Focus shift not working! Says problem is focus mode?

[Gordon Ripley]

I have been going around and around this morningtrying to get focus shift working (with focus limiting) It had been working but it keeps saying that the problem is focus mode.

Looks like they changed the focus mode button to not show C(L ) and C(H). Now on the backs=screen is shows CL as 5 and CH as 20.

I set it to 5 and 20 but that did not solve the problem

Any idead what is wrong:

my focus shift settings are:

start

number of shots: 300

step: 2

interval: 0

first frame lock: off

auto reset off

options: off

a16 settings:

limeter: ON

limit range:

farthest 4 meters

closest: 1.5 meters.

lens used: Nikon Z 24-120mm

firmares is 3.0 NOT 3.2

i'm stumped!

Gordon Ripley

 

[PLShutterbug]

I have been going around and around this morningtrying to get focus shift working (with focus limiting) It had been working but it keeps saying that the problem is focus mode.

You don't say the camera you're using but since you talk about focus limiting it must be the Z8. You have not yet upgraded to FW 3.01 (there is no FW 3.2 for the Z8 ...) but it doesn't matter: focus shift with focus limiting works the same with either FW version: the new focus limit capability is not respected, by nor does it impact focus shift shooting. See this thread and my and especially the response from BSiler for proof.

So eliminate any consideration of the focus limit capability from your thinking when you try out focus-shift shooting. It's not relevant.

Looks like they changed the focus mode button to not show C(L ) and C(H). Now on the backs=screen is shows CL as 5 and CH as 20.

I set it to 5 and 20 but that did not solve the problem

You are confusing focus modes (AF-S, AF-C, Manual) with continuous shutter-release modes (Single-shot [per shutter button press], continuous low, continuous high, self-timer). Focus shift shooting does not require a specific shutter-release mode (though I doubt it works with self-timer mode). My suggestion is that you use single-shot mode - the focus-shift system will take all the images in your sequence automatically.

The specific settings you created below are fine. I've snipped them to save space. Remember though, that you do not need to set focus-limit settings as they are not relevant.

Here is what I think is your real problem: What focus mode are you using? My hunch is that you set the focus mode to MF. I just did that, and when I pressed Start I got the message: "Cannot start shooting. Check the following and try again. Focus mode."

You have to set the camera to an auto-focus mode to do focus-shift shooting. Try AF-C or AF-S. Both work.

 

[Gordon Ripley]

Well, I got it working once i did two things:

1. I put ther camera in MANUAL MODE after determining the f/stop and shutter speed while in "P" mode

2. I set the LENS to AUTO FOCUS.

Don't knopw how I missed these two things but then it worked.

Gordon

 

[PLShutterbug]

Well, I got it working once i did two things:

Actually, no. You got it working once you did one of those two things.

1. I put ther camera in MANUAL MODE after determining the f/stop and shutter speed while in "P" mode

This has no effect on focus-shift shooting. You can use focus-shift regardless of the exposure mode. I encourage you to experiment and prove that to yourself.

2. I set the LENS to AUTO FOCUS.

This is the only change you made that is relevant.

Since you had set the lens to MF, none of the AF modes would work since that physical switch overrides any focus-mode settings in the camera. That makes sense. If the lens is set to AF, then the camera can use an electronic switch to go between AF modes or MF (you can set the camera to MF even if the lens switch is AF - the camera will override the lens AF switch position in that case).

As I think I wrote in my original response, focus-shift shooting only works if the camera is set to an autofocus mode.

It is important for you to understand the real reason you eventually got the feature to work, so you don't continue to think that other reasons have any impact.

 

[Gordon Ripley]

Thank yo ufor your nformative notes. I will certainly take them to heart. I appreciate all who replied.

Gordon Ripley