This topic is in the 2005 archive. You can read it and like its posts here. It is read only.
Do you have the focus beep on or off?
Beep on (audible confirmation of focus)48% · 108
Beep off (silent)52% · 115
Total Votes223
Archive 2005Focus beep on or off?
p.2 #1Focus beep on or off?
At this point 47 people have voted YES but I'm one of few who openly confesses in the forum to using the beep all the time. One of the reasons why I bought the 20D was that I want to annoy people with the LOUD shutter. The pathetic little beep is hardly audible. Even when I'm planning to focus manually I still like to press the button a few times to make it beep before I start the real focusing. I'm surrounded by beepophobes. How many people focus with the * button?
Feb 11, 2005 at 11:19 PM
p.2 #2Focus beep on or off?
Excellent comment. Close to the topic, but also a step further. I use Autofocus a bit, but prefer manual focus because the AF isn't always right. Manual is the way to go, all the way around.
Feb 11, 2005 at 11:25 PM
p.2 #3Focus beep on or off?
Ah, Bobster2, you are a kindred cremudgeon! But you are missing a marvelous oportunity! With beeps on, and lens set to MF, if you depress the shutter half way and focus manually, the camera will beep when you get it sharp... and if you turn back and forth you can beep, beep, beep, as much as you like :-)
Feb 11, 2005 at 11:47 PM
p.2 #4Focus beep on or off?
I use the beep as a audible confirmation, so that my eyes are not taken off the scene. When I hear the beep, I shutter the camera - sometimes there just isn't time to look at the bottom for the visual confirmation.
Feb 11, 2005 at 11:58 PM
mbohunsky
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p.2 #5Focus beep on or off?
When I recevied my 20D, one of the first things I did was to turn the beeper off. Yeah the shutter is loud, but why add to the noise? You buy ultrasonic lenses to have them focus quietly, no? If you have the beep on, might as well save some money and get a gear motor. I use the focus confirmation symbol as my indicator. The 20D's viewfinder is so small that seeing it isn't a problem. Also, when in AF mode, the camera won't allow you to take a picture anyway untill something in the frame is in focus.
Just my preference
Just my preference
Feb 12, 2005 at 12:43 AM
p.2 #6Focus beep on or off?
I use it for portraits. I tend not to pay much attention to stuff around the frame when I'm concentrating on expressions.
Feb 12, 2005 at 12:52 AM
p.2 #7Focus beep on or off?
Bobster2 wrote:
How many people focus with the * button?
I do... maybe I'm missing something but how is that related to the beep?
How many people focus with the * button?
I do... maybe I'm missing something but how is that related to the beep?
Feb 12, 2005 at 01:00 AM
p.2 #8Focus beep on or off?
Beep when the sound doesn't matter, no beep when it might intrude audibly.
Feb 12, 2005 at 01:11 AM
p.2 #9Focus beep on or off?
I use it most of the time, and the only time I turn it off is when someone that I'm trying to capture noticably hears the sound before I'm ready to fire. Especially in a low noise situation.
Otherwise, it's always ON
Edited by bsoten on Feb 12, 2005 at 08:21 AM GMT
Otherwise, it's always ON
Edited by bsoten on Feb 12, 2005 at 08:21 AM GMT
Feb 12, 2005 at 01:29 AM
p.2 #10Focus beep on or off?
Beep on. On my D30 + Glasses, I don't always see the bottom right corner for focus confirmation. I like this as a quick confirmation of focus lock. If I were actually shooting indoors in quiet areas, than I would go look up how to turn it off on the D30.
For people shooting weddings, etc, then I fully understand why you would want it off. They need a "vibrate on focus lock" setting...
btw, I dislike people who decide to use a "ring tone" of a real desk-phone on their tiny little piezo speaker cell phones....
For people shooting weddings, etc, then I fully understand why you would want it off. They need a "vibrate on focus lock" setting...
btw, I dislike people who decide to use a "ring tone" of a real desk-phone on their tiny little piezo speaker cell phones....
Feb 12, 2005 at 02:20 AM
p.2 #12Focus beep on or off?
I always keep it off.
I do not believe my (not bad) eyes can do much better than AF, with a small viewfinder (I would not say that in the case of my maxxum 7, with bright large VF) so I use AF most of the time and check the AF confirmation in the VF (red squares corresponding to the AF sensors).
I see no use for the beep after that: I would be very interested in knowing what I miss by just checking for the red rectangle to appear instead of listening to the "beep" sound...
(this question is to all the people who voted yes and did not give any reason: if prefer knowing "why" and not just "if")...
Xavier
I do not believe my (not bad) eyes can do much better than AF, with a small viewfinder (I would not say that in the case of my maxxum 7, with bright large VF) so I use AF most of the time and check the AF confirmation in the VF (red squares corresponding to the AF sensors).
I see no use for the beep after that: I would be very interested in knowing what I miss by just checking for the red rectangle to appear instead of listening to the "beep" sound...
(this question is to all the people who voted yes and did not give any reason: if prefer knowing "why" and not just "if")...
Xavier
Feb 12, 2005 at 03:06 AM
p.2 #13Focus beep on or off?
beeps are off...on cameras ..cell phone keys ...and anything that allows me to turn them off
Feb 12, 2005 at 03:12 AM
p.2 #14Focus beep on or off?
FretNoMore wrote:
I do... maybe I'm missing something but how is that related to the beep?
My brain was wandering at that point and I didn't finish the thought.
There are times when you need to half-press the shutter but you don't need or want to focus. For example, you're in Av mode and you're curious to know the current estimated shutter speed for the selected aperture because you might need to change the aperture. Or you want to change the exposure compensation and the dial is only active for a few seconds after half-pressing the button. Or you want to take a series of pictures at same focus distance and don't need to focus each one individually.
