Manual Focus & Macro Shots

I have two cameras. I have a DSLR for topside photos. Didn't want to pay the price for an underwater housing for it. So, I bought a Canon A620 with the Canon housing around Feb. 2006.

I noticed when I put the camera in Macro mode, it would not focus if I got to close. I was not using zoom at all, which I know changes the min focus distance. Instead of being able to focus as close as 1cm as the camera spec states, I had to stay back a foot or so to get it to autofocus. The only way to get it to focus at a very close range is to use manual focus.

I am not that experienced in photography, so I am not sure if that is normal. Do all cameras taking Macro shots work like that - require manual focus to get up real close?

BTW, I have my camera in manual mode for everything else, but I would prefer the camer to be able to autofocus for up close macro shots.

I hope someone else joins in here as this sounds backwards to me!

In macro you should be able to focus at the closest distance possible. I've tried to replicate that with the new 520 I have, but it works fine.

Hopefully Jam et al will be in soon to help!

Speak of the devil.....

Hi Aquatic.......
A few questions first, are you shooting using the center square for composition or is the camera in AiAf mode in which it automatically focuses on what it 'thinks' is the subject?

Can you describe your problem in a little bit more detail?
Is this problem only underwater in the housing or on land?

As far as I know the camera focuses by looking for contrast in a picture.
If the subject is smooth or a blob or something then perhaps the camera might have problems focusing.....
But I don't think that's the case here.

Generally what I do whether i'm on land or underwater is half press the shutter button until the center square becomes green (indicating that the camera has achieved focus lock) and then I depress the shutter button fully.

The 1cm figure is quite accurate, the A610/A620 excels at macro shots!

I am having the same problem with macro shots on my A620. Just today I took 6 out-of-focus pictures of a juvenile trunkfish because the macro mode would not get the fish in focus. I hope someone will give you some tips!

trigfunctions:

I am having the same problem with macro shots on my A620. Just today I took 6 out-of-focus pictures of a juvenile trunkfish because the macro mode would not get the fish in focus. I hope someone will give you some tips!

Click to expand...

How far away was the fish?
Was it moving?

The macro works best within a certain range, fully zoomed the macro focuses a bit closer than the camera would otherwise...
Beyond a certain range however it won't focus....

Honestly, I think if practice a little more with the camera on land and u/w, you'll get a feel for what it will and won't focus on...

Btw, I get out of focus shots too..... being steady while taking the shot helps.
Also if you're at full zoom (telephoto) when taking a shot this tends to amplify whatever movement is being made when you're holding the camera.

AiAf should be disabled for macro, I think

Jamdiver:

Speak of the devil.....

Hi Aquatic.......
A few questions first, are you shooting using the center square for composition or is the camera in AiAf mode in which it automatically focuses on what it 'thinks' is the subject?

Click to expand...

Hi Jamdiver,

My settings are as follows:

AF Frame - used to be set at center, I switched to FlexiZone to see if I noticed any difference. I have never used the setting of AiAf - probably because I researched what the proper setting should be on this board at one time.

Spot AE Point: It said center today, when I looked at it, but I know in the past I used to keep it at AF Point.

AF-assist Bean On

Then under the func set key, the option right above the S, it has the choices of Evaluative, Center Weighted Avg & Spot. I had it on Center Weighted for quite some time. I eventually set it Spot to see if that made a difference, but I never really noticed any. I was suprised to find it on Center Weighted Avg when I just now looked at it. The camera either does't save that setting or I must have change it back to center at one time or another. In any case, I experimented with all these settings today again & didn't notice to much difference.

Jamdiver:

Can you describe your problem in a little bit more detail?
Is this problem only underwater in the housing or on land?

Click to expand...

It happens both underwater and on land. Today, while experimenting with the settings, I tried to take some Macros of a flower covered with ants. Used settings of AF Frame setting of FlexiZone, a Spot AE setting of AF Point & with that option I mentioned previously that was above the S (don't know the name of it) after you press the "Func. Set" button - set to Spot, I tried to get a close Macro to get the frame filled with the ant as much as possible. I was able to get much closer than a foot - maybe somewhere around 5-7 inches and get the green square with good focus. However, when I went closer, the square would only turn yellow, instead of green and it wasn't in focus. The only way I could get closer (about 1 inch) and still keep the shot in focus was to use manual focus.

