Panasonc G7 camera refused to take a photo

Don't you hate it when you have a good shot and your camera refuses to take the photo.

I was trying to take a photo of a sunset and not certain why the camera refused to take the photo; maybe it could not focus on the red clouds. I had the camera set to auto focus and in the P mode.

I tried a few times to alter the exposure such as the exposure compensation but it still refused me. I couldn't see anything wrong with the exposure and the camera did have a media card.

What's even more strange is if I pointed the camera to another part of the sky it took the photo. The only difference is that I had the camera tilted upwards when the camera refused the photo.

Any ideas why this camera should refuse to take the photo?

Brian

Had you get AF confirmation?

If not, had G7 be set to focus priority in the menu?

If so, G7 will not fire.

I find that camera would often not focus automatically on "clear-sky-with-undefined-clouds" type of scene. Lack of focus prevents from taking a photo.

Workarounds: focus elsewhere (better defined clouds) and recompose, or use manual focus.

NB: there is a setting "focus priority / release priority" where you can allow camera to ignore out-of-focus and take photo anyway, but that probably doesn't solve this particular problem.

Thanks for your replies.

It does look like the ability to focus is the problem.

What I'm hoping to do is to simulate the same conditions. I don't have the same sunset but will try to take the photo on a cloudy sky at about the same time so the lighting is similar. I want to then switch to manual focus to see if focus was the problem.

What would be very helpful is a flashing message telling me that the camera cannot focus. Some cameras lack in telling the camera operator what the problem is.

I'll also check my camera settings. I think the camera is set for spot focusing but I'll check. I'll also check the 'focus before taking the photo' option.

It should be possible to half press the shutter on another part of the sky that does  not have problems in taking shots and then move the camera to the sky I want to photograph.

I did find it strange that the camera would only work on certain parts of the sky.

Brian

All AFs of today, CDAF, OSPDAF used by MILCs, or PDAF used by analog cameras, all need the contrast to decide in-focus or not. Some can do it with less amount of light (like your G7 and other Panys), some need more light (like the Sony, or nor pro class dslrs etc).

And the AF system might also be more sensitive to certain color, IIRC, red for example.

It is no different from the manual focusing back on the old non AF days. I remembered that if no straight line/edge in the intended focus point for the split prism to work on, I had to find something in approximate distance to do the focusing. The same apply today.

Yes, very often this piece of cloud might not be focused, but another piece can. It will just bet on our luck. As you expected, sometimes MF be the easiest for those situation. Unfortunately most native M43 lenses have no distance marking nowadays.

Regarding to use shutter priority than focus pirority, it might risk to result blurry image easier because when thevAF can't lock a focus, it will keep on moving in and out crazy (principle of CDAF) and so, the shot might actually fall on nothing...

Like other members suggested, sun set shootings are usually using infinity distance and so, lock focus on something you think is far away enough you will be good. I usually will use the mountain ridge, sea level surface, or even the reflection on the ground etc to lock the focus.

Thanks alcelc for your reply.

I wish I had switched to manual focus at the time then it would prove that focusing was the problem.
I remember some of the older cameras had a infinity option so you could suddenly switch to a focus of infinity. The problem was remembering to switch off infinity focusing when you didn't need it as the camera had a view finder not related to the lens.

Brian