Aanyone using CF4

What are the advantages for a birder using CF4
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I love this function and I started using it specifically because of shooting birds.

Most of my birds are in trees, birds like the American Gold Finch. I found that the AF was giving major problems trying to get focus on my subject instead of a branch. I found out about this function on this board and tried it. It solved all of those types of issues.

I found that it was very easy to get used to it and I no longer have to think about it, I just use it automatically.

For my birds, I use it to get the focus near my subject, then I manually focus to get it sharp. I can then take my shot and need not worry about loosing my focus.

If you are shooting birds, in particular birds in trees, give this a try. You will be very happy with it.

Good luck,
Jim

I use cf4=1 all the time. Having the AF on the * button makes it possible to focus on a spot and then wait for someting to arrive where you snap a picture. Consider a race car moving at 100 MPH+ towards a turn and try to get AF to do anything useful with the shutter button. Now consider how easy it is to focus on a spot on the road and sit in wait for the car to ge there. Then just before it does, snap--got it.

Even in much slower situations cf4=1 (or cf4=3) are useful to decouple AF operation from metering operation.
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Mitch

--Not being able to focus today this thread interests me. Could you explain to me how to use it as I don't understand. I understand you lock onto a branch but what then? Do I have to press the function or is it already set?
Sorry I am so stupid but most thankful if you would explain.
fredyr

i said no text

Hi Fredy,

You set the function ahead of time. I leave mine set CF4 = 1 at all times.

What this does for me is move the AF from the shutter button to the * button. When I want to use AF, I press the * button.

When shooting small birds in trees, it is difficult, at least for me, to get the AF to lock on the bird instead of a branch. Using this function allows me to take over when I can't get good focus on the bird and to finish focusing manually.

What I do is press the * to engage AF. If it does not lock onto the bird, I then manually adjust the focus to get the bird in focus. Please note that with this technique, you do NOT have to turn AF off on the lens. You will have no trouble manually focusing even though AF is on at the lens. I then take my shot as usual.

Just go into your menu and change function CF4 to 1. Then give this a try and see what you think. It will seem strange at first having to remember to press * to engage AF, but you will soon get used to it. I got used to it on the first day I used it and will never change back.

I hope I answered your question,
Jim

n.t.

Johnny

Doesnt this technique require you to have a USM lens (or equivalent), as manual focusing a lens in AF-mode is usualy a big no-no, since it can be bad for the focusing motor? Just curious.

Bjorn

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fredyr

Ive tried and tried, but my hands just cannot cope with that setup.

Decoupling the AF from the shutter worked great on my old Nikon F100, but on the 20D there is something I just dont like about that little round button, and how I feel like when using the camera in that config.

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BjornB said:

Doesnt this technique require you to have a USM lens (or
equivalent), as manual focusing a lens in AF-mode is usualy a big
no-no, since it can be bad for the focusing motor? Just curious.

Click to expand...

No, it just means that you dont need to half press the shutter to get AF - you have another button that engages the AF motor, independant of the shutter button.

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Very useful.You can get the focus and then just release the shutter without losing the AF at the right moment
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Regards,

Deepak
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http://www.bangalorephotographyclub.com/galleries/deepakvrao

You are right. However most of the long lenses are USM, HSM or have some type of manual focusing.

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Matthieu
http://www.pbase.com/mattBphoto

I'm not sure.

The only lens that I ever need to do this with is the Sigma 50-500 and I think it is HSM if I remember correctly. It's the one I use to get my bird pictures and that's the only time that I run into a problem getting AF to lock on my subject. For portraits and landscapes this never has been an issue for me.

I tried this, but it does not allow me to manually focus.

Jim Durham said:

Please note that with this technique, you do NOT have to turn AF
off on the lens. You will have no trouble manually focusing even
though AF is on at the lens. I then take my shot as usual.

Click to expand...

That is only the case for lenses that have full time manual focusing. For lenses that do not, you will have to move the switch.

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Todd Walker...Canon TenD, Canon GThree, Canon Ess410, and Panasonic Eff Zee 30, Sony R-One

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