Focus issue solved

Brian Wadie · Oct 31, 2003

Doug Kerr said:
Doug Kerr said:

I don't think it has anything to do with image processing. It would

Click to expand...

seem to be some problem that affect focsuing, which is a wholly
different area of software function.

Best regards,

Doug

Doug, you could be right, I was just working back to the most basic element that software could affect and it seemed to me that picking the charge information of the individual CMOS sensors was the place to start. If that information was mis-read or mis-handled then you could end up with an out of focus image regardless of what was happening at the lens end.

The focus mis-handling jprocess ust seemed to involve more steps and I'm a great believer in the fact that "Murphy" always attacks the simplest thing which will casue maximum foul-ups!

I just hope it is a solution we have found and that we are not all suffering "group delusion syndrome" (or kidding ourselves as it is more commonly known!)

Brian

Tau · Oct 31, 2003

Indoor, with bad light, wide open at 1.8, using center focuspoint, the sharpness of a subject at about 2 meter distance is sometimes not so good, no improvement after a reset of the parameters. However I made nice pictures with a little bit more light indoors, and still much better than my 5MP camera before. Sometimes I missed focus, don't know why. Perhaps should try MF for some time.

Jack.

ToddAP said:
I wonder if this could fix problems with front focus?

--
Todd Putman
http://www.dataserv.net/~toddp/gallery

Ed Warburton · Oct 31, 2003

Sorry, but i can't find the reset feature. Where is it in the menu?

photobob said:
Doug Kerr said:

photobob said:

Much has been said about the "reset all" with these cameras. The
final word on it seemed to be that it was, is, a myth.

Click to expand...

Where and how was that conclusion reached?

Obviouly not the last word, as we have had a lot of words on it today.

photobob said:

I still
contend focusing issues are all lens related.

Click to expand...

What a concept. Much more likely than being shutter related, for
example.

photobob said:

Lenses without smooth
working focusing motors will not fall to the most accurate focusing
point every time.

Click to expand...

Dunno. Don't know how the focusing servo system works.

Best regards,

Doug

Click to expand...

photobob · Oct 31, 2003

Ed Warburton said:
Sorry, but i can't find the reset feature. Where is it in the menu?

Last menu icon on top, 4th item down:

Clear all camera settings.

TXFireball · Oct 31, 2003

I emailed canon about the underexposure of the flash. This is what they told me to do. Evidently it applies to focus also:

"try resetting the camera. Set all Custom Functions to the default position. Take battery out of the camera, let the camera sit for 15-20 minutes. This should reset the memory. Replace battery and with a dry cloth clean the lens and camera contacts, to get a full connection."

Colin Eve said:
So this is a software issue? Are canon aware of the problem and
the fix (temporary)?

Colin
UK

Alexey · Oct 31, 2003

marcogoni said:
I did a rapid search finding nothing, so I post this.

I have used my 300d for two weeks and after reading a lot of
postings on this subject I tried the "focus test".

I shot in RAW at full aperture with a tripod and used the timed
shutter release.
I chose 5 subjects like newspapers, books very small writings and
shot them twice, one time with AI focus and the other with manual
focus.

The result was: my camera focussed always slightly bad compared to
the manual picture.

I came through the nice site of Roger Cavanagh
http://www.rogercavanagh.com , and I found a trick that appears to
have worked with the EOS 10D:
http://www.rogercavanagh.com/helpinfo/17_10D_reset.htm

The corresponding menu in the 300D is "Reset all camera settings"
The result was good for me too.

Now I cannot distinguish AI from manual focus pictures.

Hope it will be useful for you too.

marco

Doug Kerr · Oct 31, 2003

Nancy,

Well damn, you asked and they told you! Certainly lends creibility to the matters being reported in tbis thread, doesn't it!.

Thanks so much for passing this on.

Best regards,

Doug

Yu-Lin Chan · Oct 31, 2003

I just tried it with my Canon 75-300, which always gave me soft pictures even at 1/1000 sec shutter speed and above. I mounted the lens, and did the reset. I took some pictures at 1/50, 1/80, and 1/125 which came out better than previously taken at 1/1000 or faster. From now on, whenever I change lenses, I will do a reset just in case. This is one of the best discoveries on the 300D.

Alexey said:
marcogoni said:

I did a rapid search finding nothing, so I post this.

I have used my 300d for two weeks and after reading a lot of
postings on this subject I tried the "focus test".

I shot in RAW at full aperture with a tripod and used the timed
shutter release.
I chose 5 subjects like newspapers, books very small writings and
shot them twice, one time with AI focus and the other with manual
focus.

The result was: my camera focussed always slightly bad compared to
the manual picture.

I came through the nice site of Roger Cavanagh
http://www.rogercavanagh.com , and I found a trick that appears to
have worked with the EOS 10D:
http://www.rogercavanagh.com/helpinfo/17_10D_reset.htm

The corresponding menu in the 300D is "Reset all camera settings"
The result was good for me too.

