Blown Focus: The other day I took several pictures of the fire trucks used by a local RFD. I gave the shoot a lot pf thought regarding best shutter speed, aperture, ISO, etc. I am...

Silvermeteor Loc: South Carolina, USA

The other day I took several pictures of the fire trucks used by a local RFD. I gave the shoot a lot pf thought regarding best shutter speed, aperture, ISO, etc. I am fairly new at serious photography and wanted to do it all right. Despite my best efforts I blew it.

Instead of focusing on the truck my spot focus actually focused on the roof edge behind the truck. The good thing is that I was consistent and missed focus on all four trucks. Sigh!

I thought that I had the focus point on the truck. Thinking back over the situation I think my problem may have been parallax. My tri pod does not bring the camera up to eye level so I was bent over, the sun was bright and I probably rushed.

I even tried to use Live View but the sun was much too bright to even see the screen much less use it to focus.

I have considered the hoods and believe that they may help but I know nothing about them.

So what do you do in this situation?

(Download)

Bill_de Loc: US

I think your diagnosis is correct. I've had that happen when not being able to get low enough when shooting from my car.

Your solution is simple. Get a decent tripod appropriate for your height. Anything else is a work around, not a solution.

--

dooragdragon Loc: Alma , Arkansas

Take 1 photo and view it to see that all is in focus etc. before continuing shooting is what I would do first of all.
Pete

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

Silvermeteor wrote:

The other day I took several pictures of the fire ... (show quote)

Post a pic so we can truly understand what you are saying. "Roof", what roof, building or vehicle? See my point, post your error.

Even if you don't move your focus point in the camera (I never do) there should be a focus lock for the AF so you can reframe. Also be sure you understand spot metering vs spot focusing, you likely can set them separately.

Bill_de Loc: US

lamiaceae wrote:

Post a pic so we can truly understand what you are saying. "Roof", what roof, building or vehicle? See my point, post your error.

"roof edge BEHIND the truck"

See what he means :)

--

Silvermeteor Loc: South Carolina, USA

Photo added.

I could not take a pic and then view it since I could not see the screen. Moving the camera to view the pic would change focus so that was not an option.

I dearly mess the split screen Fresnel lens in my old, old Pentax.

DerBiermeister Loc: North of Richmond VA

Silvermeteor wrote:

Photo added.

I dearly mess the split screen Fresnel lens in my old, old Pentax.

AND, when out in bright sun, trying to even find the little green dot in the viewfinder, let alone put it to use, is an exercise in futility. The split screen focus would be much more effective IMHO.

tradio Loc: Oxford, Ohio

Could you have went with a smaller aperture and increased the DOF?
That would have made your focus point a little less critical.

orrie smith Loc: Kansas

Silvermeteor wrote:

The other day I took several pictures of the fire ... (show quote)

first, get a tripod that will bring your camera to eye level.
then check your lens to make sure it is not back focusing. try to take several photos of your subject using different focusing points, that way, hopefully one of the shots will be to your liking.

Silvermeteor Loc: South Carolina, USA

Yes I could have gone with a higher f stop. In retrospect I was at 1/160sec shutter speed and f11. I should have gone with f16 or possibly f22 and a slower shutter speed since I was on a tri pod. I did not because I wanted the truck to be in focus and would not have minded if the building and trees went a little soft. Hind sight and all that. lol

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Silvermeteor wrote:

The other day I took several pictures of the fire ... (show quote)

Quite simple. My approach would be to focus on the truck, most likely the door. Once I knew I had that in focus, I'd turn AF off. Then, compose the photo and take it.
--Bob

Silvermeteor Loc: South Carolina, USA

orrie smith wrote:

first, get a tripod that will bring your camera to eye level.
then check your lens to make sure it is not back focusing. try to take several photos of your subject using different focusing points, that way, hopefully one of the shots will be to your liking.

The taller tripod has been moved to the front burner. I am on SS so one of the expensive tripods with ball head will remain a dream but I can get a moderately priced taller one.

I may be fighting a losing battle. Cataracts, glasses, bright sunshine, etc. Seems like swimming upstream. lol

dooragdragon Loc: Alma , Arkansas

Silvermeteor wrote:

Photo added.

I could not take a pic and then view it since I could not see the screen. Moving the camera to view the pic would change focus so that was not an option.

I dearly mess the split screen Fresnel lens in my old, old Pentax.

Wouldn't it have worked better to have to refocus then end up with several unsatisfactoy images ? or simply rotate the camera on the tripod so that the sun was not on the view finder ?
No need to adjust the focus unless it wasn't what you wanted.
Or to have changed positions so that the sun wasn't a factor?
Or why not simply crop the image so the offending roof is not in the picture ?

Silvermeteor Loc: South Carolina, USA

rmalarz wrote:

Quite simple. My approach would be to focus on the truck, most likely the door. Once I knew I had that in focus, I'd turn AF off. Then, compose the photo and take it.
--Bob

Bob the sad thing is that I thought that was what I had done. Cannot fix it now but trying to decide what would help avoid that problem in the future.

dooragdragon Loc: Alma , Arkansas

Silvermeteor wrote:

The taller tripod has been moved to the front burner. I am on SS so one of the expensive tripods with ball head will remain a dream but I can get a moderately priced taller one.

I may be fighting a losing battle. Cataracts, glasses, bright sunshine, etc. Seems like swimming upstream. lol

What camera ,lens and settings where you using here ?