Thread: Continuos focus - all the time?

Hi guys ,

I'm new here and to the Sony Nex cameras. Treated myself to a 5R at xmas and am very happy with it , but... I've noticed that with any AF lens attached its autofocusing all the time , even though its in AF-S mode.

Is this normal?

- Jase

Hi Jason, welcome to the forum. And yes, it's normal.

You can turn this off.

Welcome to the NEX crew.

Originally Posted by davect01

You can turn this off.

Welcome to the NEX crew.

Really? I didn't know that.

My 5N is only on continuous focus when in SCN Sports Mode and on Video (or if I touch the screen for focus tracking). Other than that, it will only focus when I depress the shutter halfway down, even if the camera is switched on.

I haven't looked in the Settings menu if this is user definable on the 5N, might differ on the 5R anyway... so that's where I would look. And welcome to the forum, Jase.

Ok, are we talking tracking an moving object, or the camera refocusing when you move the camera to a new scene? Because my 5N will focus on whatever the central focus point is pointed at. If the object moves out of the focus point the camera will refocus on whatever is within the focus point with no action on my part.

With continuous focus the camera will track a moving object across the screen without you having to move the camera, right?

The first situation is default, normal and cannot be turned off for an autofocus lens used in AF mode. The second situation can be turned on/off and is defaulted to off except in the conditions Dioptrick noted.

Or am I all screwed up? (not beyond the realm of possibility) I think Jason was speaking of the first situation.

My Nex 5 focuses all the time with an AF lens on AF-S mode. As does my Sony A37 - on the A37 I turn the camera off between shots when walking around with it as the AF can be very noisy and if you have a lens with a long minimum focus distance and are carrying the camera in your hand pointing at the ground it will constantly judder and stutter as it tries and fails to find focus. Some of the old Minolta AF lenses are particularly noisy. If there is a away to turn it off I haven't found it - only other option on the A37 is to flick the AF-MF switch on the camera to MF.

Originally Posted by Bimjo

Because my 5N will focus on whatever the central focus point is pointed at. If the object moves out of the focus point the camera will refocus on whatever is within the focus point with no action on my part.

Yep this is what I meant. Its new to me , none of my other cameras do this ( non nex ). Thinking about it , its quite a good idea really , almost like a "pre-focus" , camera thinks "He's pointing at that object , I'll pre-empt him pressing the shutter button to focus on it.."

Bet it saps the battery though! :-)

Thanks for the warm welcome guys.

- Jase