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06-16-2013, 12:17 PM   #1
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Chimping?

If chimping is the name for when the lens will move slightly to focus, but no-where near enough to actually focus, I had that yesterday, tried new batteries, different lenses and it wouldn't go away. I took a few shots with my trusty K200D and then the K30 was fine, apart from making it jealous, i've no idea what happened, any clues anyone?

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06-16-2013, 12:32 PM   #2
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Strange one. Was the camera near anything that could have been generating a lot of electrical interference or pulsating lighting?
06-16-2013, 12:36 PM   #3
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No, that's not what it means
Chimping is when you take a picture then review it immediately so you can adjust exposure and take another shot if your first guess was off a little. Only the advent of digital photography made this possible. Old school photographers tend to think of Chimping as being somehow inferior or amateur, but I say, if it works for you, go for it.

You might be referring to hunting, this is usually described as a lens overshooting the point of focus repeatedly without getting a lock. Often this will be due to a low contrast subject or poor lighting. Sadly, autofocus will never be as good as a well calibrated human eyeball. Ymmv
06-16-2013, 03:50 PM   #4
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I think the disdain for chimping comes from the "ooooooh" faces that some make when pleased with their shots - hence the name. A "real" photographer examines the histogram with the merciless gaze of an angry Clint Eastwood. (Can I get credit for calling it 'Clinting'?)

I don't know that I've seen that exact problem, but I have had similar weird problems that solved themselves. Electronics do weird things sometimes.

06-16-2013, 06:10 PM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by SteveB Quote
Strange one. Was the camera near anything that could have been generating a lot of electrical interference or pulsating lighting?
Thanks for the reply Steve, no, I was in the middle of an airfield photographing an airshow! But I noticed the screen would black out when it happened, suggesting an electrical issue.

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06-16-2013, 06:15 PM   #6
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Yes chimping is the process of looking at LCD after every shot. Why it's called that way I don't know .

Maybe it's because the process similar to how chimps look when they are 'grooming' or delousing other chimps

What the OP may have experienced is that the camera selecting another subject other than the intended one. In such cases you may try manually selecting AF points so that the camera focus in the area of your desired subject.
06-16-2013, 06:17 PM   #7
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!!
QuoteOriginally posted by keithlester Quote
No, that's not what it means
Chimping is when you take a picture then review it immediately so you can adjust exposure and take another shot if your first guess was off a little. Only the advent of digital photography made this possible. Old school photographers tend to think of Chimping as being somehow inferior or amateur, but I say, if it works for you, go for it.

You might be referring to hunting, this is usually described as a lens overshooting the point of focus repeatedly without getting a lock. Often this will be due to a low contrast subject or poor lighting. Sadly, autofocus will never be as good as a well calibrated human eyeball. Ymmv
Thanks for the explanation re chimping, I guess I got the wrong idea!

This wasn't hunting, where the lens will go from one extreme to the other, this was just very small increments.The lens was wildly out of focus and would not move enough to get in focus, blinkin' annoying when a Lancaster, Mosquito, Spitfire and 2 Hurricanes are flying by in formation! Thank goodness for the K200!

Tuggie76


Last edited by tuggie76; 06-16-2013 at 06:19 PM. Reason: Typo
06-16-2013, 06:25 PM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by GrinMode Quote
Yes chimping is the process of looking at LCD after every shot. Why it's called that way I don't know .

Maybe it's because the process similar to how chimps look when they are 'grooming' or delousing other chimps

What the OP may have experienced is that the camera selecting another subject other than the intended one. In such cases you may try manually selecting AF points so that the camera focus in the area of your desired subject.
Thanks Grin, no there was nothing else to focus on, I was pointing at the sky. I could understand hunting to focus on something, but this was small movements. It's been fine today, so hopefully it was just a glitch.

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06-16-2013, 06:39 PM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by tuggie76 Quote
Thanks Grin, no there was nothing else to focus on, I was pointing at the sky. I could understand hunting to focus on something, but this was small movements. It's been fine today, so hopefully it was just a glitch.

Tuggie76
Welcome :-). Although I'm not sure, having nothing to focus on may result in that behaviour as the camera may 'see' something worth focusing on that is not obvious to us.

