Lens control ring... Have you customized it?

[hotrod4x5]

I worked with another Z owner a couple of days ago. He showed me something amazing. He set his lens focus ring to control exposure compensation. I primarily shoot in aperture priority and use exposure compensation to vary my exposure as needed for conditions. So being able to simply turn that lens control ring to initiate exposure compensation is amazing!

What do you use that control ring for?

 

[Palouse]

Here is what I have mine set for:

I set Custom Setting F2 to have the lens control ring (focus ring) to M/A (Focus). Then with BBF I can manually tweak focus while in AF. You will need to have focus peaking on for this to show.

 

[acnomad]

I've tried setting the focus ring to control EV, but always end up putting it back to MF. It just makes more sense to me that way. My thinking is that you can change EV with a button on the body, but the only way to tweak focus (apart from changing the distance between camera and subject, a la macro work) is with the ring on the lens.

 

[hotrod4x5]

I don't find myself using the manual override for focus. I guess I'll leave it this way and see if I miss that manual focus functionality.

 

[hotrod4x5]

Here is what I have mine set for:

I set Custom Setting F2 to have the lens control ring (focus ring) to M/A (Focus). Then with BBF I can manually tweak focus while in AF. You will need to have focus peaking on for this to show.

Is this because you find the auto focus to be inaccurate?

 

[Palouse]

Is this because you find the auto focus to be inaccurate?

No, it's because the AF is so accurate this method allows me to be much more selective with AF, for certain scenes. For example, shooting into a clump of grass heads I can pick the one that makes for the best composition. Or shooting through a window AF can occasional get hung up on dirt on the glass; this helps override it.

 

[M.J.]

He set his lens focus ring to control exposure compensation.

Same for me

 

[Falter]

I set mine to exposure compensation but its far too easy to move the ring by mistake.

 

[hotrod4x5]

I set mine to exposure compensation but its far too easy to move the ring by mistake.

yeah, I noticed that. Time will tell if I leave it.

 

[JeeperDon]

Whats the advantage of using the ring for exp-comp over using the button by the shutter?

 

[hotrod4x5]

Whats the advantage of using the ring for exp-comp over using the button by the shutter?

Theoretically it's faster, more convenient. No other advantage that I can think of.

 

[Mike Buckley]

Is this capability on all native lenses for the Z system?

 

[Palouse]

Is this capability on all native lenses for the Z system?

I'm not sure. It is on all FX format S series.

 

[Cslucas34]

Is this capability on all native lenses for the Z system?

Yes, every native lens allows you to set it this way.

 

[Mike Buckley]

Yes, every native lens allows you to set it this way.

That makes me lean even more to the Z6 as my next camera system.

 

[Mike Buckley]

It is on all FX format S series.

That works for me because, if I go with a Z camera, it will be the FX format.

 

[Cslucas34]

That makes me lean even more to the Z6 as my next camera system.

The quality of the S lenses; for me, was what set apart my decision to go with the Z series over all other options. So far, I do not regret it.. had it since launch.

 

[MNglass]

The quality of the S lenses; for me, was what set apart my decision to go with the Z series over all other options. So far, I do not regret it.. had it since launch.

+1

 

[Cslucas34]

+1

I should be playing with the 70-200 sometime soon and of course I’ll report in and let y’all know how it is.

 

[Kry27]

If you only use one system that can be set to work like this, I find/found it much more natural:
Set the lens ring to change aperture. And the aperture dial to easy exposure comp., while the other is shutter speed. That way, all my old manual lenses on the D3 worked the same, and for me it feels more logical to set aperture on the lens and exposure comp on the camers body.

Of course, if you need to set Aperture using the camera dial, this won't work.