Very nice work agaon Ron, so I learned again , for me the last 2 looks a little bit sharper on my screen.
Thanks ****. The last two also look sharper to me.
The thing is, with CIF the image cannot even be taken unless it is in focus. With AF-C the image can be taken at anytime you press the shutter release even if the image is not in focus. So, with AF-C you can get a lot of images of which all, some, or none can be in focus. With CIF you get a lot less images but almost all of them will be in focus.
I have said for many, many years that I would like for Pentax (now Ricoh) to have an AF-C mode (perhaps call it AF-CS) that would not allow the image to be taken unless it is in focus. This would cut back on the FPS but almost all of the the images you get would be in focus. In my mind it would be a simple firmware fix, but then what the heck do I know? I am just a photographer and know what I want. The code writers might also be photographers but they don't seem to know what I really, really, want.
In my mind an AF-CS would work something like this: Focus and shoot like in AF-S. After the image has been taken and you continue to hold the shutter release closed you allow for refocusing. Another shot, another release, rinse and repeat.
AF-CS or Autofocusing CIF.
Could you please clarify the difference between your AF-CS and AF-C with Focus (vs Release) priority?
I have K3 and am just beginning to try BIF...can't quite wrap my mind around the difference.
Hi John,
First of all there is no AF-CS on any Pentax DSLR. It is just something that I would want Ricoh to provide for us.
On Pentax the K-3 you have AF-A, AF-S, and AF-C. I won't get into AF-A because IMO it isn't worth even trying to use or even understand. So that leaves AF-S and AF-C.
(1) - AF-S (with Custom Menu Item 15 set to Focus Priority) - This is the mode that is mostly used for single shot. Like when a bird has landed. If you try to use AF-S with BIF with your continuous shooting selected then the only image that you can be sure that will be in focus is the very first image in the sequence because the camera does not allow for the shutter to release until it obtains focus and it does not refocus after the first shot. Note: AF-S can be used with Sel 1, Spot, Auto 27, or Auto 9. If in Auto 27 or Auto 9 then anyone one of the sensors can suggest that the subject is in focus.
(2) - AF-C - When in AF-C you can release the shutter even if the subject is not in focus. AND even if you have selected Focus Priority in Custom Menu items 16 and 17. If you are using AF-C, Custom Menu Items 16 and 17 set to Focus Priority, and Expanded Area (Sel 1, Sel 2, Sel 3, or Sel 4) then
you must not release the shutter until the single focus sensor (usually the center one) shows that you have obtained focus. If that single focus sensor is no longer on the subject then one of the expanded sensors will try to maintain the focus until that single sensor is again able to do it's job.Then if you also have continuous shooting set the camera will try to maintain focus by refocusing (if need be) between shots according to how you have the Custom Menu Item 18 (Hold Autofocus Status) set. Cuustom Item 18 set to 1 (Off) is "No priority given to maintaining the subject in focus. Custom Item 18 set to 2, 3 or 4 is "Priority is given to maintianing the subject in focus. This Custom Menu Item 18 is a little bit hard to understand. The way I think of it is like this: If I have nothing but blue sky then 1 (Off will continually refocus as you are tracking the subject. Set to 2, 3, or 4 then the camera will not try to refocus if the bird goes behind some clutter in the frame. Hold AF Status 2 will maintain the focus for a shorter time than 3 or 4 and 3 will maintain the focus for a shorter time than 4. So, the more clutter you have then the higher number you want to have for Hold AF Status Custom Menu Item 18.
Note: If you are using AF-C with Spot, Auto 27, or Auto 9 then any one of the focusing sensors at any time can suggest that the subject is in focus. So, you might obtain focus on the tip of the wing, or the background behind the subject or the forground in front of the subject. When using AF-C with Spot, Auto 27 or Auto 9 then the Hold AF Status works the same way as in (2) above.
(3) - Catch-in-focusing (CIF) - With the camera Custom Menu Item 25 set to On, and using a Pentax lens that has an AF/MF switch on the lens set to MF (some but not all non Pentax lenses that have an AF/MF switch on the lens will also work), or a manual focus lens, then the shutter will not release until the subject is in focus. So, shooting BIFs in this manner you press and hold the shutter release fully closed as you manually focus the lens. When the subject comes into focus the camera fires. As you continue to hold the shutter full closed the camera continues to fire unless the subject goes out of focus. As you continue to hold the shutter fully closed the camera will again fire as you manually focus the lens to obtain focus. So, my suggested AF-CS via a firmware update would work similar to this only the camera would provide the Autofocusing instead of your fingers providing the focusing.
I hope you are not totally confused now.
Ron
