Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
11-18-2009, 12:51 PM   #1
Senior Member




Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 127
Problems focusing with D40

I have a hard time with proper focus. Its not the cameras fault but mine... I think it always seems to focus on the background and look bad, I so miss manual focus. Ill add pics later

11-18-2009, 01:06 PM   #2
Veteran Member
Eruditass's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2009
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 2,207
Are you using center/select point autofocus + recompose? 5,11,area focus gives me problems on any camera, so I choose my focus point.
11-18-2009, 01:12 PM   #3
Senior Member




Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 127
Original Poster
theres only three on D40 I wish I had that many. I cant focus up and down this makes it hard
11-18-2009, 01:18 PM   #4
Veteran Member
Eruditass's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2009
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 2,207
Well, many people use only center point and focus+recompose, have you tried that?

11-18-2009, 01:22 PM   #5
Senior Member




Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 127
Original Poster
yes I useraly do... i dont know
11-18-2009, 03:58 PM   #6
Veteran Member
alexeyga's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Montreal, Canada
Posts: 838
QuoteOriginally posted by ecoronin Quote
theres only three on D40 I wish I had that many. I cant focus up and down this makes it hard
To tell you the truth, even on the D300s with it's 51-points, super-duper AF system, i'm on the central one 99 times out of 100... "Focus and recompose" method works the best... just make sure you're in AF.S mode... As in continuous it will refocus...

Cheers...
11-18-2009, 06:07 PM   #7
Moderator
Loyal Site Supporter
Wheatfield's Avatar

Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: The wheatfields of Canada
Posts: 15,903
QuoteOriginally posted by ecoronin Quote
I have a hard time with proper focus. Its not the cameras fault but mine... I think it always seems to focus on the background and look bad, I so miss manual focus. Ill add pics later
If this is a brag about the superiority of Pentax AF compared to the Nikon bottom feeder, thanks for the info.
If it's wondering about how to make Nikon's bottom feeder AF work better, you should probably seek out a Nikon forum for answers.

11-18-2009, 08:55 PM   #8
Senior Member




Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 127
Original Poster
I am just frustrated thats all... I need to get better. and I think alexeyga is right thanks for the advice thats prart of the problem I think
11-18-2009, 10:19 PM   #9
Moderator
Loyal Site Supporter
Wheatfield's Avatar

Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: The wheatfields of Canada
Posts: 15,903
QuoteOriginally posted by ecoronin Quote
I am just frustrated thats all... I need to get better. and I think alexeyga is right thanks for the advice thats prart of the problem I think
I also think he is right. A 3 point AF system is not going to hit what you want to focus on except by blind luck. The 11 point AF used by Pentax isn't adequate, and the 51 point used by the D300 is, while a huge improvement over either Pentax of the D40 AF, it still isn't absolutely solid, though it is very good indeed.
11-19-2009, 08:41 AM   #10
Veteran Member
alexeyga's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Montreal, Canada
Posts: 838
QuoteOriginally posted by Wheatfield Quote
I also think he is right. A 3 point AF system is not going to hit what you want to focus on except by blind luck. The 11 point AF used by Pentax isn't adequate, and the 51 point used by the D300 is, while a huge improvement over either Pentax of the D40 AF, it still isn't absolutely solid, though it is very good indeed.
I don't know about others, but in every day's shooting I'm having hard time trusting AF system with more than one point at a time... No matter Pentax, Nikon or whatever...

With only one point in use, I'm always certain where the focus is... But as soon as there's more than one focus point involved, it becomes a wild lottery, it's hard to predict what the camera will choose to snap on...

KISS principle always seem to workout better...


QuoteOriginally posted by ecoronin Quote
I am just frustrated thats all... I need to get better. and I think alexeyga is right thanks for the advice thats prart of the problem I think
Check your custom settings, switch the option 02 into AF-S Single-servo AF and option 03 into Single area.. that will make things a lot more certain, but a tad less auto...

Last edited by alexeyga; 11-19-2009 at 08:48 AM.
11-20-2009, 08:40 PM   #11
Inactive Account




Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 1,972
Focus with centre point and recompose works for me 99% of the time (with AFS, of course). The only time I'll use a side focus point is if I'm really moving the focal item to the edge of the frame and I know I'm using one of my lenses that has a pronounced focal curve to it. And even then, I typically switch to manual focus.

I've never had focus problems before using this method.

c[_]
11-20-2009, 09:37 PM   #12
Senior Member




Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 127
Original Poster
ok I will try this out
11-22-2009, 11:47 AM   #13
edl
Veteran Member




Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 457
Here's what I've found from my D40:

1. Use center point (side points have a hard time locking focus) and recompose.
2. For low-light focusing turn on the AF-assist light.
3. If that doesn't work, get a focus screen and skip AF altogether. I use a $20 screen from jinfiance on ebay and a $50 pre-AI 24/2.8 on my D40 as my light walkaround setup, it works pretty good.

Also follow alexeyga's suggestion regarding AF-S and single area.
11-23-2009, 11:12 AM   #14
Veteran Member




Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Toronto (for now)
Posts: 1,748
How anyone uses the camera's brain to guess where you want to focus is beyond me. I find focus/recompose a tad cumbersome and throws things off at close focus distances.

Solution? Select the AF point yourself and use a camera with at least 9 points
11-23-2009, 11:33 AM   #15
Senior Member




Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 127
Original Poster
QuoteOriginally posted by Alfisti Quote
How anyone uses the camera's brain to guess where you want to focus is beyond me. I find focus/recompose a tad cumbersome and throws things off at close focus distances.

Solution? Select the AF point yourself and use a camera with at least 9 points
I thought about, that the af doesnt work close up at all with my kit lens... thanks for the advice
Reply

Bookmarks
  • Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook
  • Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter
  • Submit Thread to Digg Digg
Tags - Make this thread easier to find by adding keywords to it!
focus
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
K-7 focusing problems fikkser Pentax DSLR Discussion 9 10-16-2010 01:08 AM
focusing problems on k-x markjbamber Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 11 08-17-2010 01:36 AM
Problems focusing with D40 ecoronin Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Other Camera Brands 1 11-18-2009 01:08 PM
Problems with focusing screen. Vormulac Pentax Camera and Field Accessories 13 03-22-2009 01:27 AM
focusing problems kiwao Photographic Technique 7 07-28-2008 07:49 PM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 01:06 PM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top