denial of autofocus problem

In the case of Daniella it isn't so simple. With some people, I do exactly as you suggest. I just ignore them. In Daniella's case, she does some nice photography and she makes occasional good points.

I don't know whether she will take my advice or not. She doesn't have to. But her bitternessm while in some degree understandable, isn't pleasant. And in this case it is rather avoidable. A 1000$ camera is nothing to let ruin your otherwise good disposition.

If given the choice of hanging out with bitter people vs. those who aren't bitter, I'll choose those who aren't.

And I gave that advice not to hurt but to build up. You can believe that or not as you wish.

I wish Daniella the best. It pains me to see her become bitter over this camera. If it has become such a sore point, she may be best served to sell the camera and get something else, whether or not her perceived problems with the camera have any basis in reality. (In my case, I believe some of her concerns are real - others not).

Whether she remembers it or not, I helped her identify the focusing problem with her first camera and suggested a way to test it to pin it down. I know some of her problems are real.

--
If you are a new user chances are good your question is answered in the FAQ at:
http://www.marius.org/eos300dfaq.php

For a small gallery of my photographs, see:
http://ratphoto.home.comcast.net/
See my profile for my equipment
 
Where have I ever tried to justify using a 1D here?

In fact, I rarely mention that I shoot with a 1D.

My belief is that the 300D should allow the user a choice of
One-Shot or AI-Servo when in the Tv, Av, and M modes. Especially
since AI-Servo is quirky, to say the least.
I think that until you have gone out and used the camera for a thousand or so shots or done some real testing in this area, your opinion on whether that feature is quirky or not is best disregarded as nothing but repeating the opinions of others.

You have valuable experience that can be brought to the table to help other photographers out. By all means do so.

I have no problem with your opinion that it would have been better for Canon to include and option to select focus mode. Honestly, I would prefer that too even though I rarely have trouble with the existing system. It is obvious having that feature available would be a plus. It isn't a plus I would pay much for however.

But your opinion that the AI-focus mode is quirky carries absolutely zero weight with me. I have the experience with this camera. You, as far as I can tell, do not.

If you do, and it is possible, and that experience is relevent to this discussion then by all means tell us what you have found.

My own opinion for what it is worth is that AI-Servo mode and how well it works is a quality control problem. Some cameras seem much easier to kick out at the wrong time than others (and conversely some seem too hard to kick in). It is also conceivable the problem is related to the lens being used.

--
If you are a new user chances are good your question is answered in the FAQ at:
http://www.marius.org/eos300dfaq.php

For a small gallery of my photographs, see:
http://ratphoto.home.comcast.net/
See my profile for my equipment
 
THERE IS NO BUG

The focus does not unlock - I have tested this by RUNNING around
after focussing on a close object and THE AF STAYS LOCKED.
Bugs are elusive - the fact that the bug does not occur on your
camera does not negate its existence.

I set my camera to center focus point only, manual mode, half press
the shutter, rotate camera slightly to the right and generally the
AI servo kicks in. When AI servo starts it begins continuous
refocus from that point on even thought the shutter button is still
half pressed. The random thing is sometimes AI servo kicks in one
second after recomposing - sometimes 3-4 seconds.
Mine will do just as you describe. When AI Servo activates it is similar to continuous autofocus, but then that is what it should do if subject movement continues to be sensed, should it not?

I find with mine that if I pan smoothly I can change composition quite substantialy befor AI servo activates, however it seems much more sensitive to vertical movement. This makes sense to me as that would be seen by the camera as to and from motion rather than side to side.

Put me down as one who would like to see an on off menu selection for the feature.

It would be interesting to know just how much capability Canon has through firmware to keep the Rebel competetive when the other manufacturers put some similar competition on the market.
 
