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Best auto focus digital cameras ?

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Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

which digital cameras do the best auto focusing ?

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Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

hjmler wrote:
> which digital cameras do the best auto focusing ?

Define best.

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

In article <Lfabe.16796$c42.9229@fe07.lga>, hjmler <hjmler@charter.net> wrote:
>
>
>which digital cameras do the best auto focusing ?
>

Canon. What's especially great, is that the same basic strategy and
tech is in the Powershot as in the 20D and Rebels.

Now, like everything else in photography, when you ask what is the
"best" anything, the answer depends on your situation and your needs.

But Canon's AF system is really versatile, and it gives you a bit of
control. It's quite nice that the Powershot models and the EOS models
share some of the same basic architecture, such as the autofocus and
the "creative zones" control. I bought a Powershot A85 along with my
EOS 20D. The truth is, I would have been pretty happy just with the
A85. I find myself in a lot of situations where I just won't carry a
$1600 camera. Not giving up the EOS though. These 2 cameras make a
nice complement to each other.

Anyway, your question only asked about Autofocus. I've had bad
experiences with HP and Sony (not that the cameras have really been
*bad*), but Canon has been a relief. No buyer's remorse, even though
I'm fully camera-poor after buying the 20D and a couple of lenses.

Try out any Canon in the shop, and I'm sure you'll enjoy the way the
autofocus works. And Canon cameras give you exposure control if you
want it, and also can be easily set to the mode you need, before you
hand it to someone's grandmother to take your snapshot. I can't say
the same for any HP or Sony camera I've tried.

I got tired of buying $300 and $400 cameras, only to be frustrated and
give them away. That is the lash that flogged me into getting the EOS
20D, which is WAY more camera than I need, and WAY more expensive than
I needed to spend, but I have no regrets. And a lot of the great things
about the EOS are also there in the very cheap Powershot A85.

I'm not shilling for Canon, if it sounds like I am. Try these cameras.

Reply to James

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 12:59:52 -0700, "hjmler" <hjmler@charter.net>
wrote:

>which digital cameras do the best auto focusing ?
>

Difficult to answer that. Do you mean speed, accuracy or both? Some
cameras even have the ability to track moving objects and 'predict'
the correct focus when the shutter opens.

If it's an SLR (with the ability to change lens) then the lens you use
can have a significant impact on the focusing performance you get.

If it's a fixed lens camera you're after, then I would try something
in your price range from the big players - Nikon, Canon, Sony,
Olympus, Fuji etc.etc. in the shop to ensure it does what you want it
to.

Reply to steve

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

"David J Taylor" <david-taylor@blueyonder.co.not-this-bit.nor-this-
part.uk> wrote in rec.photo.digital:

> Define best.

Better than better.

--
CeeBee

"Eppur si muove!"

Reply to ceebee

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

I started with a $250 Toshiba 3 years ago and then moved up to a Fuji
S602... the stuff I shot with both was never as crisp as it should be,
especially shooting in lower light situations... and even when the direct
object I was shooting was as in the best focus as the camera seemed capable
of (and I was shooting at max resolution most of the time) I could never
achieve decent depth of field, no matter if I was shooting at the highest
f-stop...

used to be w film in my Canon EOS autofocus if I was shooting at f 5.6 - f8
not only was the primary object crisp but the immediate foreground and
almost infinite background was sharp too... near Ansel Adams look...

"Steve" <whiteroseofyorkshireNOSPAM@postmaster.co.uk> wrote in message
news:7kfq61l7pnd1k5cjusv4lpobapjeako5ui@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 12:59:52 -0700, "hjmler" <hjmler@charter.net>
> wrote:
>
> >which digital cameras do the best auto focusing ?
> >
>
> Difficult to answer that. Do you mean speed, accuracy or both? Some
> cameras even have the ability to track moving objects and 'predict'
> the correct focus when the shutter opens.
>
> If it's an SLR (with the ability to change lens) then the lens you use
> can have a significant impact on the focusing performance you get.
>
> If it's a fixed lens camera you're after, then I would try something
> in your price range from the big players - Nikon, Canon, Sony,
> Olympus, Fuji etc.etc. in the shop to ensure it does what you want it
> to.

