focusing

Need samples. Could be a whole number of things.
 
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Pics aren't showing I don't think!

Sorry, i'm in the middle of nowhere using a rubbish dongle so my connection is terrible. These are the links.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/brionylench/5561230369/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brionylench/5561230355/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brionylench/5561230339/in/photostream/

With the last one, I know the ISO is really high, I forgot to change it back from previous picture.
 
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Are you using auto or manual focus?
 
What focus point are you using? It looks to me, on all three images, that the right hand side of the image is in focus.
 
I do not know if this is your problem or not but I notice from the Exif data that you were using AI Focus mode. I have yet to hear anyone have a good word for this feature. Most people seem to stick to either single shot or servo modes.
 
funky_monkies said:
Either centre or evaluative. I've still not got my head round when's best to use which mode to be honest, any suggestions?
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Centre or evaluative refers to metering, which sets the exposure, and not focus. It may be that the camera is selecting an auto focus point that isnt actually on the subject. You can prevent this by selecting the focus point you want to use and placing it on the subject of the photo
 
funky_monkies said:
What do they all mean oggy? I didn't realise I had changed it from one shot. But to be honest what are the differences?
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One shot mode is for subjects that arent moving and AI servo is for tracking moving subjects. AI focus is meant to switch automatically between one shot and AI servo for in the case of a static subject beginning to move, but Its not particularly reliable.

For the type of shots you've posted you should set the auto focus mode to one shot
 
funky_monkies said:
What do they all mean oggy? I didn't realise I had changed it from one shot. But to be honest what are the differences?
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Hi Briony

As I have heard it explained -

Single - the camera focuses once on a stationary subject and the picture is taken.

Servo - the camera locks on to a moving subject and keeps it in focus as long as the button is pressed.

Focus - does not work. :D
 
funky_monkies said:
Sorry, i'm in the middle of nowhere using a rubbish dongle so my connection is terrible. These are the links.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/brionylench/5561230369/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brionylench/5561230355/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brionylench/5561230339/in/photostream/

With the last one, I know the ISO is really high, I forgot to change it back from previous picture.
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They all look pretty badly out of focus. Were you using some kind of filter on your lens? From the exif, all 9 focus points were selected and the first one was shot in AI Focus AF mode.

The second and third photos were shot in one shot AF but they are still badly out of focus. All AF points appear to have been selected. Can you unlock the large download on flickr so I can examine them using ZoomBrowser to determine which AF point was active when the photo was taken?

Shutter speed is not an issue so there is something else going on here :shrug:

Next time, try with just the centre AF point selected in one shot AF mode. Make sure you get the focus confirm beep before releasing the shutter. If you have any filters on your lens, remove them!

Cheers
 
If my lens is in auto is the meant to automatically focus itself as I am having to do it myself and I also don't hear no beaping. It only moves and beaps when I'm in full auto.
I'm finding that it looks in focus to me through the viewfinder when I rotate the end to get it in focus but when the pics come out they're not.
 
So are you using auto focus or manual focus?

If you are manually focusing it sounds like you need to go to an optician.
 
Whatever you used for the wildlife shots, do that again. Those are much better!

Make sure you have your camera set to AF release (?) as then it won't let you take a picture when it is out of focus. I can't remember what the exact setting is called but it is somewhere in the menus.
 
funky_monkies said:
If my lens is in auto is the meant to automatically focus itself as I am having to do it myself and I also don't hear no beaping. It only moves and beaps when I'm in full auto.
I'm finding that it looks in focus to me through the viewfinder when I rotate the end to get it in focus but when the pics come out they're not.
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This is why I asked if you were manual or autofocusing. You said you were autofocusing, but now you say manual???

It looks to me like you were manually focusuing and got it badly wrong. I;ve never seen an autofocus completely miss focus on everyhting in the shot before, which is why I asked the question.

The camera should autofocus no matter what mode you are in. make sure the camera body has AF selected and the lens has AF selected if available. If you are in AF-servo, it wont beep, as its continuously changing the focus as you and/or the subject moves.

If you are changing the focus yourself, using the focus ring, thats manually focusing, and although it may look in focus through a tiny viewfinder, the results show its clearly not.
 
I have found the reason why. My lens isn't focusing automatically even when in af mode not my dodgy eyes sight!!! In full auto it focus itself but not in av or tv. I dont get any red dots in av or tv only in auto This a fault with the lens or camera? I brought both off here..... : (
 
It should AF in Av and Tv, must be a setting on the camera. First thing to do is a full camera reset - not sure how on a Canon, it should say in the manual.
 
I bet the camera has been set to focus with the back button. Not got a 450D but it'll be set to auto focus with either the AF-ON or * button. Have a read of the manual and look at the custom functions - one will set back button focus which you can then turn off.

The reason that its not focusing in Av, Tv, M etc but is in full auto, is that back button focus is not available in full auto (green box) so its reverting to focusing with a half press of the shutter button. Either focus with the AF-On/* button (there are advantages to doing this if you want to research it and stick with how the focus is set up), or change the custom function to disable it
 
Back button focussing might do it - does the 450D allow this? Easy mistake to make if you forget it's been switched, and would give all the symptoms you've described.
Checking the AF points is always useful too.

Your comment about focussing suggests you're doing something manually - if that's the case then you also need to check that the viewfinder is adjusted for your eyesight. Put the camera in auto mode, allow it to focus on something simple/high contrast then adjust the little dial next to the viewfinder until the subject is sharp.
Otherwise you might be manually focussing using a viewfinder that's OOF itself.
 
If it is the same as my 7D, you only get focus confirmation dot and bleep in "One shot" AF mode. If you are in full auto mode, the camera will overide whatever focus mode and set it to "One shot" mode.

Try selecting "one shot" mode and then using AV or TV and see what you get.
 
funky_monkies said:
That a sounds very complicated but I will have a go! The camera was second hand and I haven't really done much with the settings so that could be the reason.
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I'd say its almost certainly the cause. Have a good read of the manual, theres a lot of information in there about the various settings that will help you understand the camera. The section on custom functions will explain the different options for focusing with the shutter release or the back button
 
Have a look at page 60 of your manual.
 
funky_monkies said:
That a sounds very complicated but I will have a go! The camera was second hand and I haven't really done much with the settings so that could be the reason.
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Custom function 10 on the 450D control AF function. Set to 0, the shutter button half press gives AE lock and AF lock. Set it to 1 and the * button on the back becomes the focus button and shutter gives AE lock.
 
Thanks for sorting my daughters problem out folks. Not easy by txt.

She has two manuals so she could have taken one. Then returned mine to me :)
 
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