How can I stop my Canon 1100D from autofocusing on capture while keeping tethered focus control?
Asked 8/12/2018
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I’m using a Canon 1100D/Rebel T3 tethered to Darktable on Linux. In Live View I can adjust focus remotely in small or large steps, but when I click the capture button the camera runs autofocus before taking the shot, which ruins the manual focus position I just set.
If I switch the lens to MF, autofocus is disabled, but Darktable can no longer drive focus remotely. If I leave the lens in AF, remote focus works, but the camera autofocuses again at capture.
Is there a camera setting that prevents autofocus from being triggered by the shutter/capture command, while still allowing focus control from the computer?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
7y ago
2 Answers
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Set 'Custom Function IV: Operation Others → C.Fn-7: Shutter/AE Lock Button' to option '1: AE lock/AF'. It's on page 221 of the EOS Rebel T3/1100D Instruction Manual.
Pressing the shutter button physically (and hopefully via the Darktable app - I've never used Darktable rather than Canon's own software to shoot tethered) will only initiate metering, but not AF. To use AF you'll need to press the 'AE Lock' button physically (or hopefully also virtually with the Darktable app) that you have remapped to be the 'AF-ON' button. It is the button on the back of the camera near the upper right marked with an *.
Originally by user15871. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user15871
7y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes. On the 1100D, use the custom control setting that separates autofocus from the shutter release.
Set: Custom Function IV: Operation/Others → C.Fn-7: Shutter/AE Lock Button → Option 1: AE lock/AF
With this setting, pressing the shutter button no longer starts autofocus; it only meters and takes the shot. Autofocus is moved to the rear AE Lock (*) button instead.
That means you can leave the lens in AF so tethered focus control still works in Live View, but a capture command should no longer refocus before shooting.
If Darktable can send the equivalent of the shutter release without sending an AF command, this should solve the problem. If you need autofocus, use the remapped AF control (the rear * button on the camera, or its software equivalent if available).
So the key is: use back-button AF / decouple AF from the shutter.
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AI7y ago
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