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Focus question
#1

Hello everyone!
I have a question about my camera I just got it and am still learning about what all these buttons do so bare with me. hehe
I got the Kodak Easyshare..Z710 7.1 mp with 10 x zoom.
Well using it for the first time last night..I was trying to take pictures of deer. I got out of the car and tried several different buttons like Scene..sports with the movement and I zoomed in. But the only time the camera would focus was for a second after I clicked the shutter button then it would go back to blurry and that is how the picture would turn out.
SO Im unsure what I am doing wrong.
I bought the camera only because I wanted to have the zooming..
I so want to figure it out so I wont be thinking I wasted my money because my other camera was fine even being only a 2.0 mp with 3x zoom..I usually only take pictures of animals..but Ive always wanted to get great pictures of the deer around here..
So Im not too happy. Maybe someone understands my question and has an easy answer for me..hmm
I will share my link to my photobucket..I want to get good at this..I have some good pictures but it was all camera and me clicking the button. I want to learn my camera and not just take pictures. Ya know..
Ok Ill shut up for now..Thanks for any help in advance
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v603/B.../Critters/
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#2

Hi Teri;

There are three things that might be causing your blurry results that I can think of:

Camera shake -- you're using a really long lens (380mm) which means that you need a really fast shutter speed (1/500 would be good) to get a sharp picture. You mention that you were trying it out last night, so it was probably near dusk when the animals get more active? In these situations, it's very hard to get a shutter speed thats fast enough to use hand-held. Try setting you ISO to 200 or 400, and use a tripod or monopod if at all possible. If it's not possible, you can try bracing yourself or resting the camera on something solid, but a tripod's the best solution.

Shutter lag -- If you're pressing the shutter button too quickly, the camera may not have enough time to focus, or it may be firing later than you expected it too. (Low light will increase the amount of time the camera takes to focus.) Try gently half-pressing the shutter button until the camera confirms that it's locked, and then quickly-but-gently pressing it the rest of the way.

Continuous auto-focus -- Another possibility is that your camera is trying to track movement by continuously focusing on the centre of the frame. If your deer leave the centre of the viewfinder, the camera will miss them.

If you can post a small sample image, perhaps we can get a better idea of exactly what's going on.

matthewpiers.com • @matthewpiers | robertsonphoto.blogspot.com | @thewsreviews • thewsreviews.com
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#3

Matt seems to have covered it - I would say the first one is the most likely scenario.

Canon stuff.
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#4

A little thought. Have you viewed your photo's on the pc yet or just the camera's screen.
On most digicameras, there is a little wheel near the eyepiece, to set (for folk who wear glasses ) That could be not set up properly and could make the screen look out of focus. If that is OK then as matthew said post a pic for us. Meanwhile do a lot of reading.Smile

Lumix LX5.
Canon 350 D.+ 18-55 Kit lens + Tamron 70-300 macro. + Canon 50mm f1.8 + Manfrotto tripod, in bag.
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#5

Oh ok..Im sure it was probably me clicking too fast and it was dusk. I wanted to get the picture before they ran..I have played with it a little more now trying to catch on what everything does.
NT73 I took one picture before leaving the house and that picture I didnt use the zoom and it showed pretty well on the camera but I will look at the camera to see what your saying.
The other day after making this post I had a huge headache from reading and reading everything I could..This site has a lot of info on it..I just have to learn what some of the camera words are..I went to the kodak site as well and Ill get it, hopefully.
Matthew thanks for all that..I will read your post a few times hehee and try it again tonight..I deleted them because they looked blurry Next time I will transfer them on the computer before deleting.

Ill just post a picture for fun that I took with it..I used the "spotlight" on it.. I will go deer hunting tonight and see what happens and post a picture tomorrow hopefully.
Thanks again for all your help!!
[Image: 100_0020.jpg]
Zues yawning
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#6

That is very clear and sharp, at least his nose and whiskers are. You just got his eyes in focus as well. His body and back legs are out of focus because of depth of field, but don't worry about that today.Big Grin

Lumix LX5.
Canon 350 D.+ 18-55 Kit lens + Tamron 70-300 macro. + Canon 50mm f1.8 + Manfrotto tripod, in bag.
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#7

