#####how Do You Autofocus The 350d??#####

[philliptan]

Agree with unseen. The 350D's controls are quite intuitive. In fact, I didn't read the manual and everything was so easy to pick up and I was up and running within minutes.

My friend just bought a D70s and I was helping him to figure out how to change the focusing point. After 15 mins of trying, I gave up and consulted the manual.... Sheesh.

 

[Canew]

I understand that E-TTL2 is independent of the active focus point

freelancer, it seems that you are right. All 350D owners, please refer to page 99 of the manual. It is stated that for flash exposure lock (FEL), one needs to aim the center of the viewfinder onto the subject. Which leads me to think that the FE is independent from the focus point. It is always at the center.

However, on page 153, it also explains that how the AE lock is applied to which focus point in the 3 different types of metering availalble on the 350D.

Do correct me if I've got my facts wrong.

 

[Tetrode]

Agree with unseen. The 350D's controls are quite intuitive. In fact, I didn't read the manual and everything was so easy to pick up and I was up and running within minutes.

My friend just bought a D70s and I was helping him to figure out how to change the focusing point. After 15 mins of trying, I gave up and consulted the manual.... Sheesh.

So tell me, how do you switch focussing points on a 350D?

 

[DVDude]

I understand that E-TTL2 is independent of the active focus point

E-TTL2 works with the active focus point IMO. You can try snapping with center AF point with flash, try it with the centre AF point on the person's face (who is standing in front of a window; it's dark outside), and then again on the the window just beside him. You should get different flash power...

Anyway, for FE lock, I think it always works with the centre AF only. It is the centre AF point that blinks a red light everytime I press FE lock, regardless of which AF point I have selected for focusing..

 

[Tetrode]

It seems that I am not the only person who has a problem with the UI.
Even the dpreview review of the 350D brought up a UI issue in the 350D which is doesn't exist in the 300D. Read this page:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos350d/page8.asp

And also here:

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/xt-350d.shtml

The 350D has good specifications, there is no doubting that. But in the UI dept., it's crappy.
If you want a new Canon - skip the 350D, start with the 20D or 30D (if it's UI remains the same as the 20D).

 

[ConnorMcLeod]

The 350D has good specifications, there is no doubting that. But in the UI dept., it's crappy.
If you want a new Canon - skip the 350D, start with the 20D or 30D (if it's UI remains the same as the 20D).

Its ok. We, human, has the capacity to learn. I don't mind since I'm a hobbyist and playing around with the camera to learn the functions is part of the fun

I do agree that the C 350D controls are less efficient than N D70 or KM 7D.

 

[unseen]

It seems that I am not the only person who has a problem with the UI.
Even the dpreview review of the 350D brought up a UI issue in the 350D which is doesn't exist in the 300D. Read this page:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos350d/page8.asp

And also here:

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/xt-350d.shtml

The 350D has good specifications, there is no doubting that. But in the UI dept., it's crappy.
If you want a new Canon - skip the 350D, start with the 20D or 30D (if it's UI remains the same as the 20D).

LOL if you pick up any canon camera, you'll see small lil icons drawn on them. If you pick up a camera, you look and think about the icons, you'll figure out how to use the camera. You pick up a nikon camera, granted that alot of things are accessible easily, but without a manual or someone to teach you you'll never get them. One example, the focusing point. Another, the zooming in during review. Who on earth, by looking at the d70s, can possibly dream of pressing the enter button to zoom in?

heh anyway if you're used to a nikon camera, you'll figure it out easily. I'll say that many things are easier on the D70s, but the learning curve is much more steeper than any canon SLR. The Canon SLRs has got friendly pictures. LOL. if you don't get what I mean, go pick up a canon dSLR and have a look.

It's like how OS X users all crow about how easy to use OS X is. Me, I'm used to XP, I can do many things much faster than many OS X users can even dream of. Each side has their story.

 

[freelancer]

E-TTL2 works with the active focus point IMO.

Whilst I respect your opinion, I had read somewhere by Canon that E-TTL2 is not based on the active AF point.

 

[Tetrode]

LOL if you pick up any canon camera, you'll see small lil icons drawn on them. If you pick up a camera, you look and think about the icons, you'll figure out how to use the camera. You pick up a nikon camera, granted that alot of things are accessible easily, but without a manual or someone to teach you you'll never get them. One example, the focusing point. Another, the zooming in during review. Who on earth, by looking at the d70s, can possibly dream of pressing the enter button to zoom in?

heh anyway if you're used to a nikon camera, you'll figure it out easily. I'll say that many things are easier on the D70s, but the learning curve is much more steeper than any canon SLR. The Canon SLRs has got friendly pictures. LOL. if you don't get what I mean, go pick up a canon dSLR and have a look.

It's like how OS X users all crow about how easy to use OS X is. Me, I'm used to XP, I can do many things much faster than many OS X users can even dream of. Each side has their story.

If the all Canons dSLRs are the same, then I should have had the same problem with the UI of the 20D as I would have with the 350D. But I didn't. And I'm a Nikon user remember. So it is not about knowing/being used with the system. But all about the UI of the individual camera itself. Some cameras are just better designed than others.

There is much to like about the 350D specs wise but the UI killed it for me. If it wasn't for this and the comparatively poor quality of the plastic (vs the D70s), I would have defected over to the Canon. I see no difference between Nikon and Canon now since Nikon has chosen to drop the aperture ring from it's newer lenses. The new G lenses can't be used on older bodies.

I have to disagree about your assertion that the D70s learning curve is steeper. I'm not a lover of menus and digital controls. I prefer using analog dials over buttons and the D70s is my first dSLR - so no prior experience with dSLR menus. Yet, I was able to understand it's UI rather quickly. The Menu was only two levels deep- something my 'simple' mind was able to comprehend rather quickly. While that of the 350D wasn't so inituitive.

 

[DVDude]

Whilst I respect your opinion, I had read somewhere by Canon that E-TTL2 is not based on the active AF point.

Just my thought. Because it says flash exposure is based on Canon's Evaluative Metering. The normal Evaluative Metering that Canon uses is linked to active focus point too.. that would lead me to think that it's the same for flash.

However, it's some tests that I made (I mentioned it in earlier posts) that make me really think that it is somehow linked to the active focus point.

Anyway I should add that I am no expert myself with E-TTL II. But I certainly don't find it reliable enough to find its own metering spot. Maybe sometimes it works, but many times it doesn't work for me. FE lock works well in this case.

In the end, it's the photographer's choice on how he wants to use this system.

 

[freelancer]

But I certainly don't find it reliable enough to find its own metering spot. Maybe sometimes it works, but many times it doesn't work for me. FE lock works well in this case.

Try setting one of the custom functions to change E-TTL2 from evaluative to average. Some people find that more useful.

 

[Kongo]

Press the top right hand button and dial to one of the seven focusing point u want.

So tell me, how do you switch focussing points on a 350D?

 

[freelancer]

By the way, just came across information that the flash metering pattern for FE Lock on the EOS 20D is partial (should be the same for 350D I think). Which explains why some people prefer FE Lock in some shots.

 

[ShutterBugL]

Anyone encountered this problem?
2. Focus subject at frame centre and readjust composition?

I used to focus then recompose a shot. When DOF was thin, I kept getting shots which were a bit soft. Initially, I was worried that my new L lens was defective. After searching the Net for sometime, I found this interesting article that explains why i had the problem: http://visual-vacations.com/Photography/focus-recompose_sucks.htm.

Since then, i've resorted to manually changing the AF point to avoid having to recompose. This works most of the time. Hv tried MF but small viewfinder on 350D makes it difficult to focus manually.