remote control ML-L3 always triggers AF-ON

ntz

New member
Hello people,

I'm glad that I joined the forum ..

I have one problem that drives me nuts - I am unable to find a combination of settings on my camera (D7200) that would stop focus to be adjusted when firing a release shutter with infrared remote control ML-L3 (it has just one button) ..

Problem:

I want to set my camera to NOT adjust focus when autofocus is ON when firing a shuter with this remote control .. when I use tripod I set on shutter release button just only shutter release without AF-ON, and on AF/AE-L button I set a function AF-ON, so to trigger autofocus, I press AF-L/AE-L button instead pressing release shutter which halfway does nothing ..

My workflow is like this when using tripod (I switch to U1 or U2 settings profile because settings above are stored there - eg this specific buttons func swap for tripod so that I don't have to change that manually): I just use LiveView with tripod, zoom where I want to focus, then use AF-ON with AF-L/AE-L button .. Once the composition is done, I do baaam :D and fire the shutter (no matter if MUP mode or as usual) .. I was doing that always in 2sec delay mode until I bought recently new ML-L3 remote control with hope, that this device will allow me to do it all smarter and smoother .... but ..

.. but with above settings (and any other combination from camera menu) I am unable to stop ML-L3 when firing shutter adjusting a focus by doing AF-ON on pressing the button .. So in the other words, it doesn't copy the settings on camera's release shutter button .. Even in MUP mode it automatically does AF-ON before putting the mirror away .. Only way that works is to switch always the camera to AF off mode (on lens and on the body with slider) ..

This drives me nuts .. Please help me to resolve this .. if this won't work with ML-L3, it's okay, things like that happen but advise me please if for example MC-DC2 does it right ..

Summary:

* ML-L3 doesn't copy the on-camera settings of release shutter button (for example when you set there just release shutter without AF-ON)

** on D7200 is not unfortunately function that will keep AF/AE-L after pressing and releasing any button (some of fn configurable buttons or AF-L/AE-L)

*** result is that ML-L3 `always' adjusts AF by triggering AF-ON when pressed with autofocus on (not turned off by sliders on camera and lens body)

Q1: is there a way to resolve this with ML-L3 ? Some settings that I missed

Q2: is there any other remote shutter like MC-DC2 that will solve this (for example by that it will copy the on-camera settings of main release shutter button) ?

thanks much and regards, dan

ps. sorry for my English .. not my born language, I hope I've explained my problem well
 
Last edited:

Skwaz

Senior Member
Not certain but I think you need to be in af- c mode . Long time since I used one , think it focuses in af-s but not in af-c . Worth I try good luck
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
I think someone else posted a similar question but can't recall the answer. Once you achieve focus in Live View, can you switch to manual focus? Then it won't focus again until you override it.
 

ntz

New member
Not certain but I think you need to be in af- c mode . Long time since I used one , think it focuses in af-s but not in af-c . Worth I try good luck



Hello,

thanks much for your input .. OMG, it works ... yeah, it works indeed, but it's like when you scratch your head with left head behind right ear .. will not work with LV (Live View) on, there are only AF-S and AF-F modes (doesn't work with any combination of focus style with them), so how it works

You must have when the LV is off set af-c mode, then you can turn on the LV (which will put mirrors up), then you can make your composition there (zoom and focus wherever you want), then turn off LV to fall back to AF-C, then you can use remote control because camera won't try to adjust focus - indeed ... that's cunning !!! also you should have all the time viewfinder covered because actually you will be always shooting in viewfinder mode without eye stick to that

thanks for this tip ... it indeed works however in my opinion not as intended to be used .. I will stick with delayed shutter release then
 

ntz

New member
I think someone else posted a similar question but can't recall the answer. Once you achieve focus in Live View, can you switch to manual focus? Then it won't focus again until you override it.



thanks for input .. yes, this work, however it would require to use hundred times in day a physical switches on camera body (and lens) which is not feasible ...

when the focus is manual, it works fine so I can probably stick with that when needed ...

my impression is, that it's a bug of Nikon, because my opinion is, that button on ML-L3 should copy the settings of release button on body
 

BF Hammer

Senior Member
Yeah, my first thought was "why is he not just turning off autofocus?" My move would be to just do the back-button focus on setup then flip the autofocus switch off. It is something I do often when photographing my wrist-watches in the dark to bring out the luminous dials and hands. I leave the lights on, take a focus, flip autofocus off, and flip the lights off.
 

ntz

New member
Hello,

could please somebody who actually owns an MC-DC2 remote control confirm the behaviour ? Does it copy the release shutter button settings on camera or does it instead doing implicit and hardcoded af-on action when the AF is on ?

thanks
 
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