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**Larrymc** · 07-02-2018, 07:12 PM

Thie focus puzzles me on this photo, the target was the stamen area of this flower and it is out of focus yet both in front of the target and behind the target are in focus. I need some opinions on this. For lens particulars and EXIF info click on the photo and go to Flickr. This is cropped so the target appears off center in the cropped image.

**Mikesul** · 07-02-2018, 07:15 PM

But the focus is pretty good on the insect eggs!

R. Wethereyet · 07-02-2018, 07:16 PM - **1 Like**

Hi Larry,

Were you using single point focus or auto-area focus. It looks like the camera focused on the petals instead of the stamen. Did you take more that one shot of this flower? Did the same thing happen?
Dave

**twilhelm** · 07-02-2018, 07:17 PM - **1 Like**

It appears to me as though the flower is leaning towards you, making the stamen the closest point of the flower. Which would explain why it appears the way it does. If you focused on that part of the flower, I’d check the lens for back focus issues.

**Larrymc** · 07-02-2018, 07:19 PM

Originally posted by Mikesul

But the focus is pretty good on the insect eggs!

Thanks Mike but that wasn't the target. I'm thinking it may be a back focus and the petals are actually further back than they appear??

**Larrymc** · 07-02-2018, 07:22 PM

Originally posted by R. Wethereyet

Hi Larry,

Were you using single point focus or auto-area focus. It looks like the camera focused on the petals instead of the stamen. Did you take more that one shot of this flower? Did the same thing happen?
Dave

Dave if you ckick the image and go to Flickr the full EXIF data can be accessed. I did this hand held and several frames were pretty much the same.

Larry

**Mikesul** · 07-02-2018, 07:22 PM

Originally posted by Larrymc

Thanks Mike but that wasn't the target. I'm thinking it may be a back focus and the petals are actually further back than they appear??

Yes, I know but I got excited about the unintentional capture. Hope you can fix the back focus.

**Larrymc** · 07-02-2018, 07:27 PM

Originally posted by twilhelm

It appears to me as though the flower is leaning towards you, making the stamen the closest point of the flower. Which would explain why it appears the way it does. If you focused on that part of the flower, I’d check the lens for back focus issues.

Thanks Tony,

I'm thinking it is back focused too and possibly the stamen were just inside the minimum focus distance. I was at f7.1. Well thats out the MFD is 5.11 in and i was well outside of that??

**clickclick** · 07-02-2018, 08:09 PM

Try some shots in live view, and see if you get what you expect. Front/back focus shouldn't be an issue in that mode since it's using contrast detection instead of phase detection.

dbs · 07-02-2018, 08:17 PM

Hi Larry
In the excitenent where you just to close so inside mfd or the lens ?

Dave

ps I am guilty of such things

SSGGeezer · 07-02-2018, 08:22 PM

If the actual, (not indicated by the red box) focus point was on the edge of the petals it would get this effect. I have it happen with dragonflies since they are only high contrast in certain areas so need to move the actual focus point a bit and try again.

**Larrymc** · 07-02-2018, 08:28 PM

Originally posted by clickclick

Try some shots in live view, and see if you get what you expect. Front/back focus shouldn't be an issue in that mode since it's using contrast detection instead of phase detection.

Thanks David, I'll give that a try tomorrow set up on my tripod.

stevebrot · 07-02-2018, 08:30 PM - **1 Like**

The intended point of focus was the tip of the bud. EXIF indicates that centerpoint (spot) focus with AF-S(focus priority) was being used. There seems to be some confusion in the EXIF in that core tags say a D FA 100/2.8 Macro was being used while the makernotes say a DA 21/3.2 Limited was mounted and other parts say unknown lens with a focal length of 18mm with maximum aperture f/3.4 and MFD of 2.0 meters.

Best to not lean too hard on the EXIF, though it does indicate no AF points in focus (back button focus?).

I have two macro lenses. One is 50mm and the other 100mm. I can hand-hold the 50 for close focus, but not the 100 due to me swaying while doing focus-recompose with center-point. DOF is simply too thin at moderate distances and I am not steady. For whatever reason, the camera recorded no AF points in focus. I would suggest that as the answer.

As for MFD...that would be 1:1 assuming the D FA 100/2.8 and I sincerely doubt that was the case.

Steve

**Larrymc** · 07-02-2018, 08:30 PM

Originally posted by dbs

Hi Larry
In the excitenent where you just to close so inside mfd or the lens ?

Dave

ps I am guilty of such things

I was well outside the MFD which is a bit over 5 inches.

**Larrymc** · 07-02-2018, 08:32 PM

Originally posted by SSGGeezer

If the actual, (not indicated by the red box) focus point was on the edge of the petals it would get this effect. I have it happen with dragonflies since they are only high contrast in certain areas so need to move the actual focus point a bit and try again.

That may be the case.

07-02-2018, 07:12 PM	#1
Larrymc Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Mississippi, USA Posts: 5,252	Need a little help with this photo!! Thie focus puzzles me on this photo, the target was the stamen area of this flower and it is out of focus yet both in front of the target and behind the target are in focus. I need some opinions on this. For lens particulars and EXIF info click on the photo and go to Flickr. This is cropped so the target appears off center in the cropped image.

