a7RII Focus Parking Issue

[guyeye]

Is there a way, or a setting I'm missing that will make the the focus distance when manual focusing, stay constant after a power cycle?

 

I know this seems like a fussy issue to most, but when you do complex still like setups that require multiple exposures that need to be in perfect register for compositing in post, it can be a major issue.

 

Ideas? I cant find anything online about this.

[Username]

Set power saver to max time

and avoid power cycle.  

    

or   

   

use non-AF type lens.  

    

  

Now you have found something 

online :-)   

   

  

If you power the camera from a

USB maybe it never times out ? 

[guyeye]

Riiiight...

I get that. I was asking if there was a custom setting or something.

Sometimes I have ultra complex, multiple exposure sets that require multiple days of tweaking and constructing. Sort of a holdover from the good ole' multiple 4x5 camera film sets. It would be nice if I could use my Sony FE glass, and retain focus when I power off. Seems like it'd be a simple enough thing to implement. I really hate to leave the camera cooking for days (and nights) on end.

 

I love my alphas. I have more than a few. I'll probably never go back to Canon. My biggest gripe is the whole "focus by wire" thing with the otherwise excellent glass. I know it has it's place, and I love the autofocus when I need it. Coming from Canons, I just wish the focus operated in a similar manner. I wish you didn't have to chose between the Sony, Sony/Zeiss implementation and the manual third party implementations.

[Username]

I hear ya. Especially about leaving the camera cooking 

for days. But you're doing studio set ups, so MF lenses 

make sooooo much sense .... and don't cost very much. 

You can prolly even afford multiple copies of the same 

lens to tape down [lock] different focus settings on each 

lens so that you can always return to an exact previous

focus just by swapping lenses :-)   

   

Not to mention various MF lenses with movements like  

your old 4x5. Put a focusing rail underneath and you've

almost got a monorail view. My only "studio" lens is a

35mm PC Nikkor ... shift only, no tilt, but dirt cheap.  

   

BTW, are your complex studio set ups commercial ? or 

art-for-art's sake ? 

[guyeye]

Agreed. I have a full range of Zeiss-Jena Pentacon lenses adapted to Canon EF mount with Russian tilt/shift adapters then adapted to Sony E-mount, that I love (so sharp! With beautiful iq) and a large collection of Minolta glass. Sometimes I just want to use my G-master 24-70 zoom for compositional convenience.

I'm not fighting using manual glass, I do everyday. It just seems like there should be a custom setting/hack/etc. to disable focus parking and was wondering if I was missing it. Apparently not.

 

Oh well- I'll live.

[Username]

OK. So I get the idea about tweaking your framing with 

a zoom lens, whereas all your MF lenses are primes.  

  

There were some excellent IQ MF zooms, for instance

Nikkor 35-70/3.5. You get the convenience of tweaking 

your framings, without affecting your actual f/stop, and 

the very aspect that makes these lenses affordable is 

the aspect that provides excellent IQ: the limited zoom 

ratio and modest lenses speed.   

    

I use the Ai-S version with 62mm filter size, It could be

just what you need. Here's some info:  

   

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/35-70mm-35-ais.htm   

[Guest all8]

Agreed. I have a full range of Zeiss-Jena Pentacon lenses adapted to Canon EF mount with Russian tilt/shift adapters then adapted to Sony E-mount, that I love (so sharp! With beautiful iq) and a large collection of Minolta glass. Sometimes I just want to use my G-master 24-70 zoom for compositional convenience.

I'm not fighting using manual glass, I do everyday. It just seems like there should be a custom setting/hack/etc. to disable focus parking and was wondering if I was missing it. Apparently not.

 

Oh well- I'll live.

 

 

 

Check if you have Pre-AF set to ON, and consider how you activate MF mode.

[Username]

Check if you have Pre-AF set to ON, and consider

how you activate MF mode.

  

It's not an AF problem. It's about "parking". 

[Guest all8]

It's not an AF problem. It's about "parking". 

 

 

Neither my Batis or Sony FE AF Lenses are "parking" in the situation described, but I can create a situation that seems that way with the Pre-AF setting.  I doubt very much that the 24-70 GM is "parking" either ... although its possible ....

 

 

Check if you have Pre-AF set to ON, and consider how you activate MF mode.

[Username]

Neither my Batis or Sony FE AF Lenses are "parking" in the situation described,

but I can create a situation that seems that way with the Pre-AF setting.  I doubt

very much that the 24-70 GM is "parking" either ... although its possible ....

 

 

Check if you have Pre-AF set to ON, and consider how you activate MF mode.

   

   

"Parking" is not big on my radar, since other than kit lenses, all my

lenses are adapted and do not AF at all .....  but my kit lens, which

is a PZ lens, does not keep focus if you restart the camera. I don't 

know the behavior of his 24-70 [other than from the OP].

   

If your suggestion IS the solution, he's had a coupla days to do a 

simple fix, but we're not hearing back from him :-( Maybe soon ....

[guyeye]

Sorry- stressful week.

No, never have used pre-af. Everything is set to manual. 24-70 GM lens. Same behavior though with Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 Zeiss A-Mount with LA-EA3 (even when the lens barrel switch is set to MF) and Minolta 90mm Macro with LA-EA4 and Sony Zeiss FE 35mm 1.4.

Behavior is: Focus lens to 5m. Turn camera off. Turn camera back on. Focus has parked at infinity.

This behavior exhibits itself on my a7RII, both of my a7R's, but NOT my a6500.

[Guest all8]

Sorry- stressful week.

No, never have used pre-af. Everything is set to manual. 24-70 GM lens. Same behavior though with Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 Zeiss A-Mount with LA-EA3 (even when the lens barrel switch is set to MF) and Minolta 90mm Macro with LA-EA4 and Sony Zeiss FE 35mm 1.4.

Behavior is: Focus lens to 5m. Turn camera off. Turn camera back on. Focus has parked at infinity.

This behavior exhibits itself on my a7RII, both of my a7R's, but NOT my a6500.

 

 

I don't experience that with Batis lenses on an A7ii (not with the most recent FW update mind you). And, I don't think I've seen it with my 70-200f4 either, but I would have to check that.

 

 

Does the same thing happen if you let the camera go into "power saving" mode and then wake it up?

 

And, if you can see the focus element in the lens, does it move when the camera is turned Off, or when it is turned On?

[guyeye]

Good questions- I don't let my cameras go into power saving mode. I'm pretty sure the focus shifts when powered down (I can hear it) but I'll have to check to be sure.

It'll be Monday before I do. The cameras are at the studio and all I have with me is my a6500, which doesn't behave this way.

[Username]

Some Sonys make a powering down noise that 

is just the shutter cycling or something like that. 

The noise occurs even with my ancient Nikkors  

on a dumb adapter so clearly nothing is moving 

in the lens.   

   

-------------------------------------------------------------   

   

Sorry if I'm not very specific. I've got five Sony

bodies with no two alike ... plus three different

dSLRs ... and various adapters ... so operating  

details in memory is a mish mash. When I use 

any particular body, only then do its operations  

come clear to me at the time.