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Focus problem with SX700

dlk1943
Apprentice

Many of my shots with my new SX700 are out of focus. These are shots of people indoor perhaps 10-12 feet away, with lots of light, so i doubt it is camera shake. This happens with both Auto and P settings. Am I not holding the shutter down long enough at the half-way point? Any other suggestions. 

Thanks. 

3 REPLIES 3

smack53
Mentor

Are you getting a green box on the LCD or a beep before pressing the shutter the rest of the way? That is what tells you the camera has focused properly. One thing I found is that you need to be very careful not to move the camera once you press the shutter all the way. Try mounting on a tripod and use the 2 second delay. Indoor shots (even with a lot of light) tend to have slower shutter speeds, so even a slight movement at the time of shutter activation can cause an out of focus image.

 

Since you are using the camera in Auto and P modes, there is the possibility that the camera is using a very high ISO and the image is actually more noisy than out of focus. The photo would appear very soft with a lack of nice detail. I would use the Tv mode and use a shutter speed of at least 1/125 second  and ISO of about 400 or 800 and see if the image improves. If it doesn't, then use the flash as well to see if that helps at all. I also have a PowerShot SX series camera and had issues with indoor shots until I started using more manual modes. These cameras are really good stepping stones for learning photography without breaking the bank. Once you learn the manual modes, you should see an improvement in the quality of the images you take. Plus the photos will come out the way you like.

 

Steve M.

Thanks, Steve. I will take your advice. I've been taking photos form45 yearsnwithnanvariety of cameras and never encountered this problem. With my last camera, Fuji F80 , this was never an issue. My other camera is a Fuji S6000 and it as well did not have this issue.
I will keep working on this.
Don

Looks like you have faster glass on the S6000 than on the SX700. My Fuji is also faster focusing than my Canon SX150, so that doesn't surprise me to hear you say the same about your Fuji cameras.

 

I also did not inquire as to whether you have the Image Stabilization on or off. Make sure that is turned on for hand held shots and off for tripod shots. Sure hope you get this resolved.

 

Steve M.

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