Lenght of time focus indicators remain on?

Why do the focus indicators remain on for such a short period of time? Why aren't there options to adjust the amount of time? It seems at the very least they should flash back on every so often to remind you which is active and in focus.

I've never seen the need for it myself. You'll probably have to ask Canon if you want the real answer.

Mark

Mark_Cohran wrote in post #2651030
I've never seen the need for it myself. You'll probably have to ask Canon if you want the real answer.

Mark

Hardware wise, I don't think it would hurt the display to leave them on. I've been doing some macro stuff, and having some extra times to see what all focal points were in focus would be handy to me. I thought some of pros here might know that it had been determined that remaining on would be distracting, or that if they stayed on it would mess with exposure or something. I so used to my split focus ring and manual focus, I miss being able to hold in the DOF button and panning the camera around to see what is in focus.

Do you mean the focus indicator, or the AF field illumination? The last can be set 'on' in a CFn (at least in the 1 series)

René Damkot wrote in post #2652182
Do you mean the focus indicator, or the AF field illumination? The last can be set 'on' in a CFn (at least in the 1 series)

Not sure, in the 30d manual, they call them AF points (superimposed display), and in the 400D manual, they call them AF point display indicators. Usually when I take a picture, I check aperture, shutter speed, etc along the bottom, making sure that all looks good, then I look up to see what exactly I'm focused on. One the 400D and 30D the AF point indicators stay on for a fraction of a second. I guess I'll just have to get used to looking at the focus first, then check the other settings.

sWampy wrote in post #2659741
Not sure, in the 30d manual, they call them AF points (superimposed display), and in the 400D manual, they call them AF point display indicators. Usually when I take a picture, I check aperture, shutter speed, etc along the bottom, making sure that all looks good, then I look up to see what exactly I'm focused on. One the 400D and 30D the AF point indicators stay on for a fraction of a second. I guess I'll just have to get used to looking at the focus first, then check the other settings.

The Custom Function Rene is referring allows you to set the AF Illuminators to stay on even after AF is achieved. The 5D, 20D and presumably the 30D do not have a comparable function. Time to upgrade?

Mark

Mark_Cohran wrote in post #2659820
The Custom Function Rene is referring allows you to set the AF Illuminators to stay on even after AF is achieved. The 5D, 20D and presumably the 30D do not have a comparable function. Time to upgrade?

Mark

Very expensive upgrade for such a simple function. I can see the need to add more features to more expensive cameras, but that seems like something it wouldn't hurt to include on all models. With 45 focus points to look at, I could see a much greater need to have the illuminated longer than on a camera with only 7 or 9 points, but it still looks like it would be handy even on cameras with fewier af points.

sWampy wrote in post #2660089
Very expensive upgrade for such a simple function. I can see the need to add more features to more expensive cameras, but that seems like something it wouldn't hurt to include on all models. With 45 focus points to look at, I could see a much greater need to have the illuminated longer than on a camera with only 7 or 9 points, but it still looks like it would be handy even on cameras with fewier af points.

I don't know how handy it would be to most people. I never enable the function on my 1D except accidentally, and I found it distracting and turned it back off. I guess Canon has to detemine the breakpoint at which all these function become available and balance that against the cost/price of the body.

Mark

It is something I noticed immediately when I switched from the 350D to the 5D - the 350D left the active AF point on a lot longer when focus was acquired. I learned to watch for the miniscule flicker on the 5D.

Mark_Cohran wrote in post #2660160
I don't know how handy it would be to most people. I never enable the function on my 1D except accidentally, and I found it distracting and turned it back off.

Guess you don't use AiServo much in dark circumstances?

René Damkot wrote in post #2660534
Guess you don't use AiServo much in dark circumstances?

Nope. Can't say that I do. Mostly glamour, landscapes, and other such stuff in good light.

Mark

Mark_Cohran wrote in post #2660160
I don't know how handy it would be to most people. I never enable the function on my 1D except accidentally, and I found it distracting and turned it back off. I guess Canon has to detemine the breakpoint at which all these function become available and balance that against the cost/price of the body.

Mark

I don't think I would want it on all the time, but certain times I do think it would be handy, not 3K handy, but handy.