Some members of this forum deny 300D autofocus problem. I want to
make simple clear case upon just one problem - autofocus, recompose
in 300D in creative Av or Tv mode. Here we go:
  • 300D is $1000 camera
  • $1000 cameras should allow people to be creative with their tool,
so 300D has creative modes - like Av and Tv.
  • creative modes, like Av and Tv, allow you to control DOF, shoot
in RAW, adjust ISO...
  • one of the first thing you learn about taking pictures is to
avoid putting your subject in dead center of the frame.
  • focus-recompose is one of the basic functions in creative
photography and technique to avoid putting subject in center of
frame.
  • to be able to reliably focus on desired spot you have to know
where camera will focus so we will use center AF spot.
  • to reliably focus-recompose:
  • frame your target-spot in center of frame
  • half-press shutter button and lock focus on target spot
  • recompose your picture
  • press shutter button all the way down
This is basic of the basic technique in taking pictures. I have
problem with this technique with my 300D. Half of the time I have
pictures that are out of the focus because AI Servo will kick in
and change focus.

Anybody think that Canon made $1000 camera that cannot do
focus-recompose?

Anybody think that Canon deliberately put such a limitation in
their camera?

I think it's a bug - huge one and IMHO Canon must respond -
ignorance wont help since this problem is here to stay until is
solved..

Darko

PS
I respect this site and my decision to buy 300D was mainly based
upon 300D review from this site. I would like to hear from Phil
about this problem since I didn't find anything about it in his
review.
Hi;

I bought the 300D not too long ago, even though I knew going in about the issues with not being able to set AI servo on/off as I wanted. So when the camera arrived I tested the heck out of it to see how much of a problem it is for me (I had 7 days to return it). So far I have found that AI servo does not kick in to spoil a shot unless you wait quite a while when recomposing and sometimes it does not kick in at all (I have not come to a conclusion as to how the camera decides when to kick in AI servo yet (and yes, I know what we all say as far as when WE think it should kick in)).

I honestly thought this would be more or a problem since I am used to selecting AI servo or not, and I seldom used AI servo enabled mode.

So what I am more worried about at this time is the lack of mirror lock up ... I have aways used mirror lock up for long exposures, so I am concerned about the clarity of the images.

This is my personal experience with MY 300d and lenses, I am not questioning others experiences.
 
Some members of this forum deny 300D autofocus problem. I want to
make simple clear case upon just one problem - autofocus, recompose
in 300D in creative Av or Tv mode. Here we go:
  • 300D is $1000 camera
  • $1000 cameras should allow people to be creative with their tool,
so 300D has creative modes - like Av and Tv.
  • creative modes, like Av and Tv, allow you to control DOF, shoot
in RAW, adjust ISO...
  • one of the first thing you learn about taking pictures is to
avoid putting your subject in dead center of the frame.
  • focus-recompose is one of the basic functions in creative
photography and technique to avoid putting subject in center of
frame.
  • to be able to reliably focus on desired spot you have to know
where camera will focus so we will use center AF spot.
  • to reliably focus-recompose:
  • frame your target-spot in center of frame
  • half-press shutter button and lock focus on target spot
  • recompose your picture
  • press shutter button all the way down
This is basic of the basic technique in taking pictures. I have
problem with this technique with my 300D. Half of the time I have
pictures that are out of the focus because AI Servo will kick in
and change focus.

Anybody think that Canon made $1000 camera that cannot do
focus-recompose?

Anybody think that Canon deliberately put such a limitation in
their camera?

I think it's a bug - huge one and IMHO Canon must respond -
ignorance wont help since this problem is here to stay until is
solved..

Darko

PS
I respect this site and my decision to buy 300D was mainly based
upon 300D review from this site. I would like to hear from Phil
about this problem since I didn't find anything about it in his
review.
 
Some members of this forum deny 300D autofocus problem. I want to
make simple clear case upon just one problem - autofocus, recompose
in 300D in creative Av or Tv mode. Here we go:
  • 300D is $1000 camera
  • $1000 cameras should allow people to be creative with their tool,
so 300D has creative modes - like Av and Tv.
  • creative modes, like Av and Tv, allow you to control DOF, shoot
in RAW, adjust ISO...
  • one of the first thing you learn about taking pictures is to
avoid putting your subject in dead center of the frame.
  • focus-recompose is one of the basic functions in creative
photography and technique to avoid putting subject in center of
frame.
  • to be able to reliably focus on desired spot you have to know
where camera will focus so we will use center AF spot.
  • to reliably focus-recompose:
  • frame your target-spot in center of frame
  • half-press shutter button and lock focus on target spot
  • recompose your picture
  • press shutter button all the way down
This is basic of the basic technique in taking pictures. I have
problem with this technique with my 300D. Half of the time I have
pictures that are out of the focus because AI Servo will kick in
and change focus.