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 14:42:28 -0700, "hjmler" <hjmler@charter.net>
wrote:

>I started with a $250 Toshiba 3 years ago and then moved up to a Fuji
>S602... the stuff I shot with both was never as crisp as it should be,
>especially shooting in lower light situations... and even when the direct
>object I was shooting was as in the best focus as the camera seemed capable
>of (and I was shooting at max resolution most of the time) I could never
>achieve decent depth of field, no matter if I was shooting at the highest
>f-stop...
>
>used to be w film in my Canon EOS autofocus if I was shooting at f 5.6 - f8
>not only was the primary object crisp but the immediate foreground and
>almost infinite background was sharp too... near Ansel Adams look...
>
>"Steve" <whiteroseofyorkshireNOSPAM@postmaster.co.uk> wrote in message
>news:7kfq61l7pnd1k5cjusv4lpobapjeako5ui@4ax.com...
>> On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 12:59:52 -0700, "hjmler" <hjmler@charter.net>
>> wrote:
>>
>> >which digital cameras do the best auto focusing ?
>> >
>>
>> Difficult to answer that. Do you mean speed, accuracy or both? Some
>> cameras even have the ability to track moving objects and 'predict'
>> the correct focus when the shutter opens.
>>
>> If it's an SLR (with the ability to change lens) then the lens you use
>> can have a significant impact on the focusing performance you get.
>>
>> If it's a fixed lens camera you're after, then I would try something
>> in your price range from the big players - Nikon, Canon, Sony,
>> Olympus, Fuji etc.etc. in the shop to ensure it does what you want it
>> to.
>
Maybe your pics are in focus but just not very sharp? It may be down
to the camera's image processing. Have you tried changing the
sharpness settings on the camera or using photoshop to sharpen up the
pictures?

Maybe in low light situations your camera cranks up the sensitivity
(ISO equivalent) to allow you to use workable shutter speeds - may be
worth checking this - this will introduce a lot of noise into your
images.

I understand your camera is 3 megapixel? The reality is this
resolution is not going to give a fantastic level of detail and
sharpness - not that i'm saying you have a bad camera or anything -
but the reality is you can't really expect a 3 megapixel digital to
compete with a decent 35mm film camera in terms of image quality.

Reply to steve

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

I see a lot of stuff shot with 1 megapixel res and perfectly in focus...

I'm looking for a point-and-shoot that will focus crisply even in low-light
and give me depth of field...

"Steve" <whiteroseofyorkshireNOSPAM@postmaster.co.uk> wrote in message
news:k5lq61lopsp10247l934746gqmiucsch0o@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 14:42:28 -0700, "hjmler" <hjmler@charter.net>
> wrote:
>
> >I started with a $250 Toshiba 3 years ago and then moved up to a Fuji
> >S602... the stuff I shot with both was never as crisp as it should be,
> >especially shooting in lower light situations... and even when the direct
> >object I was shooting was as in the best focus as the camera seemed
capable
> >of (and I was shooting at max resolution most of the time) I could never
> >achieve decent depth of field, no matter if I was shooting at the highest
> >f-stop...
> >
> >used to be w film in my Canon EOS autofocus if I was shooting at f 5.6 -
f8
> >not only was the primary object crisp but the immediate foreground and
> >almost infinite background was sharp too... near Ansel Adams look...
> >
> >"Steve" <whiteroseofyorkshireNOSPAM@postmaster.co.uk> wrote in message
> >news:7kfq61l7pnd1k5cjusv4lpobapjeako5ui@4ax.com...
> >> On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 12:59:52 -0700, "hjmler" <hjmler@charter.net>
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >> >which digital cameras do the best auto focusing ?
> >> >
> >>
> >> Difficult to answer that. Do you mean speed, accuracy or both? Some
> >> cameras even have the ability to track moving objects and 'predict'
> >> the correct focus when the shutter opens.
> >>
> >> If it's an SLR (with the ability to change lens) then the lens you use
> >> can have a significant impact on the focusing performance you get.
> >>
> >> If it's a fixed lens camera you're after, then I would try something
> >> in your price range from the big players - Nikon, Canon, Sony,
> >> Olympus, Fuji etc.etc. in the shop to ensure it does what you want it
> >> to.
> >
> Maybe your pics are in focus but just not very sharp? It may be down
> to the camera's image processing. Have you tried changing the
> sharpness settings on the camera or using photoshop to sharpen up the
> pictures?
>
> Maybe in low light situations your camera cranks up the sensitivity
> (ISO equivalent) to allow you to use workable shutter speeds - may be
> worth checking this - this will introduce a lot of noise into your
> images.
>
> I understand your camera is 3 megapixel? The reality is this
> resolution is not going to give a fantastic level of detail and
> sharpness - not that i'm saying you have a bad camera or anything -
> but the reality is you can't really expect a 3 megapixel digital to
> compete with a decent 35mm film camera in terms of image quality.

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

hjmler wrote:
> I see a lot of stuff shot with 1 megapixel res and perfectly in
focus...
>
> I'm looking for a point-and-shoot that will focus crisply even in
low-light
> and give me depth of field...

I don't know which one is best. Comprehensive reviews are available
on a number of websites including www.steves-digicams.com and
www.dpreview.com. I'd check them.

I presume there's no dirt or smudges on the lens, and that the
camera hasn't been dropped, cooked, or soaked. If any of those
are the case, you've found your problem.

