Auto Focus vs Manual Focus

[beetleboy]

It seems all I do these days is whinge about my D70..so here I go again!

I noticed a few weeks ago when I was trying to do some close-up product work that when using Auto Focus the image in the viewfinder looked out of focus. To rectify the problem, I switched to Manual Focus and gave the ring a little nudge and voila - sharp! However..I then fired off a shot and chimped - SOFT! Huh? Setting the camera back on AF and focussing on the same spot I'd just MF'ed the viewfinder went soft again - fired off a shot and low and behold, that shot is in focus!! Since then I've only been able to use AF cos MF yields OOF images! How strange.

I've tried some of the obvious things like the diopter adjustment but it makes no diff. Which makes me think it may be something to do with the focussing prism/screen thingy since the camera gets it right everytime but it looks wrong to my eye.

Here's an example. This shot was taken with AF but the writing looked quite soft thru the viewfinder:



And this one was focussed Manually and looked sharp as a tack:



No, they're not backwards - that's how it works!!

Some of yo may recall I posted the dodgy viewfinder images a while back - I'm wondering if this is part of that problem?

[Nnnnsic]

Perhaps you haven't the right settings on your diopter.

[gstark]

When was the last time you paid your friendly optometrist a visit?

There may be an issue with your near focus vision.

[beetleboy]

S'not my eye. Happens with both my left and right and I always MF when shooting wine bottles on a 1DS in the studio - no problem.

And as I said, the diopter doesn't fix the problem.

Must be something else?

[Nnnnsic]

Umm... no... I'd probably still suggest a visit to the optometrist for both eyes.

[admajic]

You said its fine with both eye.
Id say both your eyes need a visit to the optomitrist.

Also, get another person to do the test, adjust the slider to their eyes.

[gstark]

Must be something else?

No.

I'd be visiting the optometrist.

The 1DS viewfinder isn't the D70 viewfinder; you're comparing apples with pineapples.

[Alex]

I think diopter setting, as others said. Althoufh, if you did use MF properly you would see a a green dot confirming correct focus, regardless of what you saw in viewfinder.

Alex

[Steffen]

Maybe your matte screen is out of whack. Using the focus indicator dot should give you sharp focus, but you'd have to focus at where the sensor lies, and recompose.

Cheers
Steffen.

[beetleboy]

Ok seriously guys, it's not my eyes!! Why should it be any different with the 1DS on which I never have any problems?

I have very recent prescription lenses and it's only recently become a problem (around the same time I noticed my viewfinder's serious inaccuracy)..I was just wondering if anyone had experience with the focussing screen/prism thingy?!

I've also messed around with the diopter today to no avail!

Thanks for the feedback.

[Steffen]

Well, do the focus indicator and your eyes agree on focus? If you see focus at a different setting of the focusing ring than the focus indicator then your matte screen is misaligned.

I once had a horribly out of focus FE2, almost all of the shots I took were unusable. It turned out that I had put the matte screen (one of those third-party ones that promised an extra-sharp finder image) the wrong way around Served me well - the Nikon screens had tabs that made that impossible...

Cheers
Steffen.

[beetleboy]

Steffen..using MF the little green dot comes on when the image is out of focus and off when it's in focus thru the viewfinder so I'm thinking you might be right. I'll take it in to a service centre and see what they make of it.

Anyone know of a good vaule centre in Adelaide? I'm not too keen to take it where we take the studio gear cos they charge an arm and a leg!

Ok..I've figured it's definitely not the diopter - if it was the diopter then the whole image would always be soft (same if it was my eyes) but the fact that a little nudge on the focus ring makes the focus point sharp as a tack tells me it's more likely to be the Matte Screen.

Again..thanks everyone for your feedback (especially Steffen!)

[Yi-P]

Since you reported that your D70 viewfinder is way off the edges, and with this OOF problem seen by the eye (not camera)

may have something to do with your mirror or prism there... thats my guess so far

[beetleboy]

Yup..and this officially ends my whinging!

I'll take it in and let y'all know what gets fixed!