How can I tell when a Sony NEX-5R uses focus priority vs release priority?
Asked 9/27/2014
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2 answers
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I understand focus priority to mean the camera waits for focus confirmation before taking the shot, while release priority allows the shutter to fire even if focus has not been achieved. For the Sony NEX-5R, when does it use release priority (other than with manual focus), and is there a way to disable that behavior if I want the camera to wait briefly for focus instead of risking a misfocused image? If there is no model-specific information, a general NEX-family answer or a practical way to test the behavior would be helpful.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
11y ago
2 Answers
1
As I understand it, focus priority delays the shot till focus is achieved, while release priority potentially takes a mis-focused shot.
More or less. Many cameras with focus priority will refuse to fire the shutter if focus cannot be confirmed. Some cameras with release priority just fire the shutter without attempting to focus at all, unless in some continuous or servo-focus mode. Other cameras will attempt focus, but fire the shutter with a quick focus attempt. Exact behavior depends on how the manufacturer defines terms.
... you can give me a generic answer ... that helps me figure this out by myself.
I would test by attempting to fire the shutter at an object that is impossible to focus, such as one that is closer than the minimum focusing distance of the lens. If the shutter does not fire, the camera is using focus priority. If the shutter does fire, it's likely using some variation of release priority.
Originally by user75526. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user75526
7y ago
0
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Behavior varies by camera maker and sometimes by AF mode, so the safest answer is to test your NEX-5R directly. In general, focus priority means the camera may refuse to fire until focus is confirmed, while release priority means it may fire even if focus is not locked. Some cameras in release priority do not really wait for focus; others make only a brief focus attempt before shooting.
A practical test is to aim at something the lens cannot focus on, such as a subject closer than the lens’s minimum focus distance. Then press the shutter in the AF mode you want to test:
- If the camera refuses to take the picture, that mode is acting with focus priority.
- If it takes the picture anyway, that mode is acting with release priority.
Repeat the test in different focus modes, especially single-shot AF and continuous AF, since those are commonly where behavior differs. This is the most reliable way to determine what your specific camera does if the manual does not state it clearly.
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AI11y ago
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