Focusing Canon Lenses in BackyardEOS

[mktmgrjrm]

So I've checked functionality of lens focus motor control in BYE, and I am able to move the lens with the chevron buttons in BYE as long as the camera is in LIVE mode, the lens is in AF mode, and I'm in the Frame & Focus screen. The problem I'm having is that when I move the lens via BYE, the camera tries to autofocus the lens again as it does when it is first put into LIVE mode. I cannot find a way to stop the camera from correcting the focus changes I make in BYE. BYE control obviously does not work if the lens is in MF mode, but keeps trying to refocus when I have it in AF mode.  Is anyone aware of a way to tell the camera NOT to try to refocus the focus adjustments I'm making in BYE?  This occurs in both my T5i and T6i cameras, and with any of my AF lenses. Thanks for any help!!

[mktmgrjrm]

Found the answer!!  There is a setting in the 4th camera setup that is called Continuous AF.  If that is disabled, the lens does not try to refocus after adjusting focus with BYE in Live mode.  Problem solved!!

[astroman133]

I think that the problem is that pressing the shutter button causes the camera to try to focus before taking the picture. If so, then there may be a Custom Function setting in the camera's menus to move the AutoFocus function off of the shutter button. With my T5i the settings is called "C.FnIV:Operation/Others" Shutter/AE lock button. The default setting is 0: AF/AE lock. Changing it to 1:AE lock/AF moves the focus button to the zoom- button. This does not affect BYE's ability to adjust the focus with the chevron buttons but camera no longer tries to autofocus when taking a picture.

[mktmgrjrm]

4 hours ago, astroman133 said:

I think that the problem is that pressing the shutter button causes the camera to try to focus before taking the picture. If so, then there may be a Custom Function setting in the camera's menus to move the AutoFocus function off of the shutter button. With my T5i the settings is called "C.FnIV:Operation/Others" Shutter/AE lock button. The default setting is 0: AF/AE lock. Changing it to 1:AE lock/AF moves the focus button to the zoom- button. This does not affect BYE's ability to adjust the focus with the chevron buttons but camera no longer tries to autofocus when taking a picture.

I must have another setting wrong - I've tried changing to AE Lock/AF, but the camera continues to refocus after I've made adjustments in BYE.  I'll continue to search for a solution - would be SO much easier if I could focus in BYE.

[admin]

9 hours ago, mktmgrjrm said:

Found the answer!!  There is a setting in the 4th camera setup that is called Continuous AF.  If that is disabled, the lens does not try to refocus after adjusting focus with BYE in Live mode.  Problem solved!!

glad you got it to work

[rbroberts]

Is there a way to run the focuser other than in live mode? When shooting through narrowband filters, live mode doesn't give a useful image for focusing. So far I've been able to hand focus with a series of preview images, but it would be very nice to be totally hands-off.

[admin]

5 minutes ago, rbroberts said:

Is there a way to run the focuser other than in live mode? When shooting through narrowband filters, live mode doesn't give a useful image for focusing. So far I've been able to hand focus with a series of preview images, but it would be very nice to be totally hands-off.

No, as far as I'm aware the focus motor can only be engaged through the SDK with the mirror is up, therefor liveview.

[stevenmazlin]

Just saw this post as I was searching for a reason why an older Canon autofocus zoom lens was NOT responding to those chevron controls while in manual focus mode. I was surprised to see that it requires (?) the lens in autofocus mode! I have been using a different Canon lens (100-400 zoom) in manual focus mode for years (with both a 40D and 6D mark II) and it always responded to manipulation of those chevron controls. Am I misunderstanding something? 
 

[astroman133]

It is my understanding, as a Canon user, that putting the switch on the lens body to MF (manual focus) mode disconnects the lens from the drive motor to allow manual focusing.  When the lens is in MF mode, the camera cannot move the lens. Neither can BYE.

So both my EF lenses (18-135 and 55-250) work with BYE, but only in AF mode.

[stevenmazlin]

Just to be clear, I’m sitting here with my Canon 6D Mark II. I’m using a Canon 100–400 EF IS II zoom lens. I am also using the premium edition of BYE version 3.2.3. I double checked three times that the lens was set to manual focus, and I had no difficulty adjusting said focus using the Chevron controls in the BYE software. I also double checked that moving the switch to manual focus, in fact, disabled the autofocus. Perhaps there is something special about this lens? Anyway, you have answered the question regarding the older lens that I was having difficulty with. Thank you!