Depth of field is normally very good for small cameras. The
smaller the lens, the better the depth of field. It's the big
SLRs with fast lenses that have the most DOF problems.

Before writing off your camera, be sure to test it on a tripod
or by putting it on a table top and using the self timer.

Lightweight point and shoot cameras are much harder to hold still
than heavy SLRs. You could have a camera shake problem that would
look like a focus problem. If _everything_ in the image is
blurred, it's unlikely to be a focus problem. Shoot an image of
something that has objects at many different distances. If all
are out of focus then it's definitely not a focus problem, since
_something_ would have to be in focus in the scene.

Another important factor in getting a good focus is understanding
how your autofocus works. Most cameras focus by looking at what
appear to be sharp edges in the image and changing the focus until
they are sharp. Therefore, you get a better focus if you aim the
camera at something with a sharp edge. On my camera, I have the
focus area set to spot focussing (the Toshiba may not have that
capability) then I aim at something sharp on my subject, or at the
same distance from me as the subject. I push the button part way
down to lock the focus, then recompose if necessary, and press the
rest of the way to shoot.

Finally, it's conceivable that your camera is a lemon and just
has a blurry lens. But don't conclude that for sure until you've
tested on a tripod or tabletop in good light, using the self-timer.

Good luck.

Alan

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

I had a Sony p and s that produced sharp well focused photos. Often the
problem is caused by low light and camera movement, and you are often
relying on the camera to choose the proper focus point. You may have to
lock the focus, THEN, reframe and shoot. Try a tripod and manual focus and
see if things get better. You need to experiment a bit to figure out where
the problem is. Don't trust the camera to do everything for you.

"hjmler" <hjmler@charter.net> wrote in message
news:rVcbe.18612$Jg7.6958@fe03.lga...
>I see a lot of stuff shot with 1 megapixel res and perfectly in focus...
>
> I'm looking for a point-and-shoot that will focus crisply even in
> low-light
> and give me depth of field...
>
> "Steve" <whiteroseofyorkshireNOSPAM@postmaster.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:k5lq61lopsp10247l934746gqmiucsch0o@4ax.com...
>> On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 14:42:28 -0700, "hjmler" <hjmler@charter.net>
>> wrote:
>>
>> >I started with a $250 Toshiba 3 years ago and then moved up to a Fuji
>> >S602... the stuff I shot with both was never as crisp as it should be,
>> >especially shooting in lower light situations... and even when the
>> >direct
>> >object I was shooting was as in the best focus as the camera seemed
> capable
>> >of (and I was shooting at max resolution most of the time) I could never
>> >achieve decent depth of field, no matter if I was shooting at the
>> >highest
>> >f-stop...
>> >
>> >used to be w film in my Canon EOS autofocus if I was shooting at f 5.6 -
> f8
>> >not only was the primary object crisp but the immediate foreground and
>> >almost infinite background was sharp too... near Ansel Adams look...
>> >
>> >"Steve" <whiteroseofyorkshireNOSPAM@postmaster.co.uk> wrote in message
>> >news:7kfq61l7pnd1k5cjusv4lpobapjeako5ui@4ax.com...
>> >> On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 12:59:52 -0700, "hjmler" <hjmler@charter.net>
>> >> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> >which digital cameras do the best auto focusing ?
>> >> >
>> >>
>> >> Difficult to answer that. Do you mean speed, accuracy or both? Some
>> >> cameras even have the ability to track moving objects and 'predict'
>> >> the correct focus when the shutter opens.
>> >>
>> >> If it's an SLR (with the ability to change lens) then the lens you use
>> >> can have a significant impact on the focusing performance you get.
>> >>
>> >> If it's a fixed lens camera you're after, then I would try something
>> >> in your price range from the big players - Nikon, Canon, Sony,
>> >> Olympus, Fuji etc.etc. in the shop to ensure it does what you want it
>> >> to.
>> >
>> Maybe your pics are in focus but just not very sharp? It may be down
>> to the camera's image processing. Have you tried changing the
>> sharpness settings on the camera or using photoshop to sharpen up the
>> pictures?
>>
>> Maybe in low light situations your camera cranks up the sensitivity
>> (ISO equivalent) to allow you to use workable shutter speeds - may be
>> worth checking this - this will introduce a lot of noise into your
>> images.
>>
>> I understand your camera is 3 megapixel? The reality is this
>> resolution is not going to give a fantastic level of detail and
>> sharpness - not that i'm saying you have a bad camera or anything -
>> but the reality is you can't really expect a 3 megapixel digital to
>> compete with a decent 35mm film camera in terms of image quality.
>
>

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Alan Meyer wrote:
[]
> Lightweight point and shoot cameras are much harder to hold still
> than heavy SLRs.

I find that I can use 1 stop or more slower exposures on my P&S cameras
than I could get away with on my SLRs.

David

Reply to Anonymous

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