Moved from Ikelite D70 to D200... miss my thumb focus. HELP!!!!!!

[Mo2vation]

When I had my D70, I assigned auto focus to the AE/L button. This way I was able to focus with my thumb, and fire the shutter with my index. It was a simple fix, an elegant solution and I've shot probably 12,000 - 15,000 shots that way.

Fast forward to D200 and Ike housing. The bright stars at Nikon put an AF on the back of the cam now... The problem is this: The button is too far away to comfortable reach it underwater. The actuator for the AE/L is right where it was on the D70, but I've combed the manual and have been unable to find how to assign AF to the AE/L button.

I'm thinking because the D200 has an AF button 1/4" away, Nikon probably did away with the swap feature. That stinks. Short of removing the worthless AF button, plugging the hole and sawing off and modifying the AE/L actuator (which I will never use underwater for AE/L) to reach the AF button, I'm stuck trying to push the shutter half-way in the surge to lock focus. That's just not going to work.

Question:

1) Is there a way to assign AF to the AE/L button like on the D70?

2) How are those of you who moved from a D70 to a D200 dealing with this? I hate it.

Thanks

Ken

 

[Mo2vation]

When I had my D70, I assigned auto focus to the AE/L button. This way I was able to focus with my thumb, and fire the shutter with my index. It was a simple fix, an elegant solution and I've shot probably 12,000 - 15,000 shots that way.

Fast forward to D200 and Ike housing. The bright stars at Nikon put an AF on the back of the cam now... The problem is this: The button is too far away to comfortable reach it underwater. The actuator for the AE/L is right where it was on the D70, but I've combed the manual and have been unable to find how to assign AF to the AE/L button.

I'm thinking because the D200 has an AF button 1/4" away, Nikon probably did away with the swap feature. That stinks. Short of removing the worthless AF button, plugging the hole and sawing off and modifying the AE/L actuator (which I will never use underwater for AE/L) to reach the AF button, I'm stuck trying to push the shutter half-way in the surge to lock focus. That's just not going to work.

Question:

1) Is there a way to assign AF to the AE/L button like on the D70?

2) How are those of you who moved from a D70 to a D200 dealing with this? I hate it.

Thanks

Ken

Did some mods. Life is good.

See here for details.... Linkola


Ken

 

[Warren_L]

Glad you got things straightened out. I was gonna say - I've been playing around with AF-S with some pretty good results as an alternative.