Focus issue w/TM900 at DVinfo.net

Mike Hinkel · January 22nd, 2012, 12:21 AM

With snow falling I was trying to capture birds at the feeder. To my surprise the auto focus was not very focused at the long zoom. It is too much of a strecth to think the falling snow threw the system a curve? This is the first flaw I found of the camera if indeed it is a flaw.Hopefully, not a condition for repair.

Alastair Traill · January 22nd, 2012, 04:50 AM

Hi Mike,

Does your autofocus work OK on scenes without snow?
The only problem I have had with the autofocus is that is does not necessarily focus on what I want it to focus on. I find using manual focus with the focus assist very useful when the camera is presented with a number of objects at different distances such as a bird in a nearby bush.

Phil Lee · January 22nd, 2012, 03:48 PM

Hi

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Hinkel

With snow falling I was trying to capture birds at the feeder. To my surprise the auto focus was not very focused at the long zoom. It is too much of a strecth to think the falling snow threw the system a curve? This is the first flaw I found of the camera if indeed it is a flaw.Hopefully, not a condition for repair.

The autofocus system will get confused with snow and by default will try and focus on the object nearest the camera, same applies for any auto focus system.

Manual focus is designed for just such scenarios.

Regards

Phil

Ian Cope · January 22nd, 2012, 04:38 PM

I had a similar problem recently shooting my daughter when she jumped out of a perfectly good plane (skydiving). Autofocus struggled to focus with soo much blue sky. I simply quickly changed to manual focus with focus assist and grabbed some great footage of her parachuting in.

Mike Hinkel · January 23rd, 2012, 04:07 PM

Thanks for the replies. As I tested the focus inside it appears that it is working OK. What perplexed me was that some of what I shot was in focus while the very next shot was out of focus. I didn't do anything different shooting the same subject at the same focal length. I 'll have to test it farther. Thanks again.

January 22nd, 2012, 12:21 AM	#1
Mike Hinkel New Boot Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Pohatcong NJ Posts: 15	Focus issue w/TM900 With snow falling I was trying to capture birds at the feeder. To my surprise the auto focus was not very focused at the long zoom. It is too much of a strecth to think the falling snow threw the system a curve? This is the first flaw I found of the camera if indeed it is a flaw.Hopefully, not a condition for repair.

January 22nd, 2012, 04:50 AM	#2
Alastair Traill Major Player Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Melbourne Australia Posts: 626	Re: Focus issue w/TM900 Hi Mike, Does your autofocus work OK on scenes without snow? The only problem I have had with the autofocus is that is does not necessarily focus on what I want it to focus on. I find using manual focus with the focus assist very useful when the camera is presented with a number of objects at different distances such as a bird in a nearby bush.

January 22nd, 2012, 04:38 PM	#4
Ian Cope Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Brisbane Australia Posts: 25	Re: Focus issue w/TM900 I had a similar problem recently shooting my daughter when she jumped out of a perfectly good plane (skydiving). Autofocus struggled to focus with soo much blue sky. I simply quickly changed to manual focus with focus assist and grabbed some great footage of her parachuting in.

January 23rd, 2012, 04:07 PM	#5
Mike Hinkel New Boot Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Pohatcong NJ Posts: 15	Re: Focus issue w/TM900 Thanks for the replies. As I tested the focus inside it appears that it is working OK. What perplexed me was that some of what I shot was in focus while the very next shot was out of focus. I didn't do anything different shooting the same subject at the same focal length. I 'll have to test it farther. Thanks again.