Tips required when using manual focus. (1 Viewer)

senatore · Apr 10, 2008

My kit is a Canon 40D and the 400 f5.6 prime lens.I allmost exclusively take birding pics.

On the occasions I have to switch to manual focussing (ie. bird in a tree/bush etc. and the autofocus hunts and will not lock on) the results are often dissappointing with images not being sharp.

Have you got any tips to improve my manual focus shots.Any help would be appreciated.

Max.

Ray.Scott · Apr 10, 2008

senatore said:
My kit is a Canon 40D and the 400 f5.6 prime lens.I allmost exclusively take birding pics.

On the occasions I have to switch to manual focussing (ie. bird in a tree/bush etc. and the autofocus hunts and will not lock on) the results are often dissappointing with images not being sharp.

Have you got any tips to improve my manual focus shots.Any help would be appreciated.

Max.

Sounds like the manual focus switch maybe faulty on the lens, because If you are switching the lens to MF the autofocus should not be working, therefore shouldn't hunt.
Are you switching the lens to Manual and using the manual focus ring on the lens to focus on the subject?
Or, could It be that you are switching the camera to manual, If this be the case then the lens will still autofocus.

paul goode · Apr 10, 2008

Hi Max,

Have you set the dioptre adjustment correctly on the eyepiece?

Paul

postcardcv · Apr 10, 2008

Personally I ahve found that using liveview mode on the 40D and zooming in to 5x or 10x makes MF much easier than using the view finder.

Roy C · Apr 10, 2008

Even if you set the lens to manual focus you can still get focus confirmation (light and beeb if you have it turned on). You need to half depress the shutter and slowly focus with the manual ring, although at the end of the day I am not sure if this would be any better than AF in these situations Max.

Jaff · Apr 10, 2008

Agree with Pete here. Not particularly relevant to you though Max but it works a real treat with an IS lens as you can half depress the shutter and have the benefit of IS while you focus, especially if you are using the magnify feature.

Roy C · Apr 10, 2008

Don't try Live view and 5x or 10x mag Max unless you are on a tripod - I just tried hand holding and was almost Sea sick

Great aid if you are on a pod though.

AMM · Apr 10, 2008

senatore said:
My kit is a Canon 40D and the 400 f5.6 prime lens.I allmost exclusively take birding pics.

On the occasions I have to switch to manual focussing (ie. bird in a tree/bush etc. and the autofocus hunts and will not lock on) the results are often dissappointing with images not being sharp.

Have you got any tips to improve my manual focus shots.Any help would be appreciated.

Max.

I use a 400D and 300MM L IS with TC 1.4. Recently I was photographing bearded tits in reeds and the autofocus would not lock on because of all the reeds. I found that the best results were obtained by manually focussing as best as I could and then switching to auto focus immediately before taking the picture. Most of the time the auto focus immediately locked onto the bird without any hunting.

Hope this helps

Tony

obrot · Apr 10, 2008

Roy C said:
Even if you set the lens to manual focus you can still get focus confirmation (light and beeb if you have it turned on). You need to half depress the shutter and slowly focus with the manual ring, although at the end of the day I am not sure if this would be any better than AF in these situations Max.

Oh No!

Please turn those infernal 'Beeps' off. So annoying!!!!

K

Roy C · Apr 11, 2008

knobrot said:
Oh No!

Please turn those infernal 'Beeps' off. So annoying!!!!

K

I did say 'If you have them turned on'. I always shoot in AI servo myself so you do not get a beeb anyway but you will still get a focus confirmation red light even if the lens is set to Manual.

citrinella · Apr 11, 2008

senatore said:
My kit is a Canon 40D and the 400 f5.6 prime lens.I allmost exclusively take birding pics.

On the occasions I have to switch to manual focussing (ie. bird in a tree/bush etc. and the autofocus hunts and will not lock on) the results are often dissappointing with images not being sharp.

Have you got any tips to improve my manual focus shots.Any help would be appreciated.

Max.

Wherever possible, in good light, stop down. Preferable to dropping the ISO on these modern cameras. I keep my 30D on 640 ISO, and your 40D should go even higher.

If I have a nice stable mount and bird ! I will focus as best I can then shoot a burst, very gently adjusting focus back and forth. Really talking birds in bushes here, where AF is often confused, especially if there is breeze.

Mike.

senatore · Apr 11, 2008

Thanks for all the replies everyone.

Max.

Tips required when using manual focus. (1 Viewer)

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