Focus Test on 10d

Guys i need help,

I have bought a new eos 10d, and it is my first SLR EVER not only first DSLR, i paid much for this toy (like the rest of you) and i keep on reading about the focusing problems in the 10d, how can i test mine???

Thanks

Set the focus point to the center spot, and start taking pictures. WHen you 'develop' the images if you feel the camera isn't focusing on the spot you chose (don't use recomposing technique, BTW), search for 10D and test and you'll find quite a few topics to then follow up on.

--
...Bob, NYC

Take "real life" photographs and then decide if further "testing" is needed. Never "tested" mine and don't intend to.

Bob Tullis said:

Set the focus point to the center spot, and start taking pictures.
WHen you 'develop' the images if you feel the camera isn't focusing
on the spot you chose (don't use recomposing technique, BTW),
search for 10D and test and you'll find quite a few topics to then
follow up on.

--
...Bob, NYC

Click to expand...

--
Please visit me at:
http://www.caughtintimephotography.com

Read the manual carefully. There was a lot changed. You need to select your preferred point, and learn how to set it.

Then take a ton of pictures.

...how do you focus on the spot you choose if you use the centre spot but don't use the recomposing technique? I wish I could avoid the recomposing because I think my subjects or I move a bit in between focusing and capture which sometimes results in missed focus, but I'm trying to get into the habit of doing this faster - focus on the eye, recompose, shoot. It was never a problem with my G2 with its huge DOF, but with the 10D it's another story.

Michael

Bob Tullis said:

Set the focus point to the center spot, and start taking pictures.
WHen you 'develop' the images if you feel the camera isn't focusing
on the spot you chose (don't use recomposing technique, BTW),
search for 10D and test and you'll find quite a few topics to then
follow up on.

--
...Bob, NYC

Click to expand...

--
10D, Sigma 28-70 EX; G2
http://www.morpheusmultimedia.com/gallery

I "tested" mine damn near to death (and used up all that precious time on TESTS, instead of out shooting). Almost convinced myself to HATE the thing.

Then I went out and SHOT PICTURES with it. Back "in love" again...

Rick

RTFM, and learn how an SLR works, and how SLR photography differs from P&S photography.

Melanie Kipp said:

Bob Tullis said:

Set the focus point to the center spot, and start taking pictures.
WHen you 'develop' the images if you feel the camera isn't focusing
on the spot you chose (don't use recomposing technique, BTW),
search for 10D and test and you'll find quite a few topics to then
follow up on.

--
...Bob, NYC

Click to expand...

--
Please visit me at:
http://www.caughtintimephotography.com

Click to expand...

You can do the same thing with the 10D. You just need to understand its limitations. With the decreased depth of field ( which actually makes for a better picture) of the wider apertures you could use aperture priority mode and select a higher aperture for greater DOF. Or use auto DOF and let the 10D try to make everything in focus.

Note: the cheaper standard zooms have a smaller aperture than the "L" lenses everyone raves about. If you were happy with the large DOF of the G2 then you should consider saving your money and buying the standard Canon lenses.

Take advantage of the cheap memory and the speed of the 10D and shoots lots of pictures. experiment and see what works for you. One day the light will come on and you will find what images suit you the best.

Wally

Mickey said:

Michael

Bob Tullis said:

Set the focus point to the center spot, and start taking pictures.
WHen you 'develop' the images if you feel the camera isn't focusing
on the spot you chose (don't use recomposing technique, BTW),
search for 10D and test and you'll find quite a few topics to then
follow up on.

--
...Bob, NYC

Click to expand...

--
10D, Sigma 28-70 EX; G2
http://www.morpheusmultimedia.com/gallery

Click to expand...

Antoine Khater said:

Guys i need help,

I have bought a new eos 10d, and it is my first SLR EVER not only
first DSLR, i paid much for this toy (like the rest of you) and i
keep on reading about the focusing problems in the 10d, how can i
test mine???

Thanks

Click to expand...

I'm only slightly ahead of you. I've found some inconsistent results with my 10d. Some images seem spot on. But many seem just barely OOF - it would be easy if they were grossly OOF as some here have experienced. At first I thought it must just be the "softness" characteristic of 10d images, but I found sharpening the infocus images yields great results while sharpening a just barely OOF image does not help. In some cases I thought I detected a sllight front focus and others a slight back focus. That lead me to this:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1019&message=5390072

So I have some more testing to do - it isn't that easy to understand what is going on with these camera/lens combinations. I would suggest you do as has been recommended and try it out for awhile first, then if you start to suspect something then dig a little deeper. Cindy

--
CindyD or SarahD
If one of us is laughing, and the other one isn't, one of us must be wrong...

WallyN said:

You can do the same thing with the 10D. You just need to understand
its limitations. With the decreased depth of field ( which actually
makes for a better picture) of the wider apertures you could use
aperture priority mode and select a higher aperture for greater
DOF. Or use auto DOF and let the 10D try to make everything in
focus.

Note: the cheaper standard zooms have a smaller aperture than the
"L" lenses everyone raves about. If you were happy with the large
DOF of the G2 then you should consider saving your money and buying
the standard Canon lenses.

Take advantage of the cheap memory and the speed of the 10D and
shoots lots of pictures. experiment and see what works for you. One
day the light will come on and you will find what images suit you
the best.

Wally

Click to expand...

if I may add one more thing... DON'T use AI FOCUS mode. If you do, you might end up with more out of focus shots. In this mode, the camera is normally in ONE SHOT focus mode but it stands ready to switch to AI SERVO mode if subject movement is detected. When you move the camera to compose the shot, this is often mistaken for subject movement and the camera attempts to "track" it and will refocus. When I first got my 10D, I got bit by that bugaboo. I only use the center focus point and I happened to hear the lens motor refocusing when I composed my shot.

Mickey said:

...how do you focus on the spot you choose if you use the centre
spot but don't use the recomposing technique? I wish I could avoid

Click to expand...

I only meant not to recompose for the test shots (still-life type shots). This way when you load the images into the Canon RAW software (or Breezebrowser, etc.), you can enable the autofocus point display to show where you actually focused, as opposed to what was in focus. Once you are happy and more familiar, go ahead with whatever techniques you would normally employ.

Coming from an EOS-1D, I was very confused with my early model 10D with regard to the autofocus. It was maddenning. But from the more rational 10D/AF discussions read here in recent weeks, I've learned to give the AF point some leeway, and not to expect 1D performance . That the AF is less reliable than my F707 isn't as disturbing, because I'm better now at determining what will AF well, and what might require MF instead.

Also, I believe I might have had some dust on the AF sensors (if that's what I'm seeing inside the lens mount). I could just THINK it has improved, but after blowing that out the AF seems to be a tad better.

Anyway, that you have a latter production run 10D should be encouraging.

Mickey64564 said:

http://www.morpheusmultimedia.com/gallery

Click to expand...

Very nice images.

--
...Bob, NYC

Ms. Kipp!

Looking at the pictures that you post and comparing them with his/her own is motivation for driving anyone to go search for a ruler and/or test chart. ;-)

Marq

Melanie Kipp said:

Bob Tullis said:

Set the focus point to the center spot, and start taking pictures.
WHen you 'develop' the images if you feel the camera isn't focusing
on the spot you chose (don't use recomposing technique, BTW),
search for 10D and test and you'll find quite a few topics to then
follow up on.

--
...Bob, NYC

Click to expand...

--
Please visit me at:
http://www.caughtintimephotography.com

Click to expand...

--
MSChecan