Focus...Focus!!

[Rawfa]

Ok, so since day 1 with the E-P1 I’ve been complaining about the focus. Let’s divide the issues and tackle them one by one:

Issue 1 – My kit lens has no trouble to lock focus, but afterwards when I check the pictures they are NOT focused (I would say 25% of the photos are out of focus even after the E-P1 has locked focus…and I’m talking about plain day light). I don’t know if the kit lens is supposed to be like this or if this may have any influence on the focus but I find its elements to be lose once it’s extended.

Issue 2 – Ok, this is not really an issue with the camera per se, but it’s something that is bugging me. How the heck have you guys been focusing manually with manual lenses?! I mean, it’s just crazy focusing with the LCD. I now have a very nice collection of Pentax K lenses that I’ve only been using on interiors or under controlled circumstances. Whenever I take the manual lenses out I finish the day with my eyes hurting and 50% of my photos out of focus (I would say it’s my eyes…if I hadn’t had them checked recently).

 

[JayCee]

Are you sure they're out of focus?...are you maybe confusing out of focus with camera shake?

 

[Rawfa]

Hum, the issue is so SO subtle that even though I'm quite convinced it's focus I have to say it couldn't rule out the possibility of camera shake. If it IS camera shake then it would also be a problem, because I must have owned around 10 or more different cameras and I've never got this amount of unacceptable results.

 

[Streetshooter]

Rafa,
In regards to question 1. At what focal length do you see the problem.
If you focus and than zoom again... Focus shift will occur.
Are your subjects moving?
What shutter speed per focal length are you working...

I have found the AF good with this camera.
The focus box is rather large but it seems the camera thinks in terms
of 3 dimensions and adjust accordingly.

I would look at the metadata for the problem images and
see the focal length/ shutter speed to START...
Don

 

[Rawfa]

I mostly shoot static subjects at 28mm with high shutter, that's why I would find it strange for this to be camera shake related.

 

[nostatic]

Maybe you have a bad unit. I have no complaints about focus speed or performance. With either the 14-42 or 17.

 

[Streetshooter]

Rafa,
Also check placement of the focus point.
Maybe it moved from center and is focusing somewhere else....

Hopefuly it's not a bad copy.

 

[Burningalive]

I have been shooting with some manual Canon FD lenses and found that I am also getting some out of focus shots that I could swear are in focus on the screen. I corrected this by using the magnification screen while focusing then recomposing the shot. It took me a bit to figure that out, you have to hit the info button until you get the screen with the square in the middle, them hit the ok button to zoom and ok again to go to the normal view. Hope that helps!

 

[JBurnett]

Are you set for single auto-focus or continuous?

Do you have release priority set ON or OFF? Release priority ON means that the focus lock must be achieved before shutter release is allowed. With the Panasonic G1 several photographers reported better AF results with this setting (called Focus Priority in the G1 if I recall) set to OFF, particularly with the 45-200mm zoom. It seems counterintuitive, but it worked.

Regarding manual focus of legacy lenses, are you using focus assist as discussed above?

 

[Rawfa]

I have the camera set to single auto-focus, I half press the shutter button and once it gives me the focus locked signal I shoot. The focus type is set to "All target AF mode".

As for the manual focus I'll just have to bite the bullet and live without the viewfinder until another brand decides to offer a similar sized camera with the same features. Hopefully Samsungs' NX system shouldn't take long and should carry a Pentax mount.

 

[Streetshooter]

Rafa,
You just pointed out the problem....
Set the camera AF to single target....
Don

 

[Rawfa]

Rafa,
You just pointed out the problem....
Set the camera AF to single target....
Don

That's how I had it before. I've switched because I thought this mode would fix it.

 

[Streetshooter]

Rafa,
You continually surprise me.
Has this resolved the focus issue?
Inquiring minds want to know....
Don

 

[Vivek]

I should let you try the 25/0.95 I have brought along..:ROTFL:

 

[Rawfa]

I should let you try the 25/0.95 I have brought along..:ROTFL:

I'd have to have my eyes checked again afterwards ;-)

 

[Jonathon Delacour]

As for the manual focus I'll just have to bite the bullet and live without the viewfinder until another brand decides to offer a similar sized camera with the same features. Hopefully Samsungs' NX system shouldn't take long and should carry a Pentax mount.

