AutoFocus Modes and Styles and Affects on Burst Modes
In Part 4 of this series I took a look at the Autofocus facility of the bridge camera range.
The normal way to initiate AF is to half depress the camera shutter button ( I'm assuming that the default mode of Shutter AF is set ON).
However there is an alternative method that is popular with sports and wildlife photographers - Back Button Focus
Because each camera in the bridge camera range is slightly different when looking at the setup for this mode I am detailing each camera here to show the actual setup for each camera.
On the FZ80/82 begin by setting the AF/AE Lock in the custom setup menu to AF ON
Set the Shutter AF to OFF
Finally set the Half Press Release to ON
Now to carry out back focus you simply compose your image, then press hand hold the AF/AE lock button to set the focus.
Press the shutter button to complete the exposure.
If you need to take multiple images with the same focus set then you simply just press the shutter button.
Release the AF/AE lock button to release the focus.
The FZ200 is a little more complicated as it doesn't have the same degree of control as the other cameras in the range.
The Back button focus can be implemented by setting the AF/AE Lock to AF
The only caveat is that the AF/AE Lock button should not have been re-programmed as a Fn2 operation
With the AF/AE Lock set to AF whenever the button is pressed the AFL lock indicator will appear on the LCD/EVF and the focus will be locked at this position.
Pressing the shutter button completes the exposure as though it had been set to half press release on.
The AF will stay locked until the button is pressed again.
The FZ300/330 has the AF/AE Lock button surrounded by the AF Mode switch
Turn the AE/AF Lock to ON
and Shutter AF to OFF
Turn Half Press ease to ON
The FZ1000 is like the FZ300 with the AE/AF Lock Button within the AF Style switch
Set the AF/AE Lock to AF-ON
Set the Shutter AF to OFF
Set Half Press Release to ON