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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    The Wilds of Maine
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    2,851

    Help W/Adjusting Camera Focus on Canons?

    Yo yo,

    So I have been shooting a bit of photos on this bike trip up in BC, but keep having issues with getting the subject in focus. Borrowed a 7D for the trip and whether I'm in auto focus or using the manual focus, I'm having a real hard time getting the biker in focus, and mostly seem to end up photos where the immediate foreground is the part in focus. See below:





    Last time, I noticed there was a little scroll roller on the right of the viewfinder that I was told you can adjust depending on your stigmatism issues. I don't really have any vision issues, but still when I think I have focused on the spot where the action will take place, the photos turn up with the foreground in focus instead. Only other factor I can think of is that shooting in the thick forests here, the depth of field is pretty tiny, can't get a decent shot off above 2.8 or 5, but still that wouldn't influence where the camera ultimately focused, right?? Been using the grid mode to to change around where the camera is centering its focus.
    "We're in the eye of a shiticane here Julian, and Ricky's a low shit system!" - Jim Lahey, RIP

    Former Managing Editor @ TGR, forever mag.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Live Free or Die
    Posts
    1,283
    One thing to try is to give the autofocus sensor a clean with a rocket blower. It's the set of square holes on the bottom when you are looking at the mirror. I was having trouble with focus below 2.8 and cleaning fixed that. Otherwise, you might have your micro focus adjustment set to something funny. For the manual focus, yeah maybe the diopter needs adjustment.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Posts
    9,002
    To check diopter, put it on legs, manual focus in live view and take the picture. Then look through the view finder, is it in focus? Then defocus and then use auto focus. Again, look through the viewfinder and see if it looks in focus. Do this in live view and no live view (different focus system I believe). Then compare all three images in an editing app. By doing these steps and figuring what happens in each can determine if the lens needs micro adjusting, the auto focus system is wonky, if the diopter needs adjusting etc. There are way too many variables to answer online without a battery of tests. I can suggest something but without knowing how the camera performs in these scenarios, it's a crap shoot. And you say your eyes aren't bad... What about your friends whose camera it is? Do they own the same lens and micro adjusted for their copy?

    PS... Can't even tell if you missed focus, had hand shake, or shooting too low shutter speed because I can't view the pics on Mt android still...
    Brought to you by Carl's Jr.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    inpdx
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    20,197
    are you isolating the focus target to only one of the focus sensors?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Posts
    9,002
    Brought to you by Carl's Jr.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Bozeman
    Posts
    1,302
    So what happens when you focus on a non moving object and take a pic? Is it sharp where you expect it to be, or is it front focusing? If sharp then it's most likely your technique. Are you shooting while panning on the biker or waiting for him to enter the prefocused frame? Are you in continuous servo mode single point or a different AF mode?

    Your second shot I could understand some focus lag if you are tracking him and you don't have a fast focusing lens. The first shot doesn't make as much sense but you may have picked up a focus point on the near right side as he was coming around the turn.

    You also may be getting motion blur if your shutter speed is not high enough. My old eyes would need a high rez pic to see the sharpness better.

    Should be pretty easy to figure out.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    The Wilds of Maine
    Posts
    2,851
    Hey guys,

    Thanks for all the help. Will have to spend some time doing some tests to diagnose, Tye1on also mentioned a mode where the camera will focus on an area of the frame vs. one tiny spot, which I've since read has a hard time dealing with moving subjects and focusing sharply. Had some slightly better results the past few days but still need to spend some time actually learning this stuff vs. sitting in the woods and cursing and flipping the dials around. Thanks mags.... and system, I'll ping the tech team again on the android issues.
    "We're in the eye of a shiticane here Julian, and Ricky's a low shit system!" - Jim Lahey, RIP

    Former Managing Editor @ TGR, forever mag.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    United States of Aburdistan
    Posts
    7,281
    Nobody at TGR knows how to focus a camera?

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Carbondale
    Posts
    12,478
    Quote Originally Posted by muted View Post
    Nobody at TGR knows how to focus a camera?
    I don't think he was in the tetons....
    www.dpsskis.com
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    formerly an ambassador for a few others, but the ski industry is... interesting.
    Fukt: a very small amount of snow.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    United States of Aburdistan
    Posts
    7,281
    He works for TGR, right? He can't ask around the office? Not sure if it matters where he took the photos.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Posts
    14
    A bit late but what autofocus setting were you using? al servo mode and pin point one area to focus helps me out.

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