focal point assessment on 20D

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ian lincoln - 30 Aug 2005 00:40 GMT

on my 300D the focal point chosen was recorded. On the 20D either it isn't
available or it is a custom function. also my version of file viewer and
digital photo professional don't reveal my focal point. This is awkward as
i have out of focus pictures and i can't diagnose the cause.

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Colin D - 30 Aug 2005 01:30 GMT

> on my 300D the focal point chosen was recorded. On the 20D either it isn't
> available or it is a custom function. also my version of file viewer and
> digital photo professional don't reveal my focal point. This is awkward as
> i have out of focus pictures and i can't diagnose the cause.

Reading the exif data from my 300D in Zoombrowser 5, I see the lens
type, zoom range, and the focal length the lens was set at, but there is
no focused distance information available.

It isn't difficult to test for focus accuracy, but as a tip, if you
haven't already done so, turn off all focus points except the centre, so
you can garantee that what you're looking at is also the focus point.

Colin D.

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ian lincoln - 30 Aug 2005 11:30 GMT

>> on my 300D the focal point chosen was recorded. On the 20D either it
>> isn't
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> haven't already done so, turn off all focus points except the centre, so
> you can garantee that what you're looking at is also the focus point.

I got the viewer working. i was using the centre focal point. Only 1 out
of 4 pictures is sharp. All were pointing at the boys face. The sharp one
was 1/200. Ah i thought maybe it was camera shake. But alas one of the
unsharp ones was also 1/200. One of them it seems has back focused, gulp!
The swing in the background is sharp. Not so the other out of focus ones.
If i had a camera that was backfocusing would it do that to all of them?

STranger still is that the correctly focused one half misses the face. That
is the focus point covers the right side of the face but part of the
background as well. Stranger still is that the background half covered by
the sensor is not out of focus. I'm beginning to wish i had stayed with my
300D. So much for the improved focusing.

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Beach Bum - 30 Aug 2005 03:31 GMT

In the viewing software that came with my 20D, called EOS Viewer Utility
(not Zoombrowser which doesn't seem to work with the 20D), there is an
option (speedbar button) to display the AF points. This works with both RAW
and JPG.

HTH

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Mark

Photos, Ideas & Opinions
http://www.marklauter.com

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ian lincoln - 30 Aug 2005 10:30 GMT

>> on my 300D the focal point chosen was recorded. On the 20D either it
> isn't
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> RAW
> and JPG.

Thanks mate. i obviously have to update my software.

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ian lincoln - 30 Aug 2005 11:26 GMT

>>> on my 300D the focal point chosen was recorded. On the 20D either it
>> isn't
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> Thanks mate. i obviously have to update my software.

Scratch that. i have to downgrade my software. version 1.3 came with the
300D or auto updated to 1.3 given that i bought the camera a year ago.

i found that i have version 1.2.1 also installed from my machine. I put the
20D disk into my freshly formatted laptop. the 1.2.1 works fine.

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Beach Bum - 30 Aug 2005 14:45 GMT

> >>> on my 300D the focal point chosen was recorded. On the 20D either it
> >> isn't
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
> i found that i have version 1.2.1 also installed from my machine. I put the
> 20D disk into my freshly formatted laptop. the 1.2.1 works fine.

Sweet. Glad it worked out. :)

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Mark

Photos, Ideas & Opinions
http://www.marklauter.com

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