Advice & Tips A1

[Gareth Burrows]

Hi,

Ive recently bought a Minolta A1 which im really pleased with, I bought it mainly for motorsport.



I can use it great in blright conditions like example above, but in low light i find it harder to get that crisp picture mainly focusing problem.

Im using autofocus, the red box in the viewfinder never seems to be were i want it, so the picture's blurred were i want it to be focused, is there a function i can turn off to stop this happening or is it a case of going to manual focus?

Also im looking to buy a telephoto lense can anyone advise me if there worth it?

Regards

Gareth Burrows
http://www.britishrallying.com

 

[Gareth Burrows]

Sorry about the picture size!!

I didnt realise if i put a link to a picture, it would actual show the picture!

Sorry!

Regards,

Gareth Burrows
http://www.britishrallying.com

 

[Derk Nijhoff]

1. use flex point focus: hold the centre button down for a while until a cross is shown. With the arrow buttons you can sroll the cross over the screen and select your focus point.

2. use the sc focus function. You can lock on your target using the arrows and the camera will follow the target (if it works depends on speed and distance of the target

Hi,

Ive recently bought a Minolta A1 which im really pleased with, I
bought it mainly for motorsport.



I can use it great in blright conditions like example above, but in
low light i find it harder to get that crisp picture mainly
focusing problem.

Im using autofocus, the red box in the viewfinder never seems to be
were i want it, so the picture's blurred were i want it to be
focused, is there a function i can turn off to stop this happening
or is it a case of going to manual focus?

Also im looking to buy a telephoto lense can anyone advise me if
there worth it?

Regards

Gareth Burrows
http://www.britishrallying.com

 

[MJMA1]

Hi Gareth
That's one great action shot!

Try using the Flex Focus Point (Pg 48 manual) and you can select your point of focus. Have you also tried continuous focus mode which is great for moving subjects (Pg 46).

Good Shooting

MJMA1

 

[Derk Nijhoff]

For a total explanation see:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1024&message=8718778

Hi,

Ive recently bought a Minolta A1 which im really pleased with, I
bought it mainly for motorsport.



I can use it great in blright conditions like example above, but in
low light i find it harder to get that crisp picture mainly
focusing problem.

Im using autofocus, the red box in the viewfinder never seems to be
were i want it, so the picture's blurred were i want it to be
focused, is there a function i can turn off to stop this happening
or is it a case of going to manual focus?

Also im looking to buy a telephoto lense can anyone advise me if
there worth it?

Regards

Gareth Burrows
http://www.britishrallying.com

 

[MJMA1]

Here's another good forum for answers about your A1.

http://www.pbase.com/mtf_foto_studies/mtf_faq

 

[Gareth Burrows]

Thanks for the replies!

Im out to another rally next weekend, will try the advice then!

Thanks again,

Gareth

 

[kevrayner]

great picture mate !!!!!

Hi,

Ive recently bought a Minolta A1 which im really pleased with, I
bought it mainly for motorsport.



I can use it great in blright conditions like example above, but in
low light i find it harder to get that crisp picture mainly
focusing problem.

Im using autofocus, the red box in the viewfinder never seems to be
were i want it, so the picture's blurred were i want it to be
focused, is there a function i can turn off to stop this happening
or is it a case of going to manual focus?

Also im looking to buy a telephoto lense can anyone advise me if
there worth it?

Regards

Gareth Burrows
http://www.britishrallying.com

 

[dsl]

IMHO, it's better to shot in manual, with manual focus, if you standing say 100yds from a bend that you know a car is going to come around, then zoom to that point, pick an item and set the manual focus on that, add to this is you wish to give the impression of motion, (keeping the car in focus but everything else slightly blured) then lower you shutter speed to about 1/30th of a second, as the car comes around the corner, you can start drawing the zoom back off to wide, this should alow you to keep focus with having to touch the focus ring, i put an example below, it's a little OTT on the post processing side but you'll get the idea.



--
Simon

Check out the face behind the text at http://www.pbase.com/image/27670744

On fotopic http://gallery55230.fotopic.net/

 

[mkdive]

I like how the driver looks like he is looking at you, the photographer. Great picture. -Mike

 

[Gareth Burrows]

Thanks Simon, will try that.

Gareth
http://www.britishrallying.com

IMHO, it's better to shot in manual, with manual focus, if you
standing say 100yds from a bend that you know a car is going to
come around, then zoom to that point, pick an item and set the
manual focus on that, add to this is you wish to give the
impression of motion, (keeping the car in focus but everything else
slightly blured) then lower you shutter speed to about 1/30th of a
second, as the car comes around the corner, you can start drawing
the zoom back off to wide, this should alow you to keep focus with
having to touch the focus ring, i put an example below, it's a
little OTT on the post processing side but you'll get the idea.



--
Simon

Check out the face behind the text at
http://www.pbase.com/image/27670744

On fotopic http://gallery55230.fotopic.net/

 

[Dan Pidcock]

IMHO, it's better to shot in manual, with manual focus, if you
standing say 100yds from a bend that you know a car is going to
come around, then zoom to that point, pick an item and set the
manual focus on that, add to this is you wish to give the
impression of motion, (keeping the car in focus but everything else
slightly blured) then lower you shutter speed to about 1/30th of a
second, as the car comes around the corner, you can start drawing
the zoom back off to wide, this should alow you to keep focus with
having to touch the focus ring

But AFAIU the A1/A2 lenses are not panafocal so changing the focal length will put the images out of focus.

What is wrong with FFP in your opinion? I'm not being snide - I would like to know.

Dan

 

[johno61299]

Who was saying that these cameras are no good for action shots? Couldn't freeze a child on a swing I think it was. Better buy the lad a sports car instead, well OK a go kart then.

I like how the driver looks like he is looking at you, the
photographer. Great picture. -Mike

--
John.

 

[Dan Pidcock]

Who was saying that these cameras are no good for action shots?
Couldn't freeze a child on a swing I think it was. Better buy the
lad a sports car instead, well OK a go kart then.

The problem with the swing photographer was the lag (OP said just EVF lag but maybe also shutter/AF?). I also noticed this on my digicam with optical finder, and took a few shots till I figured out when in the arc I had to press the shutter to get the swing at the top of the arc. If you need 0 lag then DSLR is the only option. Otherwise just work around it.

 

[Dan Pidcock]

Who was saying that these cameras are no good for action shots?
Couldn't freeze a child on a swing I think it was. Better buy the
lad a sports car instead, well OK a go kart then.

The problem with the swing photographer was the lag

rather than not being able to freeze action
(I forgot to add)