Advice wanted with focusing please

[ash59uk]

I am having trouble focusing accurately with my fuji s5700 when trying to focus on small moving targets such as birds. Unfortunately I only have 3 focusing modes spot,average and manual, manual is pretty much unusable on this camera and spot is difficult too and I guess average would give the background priority over the bird.
Have I found a major flaw in this type of camera? I understand that dslr's have something called centre weighting that gives a much larger version of spot focusing, would this give better results?

I am hoping to be in the position of getting a used dslr next year, no spare cash this year going on holiday. I fancy either a Pentax K10D or a K100D super as I have a couple of old pentax fit MF lenses from my 35mm days. Which of these cameras would you recommend? I know the K10d is a higher model but does it have a larger sensor than the K100D?

 

[Roadkill_6mm]

Ok, first off I don't know a great deal about the specific camera you're refering too - I did have a fuji s100fs so have used the brand before.

I think you're a little confused between focus and metering. The things you mention 'spot' and 'average' aren't focusing functions, they're metering functions - as it the camera deciding on exposure based on what's in the view finder - not focusing.

'Spot' metering will set exposure based on a small area of the viewfinder - usually set around the active focus point of the camera.
'average' will set exposure based on the cameras interpretaion of the overall scene.
'centre weighted' on a dslr is similar to spot metering but has a larger area that the camera will take into account.
'manual' means you set the iso, shutter and aperture yourself.

None of this will assist with focusing however!

Normally you have 2 choices with regards focus - single or continuous.
Single is just that, the focus locks when you press the shutter half way and doesn't move. Continuous focus means that (usually) focus starts when you press the shutter half way and the camera continues to try and keep what ever you're pointed at in focus until you press the shutter fully.

As for shooting birds in flight, I don't think you've found a floor in your camera per se....but have found a 'learning opportunity' for yourself!!

Yes a DSLR will probably do the job better - but they are also a lot more involved and can get very expensive!!

Neil

 

[srichards]

Your AF options are centre, multi and area. For birds I'd set it to centre and keep the bird in the centre. Also choose centre weighted metering so you are metering off the subject. This way you can crop if you don't want the bird centre but the centre AF point is usually the most accurate. AF mode is the focussing area. Photometry is what they call metering in fuji speak. It's clear as mud.

There is a continuous shooting mode but at less than one frame a second it's going to be useless. Stick with single if you can have continuous focus and single shot drive as a combination.

 

[seriousrikk]

When you say moving, how much are they moving?

Are we talking hopping about or in flight?

 

[ash59uk]

Ok, first off I don't know a great deal about the specific camera you're refering too - I did have a fuji s100fs so have used the brand before.

I think you're a little confused between focus and metering. The things you mention 'spot' and 'average' aren't focusing functions, they're metering functions - as it the camera deciding on exposure based on what's in the view finder - not focusing.

'Spot' metering will set exposure based on a small area of the viewfinder - usually set around the active focus point of the camera.
'average' will set exposure based on the cameras interpretaion of the overall scene.
'centre weighted' on a dslr is similar to spot metering but has a larger area that the camera will take into account.
'manual' means you set the iso, shutter and aperture yourself.

None of this will assist with focusing however!

Normally you have 2 choices with regards focus - single or continuous.
Single is just that, the focus locks when you press the shutter half way and doesn't move. Continuous focus means that (usually) focus starts when you press the shutter half way and the camera continues to try and keep what ever you're pointed at in focus until you press the shutter fully.

As for shooting birds in flight, I don't think you've found a floor in your camera per se....but have found a 'learning opportunity' for yourself!!

Yes a DSLR will probably do the job better - but they are also a lot more involved and can get very expensive!!

Neil

Having gone through the manual again you are right on the money, would you suggest using continuous focusing for small moving targets like birds in flight? It is quite a difficult thing to do what with focusing, setting EC and having to fiddle with iso settings to be able to keep a high shutter and medium aperture setting as this camera doesn't lock exposure settings until the button is pressed halfway down at the same time locking the focus.