Friday, Jan 19, 2007 at 20:29
Hey 4wd newbie,
I''m not really sure which Olympus camera you have but usually "problems focusing" is more the challenge of understanding how the focus works.
The camera uses sensors to look for vertical and/or horizontal lines in the image at the place where it is focusing (usually around the middle of the frame and indicated by red boxes in the viewfinder).
If the thing that it focuses on is not the intended focus, unless the subject is the same distance from the camera, the subject will be softer - how soft depends on how large the aperture is, the length of the lens, and the distance from the camera focused at (and for the inquisitive, the sensor size of your camera too).
Also, on higher end cameras there are different focusing modes - one for still and one for moving subjects, and sometimes some that try to work out whether the subject is still or moving. Using the wrong focusing mode can affect the focus.
Additionally, when you press the shutter button down half way, the camera focuses on what it thinks is the subject. This fixes the distance at which the camera is focused as long as you hold the shutter button down half way ... if you move, or if your subject moves, then it will no longer be at the correct distance from the camera.
Lastly, because point and shoot cameras have a lag time, the moving subject could move during the lag time (for instance closer to you) and so it becomes out of focus.
So get out there and practice, being sure to read the focusing pages of the manual.
And if you want some help, drop us a line.
Greydemon's tips are all pretty much on the ball. If you can't find a tripod, any firm base will do - mini-bean bag, the bonnet, a post etcetera.
Cheers
Andrew.
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