Manuel fine tune in Auto Focus is that ok? Couldn't find anything in archives I was wondering if I were to fine tune focus while holding in back button focus can I damage anything?

NormanTheGr8 Loc: Racine, Wisconsin

Couldn't find anything in archives

I was wondering if I were to fine tune focus while holding in back button focus can I damage anything?

Shooting 7Dmk2 with Tamron 16-300 and having trouble getting pinpoint focus on insects resting on leaves (those little dragon flies don't give much profile to focus on !) I was thinking I could fine tune it with the focus ring once Auto focus was locked with the back button. would doing this damage the lens or camera?

Thanks
Norm

would have liked a little sharper focus on the Dragon Fly

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Absolutely, you could strip out the gears in the camera!! LoL
IF the lens is Manual focus Enabled it should be fine. Not all lenses are, you need to check or you could TRASH THE WHOLE LENS!!
BUT, why in the world would you do it holding the BB?!?!
Is your finger stuck????? LoL
SS

Edit: BTW, the 7ll has SPOT FOCUS, you should have already had perfect focus. Is the lens focus calibrated?? That will make a difference using very shallow dof.
It will also not really be possible to see very small focus increments in the view finder. You'll need to be in Live View on high magnification or use the AF system.

Leitz Loc: Solms

NormanTheGr8 wrote:

Couldn't find anything in archives

I was wondering if I were to fine tune focus while holding in back button focus can I damage anything?

Shooting 7Dmk2 with Tamron 16-300 and having trouble getting pinpoint focus on insects resting on leaves (those little dragon flies don't give much profile to focus on !) I was thinking I could fine tune it with the focus ring once Auto focus was locked with the back button. would doing this damage the lens or camera?

Thanks
Norm

Since you want the dragonfly in focus, how about if you were to focus on it?

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

I would use the AF to put me in the general vacinity of focus and go back and forth with the camera to fine tune the focus at these high mag distances - but I am mostly using an EVF.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

NormanTheGr8 wrote:

Couldn't find anything in archives

I was wondering if I were to fine tune focus while holding in back button focus can I damage anything?

Shooting 7Dmk2 with Tamron 16-300 and having trouble getting pinpoint focus on insects resting on leaves (those little dragon flies don't give much profile to focus on !) I was thinking I could fine tune it with the focus ring once Auto focus was locked with the back button. would doing this damage the lens or camera?

Thanks
Norm

Auto-focus or manual focus. AF on the subject (dragonfly), then select Focus Lock (& EA Lock), then re-frame and take picture. Don't make it more complicated.

ecobin Loc: Paoli, PA

NormanTheGr8 wrote:

Couldn't find anything in archives

I was wondering if I were to fine tune focus while holding in back button focus can I damage anything?

Shooting 7Dmk2 with Tamron 16-300 and having trouble getting pinpoint focus on insects resting on leaves (those little dragon flies don't give much profile to focus on !) I was thinking I could fine tune it with the focus ring once Auto focus was locked with the back button. would doing this damage the lens or camera?

Thanks
Norm

After you autofocus release the back button and then you can turn the focus ring on the lens without damage. If you don't release the back button (and I don't know why you wouldn't) then the focusing motor will be fighting you when you turn the focus ring and might cause damage.

BudsOwl Loc: Upstate NY and New England

NormanTheGr8 wrote:

Couldn't find anything in archives

I was wondering if I were to fine tune focus while holding in back button focus can I damage anything?

Shooting 7Dmk2 with Tamron 16-300 and having trouble getting pinpoint focus on insects resting on leaves (those little dragon flies don't give much profile to focus on !) I was thinking I could fine tune it with the focus ring once Auto focus was locked with the back button. would doing this damage the lens or camera?

Thanks
Norm

Check the specs on the Tamron. If it is like my 18-270 you should NOT try to manually focus if you have the lens set in autofocus. You "may cause serious damage to the lens mechanism." This right from the manual that came with the lens.
Hope this helps you.

Bud

Zone-System-Grandpa Loc: Springfield, Ohio

ecobin wrote:

After you autofocus release the back button and then you can turn the focus ring on the lens without damage. If you don't release the back button (and I don't know why you wouldn't) then the focusing motor will be fighting you when you turn the focus ring and might cause damage.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Very nicely explained and the very best answer to the OP's question !

zigipha Loc: north nj

16-300 lens - could be the optical limit of the lens. what focal length did you use for that shot?

try to shoot something that move away from you - like the top of a track, and see if you can get sharpness around your focus point

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

NormanTheGr8 wrote:

Couldn't find anything in archives

I was wondering if I were to fine tune focus while holding in back button focus can I damage anything?

Shooting 7Dmk2 with Tamron 16-300 and having trouble getting pinpoint focus on insects resting on leaves (those little dragon flies don't give much profile to focus on !) I was thinking I could fine tune it with the focus ring once Auto focus was locked with the back button. would doing this damage the lens or camera?

Thanks
Norm

In a case like that, I would use manual focus and take several shots (tripod, of course). You could also use focus stacking, but with a leaf outdoors, that could be difficult. The link below about bracketing makes mention of focus bracketing - on a drop of water.

http://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-use-bracketing-to-get-your-best-shot-3-different-methods/

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

ecobin wrote:

After you autofocus release the back button and then you can turn the focus ring on the lens without damage. If you don't release the back button (and I don't know why you wouldn't) then the focusing motor will be fighting you when you turn the focus ring and might cause damage.

Some lenses don't like you to turn them when they are set to Auto focus.

ecobin Loc: Paoli, PA

jerryc41 wrote:

Some lenses don't like you to turn them when they are set to Auto focus.

Yes, that's true with my older lenses but not with any of my newer ones. Good point.

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

NormanTheGr8 wrote:

Couldn't find anything in archives

I was wondering if I were to fine tune focus while holding in back button focus can I damage anything?

Shooting 7Dmk2 with Tamron 16-300 and having trouble getting pinpoint focus on insects resting on leaves (those little dragon flies don't give much profile to focus on !) I was thinking I could fine tune it with the focus ring once Auto focus was locked with the back button. would doing this damage the lens or camera?

Thanks
Norm

It seems to me that you are not happy with the results you are getting from auto focus. 2 fixes--manual focus, or a sharper lens. Or maybe both.

Zone-System-Grandpa Loc: Springfield, Ohio

ecobin wrote:

Yes, that's true with my older lenses but not with any of my newer ones. Good point.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

You and Jerry both are correct. I don't profess to know the inner workings of the OP's lens, however; I would never attempt to adjust the focus of a lens if the lens is set at the auto focus mode ~ and that includes my attempting to focus the lens whether the focus activation button is being pressed in or not. In other words, I would only attempt to focus a lens that is capable of auto focusing when the lens is set to the manual focus mode option. If this is too much of a bother for the OP, then I would suggest for the OP to make a telephone call to the manufacturer of the lens, give the manufacturer the make, model of the lens, the camera body, and then ask the question about the safety of focusing with the variables for focusing at the OP's disposal.

Doowopa Loc: Connecticut

NormanTheGr8 wrote:

Couldn't find anything in archives

I was wondering if I were to fine tune focus while holding in back button focus can I damage anything?

Shooting 7Dmk2 with Tamron 16-300 and having trouble getting pinpoint focus on insects resting on leaves (those little dragon flies don't give much profile to focus on !) I was thinking I could fine tune it with the focus ring once Auto focus was locked with the back button. would doing this damage the lens or camera?

Thanks
Norm

Are you talking about fine tuning in the custom functions in camera ?