Photo Girl Loc: SE Pasco County, FL

Linda from Maine is located in the State of Washington and so probably has not seen your thread yet. She does 'wonders' with her SX50. If by the end of the day you haven't seen a reply from her, I would send her a PM and I'm sure you will have your answer.

Jim Plogger Loc: East Tennessee

I have an SX50 also and I too find the manual focus very difficult to use so I mostly use the auto focus. Page 130 in the user manual does a lame job of explaining exactly how this works.

foehner Loc: St. Louis, Missouri

I sometimes use manual focus on my SX50, but it isn't as easy as you would hope. And I think I also experience the same problem... while hitting the up/down arrows, you accidentally hit the middle "Set" button which locks the focus and reactivates the other functions for those arrows. I then have to turn the manual focus back on to continue with focusing.

The manual focus is a pain, but there are times when you need to use it. Maybe the next SX?? model will have it better... along with some way to keep my clumsy fingers off of the unwanted buttons.

Jim Plogger Loc: East Tennessee

Great camera with a lousy dial design.

minopat Loc: Montreal

I have the sx30, really neat camera but I agree the manual focus can be a pain. The auto focus works very well except for low light situations.

Ugly Jake Loc: Sub-Rural Vermont

This is the real deal - between the awkward dial interface and the slow response, manual focus in the SX series cameras is vestigial at best. In my experience, the only thing that really needs it is the moon (or other shots near infinity) Steve's advice was best - find some contrast near your focal distance, and use that to focus & recompose. (In the case of the sunrise, you may have needed more ISO to get enough light trigger the AF - the Assist beam only works to about the range of the flash - 15 feet or so.)

dragoncello

There is a way to simplify manual focus which seems not to be well-documented in the manual. (I've only used it a couple of times, but I think this is how it works.) As Yooper2 suggested, focus on something close to the point you want in focus, something that's solid, say a mountain or tree line rather than the sky. Press the shutter button half way and, without releasing it, simultaneously press the left arrow button, the one with the flower ikon and the letters MF. Under ordinary circumstances, you use the button to toggle between the Macro, Normal, and Manual Focus modes, but if you're also pressing the shutter half way at the same time, it locks in as Manual the focus values that the camera has just achieved by auto focus. If need be, you can refine the focus with the up-down buttons or by turning the control dial.

As such, it's similar to the asterisk button on the back of a Canon dSLR if you're familiar with that option. It seems to be a way to enable something akin to Back-Button Focusing, since the camera holds that focal value for subsequent shots. That would make it also valuable for certain kinds of sporting events, such as races--whether of cars, bikes, or people. Set the focus on a specific point--a hurdle, say, or a finish line, or a turn in the track where you know drama is likely to occur, and (I'm assuming a tripod here) you're pre-focused when the action occurs. When you've finished, press the left button again and switch back from Manual to Normal focus mode. Warning: if you enter Review mode to check the photos, the camera exits Manual Focus mode and reverts to Normal, so you have to be disciplined and not chimp, or you lose the manual setting.

trapper jim Loc: Tacoma

Both Cameras have a manual focus. I assume that one is using the download PDF version from Canon. It's well over a hundred pages. I keep mine (SX40) on my desktop.

venturer9 Loc: Newton, Il.

AND Wall-E DID YOU add anything USEFUL...or just horse manure.....hummmmmmm

Mike

i'ina

I have an SX50 and only use the manual setting. Am wondering if the outside temp. was to cold for the camera. Mine slows down a little when the air is frigid. Sorry I can't be more helpful, but that is all I can think of.i'ina

MCHUGH Loc: Jacksonville, Texas

I have the SX40 and it does have manual focus. When I use it I use a focus magnifier that I use to use to aid me when I used a view camera. It works great and you can really focus accurately.

Bloke Loc: Waynesboro, Pennsylvania

Ok, I am not going to join in the battle here. Not today.
I have only tried manual focus a couple of times on my sx50, but you don't use the up/down buttons for it. You use the actual wheel itself - it rotates just like a lens focus ring would.

Try that, I think you will be happy. Great little camera, eh?

Bloke Loc: Waynesboro, Pennsylvania

Yep, that is my biggest problem... Lots of buttons on a small camera!

Bloke Loc: Waynesboro, Pennsylvania

Hmmm... a bit off topic, but how come I post 2 consecutive message, but the count in my details shows the same number?

Oh, I see... It updates previous posts' message count each time you post. Interesting!

mjbrock2012 Loc: Grants Pass,Oregon

I have also tried to use the manual focus on my SX50, and found it to be less than "user friendly". Not one of the best features on an otherwise great camera. JMHO