07-02-2018, 07:27 PM	#8
Larrymc Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Mississippi, USA Posts: 5,252 Original Poster	Originally posted by twilhelm It appears to me as though the flower is leaning towards you, making the stamen the closest point of the flower. Which would explain why it appears the way it does. If you focused on that part of the flower, I’d check the lens for back focus issues. Thanks Tony, I'm thinking it is back focused too and possibly the stamen were just inside the minimum focus distance. I was at f7.1. Well thats out the MFD is 5.11 in and i was well outside of that?? Last edited by Larrymc; 07-02-2018 at 07:34 PM.

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07-02-2018, 07:15 PM	#2
Mikesul Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 7,594	But the focus is pretty good on the insect eggs!

07-02-2018, 07:16 PM - 1 Like	#3
R. Wethereyet Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Alberta, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 126	Hi Larry, Were you using single point focus or auto-area focus. It looks like the camera focused on the petals instead of the stamen. Did you take more that one shot of this flower? Did the same thing happen? Dave

07-02-2018, 07:17 PM - 1 Like	#4
twilhelm Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Florida Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,369	It appears to me as though the flower is leaning towards you, making the stamen the closest point of the flower. Which would explain why it appears the way it does. If you focused on that part of the flower, I’d check the lens for back focus issues.

07-02-2018, 07:19 PM	#5
Larrymc Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Mississippi, USA Posts: 5,252 Original Poster	Originally posted by Mikesul But the focus is pretty good on the insect eggs! Thanks Mike but that wasn't the target. I'm thinking it may be a back focus and the petals are actually further back than they appear??

07-02-2018, 07:22 PM	#6
Larrymc Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Mississippi, USA Posts: 5,252 Original Poster	Originally posted by R. Wethereyet Hi Larry, Were you using single point focus or auto-area focus. It looks like the camera focused on the petals instead of the stamen. Did you take more that one shot of this flower? Did the same thing happen? Dave Dave if you ckick the image and go to Flickr the full EXIF data can be accessed. I did this hand held and several frames were pretty much the same. Larry

07-02-2018, 07:22 PM	#7
Mikesul Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 7,594	Originally posted by Larrymc Thanks Mike but that wasn't the target. I'm thinking it may be a back focus and the petals are actually further back than they appear?? Yes, I know but I got excited about the unintentional capture. Hope you can fix the back focus.

07-02-2018, 08:09 PM	#9
clickclick Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: May 2016 Location: East Coast Posts: 2,904	Try some shots in live view, and see if you get what you expect. Front/back focus shouldn't be an issue in that mode since it's using contrast detection instead of phase detection.

07-02-2018, 08:17 PM	#10
dbs Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Clare Valley S A Photos: Albums Posts: 7,568	Hi Larry In the excitenent where you just to close so inside mfd or the lens ? Dave ps I am guilty of such things

07-02-2018, 08:22 PM	#11
SSGGeezer Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Indiana, U.S. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,845	If the actual, (not indicated by the red box) focus point was on the edge of the petals it would get this effect. I have it happen with dragonflies since they are only high contrast in certain areas so need to move the actual focus point a bit and try again.

07-02-2018, 08:28 PM	#12
Larrymc Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Mississippi, USA Posts: 5,252 Original Poster	Originally posted by clickclick Try some shots in live view, and see if you get what you expect. Front/back focus shouldn't be an issue in that mode since it's using contrast detection instead of phase detection. Thanks David, I'll give that a try tomorrow set up on my tripod.

07-02-2018, 08:30 PM - 1 Like	#13
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	The intended point of focus was the tip of the bud. EXIF indicates that centerpoint (spot) focus with AF-S(focus priority) was being used. There seems to be some confusion in the EXIF in that core tags say a D FA 100/2.8 Macro was being used while the makernotes say a DA 21/3.2 Limited was mounted and other parts say unknown lens with a focal length of 18mm with maximum aperture f/3.4 and MFD of 2.0 meters. Best to not lean too hard on the EXIF, though it does indicate no AF points in focus (back button focus?). I have two macro lenses. One is 50mm and the other 100mm. I can hand-hold the 50 for close focus, but not the 100 due to me swaying while doing focus-recompose with center-point. DOF is simply too thin at moderate distances and I am not steady. For whatever reason, the camera recorded no AF points in focus. I would suggest that as the answer. As for MFD...that would be 1:1 assuming the D FA 100/2.8 and I sincerely doubt that was the case. Steve

07-02-2018, 08:30 PM	#14
Larrymc Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Mississippi, USA Posts: 5,252 Original Poster	Originally posted by dbs Hi Larry In the excitenent where you just to close so inside mfd or the lens ? Dave ps I am guilty of such things I was well outside the MFD which is a bit over 5 inches.

07-02-2018, 08:32 PM	#15
Larrymc Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Mississippi, USA Posts: 5,252 Original Poster	Originally posted by SSGGeezer If the actual, (not indicated by the red box) focus point was on the edge of the petals it would get this effect. I have it happen with dragonflies since they are only high contrast in certain areas so need to move the actual focus point a bit and try again. That may be the case.

Need a little help with this photo!!

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