Now I cannot distinguish AI from manual focus pictures.

Hope it will be useful for you too.

marco

Click to expand...

d_ip · Oct 31, 2003

Bookmark

--
http://shahed.smugmug.com

Peter Henry · Oct 31, 2003

Yu-Lin Chan said:
I just tried it with my Canon 75-300, which always gave me soft
pictures even at 1/1000 sec shutter speed and above. I mounted the
lens, and did the reset. I took some pictures at 1/50, 1/80, and
1/125 which came out better than previously taken at 1/1000 or
faster. From now on, whenever I change lenses, I will do a reset
just in case. This is one of the best discoveries on the 300D.

Croid, I've heard it all now.. I have to 'reboot my digital camera' lol.

I had to do the reset thing to get rid of a munged Custom WB and discovered this little trick by accident.. I didn't realise at the time that it might have been the reset that done do the deed..

Cool.. reboot a camera.. chuckles... But hey, if it works, I'll do a jig..

Max Leung · Oct 31, 2003

I was thinking the same thing...it may be why I originally saw a difference between the 420EX and the internal flash. After the 1.1.1 update, it seems the difference is lesser now (the Canon 420EX used to be almost 1/2 stop underexposed in comparison). Now they seem equal.

I just did a reset now, and my Sigma EF-500 Super clone is now +2/3 EV more than the internal flash. It was +1.0 EV before.

Strange. It's probably just slightly different lighting conditions. But there is a difference...I just can't be sure it is a result of the reset.

Doug Kerr said:
I hate to even bring this up, but while we are talking about the
supernatural, does anybody see any difference in flash exposure
(onboard or external) after the general reset?

A related question is does anybody who upgraded the firmware to
1.1.1 find that their settings were put back to the defaults? I
didn't pay any attention.

Best regards,

Doug

Bo Joergensen · Nov 1, 2003

a comment/explanation about this trick from Canon Inc. please!!!!

Peter Henry said:
Yu-Lin Chan said:

I just tried it with my Canon 75-300, which always gave me soft
pictures even at 1/1000 sec shutter speed and above. I mounted the
lens, and did the reset. I took some pictures at 1/50, 1/80, and
1/125 which came out better than previously taken at 1/1000 or
faster. From now on, whenever I change lenses, I will do a reset
just in case. This is one of the best discoveries on the 300D.

Click to expand...

Croid, I've heard it all now.. I have to 'reboot my digital camera'
lol.

I had to do the reset thing to get rid of a munged Custom WB and
discovered this little trick by accident.. I didn't realise at the
time that it might have been the reset that done do the deed..

Cool.. reboot a camera.. chuckles... But hey, if it works, I'll do
a jig..

--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Playground:
http://www.visuelweb.dk/galleri.htm
http://bo.joergensen3.person.emu.dk

Brian Wadie · Nov 1, 2003

Peter Henry said:
Croid, I've heard it all now.. I have to 'reboot my digital camera'
lol.

I had to do the reset thing to get rid of a munged Custom WB and
discovered this little trick by accident.. I didn't realise at the
time that it might have been the reset that done do the deed..

Cool.. reboot a camera.. chuckles... But hey, if it works, I'll do
a jig..

Peter, maybe we shouldn't be suprised, it more a mind set thing.

What we have is a computer attached to a lens, not a classical "Camera".

If you think about it from this point of view then many of the things noted here follow?

It is after all why we can download software / firmware upgrades etc. so the other computer benefits and shortcomings perhaps ought to be accepted as well?

Mind you, I hadn't thought about my digital camera in thisway until this posting started.

Brian

DarrenM · Nov 1, 2003

Thanks for posting this gem. I've taken about 40 shots of the moon since I got the camera and the before shot here is the sharpest one I'd taken so far. Then I read your post. Wow.

100% crops

marcogoni said:
I did a rapid search finding nothing, so I post this.

I have used my 300d for two weeks and after reading a lot of
postings on this subject I tried the "focus test".

I shot in RAW at full aperture with a tripod and used the timed
shutter release.
I chose 5 subjects like newspapers, books very small writings and
shot them twice, one time with AI focus and the other with manual
focus.

The result was: my camera focussed always slightly bad compared to
the manual picture.

I came through the nice site of Roger Cavanagh
http://www.rogercavanagh.com , and I found a trick that appears to
have worked with the EOS 10D:
http://www.rogercavanagh.com/helpinfo/17_10D_reset.htm

The corresponding menu in the 300D is "Reset all camera settings"
The result was good for me too.

Now I cannot distinguish AI from manual focus pictures.

Hope it will be useful for you too.

marco

Dave Lewis · Nov 1, 2003

Doug Kerr said:
Doug Kerr said:

Much has been said about the "reset all" with these cameras. The
final word on it seemed to be that it was, is, a myth.

Click to expand...

