Don I took a chance

[sparkie1263]

Don I took apart my lens. I took out the auto focus gear from the back of the lens. No more grinding and no more auto focus. Everything else seem fine. It should hold me over till I get the new lens in about a week. I can still use it for my macro lens since I just bought those close-up lenses.

[DonSchap]

The only real issue I have with manual focus ... the A100 does not having a split-screen on the viewfinder. You really are stuck with the old eyeball (as you know, some eyeballs are a bit older than others - ;) ), trying to zero in on a primo-focus.

Good job and good luck with your shots, Frank.

[sparkie1263]

I know but at least I can focus freely without the gears grinding. I wasn't worried about the lens I didn't want to mess up the AF on the cameras end. It was already broken had to try it.

[DonSchap]

No, that's great! My lens would have been trashed.

I don't keep the non-100% stuff. Gets me in trouble.

Do not forget to mark on it "non-AF", so someone else does not forget. ;)

[SONYNUT]

re:trying to zero in on a primo-focus.

so you take 1 or 10 shots..it's not like your buying film..lol

[DonSchap]

Exactly, but it is the nature of things that they tend to move ... and that can be key. One shot may be all you get. Accurate focus comes and goes ... the sooner you can acheive it, the better.

[sparkie1263]

Don you are right it is tough to focus using MF. I don't know they don't put in a split screen. I tried to use my close-up filters and could not get one good shot. Between focusing and trying to move the camera closer or farther away is a tough task (all hand held) I am going to try with the tripod next. I will keep trying. I might take a ride to the city and pick up my lens this weekend. I found it for $159.00.
Frank

[DonSchap]

The fact is that the split-screen does have a level of interference with the "AF Area". I really haven't had much use for the LOCAL focus area, where you actively decide which of the eleven focus points you want to use in your image (other than the center point). I guess it is handy with multiple subjects and if you are deciding on focus lines, but like I said, I'm not doing that kind of shooting. I usually center focus on my subject, lock, frame and fire. If you use WIDE or SPOT settings, it is not an issue.

To me, the use of the several Manual Focus lenses far outweigh this rather obscure autofocus mapping. Talk about time consuming shots ... wow. :rolleyes: Anyway, you can find it referenced on page 50, in the α700 User's Guide, for further use explanation.

Locking the camera down with a tripod will eliminate the tendency to vary the distance, handheld, that's for sure. Another way is to roughly set your focus and then actually focus with moving the camera in or out versus the subject. That way you lock the one variable ... and use the actual distance to focus in. It is kind of tough to get an accurate "second shot" like that, though.

I guess we are a little too spoiled with autofocus, these days. I was warned, a couple decades ago, by an avid photographer I respected greatly, that the AF-system spelled the end of true control of your image. I still bought my Minolta Maxxum 7000 ... and with the assistance of the external 4000 AF flash, loved the accurate night-time focus. I haven't looked back with any affection on the "old ways", just respect ... and I am still amazed at how powerful the AF-concept was, at the time ... a testiment to technology and only from the mind of Minolta. LOL :D