Anybody think that Canon made $1000 camera that cannot do
focus-recompose?

Anybody think that Canon deliberately put such a limitation in
their camera?

I think it's a bug - huge one and IMHO Canon must respond -
ignorance wont help since this problem is here to stay until is
solved..

Darko

PS
I respect this site and my decision to buy 300D was mainly based
upon 300D review from this site. I would like to hear from Phil
about this problem since I didn't find anything about it in his
review.
 
I was surprised and confused when I read this post because I have
not experienced this. How do I get it to happen? I tried it in P,
AV, TV, and M modes.

I have done the following with every lens and I just tested them
all again in different lighting and contrast situations. I focus on
a spot and then pan to the right or left and the focus has not
re-focused. If i focus on a subject and then move forward it will
re-focus but not when panning.

I am not sure what I am doing wrong here but it isn't happening for
me. Please explain.

Thanks,
Mike
I did exactly as you tried except on my 300D servo kiks in and screw focus. Not all the time - 50% of time.

PS
Also after change focus spot wait for sec or two.
  • to be able to reliably focus on desired spot you have to know
where camera will focus so we will use center AF spot.
  • to reliably focus-recompose:
  • frame your target-spot in center of frame
  • half-press shutter button and lock focus on target spot
  • recompose your picture
  • press shutter button all the way down
This is basic of the basic technique in taking pictures. I have
problem with this technique with my 300D. Half of the time I have
pictures that are out of the focus because AI Servo will kick in
and change focus.
--
300D Gallery:
http://tkis.com/wild-mike/

Boat Party Pics:
http://wnyboaters.com/

Whoever undertakes to set himself up as judge in the field of truth
and knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the Gods. -- Albert
Einstein
 
Yes, it wasn't the best to show off the sharpness of the lens, but actually powerfully shows that the sensors do indeed hold the focus point, even if the operator takes it out of focus. That is what I would expect it to do, and it does it.

It actually isn't as soft as the enlargement might suggest. It would be fine as a snapshot, just not enlargeable.

It also makes me wonder if some of the complaints of the camera have to do with issues like this. I could have said this was a case of dreaded front-focus. But it was the result of panning on a subject that was not parallel to my panning direction.

Also, I agree, manual focus would help and be much better shooting through trees like that. Another edge for lenses like the IS that allow for full time manual while AF is engaged.

--Steve
Stephen DeNagy wrote:

Steve,
it is a nice moment you have catched there, but it is hardly a
recommodation for the auto-focus system. Manually focussing I could
have done a better job, and I did many times. That doesn't make you
a bod photographer, or me a good one, but it's no use presenting
out of focus pictures to proof the AF system was doing a great job.

--



Regards,
Tom

http://clik.to/tomcee
Canon 300D FAQ: http://www.marius.org/fom-serve/cache/3.html
 
I think it depends on the subjects...I have no problem what so ever with wide angle shot of landscapes.
...... agree with you 100% Daniella..... I've now gone back to
almost total shooting with my trusty/reliable/'boring' Olympus
E10....absolutely reliable both indoors with/without flash and
outdoors - superb -
You have got to be kidding? I have the same other two camera. I
had to consciously remove the batteries from both due to total lack
of use! They will be up for sale soon, as I cannot justify letting
them go so neglected.

I have the same camera as you and shoot exclusively in the
"creative zone" too. But I have no exposure or focus problems. I
am permitting all focus points to remain active unless I absolutely
cannot get a focus lock on my intended target. Then and only then
do I manually select a focus target. I try to select a target that
is aligned with where my subject is in relationship to the frame so
I do not have to do a focus-recompose-shoot (FRS) manouver.
Occasionally I do have to do a FRS and occasionally the A1 Servo
will kick in, but I can usually salvage even that shot.

So 90%: All 7 focus targets active
8%: manually select a single focus target aligned with my subject.
1.95%: manually select a single focus target requiring a FRS.
0.05%: manually select a single focus target requiring FRS and
ruined by inappropriate A1 Servo.