But hopefully it's just a glitch as you say.
06-17-2013, 12:59 AM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by THoog Quote
I think the disdain for chimping comes from the "ooooooh" faces that some make when pleased with their shots - hence the name. A "real" photographer examines the histogram with the merciless gaze of an angry Clint Eastwood. (Can I get credit for calling it 'Clinting'?) .
Chimping comes from the sound made when looking at the screen and being excited at the result ,

Don't you think "Eastwooding" some how sounds better?
06-18-2013, 02:11 AM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by tuggie76 Quote
If chimping is the name for when the lens will move slightly to focus, but no-where near enough to actually focus, I had that yesterday, tried new batteries, different lenses and it wouldn't go away. I took a few shots with my trusty K200D and then the K30 was fine, apart from making it jealous, i've no idea what happened, any clues anyone?

Tuggie76
Here's what I do at airshows ... I use hyperfocal focus as follows. First I set the camera to manual focus. Then I set the lens to the optimum aperture for highest resolution. For example, my FA 50mm F/1.4 performs best at F/5.6 I then set the focus to a smidgen closer than infinity. This will typically give me good focus on everything from about 40' to infinity. No need to fuss with focus now as long as all the subject matter is at least 40' distant. Now I can concentrate on the subject matter with the fastest possible shutter release. A little gaffers tape on the focus ring can keep it from getting bumped.

Here's a link to a DOF calculator. http://dofmaster.com/dofjs.html
06-18-2013, 06:55 AM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by Rickster Quote
Here's what I do at airshows ... I use hyperfocal focus as follows. First I set the camera to manual focus. Then I set the lens to the optimum aperture for highest resolution. For example, my FA 50mm F/1.4 performs best at F/5.6 I then set the focus to a smidgen closer than infinity. This will typically give me good focus on everything from about 40' to infinity. No need to fuss with focus now as long as all the subject matter is at least 40' distant. Now I can concentrate on the subject matter with the fastest possible shutter release. A little gaffers tape on the focus ring can keep it from getting bumped.

Here's a link to a DOF calculator. Online Depth of Field Calculator
Thanks for the info and the link Rick, but this was an issue with the camera, but it seems to have healed itself for now!

I'll keep an eye on it to see if it returns.

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06-18-2013, 09:01 AM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by tuggie76 Quote
Thanks for the reply Steve, no, I was in the middle of an airfield photographing an airshow! But I noticed the screen would black out when it happened, suggesting an electrical issue.

Tuggie76
Airfield = radio transmitters, radar etc.
06-18-2013, 10:13 AM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by Rickster Quote
Here's what I do at airshows ... I use hyperfocal focus as follows. First I set the camera to manual focus. Then I set the lens to the optimum aperture for highest resolution. For example, my FA 50mm F/1.4 performs best at F/5.6 I then set the focus to a smidgen closer than infinity. This will typically give me good focus on everything from about 40' to infinity. No need to fuss with focus now as long as all the subject matter is at least 40' distant. Now I can concentrate on the subject matter with the fastest possible shutter release. A little gaffers tape on the focus ring can keep it from getting bumped.

Here's a link to a DOF calculator. Online Depth of Field Calculator
I'm not suggesting you are doing it wrong. Personally I have assigned the RAW/Fx button to do a stopdown preview in the viewfinder. That way I can visually inspect the DOF without digging for charts or memorizing them. My old Super Program had a lever on the right side of the mirror box (same side as the lens release). I could keep a finger near the release, sneak another finger over to the stopdown lever, and use my left hand to adjust focus and/or aperture. It feels awkward to support the body and hold the Fx button with my left hand and move my right hand over to focus the lens.

Further on this topic, if there is anything I miss on all my newer lenses is the elimination of hyperfocal scales from the lens' barrel.
06-19-2013, 08:36 PM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by GrinMode Quote
Yes chimping is the process of looking at LCD after every shot. Why it's called that way I don't know .
The Associated Press (AP) was one of the first news organizations to get their photojournalists digital cameras. Other photogs called the AP people apes. The AP photographers would always look at their screens after they shot a picture with their new digital cameras, so the other photographers (who were still shooting film) coined the term chimping, since mainly the AP people were doing it.
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