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Focusing at Infinity

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Jon Gilmore

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I have read the discussion on infinity focusing. If you want to use the aperture setting or the manual setting and take pictures of fireworks, how can you get the camera to focus sharply in a simple way? Or, is there no simple way to do it? When you click the shutter doesn't the camera attempt to refocus?
--
Jon
 
Jon,

Here is one technique for focusing an S602 at infinity:

1. Set mode to SP/Landscape
2. Set focus to manual
3. Cover the lens

4. Press Quick Focus button (in center of MF/AF lever). Note that the !AF warning (AF failure) appears briefly
5. Uncover lens
6. Switch to whatever mode you wish to shoot in.
7. Make settings as appropriate
8. Shoot

As the camera is still in manual focus, the camera will not attempt to refocus when you shoot.

Regards,

Doug Kerr
 
Thanks Doug. I will have to try it. This forum is really helpful and I thank all who post good tips.

Jon
Doug Kerr said:
Jon,

Here is one technique for focusing an S602 at infinity:

1. Set mode to SP/Landscape
2. Set focus to manual
3. Cover the lens
4. Press Quick Focus button (in center of MF/AF lever). Note that
the !AF warning (AF failure) appears briefly
5. Uncover lens
6. Switch to whatever mode you wish to shoot in.
7. Make settings as appropriate
8. Shoot

As the camera is still in manual focus, the camera will not attempt
to refocus when you shoot.

Regards,

Doug Kerr
Click to expand...
--
Jon
 
Easy,

First burst, point camara at burst in manual focus and press the one time focus button.

Morris
Jon Gilmore said:
I have read the discussion on infinity focusing. If you want to use
the aperture setting or the manual setting and take pictures of
fireworks, how can you get the camera to focus sharply in a simple
way? Or, is there no simple way to do it? When you click the
shutter doesn't the camera attempt to refocus?
--
Jon
Click to expand...
 
I am sorry, Morris, but where is the "one time focus button". By the way, I liked your fireworks photos.

Jon
morris said:
First burst, point camara at burst in manual focus and press the
one time focus button.

Morris
Jon Gilmore said:
I have read the discussion on infinity focusing. If you want to use
the aperture setting or the manual setting and take pictures of
fireworks, how can you get the camera to focus sharply in a simple
way? Or, is there no simple way to do it? When you click the
shutter doesn't the camera attempt to refocus?
--
Jon
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
--
Jon
 
morris,

I assume you mean this as "focus on the fireworks" as distinct from "focus on infinity". (Of course there is probably no practical difference.)

Certainly makes sense, assuming focus can be achieved on the burst, which I suppose is not a problem.

Doug Kerr
 
If I understand you correctly, this would work for any situation in which you needed to keep the focus at a far distance.

Jon
morris said:
First burst, point camara at burst in manual focus and press the
one time focus button.

Morris
Jon Gilmore said:
I have read the discussion on infinity focusing. If you want to use
the aperture setting or the manual setting and take pictures of
fireworks, how can you get the camera to focus sharply in a simple
way? Or, is there no simple way to do it? When you click the
shutter doesn't the camera attempt to refocus?
--
Jon
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
--
Jon
 
jon,

No, what morris said will work in any situation in which you wanted to focus on a focusable subject and then hold that focus for subsequent shots. It will not gurantee focus at an arbitrarily-far distance unless there is a focusable subject at such a distance (likely true for your fireworks).

The more complex procedure I described will assure focus at an arbitrarily far distance, regardless of whether there is an available focusable subject at such a distance.

Doug Kerr
 
Doug Kerr said:
jon,

No, what morris said will work in any situation in which you wanted
to focus on a focusable subject and then hold that focus for
subsequent shots. It will not gurantee focus at an arbitrarily-far
distance unless there is a focusable subject at such a distance
(likely true for your fireworks).

The more complex procedure I described will assure focus at an
arbitrarily far distance, regardless of whether there is an
available focusable subject at such a distance.

Doug Kerr
Click to expand...
Doug's method works for fireworks, see my gallery below for examples.

--
Jesse B

Have a look at my photos at
http://bellsouthpwp.net/j/b/jbdc2b/gallery.html
and feel free to comment and/or criticize :)
 
Jesse B said:
Doug Kerr said:
jon,

No, what morris said will work in any situation in which you wanted
to focus on a focusable subject and then hold that focus for
subsequent shots. It will not gurantee focus at an arbitrarily-far
distance unless there is a focusable subject at such a distance
(likely true for your fireworks).

The more complex procedure I described will assure focus at an
arbitrarily far distance, regardless of whether there is an
available focusable subject at such a distance.

Doug Kerr
Click to expand...
Doug's method works for fireworks, see my gallery below for examples.

--
Jesse B

Have a look at my photos at
http://bellsouthpwp.net/j/b/jbdc2b/gallery.html
and feel free to comment and/or criticize :)
Click to expand...
Piqued my interest just ran out and tried this tonight. Tried the quick focus button. And then used focus ring to get smallest flare. Then manual exposure guessing after P mode called for too long an exposure and got all bloom. I can see what I'll be playing with the next couple of nights. And we have a rodeo in town but it will be under lights except Sunday at 6:00 PM so maybe I'll try some action shots on that!

http://www.pbase.com/image/18936181
 
Thank uyou Jon. Dough corected the name and pointed you to it.

Morris
Jon Gilmore said:
Jon
morris said:
First burst, point camara at burst in manual focus and press the
one time focus button.

Morris
Jon Gilmore said:
I have read the discussion on infinity focusing. If you want to use
the aperture setting or the manual setting and take pictures of
fireworks, how can you get the camera to focus sharply in a simple
way? Or, is there no simple way to do it? When you click the
shutter doesn't the camera attempt to refocus?
--
Jon
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
--
Jon
Click to expand...
 
Yes my method focuses on the fireworks which is not infinity if you are close, but the subject is the fireworks so it works fine. A tipical firework burst lasts at least 5 seconds so the camara has plenty of time to focus.

Morris
Doug Kerr said:
morris,

I assume you mean this as "focus on the fireworks" as distinct from
"focus on infinity". (Of course there is probably no practical
difference.)

Certainly makes sense, assuming focus can be achieved on the burst,
which I suppose is not a problem.

Doug Kerr
Click to expand...
 
Doug Kerr said:
Jon,

Here is one technique for focusing an S602 at infinity:

1. Set mode to SP/Landscape
2. Set focus to manual
3. Cover the lens
4. Press Quick Focus button (in center of MF/AF lever). Note that
the !AF warning (AF failure) appears briefly
5. Uncover lens
6. Switch to whatever mode you wish to shoot in.
7. Make settings as appropriate
8. Shoot

As the camera is still in manual focus, the camera will not attempt
to refocus when you shoot.

Regards,

Doug Kerr
Click to expand...
Doug,

as far as I know the 602 does not stay in focus when you change the focal length. So IMO your method works fine as long you don't hit the zoom buttons afterwards. That could be a problem if the frame wasn't proper before the landscape/infinity trick.

What do you think?

Regards
Lothman
 
OK, now I can go sit in the corner and feel inadequate! Very nice pix! My attempts (after 3 days of owning the s602) pale in comparison. Nice work, It will give me something to shoot for ;-)
fujicamfan
Jesse B said:
Have a look at my photos at
http://bellsouthpwp.net/j/b/jbdc2b/gallery.html
and feel free to comment and/or criticize :)
Click to expand...
--
--Now where did I put that extra set of batteries?
 
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