blur??

[T-Photo]

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced focus problems with the S2. I love this camera & have used it nonstop for a few years now (pretty much since they came out)--but especially when I shoot portraits using natural light, I find that the focus is (a) not very fast even when using top of the line Nikon lenses and (b) not always accurate even when using the focus selectors. A friend of mine shoots in very similar situations to me with the Nikon D1X & just does not seem to run into as many focus issues as I do.

This very well could be me but I am curious to see if anyone else is running into this. There are always good, sharp shots as well, so it's not a constant technical problem, but enough to be bothersome.

thanks!!

-Terri G.

 

[Rodger144066]

I was in my local photo shop some time ago and a nice young approched me with a photo. He had just processed a roll of film, he handed the top photo to me and said "does this look sharp to you ?" I looked at the photo and then looked at him...He looked like a junkie waiting for a fix. I said "it looks reasonably sharp to me" He made a face like he just smelled somthing bad. He then walked to another person in the shop and asked "does this look sharp to you?

So my answer for minor focus issues is "Does it look sharp to you?".

I will never be as good as my S2

-Terri G.

--
And God said 'let there be light'
he saw it was good

 

[David Grabowski]

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced focus problems with
the S2. I love this camera & have used it nonstop for a few years
now (pretty much since they came out)--but especially when I shoot
portraits using natural light, I find that the focus is (a) not
very fast even when using top of the line Nikon lenses and (b) not
always accurate even when using the focus selectors. A friend of
mine shoots in very similar situations to me with the Nikon D1X &
just does not seem to run into as many focus issues as I do.

This very well could be me but I am curious to see if anyone else
is running into this. There are always good, sharp shots as well,
so it's not a constant technical problem, but enough to be
bothersome.

thanks!!

-Terri G.

Do you have your focus set to lock ? If not the camera can fire even though not locked on, of course it can fire if locked too, just maybe not to what you expect and look out of focus to the main subject.

I've had a few incidents where I feel the camera has not focused correctly, I refocus, then refocus again and even in the viewer I can see it is not locked to where I want the focus to be. I then look for a better contrast line or switch to manual focus for the sequence of shots ( usually beach portrait sessions ). I have suspected in this case, where I'm trying to lock on to a face, perhaps the camera is seeing the rocks or water line behind the subject, or mayybe grabbing a shoulder line instead of facial features. It can be stuburn though, I've even turned away focused on a distant object, then turned back to the main subject again to get a correct lock. At this point is usually where I just switch to manual.

I about always use manual focus on macro shots too.
David

 

[Eric Palmer]

You might want to switch to manual focus when you can. I switched my S2 to focus lock but use manual whenever possible.

I also switched to wearing my regular glasses and not my bifocals which improved my ability to see.

Good luck.

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced focus problems with
the S2. I love this camera & have used it nonstop for a few years
now (pretty much since they came out)--but especially when I shoot
portraits using natural light, I find that the focus is (a) not
very fast even when using top of the line Nikon lenses and (b) not
always accurate even when using the focus selectors. A friend of
mine shoots in very similar situations to me with the Nikon D1X &
just does not seem to run into as many focus issues as I do.

This very well could be me but I am curious to see if anyone else
is running into this. There are always good, sharp shots as well,
so it's not a constant technical problem, but enough to be
bothersome.

thanks!!

-Terri G.

Do you have your focus set to lock ? If not the camera can fire
even though not locked on, of course it can fire if locked too,
just maybe not to what you expect and look out of focus to the main
subject.

I've had a few incidents where I feel the camera has not focused
correctly, I refocus, then refocus again and even in the viewer I
can see it is not locked to where I want the focus to be. I then
look for a better contrast line or switch to manual focus for the
sequence of shots ( usually beach portrait sessions ). I have
suspected in this case, where I'm trying to lock on to a face,
perhaps the camera is seeing the rocks or water line behind the
subject, or mayybe grabbing a shoulder line instead of facial
features. It can be stuburn though, I've even turned away focused
on a distant object, then turned back to the main subject again to
get a correct lock. At this point is usually where I just switch to
manual.

I about always use manual focus on macro shots too.
David

--
I need new equipment. Between my ears that is.
Eric P

 

[hmac]

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced focus problems with
the S2. I love this camera & have used it nonstop for a few years
now (pretty much since they came out)--but especially when I shoot
portraits using natural light, I find that the focus is (a) not
very fast even when using top of the line Nikon lenses and (b) not
always accurate even when using the focus selectors. A friend of
mine shoots in very similar situations to me with the Nikon D1X &
just does not seem to run into as many focus issues as I do.

This very well could be me but I am curious to see if anyone else
is running into this. There are always good, sharp shots as well,
so it's not a constant technical problem, but enough to be
bothersome.

Yes, the CAM9000 AF module and the associated Fuji firmware in the S2 Pro is not exactly state-of-the-art.

I was having the same intermittent mis-focusing issues with my S2 Pro, and the problem was exacerbated by the type of (non-studio / more action) shooting that I tend to do. My solution was to sell it and get a D2H and I found that those problems basically went away and I have been amazed at the increased number of "keepers" that I get with the Nikon compared to my Fuji.

Yes, my focusing problems with the S2 Pro may very well have been due to a lack of photographic expertise on my part in my inability to compensate for the camera's idiosyncrasies and weak spots. So, basically, I bought a better-faster-more accurate camera and it solved my problem. I found that, for me , this was a simpler solution that relieved my strugglng with an otherwise excellent camera.

--
H McCollister

 

[T-Photo]

Thank you all for your very helpful feedback! It is good to know that I'm not alone with this issue - I agree that I should be more diligent about making sure the focus is locked in the right spot but of course that can sometimes sacrifice the moment.

