

GetCarter said:

Now I know why I chose Nikon (tut)

They've got an AF lock button?

Nikon have a button for everything - if you have the right body

I don't think that reads well.

Edited by GetCarter on Saturday 27th December 19:36

[SamHH]

crmcatee said:

You can set the buttons on the rear where your thumb is to act as the focusing point (using the focus point in the view finder) then recompose and shoot using the shutter - it basically turns off the focussing operation of halfway shutter.

On mine it's called Shutter Button/AF-On I've got it set to AE Lock/Metering +AF Start which lets me push the button marked * which will focus on the selected focus point in the viewfinder then recompose and shoot when I want - the focused point will remain sharp.

Is this what you are looking for ?

I think so. What camera is that?

[SamHH]

stigmundfreud said:

I shal go read my manual for my canon and find out, I am sure I saw it mentioned. Why you cant just focus manually is beyond me

I suppose I could, but you could say that about every situation. Autofocus is there for a reason (to make things easier).

Edited by SamHH on Saturday 27th December 19:38

[crmcatee]

Both the 1d MKIII and 20D have this feature - I'm guessing others do as well - just a case of finding it in the menus.

[stigmundfreud]

autofocus, set to manual, shoot your shots, return to autofocus

[Famous Graham]

crmcatee said:

Both the 1d MKIII and 20D have this feature - I'm guessing others do as well - just a case of finding it in the menus.

1D MkII N has it as well.

[SamHH]

stigmundfreud said:

autofocus, set to manual, shoot your shots, return to autofocus

Yeah, I was just wondering if there's an easier way. It seems there is, except it's not available on my camera. Good to know that it available on other Canon cameras anyway. Cheers

[Bee_Jay]

SamHH said:

stigmundfreud said:

autofocus, set to manual, shoot your shots, return to autofocus

Yeah, I was just wondering if there's an easier way. It seems there is, except it's not available on my camera. Good to know that it available on other Canon cameras anyway. Cheers

It's on nearly all of them, e.g. on the 20D it is custom function 4-3 and on the 5D Mk II there is a dedicated button already, but you still have to set CF IV-1 to 3 to stop if doing AF on the shutter button. I use it all the time.

Edited by Bee_Jay on Saturday 27th December 20:33

[Bee_Jay]

Ah, just realised that on the 300D you had to load hacked firmware from the 10D to get the custom functions: http://www.chrislongley.com/canon_eos/firmware.htm

I know several people who did this at the time with no problems. Give it a go, you can always reset it back to the latest Canon firmware.

That then allows you access to the Custom Function 4-3, allowing you to take focusing off the shutter button and onto the AEL (*) button.

ETA another old link I found - http://web.mit.edu/cjoye/www/photo/Canon300D.html

Edited by Bee_Jay on Saturday 27th December 20:50