So, if the camera is set to focus with the shutter button, you get superfluous beeps at times and that will be annoying. If set to focus with the * button, the camera only beeps when you actually focus and the beeps are serving a function.
Bobster2 wrote
How many people focus with the * button? My brain was wandering at that point and I didn't finish the thought.
There are times when you need to half-press the shutter but you don't need or want to focus. For example, you're in Av mode and you're curious to know the current estimated shutter speed for the selected aperture because you might need to change the aperture. Or you want to change the exposure compensation and the dial is only active for a few seconds after half-pressing the button. Or you want to take a series of pictures at same focus distance and don't need to focus each one individually.
So, if the camera is set to focus with the shutter button, you get superfluous beeps at times and that will be annoying. If set to focus with the * button, the camera only beeps when you actually focus and the beeps are serving a function.
Feb 12, 2005 at 03:24 AM
p.2 #15Focus beep on or off?
Ah, OK. One more argument for using the * button... I like that setup a lot.
Feb 12, 2005 at 03:29 AM
p.2 #16Focus beep on or off?
Ahh, the difference in cameras. On the d30, the only non beep focus confirmation, is a blinking dot in the lower right corner of the view finder. Not always easy to see. I forgot that the newer canon's flash the autofocus point when focus lock is achieved. This is much easier to see, and I could see turning off the focus beep at that point.
Feb 12, 2005 at 06:56 AM
p.2 #17Focus beep on or off?
mbohunsky wrote:
. Also, when in AF mode, the camera won't allow you to take a picture anyway untill something in the frame is in focus.
Ah, well now I have to rethink. You are right, of course. So my guess that I might have been shooting without acheiving focus lock is wrong, camera wont shoot untill it thinks it's focussed! Now I don't think I need the beep after all. Never mind :-)
(Incedentally, some people said the blinking red square indicating active focus point also shows focus lock... not so. Test this idea with your lens cap on or aiming at a sheet of paper at 4" away.. you still see the red square flash.)
. Also, when in AF mode, the camera won't allow you to take a picture anyway untill something in the frame is in focus.
Ah, well now I have to rethink. You are right, of course. So my guess that I might have been shooting without acheiving focus lock is wrong, camera wont shoot untill it thinks it's focussed! Now I don't think I need the beep after all. Never mind :-)
(Incedentally, some people said the blinking red square indicating active focus point also shows focus lock... not so. Test this idea with your lens cap on or aiming at a sheet of paper at 4" away.. you still see the red square flash.)
Feb 12, 2005 at 08:14 AM
p.2 #18Focus beep on or off?
Actually, if you are using the * for focusing, then you can still fire the shutter even if focus was not achieved. At least on the 10D anyway.
There are 2 lights which confirm focus lock - the focus rectangle and also the little light in the bottom right of the viewfinder.
I use the * setting with the beep turned off. I have missed a few shots this way because I have not had the time to check the spot in the bottom corner. I can't stand the beep though.
The corner light is the most reliable. The active focus points will flash at the start of the focus and again when focus is achieved - you can easily confuse the initial flash for the focus confirmation flash.
Try covering the lens with your hand and holding down the focus button - the focus point will flash once (but the corner light stays off or may start blinking. The lens will also start hunting... when you remove your hand the lens will lock onto an object and the focus point will flash again and the corner light will come on and stay on.
I often listen to the movement of the lens - if it doesn't hunt and makes a short definitive movement - then I shoot.
I usually only run into problems in low light.
There are 2 lights which confirm focus lock - the focus rectangle and also the little light in the bottom right of the viewfinder.
I use the * setting with the beep turned off. I have missed a few shots this way because I have not had the time to check the spot in the bottom corner. I can't stand the beep though.
The corner light is the most reliable. The active focus points will flash at the start of the focus and again when focus is achieved - you can easily confuse the initial flash for the focus confirmation flash.
Try covering the lens with your hand and holding down the focus button - the focus point will flash once (but the corner light stays off or may start blinking. The lens will also start hunting... when you remove your hand the lens will lock onto an object and the focus point will flash again and the corner light will come on and stay on.
I often listen to the movement of the lens - if it doesn't hunt and makes a short definitive movement - then I shoot.
I usually only run into problems in low light.
Feb 12, 2005 at 08:32 AM
p.2 #19Focus beep on or off?
Bobster2 wrote:
How many people focus with the * button?
Only the smart ones?
I certainly do.
How many people focus with the * button?
Only the smart ones?
I certainly do.
Feb 12, 2005 at 09:36 AM
p.2 #20Focus beep on or off?
Matt Drown wrote:
They need a "vibrate on focus lock" setting...
First, they should implement "anti-shake" technology in the camera.
btw, I dislike people who decide to use a "ring tone" of a real desk-phone on their tiny little piezo speaker cell phones....
Actually, that ring-tone is called the "uni-phone". Universal Studios used to use it as their phone ring for ANY kind of phone in ANY kind of setting. If you're familiar with the Rockford Files, you heard that ring tone every time the show started, when Jim's phone would ring and the answering machine would pickup.
They need a "vibrate on focus lock" setting...
First, they should implement "anti-shake" technology in the camera.
btw, I dislike people who decide to use a "ring tone" of a real desk-phone on their tiny little piezo speaker cell phones....
Actually, that ring-tone is called the "uni-phone". Universal Studios used to use it as their phone ring for ANY kind of phone in ANY kind of setting. If you're familiar with the Rockford Files, you heard that ring tone every time the show started, when Jim's phone would ring and the answering machine would pickup.
Feb 12, 2005 at 09:39 AM