Advice for almost zero knowledge on camera/photography dude (me)

[rhino123]

Mr Rhino, something I wanna ask. My canon 450D got 9 AF points, I tried both Automatic Focus selection point and Manually select focus point, but lets say I want to take photo of something which I want everything to be in focused. But when I select Manually selection point, it can only select one point? Or can select all the 9 focus points? I tried but only can select 1 point. Then I want to get everything focused in my frame, like a class photo or something similar, some parts seems to be not that well focused. Is there something I missed out from the manual? Please enlighten me

As what spree had said... also... we need to know how far away are you from your subject? And it doesn't matter if you use auto selection or manual selection of your autofocus point, although I would most certainly have chosen to select my autofocus point myself, because for a camera, it will normally choose to select a point that had the most contrast as compared to the rest of the scene.

Also, without a picture or photo, none of us could give you a very accurate solution to your problem... because none of us know where is focus well and where is not focus well, what is your aperture, what is your ISO, what is your shutter speed and what is your focus point. Plus if your shutter speed is kind of slow, while everyone in your group is maintaining relatively still, some jokers moved, those jokers will be blur in your photo.

 

[Halfgeek]

As what spree had said... also... we need to know how far away are you from your subject? And it doesn't matter if you use auto selection or manual selection of your autofocus point, although I would most certainly have chosen to select my autofocus point myself, because for a camera, it will normally choose to select a point that had the most contrast as compared to the rest of the scene.

Also, without a picture or photo, none of us could give you a very accurate solution to your problem... because none of us know where is focus well and where is not focus well, what is your aperture, what is your ISO, what is your shutter speed and what is your focus point. Plus if your shutter speed is kind of slow, while everyone in your group is maintaining relatively still, some jokers moved, those jokers will be blur in your photo.

Uh oh... I know where's the problem now. I didnt choose my focus point... And I don't know how to... And I don't know that I could select more than 1 area to focus on...

 

[Csboi]

Does this picture looks good to you? In terms of focusing?

 

[Csboi]

Uh oh... I know where's the problem now. I didnt choose my focus point... And I don't know how to... And I don't know that I could select more than 1 area to focus on...

Hahaha read the manual given. They are really good stuff

 

[Halfgeek]

Hahaha read the manual given. They are really good stuff

Somehow the AF MF and DMF managed to escape from me :O can't find it in my canera manual guide.

 

[Csboi]

Somehow the AF MF and DMF managed to escape from me :O can't find it in my canera manual guide.

Hahah then catch it back. try to read it again. Should be in your manual.

 

[rhino123]

Does this picture looks good to you? In terms of focusing?

From the size of the photo (even on your flickr page), it seemed pretty alright except for that fella in the center, can't really make out the face, it is not as sharp as the other... what did you use? manual focus point or auto focus points and where are those focus points. Also I think some guys did move... one of them is the second lady at the right (squatting down), she pulled her head back I think so there are a bit blur on her part.

Second in term of composition, your entire group are moving slightly to the left of the frame, try to position them in center.

Read this, it is good stuff,

http://www.digital-photography-school.com/how-to-take-great-group-photos

And I think I mentioned before, you need to know or gauge your distance from your subject (a rough guide will do) and do a calculation on the DOF... or simply close your aperture down as much as possible. And trust me... at times, f7.1 is not really that narrow. Sometime it would hit f11 and above... and if you really want everything to be in sharp focus, go for at least a f11 and above and everything should be sharp... but you might have to step up your ISO abit high, and if you have external flash, you might want to use them too...

 

[rhino123]

Somehow the AF MF and DMF managed to escape from me :O can't find it in my canera manual guide.

Assess your menu, go to camera section, and there should have this AF/MF select or the Autofocus area selection. It should be in this two category.

I believe at the autofocus area category, you can choose which area you wanted to focus on.

 

[Halfgeek]

Assess your menu, go to camera section, and there should have this AF/MF select or the Autofocus area selection. It should be in this two category.

I believe at the autofocus area category, you can choose which area you wanted to focus on.

I think I will go read the soft copy camera manual. If still don't have I'll get my answers on 31st dec. my Sony free class is on 31st dec lol. All earlier class is fully booked. :O

 

[rhino123]

I think I will go read the soft copy camera manual. If still don't have I'll get my answers on 31st dec. my Sony free class is on 31st dec lol. All earlier class is fully booked. :O

To make things easier for you,

http://www.docs.sony.com/release/NEX_series_Handbook.pdf

read Page 55.

Step 1:

Go to your camera's menu,

Step 2:

Choose Camera option

Step 3:

Choose Autofocus Area option

Step 4:

Select Flexible Spot

Step 5:

Move your focus point to anywhere you want by using the control wheel.

 

[Halfgeek]

To make things easier for you,

http://www.docs.sony.com/release/NEX_series_Handbook.pdf

read Page 55.

Step 1:

Go to your camera's menu,

Step 2:

Choose Camera option

Step 3:

Choose Autofocus Area option

Step 4:

Select Flexible Spot

Step 5:

Move your focus point to anywhere you want by using the control wheel.

Omg sorry! I didn't meant for anybody to spoon feed me. I feel so bad. Seriously thanks. Anyway I just realized this when csboi was talking about the focusing and I rmb u asking me somehow my pictures are out of focus. Kinda found a connection and where the problems lies...

 

[rhino123]

Omg sorry! I didn't meant for anybody to spoon feed me. I feel so bad. Seriously thanks. Anyway I just realized this when csboi was talking about the focusing and I rmb u asking me somehow my pictures are out of focus. Kinda found a connection and where the problems lies...

