AF-ON problems

[jay_chadney]

When I have the "af-on only" setting and I am in "S" focus mode I feel I am

having a problem. I press the AF-ON button and get the beep to confirm focus,

then go and press the shutter button. Some of the time it doesn't trip the

shutter. If I hold the shutter button, it will trip anywhere from 1 second to

5 or 6 seconds later. At other times, the shutter trips right away.

Do I have a problem with my camera?

[cameradude]

Maybe if you described what your camera looked like, or even better the model your using... sounds like a P&S... if not change the AF mode...

[jay_chadney]

Sorry. I cut and pasted this from my posting in the D200 group on nikonians.org

 

So...... it is a D200

[bob_s__n.e._mass_]

Have you tried changing the custom settings menu to lock focus from a partially-depressed shutter? Same effect? I can't imagine a lag like that unless there's eiher an operational or menu issue or the camera's truly defunct.

[curt wiler]

I almost always use the "AF-ON" button ONLY setting also, but you pretty much need to set custom function A2 to "release priority" when you do this - otherwise any slight change in the image will lock the shutter.

[tonybeach]

AF-S on the front of the camara is default set to only shoot if the focus is locked. It can be changed in the menu, but a better solution is to simply go to AF-C which is default set to shoot whenever you press the shutter.

[blumesan]

Given the settings you describe, if you simply press the af-on button and release it after focus has been achieved, the sightest movement of the camera will cause it to loose focus and the shutter will not release. If you keep the af-on button depressed after focus is achieved, then focus will be locked and you can release the shutter at any time. As for keeping the shutter button depressed and having the shutter fire several seconds later, my guess is that subsequent movement brought the sensor back to the original focus point, at which time the shutter fires.

 

Cheers/Mike

[bruno]

I had the same problem, then found that in the menu the shutter was programmed to fire only with locked focus. So if you focus-recompose-fire the thing won't work.

[joseph_smith3]

You need to fully understand the custom settings you have made for a1, AF-C, and a2, AF-S, for Banks A, B C or D and make sure they are in effect when you are shooting. What you think you have set might not be in effect. A full explanation of Focus Release vs other options can be found here:

http://www.nikonians.org/nikon/d200_multi-cam_af/nikon_d200_multi-cam1000_review_2.html

 

I suggest that all D 200 owners read all fice segments parts of this tutorial. It is excellent.

 

On my D 200, I make sure that I have set both the Shooting Bank and Custom Menu Bank are set to what I want. I have made errors before where I had set one thinking I had invoked the settings of the other.

 

If I understand your question, I think you need to be in a2 for AF-S.

 

Joe Smith

[curt wiler]

Joe - thanks for this very useful link. I had not seen that before, and it provides a lot of good information in a very concise manner. I need to re-examine some of my custom bank settings. However, it also highlights the flexibility of the system to adapt to different shooting styles. The author's preferences are not always the same as mine, for instance, because I frequently shoot older MF lenses and focus priority is counter-productive.

 

Now, back to the original question. Have we helped .... or added to the problem?

[jay_chadney]

Between here and nikonians.org, I have a lot of info and settings to try out. Thanks.

Jay

[daniel rufer]

Having the focus mode on S WITHOUT setting the custom setting to release priority (so that it really only shoots when in focus) can sometimes be helpful if shooting macro hand held (usually with manual focusing). <br>

You set focusing distance (and thus the desired magnification), then gradually approach the object with the shutter pressed. It will then shoot when the object is in focus, acting like a "focus-trap-trigger".

Sometimes this is a bit easier than trying to focus and shoot at the almost same time so that you do not loose focus in between... <p>

Daniel

[tonybeach]

Thanks for the tip Daniel. I can think of other reasons to keep the focus priority for AF-S, and as I said earlier I would keep it enabled and just use AF-C for "focus and recompose" shots.