Seriously, this is not a difficult strategy to use. Do me a favor
and give this a try and let me know your results. I know we may
not be shooting the same scenes and we do not have the exact same
camera and level of experience, but honestly this is not hard to
do. And there is one secret benefit to shooting with this
strategy: the camera meters FAR better! While I still have no
emperical data to support my hypothesis, I believe you get better
Evaluative Metering when the camera selects the active focus point.
YMMV.

Cheers,

jim

PS: I loved my UZI and my E-10, but there is no way I'm dealing
with all of that noise again. There is simply no comparision in
image quality.

--
Shoot more, ***** less!
galleries at: http://www.pbase.com/sandman3
--
I am not an English native speaker and I am not a God!
http://www.pbase.com/zylen
http://www.photosig.com/go/users/userphotos?id=26918
 
I have one focus sensor point selected and still have the problem. You really assumed that we didn't tried anything before complaining - but you are wrong.
I think it's a bug - huge one and IMHO Canon must respond - ignorance > wont help since this problem is here to stay until is solved..
THERE IS NO BUG

I don't think what I say here will persuade you, because you and
some others don't understand what happens and how to stop it.
(I'll confess it took me a couple of days to fully understand and I
did so by CAREFULLY reading what others have to say in this Forum.)

Canon have fitted the 300D with a predictive, multi-point
auto-focus system.

For point and shoot amateurs, this works very well. It tracks
movement and focusses on the nearest moving object. It will
continue to adjust focus and there is no way WITH MULTI POINT
SENSORS ACTIVE to disable that.

BUT

If you deselect all but one focus sensor point, the camera can't
detect movement. With only one point active, you can focus on one
object, half press the shutter and recompose.

The focus does not unlock - I have tested this by RUNNING around
after focussing on a close object and THE AF STAYS LOCKED.

There's no "bug."

If Canon are at fault, it's by not explaining this more thoroughly
in the manual. It IS explained on page 62 and I quote

"Manual AF point selection

You can select any one of the seven AF points manually. This is
best when you want to be sure to focus on a particular subject, or
to use quick AF function to help you compose a particular shot
quickly."

Canon know how predictive AF works and they know how focus lock
works and they've told you about it in the manual.

I believe the expression is "Sheeeeeez"
--
Paul Worden
 
There are many wonderful pictures because its a great camera. However, this does not deny the fact that many people are having quality control problem with their camera.

The thing about quality control problem is that lots of people won't have a problem but some people will have problems. The people without problems sometime come in here and make condescending remarks like "learn how to use your camera" which then turn the problem into a personality attack.

--
John from Southern California
http://www.pbase.com/johnrweb/disneyconcerthall
http://www.pbase.com/domdom
F707 and 300D
 
what you wish and what I will do is 2 different things I beleive.

bottom line is that I have shot twice the amount of pics with the 300d already that I have shot with my Dimage 7 and still cannot predict what the camera will do.

After 2 months with my Dimage 7 I could tell exactly how it was going to behave.
the bottom line that I have find after using it for 2 months is
that the 300d is much less predictable and reliable than my 300$
point and shoots. very simple and straightforward.
Daniella, if you really mean that, I honestly wish you would go
back to your 300$ point and shoot and be happy. Personally, I think
you would be insane to do so, but my requirements may not match
yours.
I can't because the Dimage does not have the range that I need, nor the image quality and speed of the 300d..but that does not change the fact.
As it is, your bitterness is very unpleasant to be around.

--
If you are a new user chances are good your question is answered in
the FAQ at:
http://www.marius.org/eos300dfaq.php

For a small gallery of my photographs, see:
http://ratphoto.home.comcast.net/
See my profile for my equipment
--
I am not an English native speaker and I am not a God!
http://www.pbase.com/zylen
http://www.photosig.com/go/users/userphotos?id=26918
 
it's not a bug, it's a bad design. No way the camera AI could know what I want and know what I expect. And I beleived the advertizing that it would. my mistake.
Actually, it's a breath of fresh air to see somebody who challenges
the fact that her expensive DSLR can't do simple things that a
point/n/shoot handles with ease.
That's fine to challenge something but the problem is that the
poster is assuming this is a bug or an issue that all 300D users
have. It is looking like the user's camera is defective because
"many" users, including myself do not have that situation.

Since that is the case, why not send the camera in and get the
problem fixed?