There's no guarantee that the Samsung NX will have a Pentax (K) mount. Even though the NX has an APS-C sensor, it follows the m4/3rds system in replacing the SLR mirror box with an EVF, significantly reducing the flange focal distance. So existing Pentax K-mount lenses will require an adapter to be used on the NX, just as 4/3rds lenses require an adapter to be used on both the Olympus and Panasonic m4/3rds bodies. And even if Samsung decide to use a "Pentax-compatible" mount on the NX cameras, it's likely that only some K-mount lenses will offer auto-focus on the NX (as is the case with using existing 4/3rds lenses on m4/3rds cameras).

Given this scenario, Samsung will have to decide whether the benefits of maintaining compatibility with the Pentax K-mount (not offending Pentax/Hoya and "keeping faith" with existing Pentax users) outweigh the advantages of designing a new mount that is unencumbered by any compromises imposed by K-mount compatibility. In other words, an interesting choice for Samsung to have to make and one in which political/emotional issues may cloud technical considerations.

 

[Rawfa]

I've just set the camera to "single target af" to test it again. The difference is that with "all target af" once you half press the shutter a single square shows up over the place the camera is taking as a reference for focus (it might be anywhere in the frame...but it usually is on the center). When you set the camera for "single target af" the focus is always on the center (unless you move the focus square to a different place).

 

[Rawfa]

There's no guarantee that the Samsung NX will have a Pentax (K) mount. Even though the NX has an APS-C sensor, it follows the m4/3rds system in replacing the SLR mirror box with an EVF, significantly reducing the flange focal distance. So existing Pentax K-mount lenses will require an adapter to be used on the NX, just as 4/3rds lenses require an adapter to be used on both the Olympus and Panasonic m4/3rds bodies. And even if Samsung decide to use a "Pentax-compatible" mount on the NX cameras, it's likely that only some K-mount lenses will offer auto-focus on the NX (as is the case with using existing 4/3rds lenses on m4/3rds cameras).

Given this scenario, Samsung will have to decide whether the benefits of maintaining compatibility with the Pentax K-mount (not offending Pentax/Hoya and "keeping faith" with existing Pentax users) outweigh the advantages of designing a new mount that is unencumbered by any compromises imposed by K-mount compatibility. In other words, an interesting choice for Samsung to have to make and one that may well be made for political/emotional as well as technical reasons.

I have no idea if Samsung will go with a Pentax mount or not (I was just speculating, since they always do "copies" of pentax models and I've read somewhere they would base some aspects of the NX on the K7). But I haven't read anywhere that they will adopt the micro 4/3 standard. I’ve actually read that they would NOT adopt the micro 4/3 standard because they feel their approach is better, since it will actually use a DSLR sensor instead of the smaller sensor used by the micro 4/3. This would lead me to believe that the NX system will not have a micro 4/3 mount, and since they already have this “partnership” going with pentax I wouldn’t assume they would come out with their own new mount. Anyway, this is a different thread…and a good one at that Darn I'm curious about this camera!

 

[Jonathon Delacour]

I have no idea if Samsung will go with a Pentax mount or not (I was just speculating, since they always do "copies" of pentax models and I've read somewhere they would base some aspects of the NX on the K7). But I haven't read anywhere that they will adopt the micro 4/3 standard. I’ve actually read that they would NOT adopt the micro 4/3 standard because they feel their approach is better, since it will actually use a DSLR sensor instead of the smaller sensor used by the micro 4/3. This would lead me to believe that the NX system will not have a micro 4/3 mount, and since they already have this “partnership” going with pentax I wouldn’t assume they would come out with their own new mount. Anyway, this is a different thread…and a good one at that Darn I'm curious about this camera!

I didn't suggest that Samsung would adopt the m4/3rds standard (which would be extremely unlikely if not impossible since, as I wrote, the NX has an APS-C sensor). I simply stated that there was no certainty that the NX mount would provide the kind of K-mount compatibility that your original post implied.

 

[Rawfa]

I'm surprised no other thread has emerged regarding the NX system. It is supposed to be out this year and IFA is in September