Question about Canon 7D: This may refer to any camera, but mine is a 7D. If I put the camera on manual mode, should I also set the lens to manual focus, and vice versa? I have a DVD...

nat Loc: Martha's Vineyard, MA

This may refer to any camera, but mine is a 7D. If I put the camera on manual mode, should I also set the lens to manual focus, and vice versa? I have a DVD that came with my camera. I will sit down with that, but I thought I would throw this out to y'all anyway. Things sometimes take a long time to imprint on my aging brain cells, so everyone....bring it on...something is bound to click sooner or later! Thanks in advance! Nat

dfalk Loc: Chugiak, Alaska

Set the lens to manual only if you want to manually focus. Camera being manual and lens being manual is kind of an apple/oranges thing.

nat Loc: Martha's Vineyard, MA

Thank you so much. I'll remember that the next time I pass a fruit stand. ;-)

photophly Loc: Old Bridge NJ

You can leave the lens on Auto......only change to manual when You have auto focus issues or You want to focus yourself

nyweb2001

Stick with auto focus if you want. You'll know when a certain situation calls for manual focus.....when you hear the lens constantly focusing in and out, that means the lens is having a tough time due to low light or some other scenario. There also may be times when the camera is focusing on one thing and you'd rather the focus was somewhere else. That's when knowing how to set the cameras AF points comes in handy.

nat Loc: Martha's Vineyard, MA

Thanks everyone. I have experienced the lens moving in and out; now I know what to do.

Note to self: check the book on auto focus points. So much to learn, so little time.

nyweb2001

nat wrote:

Thanks everyone. I have experienced the lens moving in and out; now I know what to do.

Note to self: check the book on auto focus points. So much to learn, so little time.

Slow down...take one aspect of photography at a time !!! There's a lot to learn !

nat Loc: Martha's Vineyard, MA

Thanks nyweb for your concern, but I'm one of those people who never is motivated by product warranties, nor do I buy green bananas! :lol:

Lupane Loc: Gainsville, Ga.

Beware of many US and overseas companies that apply the switch and bait method. Always check the rating of the company in the Internet. The last thing you want is a company get a hold of your money and try to sell you something else in place of the 7D.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

nat wrote:

This may refer to any camera, but mine is a 7D. If I put the camera on manual mode, should I also set the lens to manual focus, and vice versa? I have a DVD that came with my camera. I will sit down with that, but I thought I would throw this out to y'all anyway. Things sometimes take a long time to imprint on my aging brain cells, so everyone....bring it on...something is bound to click sooner or later! Thanks in advance! Nat

Not sure about the Canons, but with my Nikons, especially with the newer lenses, when I put the camera in manual mode I cannot manually focus the lense at all, the lense switch usually needs to be switched to "M" to engage the focus cams. Not all lenses are this way, but many of the newer ones disengage the manual focus cams when in autofocus to prevent a photographer from wanting to manually focusa and stripping out the autofocus cams on the lense. Just a little idiot insurance I guess.

Swamp Gator Loc: Coastal South Carolina

On a 7D the M (manual mode) is for manually setting exposure settings; shutter speed and lens opening, it has nothing to do with focus.
Well, at least that's the case with Canon L series lenses.

nat Loc: Martha's Vineyard, MA

okay, I got it.... now I just have to remember it. thank you.

George H Loc: Brooklyn, New York

nat wrote:

This may refer to any camera, but mine is a 7D. If I put the camera on manual mode, should I also set the lens to manual focus, and vice versa? I have a DVD that came with my camera. I will sit down with that, but I thought I would throw this out to y'all anyway. Things sometimes take a long time to imprint on my aging brain cells, so everyone....bring it on...something is bound to click sooner or later! Thanks in advance! Nat

Nat,
Manual is for the Camera, not for the lens. Now will you ever set the lens to manual, sure when you don't want the lens searching.

Have a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy Hanakkah.

George

nat Loc: Martha's Vineyard, MA

Thanks, George.....and happy holidays to you.

Gary Truchelut Loc: Coldspring, TX

With Canon and all other brands the manual focus is a totally different thing than manual mode, so they work independently.
In auto focus mode you can manually override and focus manually while holding the shutter release button down halfway.
This is to allow fine tuning your focus if needed without having to
flip the switch to manual focus mode. It will not strip any gears or do any damage to the camera or lens.