It's also good to hear that someone else had similar focusing issues with their S2 & that there was a noted difference with another camera. I have heard that the Nikons have a more accurate/faster focusing mechanism, so it may be true. All of that said, I am still a Fuji fan & I'm patiently awaiting the S3, unless Nikon beats them to the punch with the successor to the D1X, I'd like to get the D2H but it's just not enough resolution for what I shoot.

thanks again!!

-Terri

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced focus problems with
the S2. I love this camera & have used it nonstop for a few years
now (pretty much since they came out)--but especially when I shoot
portraits using natural light, I find that the focus is (a) not
very fast even when using top of the line Nikon lenses and (b) not
always accurate even when using the focus selectors. A friend of
mine shoots in very similar situations to me with the Nikon D1X &
just does not seem to run into as many focus issues as I do.

This very well could be me but I am curious to see if anyone else
is running into this. There are always good, sharp shots as well,
so it's not a constant technical problem, but enough to be
bothersome.

Yes, the CAM9000 AF module and the associated Fuji firmware in the
S2 Pro is not exactly state-of-the-art.

I was having the same intermittent mis-focusing issues with my S2
Pro, and the problem was exacerbated by the type of (non-studio /
more action) shooting that I tend to do. My solution was to sell it
and get a D2H and I found that those problems basically went away
and I have been amazed at the increased number of "keepers" that I
get with the Nikon compared to my Fuji.

Yes, my focusing problems with the S2 Pro may very well have been
due to a lack of photographic expertise on my part in my inability
to compensate for the camera's idiosyncrasies and weak spots. So,
basically, I bought a better-faster-more accurate camera and it
solved my problem. I found that, for me , this was a simpler
solution that relieved my strugglng with an otherwise excellent
camera.

--
H McCollister

--
-Terri G.

 

[hmac]

Thank you all for your very helpful feedback! It is good to know
that I'm not alone with this issue - I agree that I should be more
diligent about making sure the focus is locked in the right spot
but of course that can sometimes sacrifice the moment.

It's also good to hear that someone else had similar focusing
issues with their S2 & that there was a noted difference with
another camera. I have heard that the Nikons have a more
accurate/faster focusing mechanism, so it may be true. All of that
said, I am still a Fuji fan & I'm patiently awaiting the S3, unless
Nikon beats them to the punch with the successor to the D1X, I'd
like to get the D2H but it's just not enough resolution for what I
shoot.

I think it's likely that the D2X will be purchaseable within a time-frame similar to the S3 Pro - perhaps within a few months of that, anyway. The D2X will likely be quite a camera (has to be aimed at the Canon 1D Mk II), but is likely to sell in the $4000-$5000 price range, as opposed to the S3 which is likely to sell in the $3000 price range. The S3 is likely to make great images, and I think there is reason to be hopeful that Fuji will put in an AF system that is better than what they currently use. If the AF system is indeed upgraded, it would be very unlikely to come close to the D2 series, but it may very well be good enough that at $3000 plus or minus it could be a better buy. IMHO.

--
H McCollister

 

[S_Leeper]

The first year I had the S2 I would have intermittent out-of-focus shots. Being that this was my first autofocus slr I was surprised that the focus was less consistent that the p&s cameras I used.

I then read where some of the autofocus sensors aren't quite lined up (can test by putting a post-it on a glass door) & sure enough my sensor areas work very well on the lower 1/2 of the selected focus area, but pretty much not at all on the top 1/2.
Didn't cure all of my focus problems, but it did help.

Thank you all for your very helpful feedback! It is good to know
that I'm not alone with this issue - I agree that I should be more
diligent about making sure the focus is locked in the right spot
but of course that can sometimes sacrifice the moment.

It's also good to hear that someone else had similar focusing
issues with their S2 & that there was a noted difference with
another camera. I have heard that the Nikons have a more
accurate/faster focusing mechanism, so it may be true. All of that
said, I am still a Fuji fan & I'm patiently awaiting the S3, unless
Nikon beats them to the punch with the successor to the D1X, I'd
like to get the D2H but it's just not enough resolution for what I
shoot.

I think it's likely that the D2X will be purchaseable within a
time-frame similar to the S3 Pro - perhaps within a few months of
that, anyway. The D2X will likely be quite a camera (has to be
aimed at the Canon 1D Mk II), but is likely to sell in the
$4000-$5000 price range, as opposed to the S3 which is likely to
sell in the $3000 price range. The S3 is likely to make great
images, and I think there is reason to be hopeful that Fuji will
put in an AF system that is better than what they currently use. If
the AF system is indeed upgraded, it would be very unlikely to come
close to the D2 series, but it may very well be good enough that at
$3000 plus or minus it could be a better buy. IMHO.

--
H McCollister

 

[Paul_U]

My solution for focusing problem are fast f2.8 lenses plus assignment of focusing action to a rear button instead of half-press shutter button.

This way I just keep focusing in continuous mode all the time and it works well for me.

Lenses I have now do not have a front-focusing problems but I have heard that Sigma 28-70 has some issues and I personally had such a problem with Tokina 28-80 f2.8 lens.

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced focus problems with
the S2. I love this camera & have used it nonstop for a few years
now (pretty much since they came out)--but especially when I shoot
portraits using natural light, I find that the focus is (a) not
very fast even when using top of the line Nikon lenses and (b) not
always accurate even when using the focus selectors. A friend of
mine shoots in very similar situations to me with the Nikon D1X &
just does not seem to run into as many focus issues as I do.

This very well could be me but I am curious to see if anyone else
is running into this. There are always good, sharp shots as well,
so it's not a constant technical problem, but enough to be
bothersome.

thanks!!

-Terri G.