Hopefully, I did not contaiminate your fresh air :)

Mike
And I'm not talking about things that follow from physics: eg,
greater DOF for the point/n/shoot because of the smaller sensor
(and thus, smaller focal length).
As it is, your bitterness is very unpleasant to be around.
--
http://www.outboundmusic.com
Your link to independent music!
--
300D Gallery:
http://tkis.com/wild-mike/

Boat Party Pics:
http://wnyboaters.com/

Whoever undertakes to set himself up as judge in the field of truth
and knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the Gods. -- Albert
Einstein
--
I am not an English native speaker and I am not a God!
http://www.pbase.com/zylen
http://www.photosig.com/go/users/userphotos?id=26918
 
I don,t know why it's been said so often yet people choose to ignore this...if you have problems or not can be greatly dependant on your camera, your subjects and your type of photography.

I beleive that some people here will never push their camera to any lenght and thus will never have any problem..or they will start to see problem once they will start to really experiment with it in deep.

Some seem to be much more sensitive. Mine never kick in on flying birds..does yours kick in servo for flying birds? I mean not bird flying at 2 inches of the lens but birds flying at some distance?

My camera is at canon currently because the shutter broke. it's been there for almost a month and still no news from it.
Don't be silly :)
That's fine to challenge something but the problem is that the
poster is assuming this is a bug or an issue that all 300D users
have. It is looking like the user's camera is defective because
"many" users, including myself do not have that situation.

Since that is the case, why not send the camera in and get the
problem fixed?
--
http://www.outboundmusic.com
Your link to independent music!
--
300D Gallery:
http://tkis.com/wild-mike/

Boat Party Pics:
http://wnyboaters.com/

Whoever undertakes to set himself up as judge in the field of truth
and knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the Gods. -- Albert
Einstein
--
I am not an English native speaker and I am not a God!
http://www.pbase.com/zylen
http://www.photosig.com/go/users/userphotos?id=26918
 
what did you use it for? have you tried flying birds?

If I want the AI servo to kick for me, I must use the sport mode.
the bottom line that I have find after using it for 2 months is
that the 300d is much less predictable and reliable than my 300$
point and shoots. very simple and straightforward.
--
Stephen Reed



http://www.pbase.com/domotang
--
I am not an English native speaker and I am not a God!
http://www.pbase.com/zylen
http://www.photosig.com/go/users/userphotos?id=26918
 
In the case of Daniella it isn't so simple. With some people, I do
exactly as you suggest. I just ignore them. In Daniella's case, she
does some nice photography and she makes occasional good points.

I don't know whether she will take my advice or not. She doesn't
have to. But her bitternessm while in some degree understandable,
isn't pleasant. And in this case it is rather avoidable. A 1000$
camera is nothing to let ruin your otherwise good disposition.

If given the choice of hanging out with bitter people vs. those who
aren't bitter, I'll choose those who aren't.

And I gave that advice not to hurt but to build up. You can believe
that or not as you wish.

I wish Daniella the best. It pains me to see her become bitter over
this camera. If it has become such a sore point, she may be best
served to sell the camera and get something else, whether or not
her perceived problems with the camera have any basis in reality.
(In my case, I believe some of her concerns are real - others not).

Whether she remembers it or not, I helped her identify the focusing
problem with her first camera and suggested a way to test it to pin
it down. I know some of her problems are real.
I agree, bitterness is NOT a good attribute wether the problems are real or percieved.
 
1. Is this problem repeatable for you?
yep... but mine does not kick the AI servo when I do need it.

If so, can you go to
another 300D body like one at a camera store and get the same
results?
I tried another and it was more sensitive, it did kick in sometimes on moving people are close range...still not predictable..I never know for sure what it will do.

can you?
2. Could it be due to user error or something can be avoided with a
change in technique?
like what?
3. Could be during some unusual set of conditions that most of us
aren't using?
yep, most probably.

This would explain how few people are having this
also they are different..not every 300d seem to have the same sensitivity.
4. Does the 300D suffer from significant quality issues?
After 2 defective 300d one after another..I can easily answer yes to the question.

