Shooting with custom function 4-1/4-3

[kavster]

Not sure how many of you shoot with CF4-1 / 3 set, but I was playing around with it on my 350d and I think it's really good, especially for sports shooting.

For those that don't know, I'll explain a little

Setting CF4 to 1 or 3 will take the focus feature off the shutter button and put it on the rear * button.

You now have independant focus and exposure control!

This is great because you don't have to keep the shutter button half-pressed waiting for a shot, you just press the * button once and it'll focus just like One-Shot.

You are now free to half press the shutter to lock exposure on the area you want (in CF4-1) and take a shot in the normal way.

With CF4-3, you focus with * like above, but exposure is only locked when you fully depress the shutter button to take the shot. This is useful if the exposure varies a lot, ie. things are in and out of shadow/light changes.

CF4-1 is fine for general shooting.

Typical setup is:

Center point AF
Center/Partial metering
AI-Servo

One press of * will act like One-Shot focus (even though you are in AI-Servo). If you wish to track something, just keep your thumb on the * button and AI-Servo kicks in. Track your target with the center-AF shooting till the cows come home, then you can let go and you are back in One-Shot

Remember with the standard method, if you let go of the shutter button (buffer filling for example) you would lose focus. With CF4-1/3 you don't

There's many scenarios that this setup is good for, I'll give one example:

Hotrod drives up to the line, you press * once and focus-lock. When you are ready, half-press shutter to expose off the car (or anything else you want to), and fire off a couple of shots.

For launch, just keep the * button held, and follow the car on center-AF and take a burst of shots. Point back to the start line, quick tap of * and you are ready to go again.

It might seem strange at first but it's not so weird after a while. It's so much easier having focus seperate, especially for action shots.

I shoot with my left eye, and with the 350d being a little fella, I did find my thumb poking my right eye on occassion

30d I tried in the shop had the buttons further away from the middle and it's great. Along with the 20d they are much nicer to hold, or maybe I just have fat thumbs

Happy shooting!

K.

[PmSonic]

Very handy, i'll be giving that a shot.

I've just ordered a new Sigma 70-300 APO DG Macro lens, so will be keen to have a crack at those custom functions with that when it arrives.

Nice detail to your post too

[kavster]

Originally Posted by PmSonic

Very handy, i'll be giving that a shot.

I've just ordered a new Sigma 70-300 APO DG Macro lens, so will be keen to have a crack at those custom functions with that when it arrives.

Nice detail to your post too

Decent lens, you will have fun

K.

[dave_bass5]

Ive had my 350D set that way for a few month now and its a good feature but as you say, it takes a bit of getting used to. when i first started using it i would still just hit the shutter button and would then wonder why the camera wouldnt take any shots.
the other good thing is that it stops other people taking shots (unless they know about the * button).
Ive got that 70-300 APO lens as well and its a fantastic lens for the money. now the summer is sort of here ill be using it more. seems you have to stand about 1/2 mile away for it to focus in normal mode

[kavster]

Originally Posted by dave_bass5

Ive had my 350D set that way for a few month now and its a good feature but as you say, it takes a bit of getting used to. when i first started using it i would still just hit the shutter button and would then wonder why the camera wouldnt take any shots.
the other good thing is that it stops other people taking shots (unless they know about the * button).
Ive got that 70-300 APO lens as well and its a fantastic lens for the money. now the summer is sort of here ill be using it more. seems you have to stand about 1/2 mile away for it to focus in normal mode

I can see it now, "my camera wont take any pics!"

Just memorise the focus range printed on the lens body

K.