Hahaha... anyway, not meaning to spoonfeed you... sorry for making you feel uneasy. Anyway, Csboi's issue might be a bit different from your's. He's is more on DOF calculation... for landscape and group photos, I would normally advise people to use as small an aperture as possible, don't care if it is f11 or above... this would more or less ensure that everything is in focus because the depth of field would be deeper... if you want blurred background, you can also do that post process later on.

As for your case, it might also be DOF, or focus point selection. Because if you go for auto-selection, many cameras would simply choose area that are the most contrasty as compared to others. Note that the live-view is small as compared to your monitor, so on live-view, it might seemed pretty sharp, but in actual fact, that area might not even be in focus, rather other area of the scene had been focused and that is my main purpose of asking which focus point/area are you focused on.

 

[Csboi]

Hahaha... anyway, not meaning to spoonfeed you... sorry for making you feel uneasy. Anyway, Csboi's issue might be a bit different from your's. He's is more on DOF calculation... for landscape and group photos, I would normally advise people to use as small an aperture as possible, don't care if it is f11 or above... this would more or less ensure that everything is in focus because the depth of field would be deeper... if you want blurred background, you can also do that post process later on.

As for your case, it might also be DOF, or focus point selection. Because if you go for auto-selection, many cameras would simply choose area that are the most contrasty as compared to others. Note that the live-view is small as compared to your monitor, so on live-view, it might seemed pretty sharp, but in actual fact, that area might not even be in focus, rather other area of the scene had been focused and that is my main purpose of asking which focus point/area are you focused on.

Hahaha from what i know, there is a certain f stop where the pictures taken will be most sharp for certain lenses right? Like some lenses, if open till the widest, the photos will appear to be softer right? Please correct me if I am wrong. Hahaha :bsmilie: next time I will select a smaller aperture if dark, then take out my external and pump ISO. Hahaha thanks for the tips guys.

 

[Csboi]

Omg sorry! I didn't meant for anybody to spoon feed me. I feel so bad. Seriously thanks. Anyway I just realized this when csboi was talking about the focusing and I rmb u asking me somehow my pictures are out of focus. Kinda found a connection and where the problems lies...

Hahaha let's go out and shoot on random things someday maybe after 17th?

 

[rhino123]

Hahaha from what i know, there is a certain f stop where the pictures taken will be most sharp for certain lenses right? Like some lenses, if open till the widest, the photos will appear to be softer right? Please correct me if I am wrong. Hahaha :bsmilie: next time I will select a smaller aperture if dark, then take out my external and pump ISO. Hahaha thanks for the tips guys.

Yes... most lens when opened to their widest is not as sharp. But I think as of now, you can forget about this... and don't try to limit yourself to this sweet spot... because for example, lens x sweet spot (sharpest image) is at say, f5.6. And when you use this f-value to take your photo, only part of your image start focus while others are out of focus deal to shallow DOF, so how... are you going to just sit there and suck thumb? Well... for me, I would just throw this sweet spot thingy out of the window and choose whatever aperture it need to get the job done.

 

[Halfgeek]

Hahaha let's go out and shoot on random things someday maybe after 17th?

I 12th dec go reservist 23th than finish

But on weekends I think shd be ok, must see time also. Christmas time can go shoot different kind of Christmas tree

Hahaha... anyway, not meaning to spoonfeed you... sorry for making you feel uneasy. Anyway, Csboi's issue might be a bit different from your's. He's is more on DOF calculation... for landscape and group photos, I would normally advise people to use as small an aperture as possible, don't care if it is f11 or above... this would more or less ensure that everything is in focus because the depth of field would be deeper... if you want blurred background, you can also do that post process later on.

As for your case, it might also be DOF, or focus point selection. Because if you go for auto-selection, many cameras would simply choose area that are the most contrasty as compared to others. Note that the live-view is small as compared to your monitor, so on live-view, it might seemed pretty sharp, but in actual fact, that area might not even be in focus, rather other area of the scene had been focused and that is my main purpose of asking which focus point/area are you focused on.

Ok I will try. Thanks Grr I cant wait till 18 pay come get a tripod.

 

[rhino123]

I 12th dec go reservist 23th than finish

But on weekends I think shd be ok, must see time also. Christmas time can go shoot different kind of Christmas tree

Ooo! Ooo! Can I join too? Hahahaha.

 

[Csboi]

Yes... most lens when opened to their widest is not as sharp. But I think as of now, you can forget about this... and don't try to limit yourself to this sweet spot... because for example, lens x sweet spot (sharpest image) is at say, f5.6. And when you use this f-value to take your photo, only part of your image start focus while others are out of focus deal to shallow DOF, so how... are you going to just sit there and suck thumb? Well... for me, I would just throw this sweet spot thingy out of the window and choose whatever aperture it need to get the job done.

Hahaha alright, sounds good! Suck thumb hahaha thanks.

 

[Csboi]

I 12th dec go reservist 23th than finish

But on weekends I think shd be ok, must see time also. Christmas time can go shoot different kind of Christmas tree




Ok I will try. Thanks Grr I cant wait till 18 pay come get a tripod.

Can I join too? Haha

 

[Csboi]

I 12th dec go reservist 23th than finish

But on weekends I think shd be ok, must see time also. Christmas time can go shoot different kind of Christmas tree




Ok I will try. Thanks Grr I cant wait till 18 pay come get a tripod.

Hahaha anytime after 17th also can.