The same thing usually happens underwater. Some days I can get closer than others, but I can never get real close (closer than 5-6 inches) and sometimes not closer than 9-12 - depending on the subject. I do believe it has something to do with not being able to deal with the contrast, because sometimes I can have it focus on something else with a similar distance & then half depress and the turn to the subject I really was after and take the picture.

But other times, I can't get it to focus when I am close no matter what. I have missed some shots I really wanted, because it wouldn't focus up close. For instance, when I tried to take a picture of a small Harlequin Shrimp in some coral. I took 7 or 8 shots of him just because I knew my camera always had trouble focusing up close (and yes macro mode was turned on). None of those shots were in focus. Every shot I took the center focus square only turned yellow and not green. Although I have taken some shots with it yellow and the focus still turned out ok, but in this case - none of them did. It was shots like that, which made me start to try manual focus to make sure I at least get a good shot. I have also just pulled the camera back a few inches and then it focused ok. Of course then I had to do more cropping than intended to fill the frame with subject the way I wanted & I never seem to get the real fine level details that I wanted by doing it that way.

I'll keep trying - maybe it is just me. For now, until I figure this out, I will probably still put it manual focus for those Macro Shots I really want to make sure I get. I'm completely open for suggestions though.

My settings are as follows:

AF Frame - used to be set at center, I switched to FlexiZone to see if I noticed any difference. I have never used the setting of AiAf - probably because I researched what the proper setting should be on this board at one time.

Spot AE Point: It said center today, when I looked at it, but I know in the past I used to keep it at AF Point.

AF-assist Bean On

Click to expand...

I would say AF should be center, and the AF assist beam needs to be off (it won't do any good under water). If you are having a problem focusing, my guess would be light/contrast. You probably need to get a little focus light on the subject. If you have no place to mount one on your tray, then you'll have to hold one.

That's my guess anyhow.

In macro mode you should be able to focus down to 1cm with the lens zoomed out (at 35mm EQ). With the lens at the longest zoom setting (140mm EQ) the camera will only focus to 25cm, or around 10 inches. I got these numbers from Phil's website, I don't own this camera.

With the camera set to the widest zoom setting, and the AF in macro mode can you focus on something 1" away? If not, then you may need to have the camera serviced.

If you are at the 140mm end, and you are attempting to focus closer than 25cm, it's not going to work. But you should be able to focus at the 140mm end on a subject that is one foot away.

If you are having issues, you may want to go to a dealer (camera in hand), and try out another A620 to determine if it's the camera before sending it in for service.

Make sure that what you are using as a subject has good contrast, and that you are performing these tests in good light (daylight/outside would be good).

Your metering settings have little to do with AF operation BTW. What can have an impact however is the shutter speed. Make sure you are using a shutter speed that can be hand held. If in doubt, use a tripod.

RonFrank:

In macro mode you should be able to focus down to 1cm with the lens zoomed out (at 35mm EQ). With the lens at the longest zoom setting (140mm EQ) the camera will only focus to 25cm, or around 10 inches. I got these numbers from Phil's website, I don't own this camera.

With the camera set to the widest zoom setting, and the AF in macro mode can you focus on something 1" away? If not, then you may need to have the camera serviced.

If you are at the 140mm end, and you are attempting to focus closer than 25cm, it's not going to work. But you should be able to focus at the 140mm end on a subject that is one foot away.

If you are having issues, you may want to go to a dealer (camera in hand), and try out another A620 to determine if it's the camera before sending it in for service.

Make sure that what you are using as a subject has good contrast, and that you are performing these tests in good light (daylight/outside would be good).

Your metering settings have little to do with AF operation BTW. What can have an impact however is the shutter speed. Make sure you are using a shutter speed that can be hand held. If in doubt, use a tripod.

Click to expand...

Great advice here, you also have to realise that when you're in macro mode Aquatic explorer, that any small movement while you're taking the photo could very well lead to a blurry shot........

I read your post earlier and honestly i'm quite perplexed that you can't focus closely...
A foot looks like it's on the long range of macro focusing to me.
Don't think you need macro mode for that great a distance with the camera not zoomed in.....

If you're still having problems after following Ron's suggestions and trying a wide variety of subjects in good lighting fairly close to the camera.... (i'd start at 1cm and gradually increase the distance).
Then i'd consider having the camera looked at.

But I have to say the fact that you can get the camera to focus in manual focus mode suggests to me that nothing is wrong with the lens or the focusing mechanism itself.

Cheers