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A710 IS Focus Problem?

Started Dec 26, 2006 | Discussions
Scott Spain Regular Member • Posts: 159
A710 IS Focus Problem?

I'm researching this camera to death, and came across this user review on the Circuit City Web site:

"In auto mode the camera will not focus correctly at 7.1 mega pixels in highest quality. The pictures also very noisy. In manual mode you can gain some improvement but not much. If you plan on shooting in lower quality modes or at 5 mega pixel the camera is excellent. The camera's range of features all performed well. I used the camera for two weeks under multiple conditions before returning it. Also, the demo pictures shown on Canon's site for this camera are taken at 7 mega pixel, a resolution this camera doesn't support."

What do you make of this?

Thanks.

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Scott

fotobuff Contributing Member • Posts: 826
Re: A710 IS Focus Problem?

All A710 shots on my gallery are on superfine & large ... Ive printed the murano glass shots in the still life gallery on A2 size and they looks crisp & sharp.

Sometimes the focus hunts in low light using telephoto but this is easily remedied by focusing on the subjects edge then recomposing.
--
Hisham
http://www.him2.smugmug.com

21st Hermit Veteran Member • Posts: 5,470
Re: A710 IS Focus Problem?

Remember, in auto mode [green square], the ISO floats as well as A & T so that could account for the noise. As to focus problems, what were the lighting conditions?

Scott Spain wrote:
I'm researching this camera to death, and came across this user
review on the Circuit City Web site:

"In auto mode the camera will not focus correctly at 7.1 mega
pixels in highest quality. The pictures also very noisy. In manual
mode you can gain some improvement but not much. If you plan on
shooting in lower quality modes or at 5 mega pixel the camera is
excellent. The camera's range of features all performed well. I
used the camera for two weeks under multiple conditions before
returning it. Also, the demo pictures shown on Canon's site for
this camera are taken at 7 mega pixel, a resolution this camera
doesn't support."

What do you make of this?

Thanks.

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Lost in the Colorado Mountains!!!

Sean Nelson
Sean Nelson Forum Pro • Posts: 16,092
Re: A710 IS Focus Problem?

The comment seems inconsistent to me - first he claims it doesn't work well at 7 megapixels and then he criticizes Canon for posting samples using a "nonexistent" 7 megapixel resolution. WTF???

I've had no autofocus issues with my A710. I don't think I'd pay much attention to the comment.

Gary S Veteran Member • Posts: 6,240
Re: A710 IS Focus Problem?

If there really WAS a noticeable focus problem, I'm sure it would have been noted by one of the well experienced reviewers at dpreview, dcresource, steve's digicams and imaging resource. None of them mentioned a focusing issue like that.

I wouldn't put too much stock in an unknown end-user's review. You don't know what kind of experience he actually has.

 Gary S's gear list:Gary S's gear list
Canon EOS 7D Mark II Canon EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Canon EF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6L IS II
Schrei Regular Member • Posts: 263
Re: A710 IS Focus Problem?

I actually had some focus problems with my 710IS.Not always,but often enough.I always use center/spot,but sometimes the AF doesn't focus to the right spot.(It depends on ths size of your subject..well it's no DSLR)It happened outtoors,but also indoors.But it has nothing to do with the 7MP resolution.I could get very sharp and good focused pix in the 7MP resoultion.The hit error rate of the AF is a bit too high to my taste,but why should that has something to do with the resolution?

Also it's true that the AF got some problems in macro(esp low light) but thats not unusal for a small camera like this I guess.

The reason for me why I have returned the 710 was the noise and jpg.artefacts.I love to take pix in low light but it's hard to clean the pix(iso 400 and 800).

Anyway,the camera isn't really a waste of money.The zoom and handling are great.The IS does a good job.The price is fair.And when you shoot mostly outdoors the cam is a good choice.The image quality is only above average..outdoors good...indoors,rather bad.

All the best
(like always..sorry for my english)
--
the meaning of life?...well...go and get some Soulfood
Konica Minolta Dynax 5D
Canon 20D

some Guitars

OP Scott Spain Regular Member • Posts: 159
Re: A710 IS Focus Problem?

Schrei,

What did you replaced it with?

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Scott

Schrei Regular Member • Posts: 263
Re: A710 IS Focus Problem?

I'm still seariching.I bought a Pentax A20(but in another shop here in my hometown).Not a bad cam(the resolution is very good).But the focus lag was 1 to 2 seconds.I couln't believe it.No chance to take pix of my dog or kids.I read that the focus lag would be ok,but it wasn't.Also the pix of the A20 had much too much contrast at default settings and were often underexposured.I posted a little review in the Pentax forum.

.It seems that I got no luck with these little cams.The performance of the 710 IS is MUCH better than the A20,despite some focus errors of the 710IS(the focus error is not a big deal).I returned the A20.Now I'm running around with my bulky Canon 20D again.

Maybe I will have a look at the Fuji F30 but to be honest:I like an IS(like the very good one in the 710IS) and I don't like xd-cards.Even my PC card reader can't read these expensive cards..haha.

It's hard to get satisfied with the image quality of P&S cameras when you normally use a DSLR.I guess that's one of my biggest problems.

All in all I'm thinking:Maybe I should have kept the 710IS.The camera made some really nice shots(if you stay with iso 100/200...low light pix with iso 400 were really not good)&was not very expensive.The artefact problem that I saw in some of my pix could really be better,but hey..it's a tiny 1/2,5 chip.My wife will beat me black and blue if I will get the 710Is again,because she liked the camera.(She loves 6x zoom with IS in such a small camera).

Also I'm interested in another little cam.The Nikon S10,but I haven't found much reviews and I'm running out of shops where I can buy a camera(and maybe return it..just a joke).

All the best
schrei

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the meaning of life?...well...go and get some Soulfood
Konica Minolta Dynax 5D
Canon 20D
some Guitars

Pieeater89 New Member • Posts: 1
Re: A710 IS Focus Problem?

i think i have the same problem, i can only have focused photos when i zoom in really hard. Can anyone help me ? i will be so gratefull.

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