I have a silly question. Is there a way to automatically return the 600 GM's AF distance to infinity each time after shooting? My lens is wrapped in a RolandPro lens coat so it's hard to access the custom button on the lens.
Douglas L wrote:
I have a silly question. Is there a way to automatically return the 600 GM's AF distance to infinity each time after shooting? My lens is wrapped in a RolandPro lens coat so it's hard to access the custom button on the lens.
Thanks!
The only way would be to set the preset focus distance at infinity. Then you wouldn't be trying to find/access a button but would just do a short turn of the knurled wheel (can't remember Sony's official name for that wheel). The wheel shouldn't be covered by the RolanPro (although sometimes my RolanPro does ride up over that wheel slightly).
arbitrage wrote:
The only way would be to set the preset focus distance at infinity. Then you wouldn't be trying to find/access a button but would just do a short turn of the knurled wheel (can't remember Sony's official name for that wheel). The wheel shouldn't be covered by the RolanPro (although sometimes my RolanPro does ride up over that wheel slightly).
Thanks Geoff. Now I need to figure out how to set the preset focus distance at infinity. . The issue I have been having is after shooting an eagle, when another eagle appears later, the camera has trouble picking out the eagle in the sky, I have to focus on a wooded area far away to get the camera focus at infinity, then point the camera to the direction of the eagle, often that a few seconds cost me shots of some critical moments.
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arbitrage wrote:
Sunday set #2...
Nice set! One of the eagles I shot from yesteday look like your eagle
Douglas L wrote:
Thanks Geoff. Now I need to figure out how to set the preset focus distance at infinity. . The issue I have been having is afternoon shooting an eagle, when another eagle appears later, the camera has trouble picking out the eagle in the sky, I have to focus on a wooded area far away to get the camera focus at infinity, then point the camera to the direction of the eagle, often that a few seconds cost me shots of some critical moments.
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Nice set! One of the eagles I shot from yesteday look like your eagle
All you have to do to preset the distance is focus the lens out to infinity or use the distant tree line or mountain and then hold down the "Set" button on the lens. Also make sure the "Function" slider switch to the left of the "SET" button is all the way to the left where it says "Preset". Then just a turn of the knurled wheel will recall that distance of infinity.
It helps to turn the Beep On when setting the distance as it will beep when the distance is set. Otherwise I leave the Beep to off.
arbitrage wrote:
All you have to do to preset the distance is focus the lens out to infinity or use the distant tree line or mountain and then hold down the "Set" button on the lens. Also make sure the "Function" slider switch to the left of the "SET" button is all the way to the left where it says "Preset". Then just a turn of the knurled wheel will recall that distance of infinity.
It helps to turn the Beep On when setting the distance as it will beep when the distance is set. Otherwise I leave the Beep to off.
Great! Thank you so much!
Oh, saw a couple anhingas at a local lake, a very unusual sight here. They don't come up this north normally but of course nothing is normal these days. People just saw northern light in our area for two night.
Hi Douglas:
I cut a hole in my LensCoat lens cover and I added a rubber pad to make it easier to access one of the custom buttons on my 200-600 lens. But Geoff's solution is probably more elegant!
I wonder if focus is acquired faster when starting at minimum of maximum focal distance Geoff and Douglas. I have used your method in the past Geoff but starting at minimum distance.
ILCE-1FE 600mm F4 GM OSS lens600mmf/4.01/800s640 ISO0.0 EV
RichP42 wrote:
Hi Douglas:
I cut a hole in my LensCoat lens cover and I added a rubber pad to make it easier to access one of the custom buttons on my 200-600 lens. But Geoff's solution is probably more elegant!
Richard
That's a good idea, Rich. For my 200-600 I use the Alphagrd skin, so these buttons are not covered. But Your approach definitely works if the buttons are covered.
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regulator wrote:
I wonder if focus is acquired faster when starting at minimum of maximum focal distance Geoff and Douglas. I have used your method in the past Geoff but starting at minimum distance.
Thanks Ed. I may just program min. focus distance and infinity focus on different presets to see how it works. It looks like there are 3 presets positions.
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BillinTexas wrote:
I assume this also works on the 200-600?
The 200-600 doesn't have those preset thingy, if I am not mistaken, only the 400 GM and the 600 Gm have the feature.
regulator wrote:
I wonder if focus is acquired faster when starting at minimum of maximum focal distance Geoff and Douglas. I have used your method in the past Geoff but starting at minimum distance.
I only use the focus distance recall to recall a close distance. Usually only in my backyard where I sit on a chair and I shoot some birds at ~40ft away and then hummingbirds on flowers close to MFD. So I set the distance to the close distance as that is where the camera struggles more in my experience (ie driving in from far to close). As you say, I think the camera has an easier time going close to far but different situations could work better the other way??
BillinTexas wrote:
I assume this also works on the 200-600?
The 200-600 doesn't have this feature. It is a lens specific feature and the 400GM and 600GM have that special button and the special knurled wheel (just like Canon has had for decades) to recall the distance.
Now Nikon has this feature with a FW update on Z9 where you can set any custom button on any lens to recall a focus position. Pretty nifty.
Douglas L wrote:
That's a good idea, Rich. For my 200-600 I use the Alphagrd skin, so these buttons are not covered. But Your approach definitely works if the buttons are covered.
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Thanks Ed. I may just program min. focus distance and infinity focus on different presets to see how it works. It looks like there are 3 presets positions.
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The 200-600 doesn't have those preset thingy, if I am not mistaken, only the 400 GM and the 600 Gm have the feature.
I think you can only set a single distance via that button and the knurled wheel. I don't think there is anyway to customize this through the camera to allow for multiple settings.
arbitrage wrote:
I only use the focus distance recall to recall a close distance. Usually only in my backyard where I sit on a chair and I shoot some birds at ~40ft away and then hummingbirds on flowers close to MFD. So I set the distance to the close distance as that is where the camera struggles more in my experience (ie driving in from far to close). As you say, I think the camera has an easier time going close to far but different situations could work better the other way??
^This.
I set my focus preset close. I think the system goes close to far better than the other way. Doubly true if locks onto something far but the subject is close.
The other reason, the best photos I get are close frame filling shots. Not far. Multiple times an outing I adjust the focus preset to where the action is likely to occur. I like this feature more than full time DMF.
I am sure there are other use cases where far might be better. This is what I found works for me.
. The issue I have been having is after shooting an eagle, when another eagle appears later, the camera has trouble picking out the eagle in the sky, I have to focus on a wooded area far away to get the camera focus at infinity, then point the camera to the direction of the eagle, often that a few seconds cost me shots of some critical moments. 
