On Thu, Jan 29, 2009 at 07:24:53PM -0500, Bruce Walker wrote: # Larry Colen wrote: # >On Thu, Jan 29, 2009 at 01:13:10PM -0500, Bruce Walker wrote: # ># Larry Colen wrote: # > # ># I do a bunch of low-light shooting at f2.8 where manual focusing is a # ># must, but is hard to do and *really* unreliable--I end up with lots of # ># soft shots. (I'm hoping the AF situation is a little better with the # ># K20D, but I'm also not holding my breath on that.) # > # >My technique has been to use autofocus to prefocus on my target, then use # >the "OK" button to lock the focus in until I need to refocus or shoot. # > # # Trouble for me is that the light is so low or the target so dark and/or # undefined that when I half-press the shutter the lens hunts from one # extremity to the other a few times then <Beep!> and the I Give Up # indicator comes on. This happens with the DA* 16-50, the DA* 50-135 and # the DA 35 Macro. At least with the DA*'s it hunts quickly and quietly. :-)
I've only ever ran across one lens that failed to lock focus and that was one I was buying off of craigslist. I forget what it was, I think an older 21. Now that I have a katzeye, maybe I should see if he managed to sell it. # # But that OK-button trick is good to know. It's too bad Mode-3 can't be # set to only kick-in when explicitly in manual-focus mode. # # I tend to not engage tricky modes that are only useful in a unique # situation because I forget that that mode is engaged the next time I # pick up the camera and I wonder why it's not working right! Tricky mode? I just have my OK button set to lock out autofocus. I'd rather have it work the other way around, so I could set the camera up in Manual focus, and use OK rather tha a half press to auto focus. # # # ># Was it involved or tricky to open up the viewfinder to install the # >Katzeye? # > # >Now that I've done it a couple of times, it's easy and only takes # >about 5 minutes. You can download the instructions from the katzeye # >site: # >http://www.katzeyeoptics.com/files/install6.pdf # > # # Yikes! That's a bit too similar to brain surgery for my comfort level. # I might try it, but I suspect I'll just keep waiting for the inevitable # K20D/K30D purchase-to-come. Where do you live? If it's close to the Bay area I could do it for you. Or you could send me your camera, katzeye and 50-135 and I'd be happy to install the katzeye and send you the camera with the katzeye back the next day. Seriously though, it's very easy. Buy non-powedered rubber gloves. clean up the area. Light the area. put on the gloves. Take the lens off. Use the back of the tweezers to pull the frame towards you till it clicks. Flop the screen down 15 degrees. Pull on it again. It'll flop down the rest of the way. Try to keep the camera at an angle that the shim doesn't fall out. Use the tweezers to remove the screen. Open the box, put the old screen down pick up the new screen. Put the new screen in place in its frame, taking care not to bump the shim. Lift the frame up into position. push on it to latch. You'll only need the gloves in case something falls out of place and it's easier to pick it up with your fingers than the tweezers. # # Thanks for your detailed tale of thrills and chills. :-) # # -bmw # # -- # PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List # [email protected] # http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net # to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and # follow the directions. -- It's not the steps in the dance, it's the dance in the steps. Larry Colen [email protected] http://www.red4est.com/lrc -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