LOL His nose and whiskers. Yer funny but its true LOL I was just happy that I got him yawning that my camera was fast enough to get it..or something..
anyways..here is a picture that I took last night of the deer across the road..grr I know now what it was and of course Matthew was right about the shaking of the camera. I used my propane tank to sit my camera on for this picture below, after a while of getting nothing but shakiness.
[Image: 100_0144.jpg]
And thats the best I got, so not a very good day for me yesterday.
So I need to get a tripod..good luck there for me Ill put it on my list lol
I do have a story though I went shopping yesterday and about 8 miles away from here Never once have I seen an Eagle this close ever and I never had my camera. He was sitting on a branch would have been the best picture ever! So I sped home to get my camera and went back and he was gone, grrr!!! Probably will never see him that close ever again. Now If I would have had my camera I wouldnt have seen him at all. I was really disappointed!
Anyways theres my pretty deer picture LOL grr
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#8

Hmmm... not quite Nation Geographic, but you'll get there. A tripod or monopod is a great place to start.

The nice thing about tripods is that any tripod is better than no tripod. Look for ones made by Slik or Gittios; neither will cost a fortune for a good and functional piece of gear. Manfrotto also has a line of light tripods that are reasonably priced; I've never used one but one would be on my list if I was shopping today. But, as with everything photographic, if you want to spend more money someone will find a way to let you do it. Higher-end ones will be stronger, better made, and may use lighter-weight materials. They can be a pleasure to use and are a real luxury -- i.e., not usually needed.

Since you will mostly by carrying it in the car, you might want to get a larger model with only three leg segments. They're a little longer than the four-segment models when folded, but are generally sturdier and are faster to set up. A heavier model will probably be more stable than a light model, but if you're going to be carrying it any distance, you might prefer to give up a little solidity.

If you find one with a built-in head, look for a ball-head instead of a "video" or pan-and-tilt head. A ball head will be faster to set up and frame the shot, and can be used with very loose tension to let you track moving animals. You lose some of the stability by doing this, but not nearly as much as hand-holding the camera. If the one you're considering doesn't come with a head, then you're free to shop around and try out many different styles. It's really a matter of personal preference, so see what you like in the store.

One thing that I don't recommend is spending a lot of money on your first tripod. No one model will fit all of your needs, and much of it is personal preference. It's much better to learn what you need on a good piece of gear that can go into semi-retirement or be passed on without causing financial grief.

Something else to consider is a monopod. They're ideal for shooting wildlife and sports, or any subject that requires a long lens instead of long exposures. They generally permit shutter speeds two stops lower, which means you might be able to go as slow as 1/125 instead of 1/500 with your full zoom. They are more specialized than tripods -- you won't be using one for multi-second exposures, or setting the self-timer and then dashing into a group photos. But, for moving subjects and long lenses, they're an excellent option. I used mine at the zoo, taking photos with a 300mm lens, and I was amazed at the results. I had always shot hand-held before, and didn't know the lens was even capable of the sharp images it captured. Since you're less likely to buy a second one, I'd suggest getting a good one from the very beginning. It's still not a major investment, and you'll be pleased with the results. Later, you can add a ball head to it, which will further increase its usefulness and stability.

matthewpiers.com • @matthewpiers | robertsonphoto.blogspot.com | @thewsreviews • thewsreviews.com
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#9

Have a look in the menu and see if the focus assist beam is 'ON'
It is a little pre-flash that helps the lens to focus in the dark.
Or set ISO to a higher number, for night shots.
And then practise.Smile

Lumix LX5.
Canon 350 D.+ 18-55 Kit lens + Tamron 70-300 macro. + Canon 50mm f1.8 + Manfrotto tripod, in bag.
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#10

I just wanted to share another photo of deer that I took yesterday getting a little better Maybe next time it will be what I want it to be..
[Image: 100_0444.jpg]
I did get a tripod for christmas I havent used it to take pics of deer yet. With this picture I used my car to hold the camera still. If I can get out of the car and able to get the tripod up and ready before they run would be perfect.
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#11

Teri Wrote:With this picture I used my car to hold the camera still. If I can get out of the car and able to get the tripod up and ready before they run would be perfect.
Nice pic Teri... one trick I usually do if I don't have a tripod is to get out of the car and place the camera on the bonnet or roof, which will give you a rock solid platform to take photos on.

Another tip is to use the self-timer function on your camera, which will reduce the risk of you accidentally shaking the camera when pressing the shutter button. I do this all the time, even when using a tripod.

All the best!
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