jean_paul_gauthier

<p>That is definitely true. I feel that the viewfinder auto-focus should work though, since they went through the trouble and expense of producing it. If that worked I wouldn't even be thinking about manaul focus. <br>

One of the 'features' of this camera is the relatively nice viewfinder. If people can't use it becuase neither auto nor manual focus is reliable, then i'd call that a problem.</p>

<p>Good points, Andy. Thank you. You seem to know more about cameras than I do.<br>

It is indeed quite difficult to manually focus this camera, and I would rather not do it. The auto-focus through the viewfinder is not working well though, so I tried manual focus to rule out the auto-focus as the cause of the problem and noticed that neither seem to work. <br>

I can use autofocus fine-tuning but fear that will not work well with my zoom lens. Is that a valid fear?</p>

<p>Andy:<br>

Of course I can manually focus a DX camera wide-open. If I couldn't I wouldn't be noticing the discrepancy I'm discussing.<br>

If the auto-focus had been working properly I probably wouldn't have resorted to manual focus. I am using manual focus because the auto didn't seem to work well. That's how I discovered the optical defect.<br>

Using a tripod and a non-moving subject, manual focus is no great trick. Perhaps you thought I was shooting a moving subject?<br>

Thanks for the replies, but apparently noone has any ideas. Oh well. Perhaps the replacement camera will work as designed.</p>

<p>Andy:<br>

Of course I can manually focus a DX camera wide-open. If I couldn't I wouldn't be noticing the discrepancy I'm discussing.<br>

If the auto-focus had been working properly I probably wouldn't have resorted to manual focus. I am using manual focus because the auto didn't seem to work well. That's how I discovered the optical defect.<br>

Using a tripod and a non-moving subject, manual focus is no great trick. Perhaps you thought I was shooting a moving subject?<br>

Thanks for the replies, but apparently noone has any ideas. Oh well. Perhaps the replacement camera will work as designed.</p>

<p>i don't use the focus dot. I focus the old fashioned way, by eye. I have achieved perfect results this way for years, so i swear I know what i am doing. <br>

I am stopped down to 1.8.<br>

If one pays for a viewfinder it should work properly. I really don't want to have to use live view because the viewfinder doesn't work properly. Live view is not useful in extrememly bright sunlight, for example.<br>

The camera IS defective. <br>

I am attempting to help the readers of this forum, as everyone talks about autofocus assuming that it must be the root of this camera's defect while overlooking overall focus. <br>

In fact, it seems to be an optical path calibration issue (if that's a valid term). The distance the light is traveling to the sensor is not the same is it is travelling to the viewfinder glass, hence the discrepancy. <br>

<br />There is a defect. The only actual question is - has anyone else noticed?<br>

The camera is going back regardless of what the doubters say.<br>

This is really not very complicated.</p>

<p>I don't mean to be rude. My point is that stating categorically that there is no defect, as some previous posters have, is an insult to those of us who have carefully tested and researched to determine that there is actually a defect. Stating that there is no defect adds nothing to the discussion, unless there an explanation of how to make the focus work as it does on other cameras of lesser or equal quality. Thanks.</p>

<p>Has anyone else noticed that the focus issue is not restricted to auto-focus? It is impossible to achieve accurate focus using the viewfinder with <em>manual</em> focus as well! Using Live-view, the focus if fine!<br>

There seems to be a flaw in the optics of this camera, or at least certain batches of individual cameras.<br>

Using a tripod, plenty of light, plenty of experience achieving razor-sharp focus, and a motionless subject, there is no way to control the focus through the viewfinder!<br>

Has anyone else seen this? Thanks!</p>