Problems with my GR IV

[allucinox]

dear all

i'm now on holiday and have my lovely gr IV with me.

now, i've noticed that the cam does not focus correctly. this means that each picture is not sharp. i'm using firmware 2.30, changed to 2.21 without success.....reset everything to factory...nothing...can someone help ?

when i try to focus something near, i see a green sign tellig everything is fine...foto done, sharp....then, i try to focus to something away now 'orange' and the picture is not sharp (out of focus). macro-modus is not on.

can someone help ? this is really horrible....i'm on holiday and try to use the cam for street photography.

many thanks

 

[streetshooter]

How does it do with Snap Focus? Try setting all the Snap distances but not in order. Like...1m,
5m, 2 etc. make an exposure at each snap distance.

Two things will happen. You'll know if snap is working and you can at least save the trip by using snap.
Even tho the camera is set to a snap distance, it still has to focus at the desired distance....

Awaiting your results.......

 

[allucinox]

hi

i think it works. tried it out few times. but what about the 'auto' function for the snap distance ?
i used the 'oliver duong' street photography presets for the gr IV (snap distance of 1m). but often i want to use that the camera focus only in what is in the middle dont caring about what the distance is.

really....actually i'm really 'pissed' off...missed a lot of shots because the pictures are not sharp. formatted the card several times, changed card, formatted to factory settings (scene, fn2, play) etc etc....nothing...the camera does not focus where i want.

 

[streetshooter]

Well you might be using Olivier's Street Presets but I made them.

They have nothing to do with focus. I would strongly advise not to use auto in snap mode. The idea of snap is not to just get a set focused distance but to have a defined set depth of field.
Using auto...well that's not doing anything for you....

So if your on top of your game and I know you are....
use snap and change the distance to suit your needs...

 

[allucinox]

many thanks for your help streetshooter. so this means that everything within 1 meter will be sharp. correct ?
what type of my-settings do you use for street photography ?

 

[streetshooter]

many thanks for your help streetshooter. so this means that everything within 1 meter will be sharp. correct ?
what type of my-settings do you use for street photography ?

No, what it means is...: the camera is focused at the snap focus preset distance. So you set 1m for example...the camera is set to that distance. By using different apertures, you control the amount of depth of field in the photo. Do not trust the dof scale on the GRD4. It's cute but worthless.

 

[thelps]

dear all
. macro-modus is not on.

can someone help ? this is really horrible....i'm on holiday and try to use the cam for street photography.

many thanks

You mention here that Macro Mode is not on.

Can I suggest your try some images at various distance with macro-mode ON.
The GRD IV will still focus at all distance objects with "macro on".
It takes a bit longer and is generally thought to be more accurate and often it improves focus.
The camera should manage in this mode with focus.

Can you report back if the images look better with this mode on?

Thanks

 

[odklizec]

Hi,

I would also suggest to try to cover the AF window on the camera front plate. Cover it with your thumb (while focusing) or with a piece of sticker. This should prevent the camera to use the external AF sensor and use the CCD-based focus instead.

But generally speaking, it sounds like a HW problem? Snap or Manual focus at predefined distance should be the way to go. At least until you send the camera for repair. True, it may take you some time to make yourself comfortable with estimating distance. But it's really easy to use thanks to a relative small GRD sensor and its high DoF. In other words, if you don't wan to care much about the focus and focus distance, set the camera to 1.5m Snap mode and the aperture to f4.5. Now anything from 1.5 to infinity should be in focus. Don't worry that the DoF scale on GRD says something else. I have to agree with agree with Don that the GRD DoF scale is somewhat useless.

BTW, just in case, don't you have enabled "Full Press Snap" option? With this option enabled, if you avoid the Half Press and you directly take the pictures with the "Full Press" of shutter button, the AF is ignored and there is used a predefined Snap mode distance! Just check the "Full Press Snap" option in your camera menu (it's a 4th option on the first menu page) and make sure it's OFF.

 

[nguyentmdt]

I think your problem was my problem.
1.It just happen when you take picture at low-light or all conditions?
2. Try to hold your camera steady, or increase the shutter speed

I don't know why but with this camera, I must hold it more steady than others to have a picture not out of focus