After all
they are bult in Taiwan using presumably cheaper parts and possibly
with lower quality standards.
I do not have problem to beleive that.
5. Can someone come up with a set of tests we can all do?
sure, try taking photos of flyign birds. Something like seagull from a certain distance..like 20 feet maybe, or try some other bird in flight. See if you can get this thing to kick. I have try bird flyign side way, away from me and coming straight at me...no luck.

The only time the AI servo kicked for me was on some contrasty flower pot on simple camera shake. the contrast of the subject seems to be a key factor in AI focus.

More
data would be good. If nothing else, ideally we should all be
testing all the equipment we buy within the return period as
thoroughly as we can. It's easy to calibrate A/V equipment. How
to do the same for photo equipment without a test lab setup like
what is used in Phil's reviews.

6. For more test data, can we draw on the experiences of 10D
owners? To do so, we need to be able to say that the AF system,
sensor, DIGIC chip, etc., of the 300D behaves the same way as the
10D's.

Should we take a poll of all readers in this forum? If we get
enough responses, that could go a long way towards resolving denial
or to at least talk to problems with the camera or camera's build
quality.
  • Marcos
Some members of this forum deny 300D autofocus problem. I want to
make simple clear case upon just one problem - autofocus, recompose
in 300D in creative Av or Tv mode. Here we go:
  • 300D is $1000 camera
  • $1000 cameras should allow people to be creative with their tool,
so 300D has creative modes - like Av and Tv.
  • creative modes, like Av and Tv, allow you to control DOF, shoot
in RAW, adjust ISO...
  • one of the first thing you learn about taking pictures is to
avoid putting your subject in dead center of the frame.
  • focus-recompose is one of the basic functions in creative
photography and technique to avoid putting subject in center of
frame.
  • to be able to reliably focus on desired spot you have to know
where camera will focus so we will use center AF spot.
  • to reliably focus-recompose:
  • frame your target-spot in center of frame
  • half-press shutter button and lock focus on target spot
  • recompose your picture
  • press shutter button all the way down
This is basic of the basic technique in taking pictures. I have
problem with this technique with my 300D. Half of the time I have
pictures that are out of the focus because AI Servo will kick in
and change focus.

Anybody think that Canon made $1000 camera that cannot do
focus-recompose?

Anybody think that Canon deliberately put such a limitation in
their camera?

I think it's a bug - huge one and IMHO Canon must respond -
ignorance wont help since this problem is here to stay until is
solved..

Darko

PS
I respect this site and my decision to buy 300D was mainly based
upon 300D review from this site. I would like to hear from Phil
about this problem since I didn't find anything about it in his
review.
--
I am not an English native speaker and I am not a God!
http://www.pbase.com/zylen
http://www.photosig.com/go/users/userphotos?id=26918
 
I'm the first to admit I am a relative novice. No secret. But I also have a voracious appetite for information, and learning. Even I know all about RAW mode, and what a proper workflow can do for you. And I know I am nowhere near skilled enough to take advantage of an L lens. So it amuses me to see someone who has never even taken a picture before in RAW mode thinking they need an L lens. The phrase "trying to run before you can even crawl" comes to mind. And not being happy with the quality of the Sigma or other long lenses he's tried and springing for the Canon L... before even looking at one of the easiest and simplest (and cheapest! C1 Rebel edition is $49 I think?) to improve the quality of your images... well that's just silly. That fact that I am a novice and can see that makes my post even MORE relevant, not less.

And to put in the larger context of this discussion, I find it hard to take seriously the thoughts (on AIFocus problems) of someone who has barely even investigated the most basic features of his camera.

Sorry, maybe it was all a bit "over the top". If you look at all of my other posts, none of them are like that - they're all strictly asking for and exchanging information. I'm just sick to death of all this complete BS, and wasting of a good forum, I must have finally snapped. When I first started reading this it was terrific! The amount of useful information was enormous. Now it's just full of people who want to ***** and complain.

What a waste.
Neil Walker wrote:

Neil,

I don't blame you for not knowing all in photography, probally you
know a lot more about it than I do. But don't you think it bold for
someone who asks questions like this:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1031&message=6875978 to write such an agressive post to someone who obviously knows what he wants and bought the lens for that??

--



Regards,
Tom

http://clik.to/tomcee
Canon 300D FAQ: http://www.marius.org/fom-serve/cache/3.html
 

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