insman1132 Loc: Southwest Florida

I see Nikon has announced the P900 replacement that will be available starting in late February. The Coolpix P950, based on what has been written thus far, is really a hopped up version of the P900. It offers several of the advantages that the P1000 offered when it was introduced. I note that they will include RAW, one of the most commented on items that was missing from the P900. It will also include 4K video and a hot shoe, etc. Lens reach remains the same as the P900 - 24 - 2000mm. For anyone curious, here is the first info from Dpreview.com :

https://www.dpreview.com/search?query=Nikon+Coolpix+P950

One if the info sources indicated that the P900 would no longer be available when current supplies are gone. Also indicated that for anyone not needing RAW the P900 should be available at some attractive prices.

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

I wonder how auto focus performs when trying to fill the frame with a 2-6" subject at 5-10 feet away. That is where the Canon SX series super zooms struggle.

Mike

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

These camera lenses have a minimum focusing distance depending on the focal length for the auto focus to work. The attached figurine is 2-1/2" high in the area captured, taken with the Nikon Coolpix B700. The focal length to fill the screen at 6" was 1200mm equiv. The auto focus struggled with this. After a few tries which failed to autofocus, I autofocused on an object about a foot further away, and then the auto focus on the figurine worked on the next try.

(Download)

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

I can’t speak for shooting small subjects close up, I will have to say that based on my experience with my P900, the autofocus struggles with difficult situations, especially low light and with objects that don’t have much contrast. I had a particularly hard time with it on a whale watching tour this past summer. It really struggled gaining focus shooting at the water, even with whales in the frame. Even when it was able to get focus, it was slow. I haven’t had focusing issues with it otherwise.

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

Yes, I know that. That is not what I am asking.

Minimum auto-focus distances at various zoom amounts on the Canon SX50 -

24mm - 0"
100mm - 2"
135mm - 9"
200mm - 14"
300mm - 30"
400mm - 60"
600mm - 80"
800mm - 60"
1200mm - 45"

Note that those are (roughly) the minimum distance at which the auto-focus works, not necessarily the minimum focusing distances. Also note that the focal lengths are "35 mm equivalent" figures as marked on the barrel of the lens. Who knows how accurate any of that is, but that does not matter for this test.

However, I added in the variable of filling the frame at each of the focal lengths, whatever distance that dictated. Testing that, at 300mm-600mm zoom amounts, you cannot fill the frame with a 1-6" subject and get auto-focus to work. In casual use, that might not seem like a problem - just zoom out, move in closer until you can fill the frame, and then focus. But if you are trying to shoot, say, butterflies or other insects or small critters, that 60-80" range, which means 300mm-600mm zoom to fill the frame, occurs very frequently. Even with plants and relatively stationary subjects, it is a pain to have auto-focus fail in that middle range. You are forced to zoom out and move very close or zoom in and move farther way.

Mike

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

No, that is not what I am talking about.

Mike

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

Mike, I re-read your post, and I don’t have an answer. I’ll need to play with my camera tomorrow to see what happens.

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

No problem. I am probably not explaining this well.

I started a new thread since this is a little off-topic here:

https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-627649-1.html

Mike

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

Good. I’ll play with it tomorrow and post what I find out.

I wonder if this should be posted in the bridge camera forum.

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

Thanks. I am not getting any response on the main discussion forum. Maybe the close up and bridge camera forums would be better.

Mike

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

Good morning, Mike.

I’ve been thinking about how I can go about this today. So far, a tape measure comes to mind. All I need now is a suitable subject and a place to lay it all out.

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

What I did:

I started with an object that was 1" and set it on the counter. Then I changed the zoom to the first mark - 24mm - and filled the frame with the object and measured the distance form the camera to the object. I then repeated the process at all of the other zoom amounts. Then I found a 2" object and repeated the whole process, and then a 6" object and repeated the whole process.

Mike

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

I believe these cameras use contrast detect auto focusing. I wonder if filling the lens with an object, at high zoom, as you say, confuses the camera. I’ll have to find out with my P900 today.

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

On the SX50 there is no problem at 1200mm, it is the mid range that is the problem - 300-600mm. Filling the frame doesn't confuse the auto-focus at 24-200mm and does not confuse the auto-focus at 800-1200mm. 300-600mm with a small object filling the frame is a problem. That always perplexed me with the SX50.

Mike

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

I will let you know what I find out.