Reading mode: Light Dark

Focus Issue - O-M1

Go to last post
Danielepaolo

Danielepaolo

Veteran Member
Messages
4,641
Solutions
3
Reaction score
289
Location
Melbourne, AU
Hi,

Having issues with O-M1 and 100-400mm lens I am playing with - first time using it - belongs to someone else. Irrespective of FL every shot is out of focus. I am sure it is a setting issue.

On half press and holding shutter button the image looks crisp in the viewfinder but when I do full press there is a pause whilst camera reacquires focus and then locks on again. Seems odd behaviour, not sure why there is a delay and whether there is a setting causing it.

Shot attached in case someone can see what I am doing wrong. I initially acquired focus on the flower head in the top centre of the image but looks like focus is shifted to the back.

Camera owner's photos on the SD card look ok but I can't ask him about it - not available..



39bb239b04a3479f9a8c43180e28b72f.jpg
 
Last edited:
SAF mode, single focus point on the center should focus there and focus should not change unless you release the half press before fully pressing the shutter button. Once focus is locked, the camera will only refocus if you release the half press.

CAF mode will continue focusing up to the point of exposure, so if you use CAF mode and there is any movement in the camera (or the target if it is moving), the camera will refocus and focus on the thing the focus point when the image is exposed.
 
You’re shooting at 400mm. Depth of field will be thin, so movement will cause focus problems.

Take the camera inside, set it on something solid, aim it at something stationary, and see if it can take an in-focus picture. Don’t waste your time outdoors or handholding until it can. Check the location of your focus point to ensure you're setting it where you think you are.

If the lens isn’t achieving correct focus under the above conditions, it’s possible you might need to input a focus adjustment to the body, or you might need to remove one that is already in place and messing things up.
 
And within that razor thin space the leaves in your example photo are in focus...
 
drj3 said:
SAF mode, single focus point on the center should focus there and focus should not change unless you release the half press before fully pressing the shutter button. Once focus is locked, the camera will only refocus if you release the half press.

CAF mode will continue focusing up to the point of exposure, so if you use CAF mode and there is any movement in the camera (or the target if it is moving), the camera will refocus and focus on the thing the focus point when the image is exposed.
Click to expand...
It is in SAF mode. I expected it to behave the way you describe.

CAF is greyed out on the menu so couldn't select it anyway.

Ah. Got it. CAF is greyed out because focus bracketing is on. When I look on the camera it is showing me the last shot. On the card I didn't realise there are 15 shots per bracket and the first is good. I did check that page and I swear it was off but I think I changed from C3 to C1 not realising bracketing was on.

Thanks. Your reply helped me find the answer







d4bd3f2dd4484f2ba9592b989d57fa1a.jpg



--
Apologies if my lack of photographic knowledge is catching.
 
grsnovi said:
And within that razor thin space the leaves in your example photo are in focus...
Click to expand...
Sure. I acknowledged that focus was in the back. Problem is focus bracketing was on so on the camera and in my image viewer I was looking at first photo in the bracket.
 
Glad you sorted it out.

There's an indicator in the display (both rear panel and EVF) to indicate focus stacking or bracketing is on.

This is one of those cases where a pic of the camera display would have been more helpful than a photo from the camera.
 
This camera is just too fast, whith a 'normal' camera you would surely have noticed 15 images were taken.

What was OMDS thinking? 😁
 
Will Rose said:
Glad you sorted it out.

There's an indicator in the display (both rear panel and EVF) to indicate focus stacking or bracketing is on.

This is one of those cases where a pic of the camera display would have been more helpful than a photo from the camera.
Click to expand...
Agreed, particularly as i was thinking it was a setting. There is a lot of info on the EVF but I will have a look

The (minor) issue I have is with the in camera review. Why is it showing me the most back focused shot (I think is the first shot)? Maybe it should show the focused shot (the last shot). Wouldnt help if you deliberately front focused i guess.

I need to get use to this camera.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for helping with such a silly oversight on my part.

Hopefully some photos are just compensation for the handholding.

Purple swamphen
Purple swamphen



Hoary headed Grebe (I think)
Hoary headed Grebe (I think)

Masked lapwing
Masked lapwing



--
Apologies if my lack of photographic knowledge is catching.
 
Moving to OM-1 I found the focus point display much harder to see in the viewfinder compared to the E-M1 series, in addition to the vast increase in focus points. Find it is not hard to misread where focus is occurring with the new scheme, especially in complicated settings and dim light. Practice has helped tame focus errors, and the Workspace focus point tool is also helpful reviewing misfocused shots.

Also, it's easy to shift the focus frame with the joystick; sometimes I disable it when shooting on the go.

Cheers,

Rick
 
Danielepaolo said:
Will Rose said:
Glad you sorted it out.

There's an indicator in the display (both rear panel and EVF) to indicate focus stacking or bracketing is on.

This is one of those cases where a pic of the camera display would have been more helpful than a photo from the camera.
Click to expand...
Agreed, particularly as i was thinking it was a setting. There is a lot of info on the EVF but I will have a look

The (minor) issue I have is with the in camera review. Why is it showing me the most back focused shot (I think is the first shot)? Maybe it should show the focused shot (the last shot). Wouldnt help if you deliberately front focused i guess.

I need to get use to this camera.
Click to expand...
What it shows you depends on whether you have focus stacking or focus bracketing turned on, and I don’t know if you’re using the terminology correctly.

If you have focus bracketing on, it will just show you the last shot, which will be back focused.

If you have focus stacking turned on, it should show you the stacked image last, unless the stacking actually fails (which it can) in which case it will leave you on the last shot, back focused.

If the stacking fails, it should display a message saying so.

To ensure you know the difference between the indicators for stacking vs bracketing, check the manual.
 
Danielepaolo said:
drj3 said:
SAF mode, single focus point on the center should focus there and focus should not change unless you release the half press before fully pressing the shutter button. Once focus is locked, the camera will only refocus if you release the half press.

CAF mode will continue focusing up to the point of exposure, so if you use CAF mode and there is any movement in the camera (or the target if it is moving), the camera will refocus and focus on the thing the focus point when the image is exposed.
Click to expand...
It is in SAF mode. I expected it to behave the way you describe.

CAF is greyed out on the menu so couldn't select it anyway.

Ah. Got it. CAF is greyed out because focus bracketing is on. When I look on the camera it is showing me the last shot. On the card I didn't realise there are 15 shots per bracket and the first is good. I did check that page and I swear it was off but I think I changed from C3 to C1 not realising bracketing was on.

Thanks. Your reply helped me find the answer

d4bd3f2dd4484f2ba9592b989d57fa1a.jpg
Click to expand...
The same thing happened to me yesterday. I used A mode which retained the setting last used. One gets used to using custom modes which always reset. I really need more custom modes.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Keyboard shortcuts

f
Forum
m
My threads
Mobile site
About
Editorial content
Cameras & Lenses
Community
All content, design, and layout are Copyright © 1998–2025 Digital Photography Review All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
©GPS Media - Guides, Products, Services.
Back
Top