Help: why can I not focus?

Luke

Luke

Luke

Soldato
Joined
19 Jul 2005
Posts
7,086
Location
S. Yorkshire
Hi all, I've getting very disillusioned with my inability to take a decent photo. The following picture was taken with a Fuji S9500, manual focus, manual exposure and apature.
I've used manual focus, and got it as clear as possible on the viewfinder, but when I look at it on a pc screen, the focus seems so far off, it's untrue.
It is a 100% crop of a 9MP image taken on Macro settings.

It also happens regardless of whether I use auto mode, at any range using a tripod or hand held.

If anyone can suggest where I am going wrong, I'd greatly appreciate it.

blurry.jpg
 
Only 3 things i can possible surmise is that

a - camera is broken
b- There is a setting in manual mode for focal distance, and you have it set for infinitive (which doesnt make sense in manual)
c- There is a dial on the side of the viewfinder that focuses that, and its off.

Macro mode set the camera to be able to focus within a distance of about 6cm to 20cm for perfect focus. Anything further than this wont be so good.
It looks very grainy too, what ISO is it set too??

Considering using a tripod in manual mode doesnt work, sounds like a probelm with the camera.
 
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I really hope you're wrong... :( I've had the camera since January, and put the blurryness down to my inexperience.
a) not good...
b) not that I'm aware of, and it does it on auto too.
c) happens on lcd screen, as well as eyepiece.

That was either iso 80 or 100.

What would be a realistic way to see if the camera is fubar'd?
 
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Sure you aren't just closer than the minimum focus distance?


And have you been trying to Manual Focus everything you've been shooting? Use Auto Focus unless Manual is required, it will generally give you better results (unless you are good at manual focussing)
 
No, in reality, I shoot more on auto focus than manual. I just tried manual focus to see if I could improve on it. I clearly can't.
 
From that shot it looks as though the camera is attempting to focus on the green leaves in the foreground and that they are too close to the camera. Got any other shots demonstrating your problem?
 
The shot above was manually focused. It looked great on the screen, but naff on the pc.

The next pic was also auto focused on normal range distance.
blurry.jpg


The following was auto focus on ultra macro.
bfa32b1e.jpg


The next was zoomed to 10x optical, then manual focused.
20982d2b.jpg


The next was just 35mm at auto.
e1f70cb9.jpg


The last was an ultra macro manually focused, but this seemed ok.
notsoblurry.jpg
 
Only thing i can suggest is that you reset the settings to factory default if the option is available, then maybe if it is setting based it will be solved. Otherwise the only thing i would think could cause such poor focus is broken camera.
 
I hate to say it but it looks to be as though user error is to blame.

The LCD is useless to properly judge correct focus – The image will look sharp even if it's out of focus. The only way to use manual focus on a point and shoot is to use the distance meter and it's hit and miss then.
Your bird shot proves this – sharp focus is on the trees in the background


I'm confused with your posted flower images - are they 100% crops ??
 
Yep, 100% crops.
If it's user error, then I'm very happy as I can improve on this. I need to learn to use the distance meter then? Sounds like a good place to start!
 
As SDK^ said the EVF and the LCD screen are useless for checking focus. The resolution just isn't good enough. Also you have no distance markers on the lens for so manual focusing is rather difficult, you really need to rely on auto focus I'm afraid. I have an s9500 and the only time I use manual focus is if I cant get an auto focus on something like the sky (then I just spin the focus right to the right loads).

For macros put your camera on a tripod, make sure you're not too close, stop down to F8 or lower, auto focus (so you get that double beep), then use a cable release or self timer to take your pic.

When using the camera at 10x zoom you really need to use a high shutter speed, 1/300 or higher. Preferably also using a tripod or some sort of support. The lens is quite soft at the long end of the zoom, but if you stop right down it's not too bad. It's not much of a wildlife camera/lens I'm afraid.

At 100% the s9500 image can appear a touch soft but with 9.2mp this shouldn't be a problem when printing or resizing for web. A touch of sharpening in photoshop does the world of good.

Hope that helps a bit.

Cheers,

Mohain
 
Thanks Mohain, that's quite useful. I know that the camera is overkill for my knowledge, but I really would like to improve on this and use it fully.
 
There is no way that is camera shake, otherwise that the crappest camera on earth. He even said he used a tripod.
I have 2 cameras a sony and a canon, and i always use the lcd, and everyone comes out perfectly sharp. If its looks sharp on the back and isnt then the camera is super doubley rubbish, who would invent something so ridiculous.

If you cannot take a picture from any distance in auto or manual on a tripod and not get it in focus your camera is fubared.
Id say infact that the lens is mashed, cause its picking up random bits of focus here and there, but not on the thing your aiming for. NO offence guys how hard is it to take at least on in focus picture.
 
Well, here is another image taken today, with everything set to auto and using a tripod with self timer.

The first is the overall image scaled to 20%.
FULLAUTO.jpg


The second is a 100% crop of the centre. I'm not sure if it is any better...
AUTO.jpg
 
Looks great to me :)

You realise that 100% crops will always look poor. At 100% you looking at a very large print (48"x36") on the screen.
 
That is a vast imporvement, you might want to go to the doctor about your earthquake like shaking. Do you struggle to drink from a glass? :D

Im gona have to take back everything i said, and admit in astonishment that it could be user error.
 
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Thanks guys, the only reason I've used 100% crops is that seems to be the way others display their macro shots.

The shaking is probably down to me fearing for my life if I can't take decent portraits - this was my reasoning behind buying the camera and spending the wifes money!
 
Looks like ID ten T error then! That's a relief... Although, it just goes to show quite how much I have to learn :(
 
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