E1 focus issues

recently purchased an E1 from Cameta Camera, 14-54 lens and a used 50-200 lens. I have done a search for focus issues for the E1 and there are not many threads on this subject considering the age of the camera. So maybe I have a bad camera or lens. First of all I am a professional photographer with years of auto focus experience with other cameras, I am pretty sure the camera is set up properly and I am shooting the the AF S mode, even in direct sunlight with the 50-200, shooting wide open, I have to re focus the camera 2 or 3 times to obtain good focus. The focus confirmation light comes on, but the subject is clearly not in focus, I can refocus 2 or 3 times and finally obtain sharp focus. I have checked this on the computer so it is not a view finder or screen issue. this happens mostly with the 50-200 but also sometimes with the 14-54, it is not a low light issue. I called Olympus and they said they did not reccomend shooting wide open. I do not agree.

Any suggestions

Gary

Was it set to spot or esp? Mine had a problem in spot metering today then I set it to esp and it was fine.

Just in case you haven't, try to update the firmware on both the camera and the lenses.
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Jeff McNeeley

That is one lame excuse from the Oly people. If they don't recommend you to shoot wide open you might as well get a less expensive Sigma. Why would they be the worlds first with the f2 zooms if you can't use them.

I have the same problem with my E-1 and 50-200 lens and are starting to believe that the AF module in the camera has a lag and is not very responsive. I need to do some more testing.

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Andre Knudsen

As Jeff suggest, uodate the firmware in body and lenses.

Then make sure you select centre autofocus only. What may happen is that the autofocus is focussing on the "wrong" part of the image. With the original firmware you couldn't see which sensor was focussing. In addition the upgrades improve the overall focussing ability.

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Andrew
FourThirdsFAQ - http://www.fourthirdsFAQ.com

I had focus problems in the past that were caused by the support frame for the E-1 focus screen. I had been changing focus screens and the support frame locks in place to retain the screen, but sometimes, I didn't get it completely seated before clicking into place. Page 27 of the E-1 manual refers to focus screen replacement, but if you haven't done it before (it's nearly identical to an OM1) you might need some professional help. You might also try cleaning the electrical contacts on the 50-200 (which also happened to me). Good Luck.

Definitely update the firmware. It makes a big difference in AF speed and accuracy.
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I think you are saying it's miss-focussing rather than a speed issue? Once mine latches on, wide open or with the EX-1.4, it is always correctly in focus. Your hardware must have a problem.

My issue is with slow to focus on fast moving objects, which is poor, but I believe normal, probably to be rectified with the E-3.
Cheers,
Don

I would agree with what other people have said. With one exception, I've never had a problem with the E-1/50-200mm combination locking focus in daylight. Not always on the desired object, but still locked. I rarely, if ever, have the side focus areas enabled (I truely can't understand the periodic feature requests for more focus areas), and you do need to have an edge (horizontal or vertical in the middle area, vertical in the side areas) that it can catch. The only time I've seen it have problems is with a repeated pattern (e.g. a venetian blind) in the focus area. So, it sounds like a hardware problem of some kind. Common causes that have been mentioned here are:

1) Pressing the lens release button while installing the lens, allowing it to twist too far and miss contacts.

2) A dust bunny above the focus screen interfering with the focus optics.

3) Dirty contacts.

4) A fault in the body.

5) A fault in the lens, if you have an early 50-200mm there may have been a design fault in the lens which made it possible for the front and back halves of the lens to come apart. That has happened to one or two people, and one might expect AF to suffer while this was in progress.

6) Also, these lenes are not constant focus zooms, if you focus and recompose with the zoom, you will probably be out of focus unless you have C-AF enabled, or release and repress the shutter. I'm still trying to train myself out of this.
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Pete

Hmmm. I suspect you may have a 'duff' unit. E1 may not be the fastest, but it has a reputation for being among the sharpest.

I have no issues with the AF, apart from when it wanders off because something has caught the attention of an AF sensor I don't want it to use!

Have you firstly updated the firmware to 1.4, and secondly, locked the focus to just a single AF point?

If that fails, then it's time to call on Oly under warranty to get it sorted out.
It's usually a reliable old clunker!

Tim
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http://catmangler.smugmug.com/

Have a look in my gallery at the F1 stuff?
It will latch onto VERY fast moving objects...
8^)
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