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sample of D60 front focus

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paulc

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http://www.pbase.com/image/3141938

I have seen that quite a few people do not believe there is a focusing issue with the D60, so I wanted to contribute this sample.

70-200 mm IS, on a tripod, with 420 EX flash, central focusing point selected. The test subject are magazine pages taped to a wall. the camera was angled to the right from the perpendicular position.

I pointed the central focus point onto the red marker on the test subject - looking at PS I do see that the marker is prerry much centered.

One thing I did wrong was not to have the camera in Av mode, it was left in manual at F4.5 from some other flash pics. I guess with Av at 2.8 the front focus effect would be more pronounced, but I see this as quite obvious as it is.

If there is anything I did wrong with this test setup, I would like to hear it.

Paul.
 
Definitely front-focuses there.

Can you try a ruler instead?

Like this?



Here's the deal. Mine won't front-focus with the ruler, but does with boxes set up. I bet it would do it with a setup like yours, too.

If you could confirm this (or not), it would help my understanding of the issue.

I suspect that the camera can focus on things with large enough contrast. But when the print is too small, it still locks focus, but just too far out in front.
PaulC said:
http://www.pbase.com/image/3141938

I have seen that quite a few people do not believe there is a
focusing issue with the D60, so I wanted to contribute this sample.

70-200 mm IS, on a tripod, with 420 EX flash, central focusing
point selected. The test subject are magazine pages taped to a
wall. the camera was angled to the right from the perpendicular
position.

I pointed the central focus point onto the red marker on the test
subject - looking at PS I do see that the marker is prerry much
centered.

One thing I did wrong was not to have the camera in Av mode, it was
left in manual at F4.5 from some other flash pics. I guess with Av
at 2.8 the front focus effect would be more pronounced, but I see
this as quite obvious as it is.

If there is anything I did wrong with this test setup, I would like
to hear it.

Paul.
Click to expand...
--
The Unofficial Photographer of The Wilkinsons
http://thewilkinsons.crosswinds.net
Photography -- just another word for compromise
 
what aperture you have set when shooting is irrelevent. your camera always focuses with your lens wide open, unless you are trying to focus with the depth of field button pressed.

please keep in mind that some 2.8 lenses are awful soft at 2.8, mainly the zooms. the only two lenses in the canon system that are tack sharp wide open are the 300 2.8L and the 135 2.8L.

i'd like to see front focusing in the real world, not on stuff taped to the wall with poor white balancing :P
PaulC said:
http://www.pbase.com/image/3141938

I have seen that quite a few people do not believe there is a
focusing issue with the D60, so I wanted to contribute this sample.

70-200 mm IS, on a tripod, with 420 EX flash, central focusing
point selected. The test subject are magazine pages taped to a
wall. the camera was angled to the right from the perpendicular
position.

I pointed the central focus point onto the red marker on the test
subject - looking at PS I do see that the marker is prerry much
centered.

One thing I did wrong was not to have the camera in Av mode, it was
left in manual at F4.5 from some other flash pics. I guess with Av
at 2.8 the front focus effect would be more pronounced, but I see
this as quite obvious as it is.

If there is anything I did wrong with this test setup, I would like
to hear it.

Paul.
Click to expand...
 
What he's saying is that the front-focusing would've been more pronounced had he shot at f/2.8
Jeff Graeber said:
what aperture you have set when shooting is irrelevent. your camera
always focuses with your lens wide open, unless you are trying to
focus with the depth of field button pressed.
Click to expand...
--
The Unofficial Photographer of The Wilkinsons
http://thewilkinsons.crosswinds.net
Photography -- just another word for compromise
 
When you go to his site, click on the ORIGINAL size.

It's clear that the focus is on the RIGHT side of the magazine. Even though he focused on the middle.

Remember, the camera is set at an angle to the magazine, such that the right side (as seen in the pic) is nearer to the lens than the left side.
Anthony said:
Looks more "out of focus" rather than short focus.

Try setting a few objects an inch apart, and redo the test.
Click to expand...
--
The Unofficial Photographer of The Wilkinsons
http://thewilkinsons.crosswinds.net
Photography -- just another word for compromise
 
Just an idea. I do not have my D60 yet (come on Calumet UK get your finger out!!) so do not know much about it. However, that does look like it used the right focusing point rather than the centre one to focus with. Is this the cause of this rear/front focusing - that in some circumstances it thinks the right/left is the centre? Can you choose the left focusing point and repeat the test? Do the same with the right one.

LCD
 
Good idea, but I don't think that's it. Mine will focus OK sometimes (if there's enough contrast, and the contrasty stuff (letters) is large enough.

Otherwise, it just wants to front-focus.

I suspect that's the case here, too.
LCD said:
Just an idea. I do not have my D60 yet (come on Calumet UK get your
finger out!!) so do not know much about it. However, that does look
like it used the right focusing point rather than the centre one to
focus with. Is this the cause of this rear/front focusing - that in
some circumstances it thinks the right/left is the centre? Can you
choose the left focusing point and repeat the test? Do the same
with the right one.

LCD
Click to expand...
--
The Unofficial Photographer of The Wilkinsons
http://thewilkinsons.crosswinds.net
Photography -- just another word for compromise
 
Sheesh, this makes TWICE today I post and the database goes haywire.

Good idea, but I don't think that's it. Mine will focus OK sometimes (if there's enough contrast, and the contrasty stuff (letters) is large enough.

Otherwise, it just wants to front-focus.

I suspect that's the case here, too.

--
The Unofficial Photographer of The Wilkinsons
http://thewilkinsons.crosswinds.net
Photography -- just another word for compromise
 
Hi David

Do you have the new firmware installed? If not, I wonder what effect it will have on this? Might be worth a try.

LCD
 
Mine's a 1D, not a D60. And, yes, I have the latest firmware. I've even sent it back to Canon once for front-focusing.

This is gonna be very useful, though.

If I can show front-focusing using the magazine, yet no front-focusing using the ruler, then maybe it'll be more obvious to them what's happening.

I'm gonna mount the ruler above the magazine. Then focus on the magazine. Then raise the tripod and focus on the ruler. Then see the differences.
LCD said:
Do you have the new firmware installed? If not, I wonder what
effect it will have on this? Might be worth a try.
Click to expand...
--
The Unofficial Photographer of The Wilkinsons
http://thewilkinsons.crosswinds.net
Photography -- just another word for compromise
 
LCD said:
Just an idea. I do not have my D60 yet (come on Calumet UK get your
finger out!!) so do not know much about it. However, that does look
like it used the right focusing point rather than the centre one to
focus with. Is this the cause of this rear/front focusing - that in
some circumstances it thinks the right/left is the centre? Can you
choose the left focusing point and repeat the test? Do the same
with the right one.

LCD
Click to expand...
I have done that - I have selected right focusing point, and the right edge of the picture is in focus. Similarly with left focusing point - the center will be in focus - this is, of course, with my test setup where I moved the camera to the right of the perpendicular line, so that "things" to the right are closer.

Paul.
 
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