Where and how was that conclusion reached?

Obviouly not the last word, as we have had a lot of words on it today.

Doug Kerr said:

I still
contend focusing issues are all lens related.

Click to expand...

What a concept. Much more likely than being shutter related, for
example.

Doug Kerr said:

Lenses without smooth
working focusing motors will not fall to the most accurate focusing
point every time.

Click to expand...

Dunno. Don't know how the focusing servo system works.

Best regards,

Doug

The "reset fix" was all the rave back in the first month or so after the 10D came out. Folks demanded that it cured all their focusing problems. Then lots of folks began trying it with little change. I vaguely remember something difinitive arrived at on the issue back then too, but it is all in the "recent distant past," (G) and I honestly don't remember it all that well. I never perceived that I had any focusing problems, beyond troublesome lenses, so never tried it with my camera.

I agree with you that probably most focusing problems are shutter related - due to slow shutter speed and resulting camera shake softness.

My contention that focusing issues are lens related is just conjecture too, as you suggest. With the jerky focusing motors of the Sigma lenses I've been trying of late, it is unreasonable to presume that the lens rotation comes to rest at exactly the right spot every time given the total lack of smoothness in it all. But, I don't know how they work either. Some do seem to work better than others, though.

It surely must be remembered that topics such as these are nothing but conjecture and your shot at is as good as mine any day.
--
Dave Lewis

John P. · Nov 1, 2003

Thanks!

marcogoni said:
I did a rapid search finding nothing, so I post this.

I have used my 300d for two weeks and after reading a lot of
postings on this subject I tried the "focus test".

I shot in RAW at full aperture with a tripod and used the timed
shutter release.
I chose 5 subjects like newspapers, books very small writings and
shot them twice, one time with AI focus and the other with manual
focus.

The result was: my camera focussed always slightly bad compared to
the manual picture.

I came through the nice site of Roger Cavanagh
http://www.rogercavanagh.com , and I found a trick that appears to
have worked with the EOS 10D:
http://www.rogercavanagh.com/helpinfo/17_10D_reset.htm

The corresponding menu in the 300D is "Reset all camera settings"
The result was good for me too.

Now I cannot distinguish AI from manual focus pictures.

Hope it will be useful for you too.

marco

Dave Lewis · Nov 1, 2003

I've not had focusing problems with many lenses. The Sigma ones I've been trying the last few days have had jerky focusing that lands in the wrong place much of the time, but beyond that, I've experienced few focusing problems.

--
Dave Lewis

Dave Lewis · Nov 1, 2003

Doug Kerr said:
AndyGeorgetown said:

"Clear all camera settings" is the same as "Reset all camera
settings".

Click to expand...

I'm sure that's what is being spoken of.

Best regards,

Doug

I think it's called "reset all" in the 10D and that is where that came from. It is "clear all" in the Rebel D. I've done it a bunch of times in all my cameras with no apparent change to anything other than the things that I had to go back and fix, like center focusing point selection.
--
Dave Lewis

Dave Lewis · Nov 1, 2003

Doug Kerr said:
Nancy,

Well damn, you asked and they told you! Certainly lends creibility
to the matters being reported in tbis thread, doesn't it!.

Thanks so much for passing this on.

Best regards,

Doug

Hmm, I'm skeptical, though. Sounds like a last ditch effort on the part of Canon to solve any glitches they or the user might have injected into the muck. We do the same thing with these computers, though. A restart usually sets everything straight. In the case of a Mac, a pram reset often restores complete function. I would think it would only be logical to try that as a last resort, or perhaps a first resort, before declaring disaster.

I would place much more faith in the battey out for twenty minutes than the simple "clear all" reset, though. Actually it leaves many settings intact. I would want an action that gets you back to the absolute beginning. Taking the memory battery out is good. It puts the camera back to the point that you have to reset the clock, but it leaves some settings in place like the focusing point settings, and parameter settings. I guess that is why they suggest leaving the battery out for an extended period.

Bottom line, we just don't know. We are shooting in the dark as is Canon too, probably. Remember the advice you are getting from them comes from folks after the fact who have really had no hand in building the code or the mechanical wonder it controls. They are probably contact people who have a data base to read from and not much beyond that. With every call for tech support at any computer related company, I've made, the guy you are talking to sits in front of a computer monitor with access to the tech data base. He simply works the data base and feeds it back to you. Probably most of them are only as keen as their abilities to work the data base. I wouldn't doubt that that is how the response from Canon came along.

Yes, skeptical of it all, but hopeful like everyone too.
--
Dave Lewis

Dave Lewis · Nov 1, 2003

jordan bortz said:
I tried this an although AF seemed a bit faster with the 1.8, it
was still dodgy at f1.8

Don't you think that's a lens softness at full open issue rather than a focusing issue. I have that lens and the f1.4 and both are very soft full open. At f2.8 they are nice and sharp.
--
Dave Lewis

Focus issue solved

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