Push AF button...
 

Hi,

v1 when you press and hold the autofocus button the camera uses autofocus until you release the button.

ex1 when you press the autofocus button it uses autofocus until it believes the scene is in focus.

how does the autofocus button on the z7 function?

I have been told that it doesn't have a push af button.

i like push af button on the v1 but the one on the ex1 is worse than useless.

I believe, from reading the online user manual, (http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=114943), that push-auto-focus is one of the functions you can assign to one of the 6 configurable buttons.

Thanks.

So now I just need to find out the push button af works.

Is it like the EX1 - push and then it continues to try to focus until the camera is satisfied it has the subject in focus.
Or
Is it like the V1 - push it to get the camera to try and focus but as soon as you release the button it stops focusing.

The Z7 uses the same sort of focus ring as the EX1: it has a forward and back position, one for auto-focus the other for manual focus.

Thus as you're working the camera, your left hand is on three rings: one for focus, one for zoom, and one for the iris.

There is also a "push to auto iris" which I really like.

It also has this mode where you can tweak the auto-focus.

As was mentioned earlier, you can assign "push to auto-focus" to one of the assignable buttons.

thanks - it sounds alot like the ex1

what i am trying to find out is this:

what happens when you press 'push to autofocus' does it try to autofocus just while the button is depressed (like the v1) or does it contine to hunt after the button is released (like the ex1) - in manual focus mode.

push to auto iris is cool.

I can't make the "push to auto-focus" do anything at all. When I press the button, nothing happens whatsoever. This is my first camera of this caliber and I am probably just missing some setting or other. I can't make the "expanded focus" feature work either. Anyone know what I might be missing?

edit: I figured out the expanded focus issue. See separate thread on this issue:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=115571

I have a theory that the "push to auto-focus" doesn't actually work with the stock lens at all (which wouldn't really be a bad thing). The focus has got markings on it and actual positions for a given focus, just like the EX1. With that kind of design, all you can really do is the type of auto-focus that the EX-1 has, where it is in auto-focus when you push the button. That is kind of a lousy way to do it, but with a non-replaceable lens, it is the best you can do.

On the Z7 however, you might want to replace the stock lens with a continuous focus type that would lend itself to a "push to focus" style of focusing. Thus a proper "push to autofocus" button would be available when using lens designs that are friendly to that approach.

As things are, I would rather have a lens with fixed focus position than one where the focus ring spins around in circles and giving up a "push to auto-focus" button is well worth this approach.

I dunno. I was reading the user manual (linked in this thread). Check page 29.

'Using automatic focus temporarily (One push auto focus)'

It seems to be saying that the button acts like the V1u:

'Automatic focus funcation as long as you hold the ASSIGN button'

Great!!!

Can you check this out?

I sure can't make it do this.

OK, I had to resort to reading the manual, but now it makes sense. The "push to auto-focus" button works the way you want it to but you have to set up the correct situation first.

Basically there are two positions to the focus ring: an A and a B position. In the A position, there are ends to the travel and repeatable focus positions whereas in the B position the wheel turns continuously. The A position is always manual focus but the B position is assignable. In order to get the "push to auto-focus" function to work you must first assign manual focus to the B position. After you do, the "push to auto focus" function can be assigned to an assignable button and will work the proper way, not like it does on the EX.

That might answer some questions for me. I used the Z7U as a backup for a wedding last night and still had some focus issues. Every now and again my FX-1 will see something glittery in the background and try to focus in on it.
The Z7U did really well in low light. I've shot some 2nd Lines down Decatur or Bourbon Street before and didn't get much more than what my light hit. The Z7 was able to grab more. I want to post more clips in here, but they are to big. If I edit/recompress them, what format should I use?