Need solid, expert advice from some Canon users...

[wmc718]

<p>I've had an Oly 510 for a couple of years, which does okay, but I'm fed up with the focusing system. It uses the three-dot type, and if it's mounted on a tripod (whether shooting vertically or horizontally) and you're shooting a model for example, you cannot adjust any of the focusing dots to hit the model's face without recomposing. And then when you do recompose, the model's face frequently still goes blurry. The same is true for hand-held work. This has ruined more pics for me than you can imagine! And, because the viewfinder is so narrow, it's next to impossible to manually focus.<br>

Being neither a Nikon or Canon expert, please tell me what camera and model I would need to that will allow me to easily and quickly focus on the model's face without having to recompose and risking her face going blurry?<br>

Alas, if I could just afford an M9! Thanks for your help!</p>

[saskphotog]

<p>Is there no way to lock focus or manual focus an Oly 510? That would solve your problem.</p>

<p>From the description of the issues you gave, I expect your limitations are your own ability to use the equipment you have, and that buying new cameras will not solve that issue. In response to your question, any camera maker, including Olympus, makes bodies that are quite capable of doing anything you need for posed portraits.</p>

[mars c]

<p>Does M9 even autofocus? IF you want fast AF, buy Canon .</p>

[wmc718]

<p>Larry and Mars,<br>

Yes, you can focus lock the 510. However, when doing full-length or 3/4 shots, when you recompose, you stand a good chance of losing the focal plane you had when you locked focus, thereby losing the focus on the face.<br>

No, the M9 is manual focus, but it is so easy and accurate, that it's a joy. Fast isn't the issue. Focusing in a certain point in the image, without having to recompose, is the issue.<br>

Thanks</p>

[ronhartman]

<p>The full frame dSLRs (5D for example) have larger viewfinders. With a fast lens, manual focus is easier on these cameras.</p>

<p>Also the Panasonic G1 has an electronic viewfinder, which is claimed to help with mf. It would also accept your present Olympus lenses, and many older mf lenses (with an adapter).</p>

[wmc718]

<p>Hi Ron,<br>

The thing is, if I have a camera with AF, there ought to be one out there that doesn't require recomposing after locking focus, or having to manually focus.<br>

Yes, the G1 is definitely in the running. I have a friend on here who uses it a lot, and he swears by the focusing accuracy and selective focusing of the camera And you're right, I do have quite a few Oly lenses to consider.</p>

[sheldonnalos]

<blockquote>

<p>No, the M9 is manual focus, but it is so easy and accurate, that it's a joy. Fast isn't the issue. Focusing in a certain point in the image, without having to recompose, is the issue.</p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>That makes no sense. The M9 uses a central rangefinder patch for focusing, so you'd have to focus/recompose.</p>

<p>I've had no focusing issues with focus/recompose. I shot for years with just the center point on a 5D, including with fast aperture lenses and the results were fine. I now shoot with a 1 series body and use multiple focus points, but the number/location of focus points wasn't the determining factor in why I chose that particular camera body.</p>

[ben_goren]

<p>Michael,</p>

 

<p>Canon cameras have an array of AF points set in a diamond shape, and you can select a single

one. Unless your focus point is in a far corner of the frame, you either won’t have to move the

camera at all or not much.</p>

 

<p>Another option is live view autofocus, which is slow but lets you place the focus point bug

literally anywhere in the frame. Or, you can use manual focus in live view at 10x zoom — or,

better still, remote live view on a computer display at actual pixels. If your lens supports full-time

manual focus, you can even get the best of both worlds: manual focus quickly until it’s

close, and then let the camera fine-tune it reasonably quickly with live view autofocus.</p>

 

<p>I have no experience with Nikon, but I’d be shocked if they didn’t offer something

comparable.</p>

 

<p>Cheers,</p>

 

<p>b&</p>

[steven_f1]

<p>In order to avoid recomposing you would need one of the sensors of the camera on the target focus point. Then you need to manually select that focus point and make the shot. For this the more sensor points you have the better. </p>

<p>Selecting the focus point is generally not a very fact operation. So many photographers use other focusing methods. Manual or Recomposing are two common ones. However for recomposing to work best with a narrow depth of field you need to move the camera laterally instead of tipping the camera up, down, left, or right. Tipping the camera will cause the focus point distance to change while moving laterally will not. However lateral movement is not always possible. </p>

<p>I would suggest increasing your depth of field slightly to minimize the problem. This has the added benefit of improving image quality since no lens is at its best wide open. The other thing I would advise doing is to visually double check the focus after recomposing. If you are using a tripod, get a head with a quick release plate. What I frequently do with my tripod is that after positioning the tripod, I disconnect the quick release plate, focus manually or automatically by recomposing, and then reattaching the camera to the tripod. Once the camera is on the tripod I put the lens on manual focus, recheck the focus, exposure, and depth of field before pressing the shutter. </p>

<p>However if you don't want to select the focus point, get the with the most focus points. For Canon that is the 1D series. I have the original 5D which only 9 focus points (the 1DsMkIII has 45). </p>

[leicaglow]

<p>Hi Michael, I would reconsider your use of the camera. I have a friend here that shoots with your camera and she's doing some great work: http://www.photo.net/photodb/user?user_id=2398662. She has a pretty extensive portfolio too.</p>

[robert_k1]

<p><em><em>Selecting the focus point is generally not a very fact operation. So many photographers use other focusing methods. Manual or Recomposing are two common ones. However for recomposing to work best with a narrow depth of field you need to move the camera laterally instead of tipping the camera up, down, left, or right. Tipping the camera will cause the focus point distance to change while moving laterally will not. However lateral movement is not always possible.</em></em><br>

That's how I focus for fast moving street photos. But the REAL key is learning how to operate your camera WELL, regardless of make and model. Some of the current crop of dslrs offer many different focusing modes for different shooting situations. But the settings are scattered all over the place in buttons and menus. If the settings are not correctly set for a particular shooting situation, you won't get the best results even with the top of the line make and model. And the manuals typically don't recommend what combinations of button and menu settings are best suited for what situations. That means you will need an expert who owns the same make and model as yours, shoots under the same situation, and willing and able to tell you the facts. Here's one such example:<br>

<a href="http://www.photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00Upbn">http://www.photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00Upbn</a><br>

In the good old film body days, focusing manually through the viewfinder is so much simpler and more accurate.</p>

[alvinyap]

<p>I'm on a d300 and have recently switched to using all 51 points for my AF, after some advice on the nikon forums (for wildlife). I still switch back to 11 point AF for event photography. In practice, it kicks ass, and I still get the shots I want, with less focus-recompose type errors. In addition, I can track moving critters with much more variety in placement of the af points.</p>

<p>@OP: If you want something from C/N that is easy to focus, there isn't much option apart from one of the full frame bodies, those viewfinders are large, clear and amazing (I can only attest to the D700 and 5DMK2... haven't got my grubby paws on a D3/1DS :P)! Unfortunately one of those bodies + lens probably costs more for my entire dx kit :P</p>

<p>Alvin</p>