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08/25/2009 11:15:43 PM · #1 |
Hi,
I̢۪m just after advice for shooting in low light with my 400D. I find that with my nifty 50mm on high ISO in low light I am able to get a shutter speed that I am happy with. My camera, however has problems focusing. I don̢۪t like using the flash pulsing strobe to assist focusing (I have found it not only blows the cover of a nice candid photo it REALLY annoys people). Basically the camera will move back and forth between infinity and macro and then blink a little light in the far bottom right in the view finder (I̢۪m assuming this means not in focus)
(FYI i manily shoot in "AP")
Soâ€Â¦ what do I do?
With my little tiny point and shoot It works (assuming because the tiny sensor gives it a high F-stops making it harder to F*** up the focusing and it has that infrared focusing happening)
I don̢۪t really want to spend $400 on a speedlite JUST to get the infrared focusing.
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08/25/2009 11:36:17 PM · #2 |
Originally posted by LuckyShot:
Hi,
I̢۪m just after advice for shooting in low light with my 400D. I find that with my nifty 50mm on high ISO in low light I am able to get a shutter speed that I am happy with. My camera, however has problems focusing. I don̢۪t like using the flash pulsing strobe to assist focusing (I have found it not only blows the cover of a nice candid photo it REALLY annoys people). Basically the camera will move back and forth between infinity and macro and then blink a little light in the far bottom right in the view finder (I̢۪m assuming this means not in focus)
(FYI i manily shoot in "AP")
Soâ€Â¦ what do I do?
With my little tiny point and shoot It works (assuming because the tiny sensor gives it a high F-stops making it harder to F*** up the focusing and it has that infrared focusing happening)
I don̢۪t really want to spend $400 on a speedlite JUST to get the infrared focusing. |
I'd bet the issue isn't your camera, more then likely its the lens itself. Those lens may be fast but they really suck to lock on to focus in low light. I'd suggest an upgrade to the 50F1.4 or 85 F1.8 for fast low light focusing that uses the USM motors.
Matt |
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08/25/2009 11:46:32 PM · #3 |
| Focus will hunt if the AF point is on a flat or low-contrast area, but if you point at a well defined edge, it should find the focus. Aim for a contrasty edge at the desired distance to lock focus with a half shutter press, then recompose and fire. |
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08/26/2009 01:37:50 AM · #4 |
| It happened to me too several times. I just switch to manual focus and continue. |
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08/26/2009 02:10:02 AM · #5 |
| My Canon S3 has a "focus-assist" beam -- a not-too-bright green light next to the lens -- which is supposed to help in these situations, and is not so obtrusive as using the strobes. But I agree you still have to find a sharp, contrasty edge or just manually focus. |
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08/26/2009 05:01:26 AM · #6 |
Thanks
Normally i just get it to auto focus on something bright that is nearby. Flick it to manual and then recompose without touching the focus.
I find manual focus difficult (probably because i don't know what i'm doing)
but also becuase i always end up bumping that little 'eye piece tuner' or whatever near the eye piece and then everything is always out of focus
I don't know why canon didn't build in the option of a "focus-assist" beam just like in the G3!
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08/26/2009 10:28:59 AM · #7 |
Yeah... I wish they would put in better AF instead of the stupid increasing ISO when the camera cannot focus in lighting that needs that sort of ISO :-/ It's the airline mag checklist thing along with MP......
Some options that I have used at times.....
* Throw a small torch (flashlight) on the subject but this might be in the picture depending on settings.
* Yeah an expensive flash will do it BUT I have an old 430EZ (zed not ex... I guess I should say Zee) flash from film days.... They are cheap as nuts (just hot flee-bay or alike) because they go to sleep off camera so are not on the strobist buying list. Put the thing in ATTL which a digital camera cannot understand as it relies on reflections off the film. The rub is that the red LED focus assist work great but the flash will not fire because ATTL is meaningless and it just does nothing.
* You could also buy that STE2 thingi but most people would just spring for one of the EX flashes as it gives far more options. |
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08/27/2009 01:21:21 PM · #8 |
| If you have the 50mm 1.8 it's a dinosaur in the focusing department. I used to shoot sports with that thing but would quickly give up. You're gonna want something with USM to keep track of everything and stick the camera in AI Servo mode. |
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08/27/2009 01:32:01 PM · #9 |
| I thought that all Canon autofocus lenses had ultrasonic motors (USM) in them? Some Nikon bodies have built in focus motors to drive non-USM lenses. |
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08/27/2009 01:35:15 PM · #10 |
| not the old ones or the super cheap ones, such as the 50mm 1.8 or the 35-80 I have lying around. |
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