I get SOOOOOOOOOO frustrated with my X100 focusing ability, I just don't know what to do. Example: yesterday I had lunch with a friend and she wanted me to meet her new kittens. They were inside in a room with window light and cannot exactly run yet, but were still mobile. Light was probably "poor", but nothing that would have even phased me with my Leica (this is probably my issue - I am a manual focus gal). Used ISO 3200 and attempted to get some close up shots. First try - the damn thing wouldn't focus AT ALL. Threw it in macro mode - still nothing. Switched to MF and used the AE lock button - better, but when I reviewed my images at home, I only had TWO shots in focus. Huh? That's a load of crap.
Am I doing something wrong? I LOVE everything else about this camera - style, ergonimics, image quality; but for the life of me I cannot get it to focus in anything but bright daylight at a distance of at least 3 feet.
Took som inspiration from Nikko (awesome pics from Jamaica!) and bought an Eye-Fi card to wireless transfer JPEGs from my X100s to my iPhone for editing in VSCO Cam. I've always loved VSCo (both mobile and for LR) and I really like how this allows me to transfer, edit, and upload to Facebook, etc in real time.
Just some captures from the first 2 hours I had the new Eye-Fi card...
KatieInTexas wrote:
I get SOOOOOOOOOO frustrated with my X100 focusing ability, I just don't know what to do. Example: yesterday I had lunch with a friend and she wanted me to meet her new kittens. They were inside in a room with window light and cannot exactly run yet, but were still mobile. Light was probably "poor", but nothing that would have even phased me with my Leica (this is probably my issue - I am a manual focus gal). Used ISO 3200 and attempted to get some close up shots. First try - the damn thing wouldn't focus AT ALL. Threw it in macro mode - still nothing. Switched to MF and used the AE lock button - better, but when I reviewed my images at home, I only had TWO shots in focus. Huh? That's a load of crap.
Am I doing something wrong? I LOVE everything else about this camera - style, ergonimics, image quality; but for the life of me I cannot get it to focus in anything but bright daylight at a distance of at least 3 feet....Show more →
Couple of thoughts here. If manual focus is your thing, use manual on the x100s. You may find this will help a lot and fit your style/preference. I have found that in tough light situations where it has trouble achieving focus, look for something that has a vertical line or vertical area of contrast. It seems to lock more easily on vertical than horizontal under low light. Also, you can change the size of the auto focus indicator. This helps me tremendously. I keep it on the smallest so that I have more precision in terms of what it locks on, but sometimes I enlarge the AF point size to help with low light/low contrast scenarios. You'll have to do some trial and error to find which works best for you. Lastly, make sure you are in macro when needed, but not in macro when not applicable. Occasionally I accidentally leave macro on, causing problems with locking on normal/far away subjects. Vice versa, too.
Hope this helps! The x100s AF is not on par with a DSLR, but its close and I find it does an outstanding job, particularly if you take some of these techniques into account depending on the situation. Don't give up yet!
KatieInTexas wrote:
I get SOOOOOOOOOO frustrated with my X100 focusing ability, I just don't know what to do. Example: yesterday I had lunch with a friend and she wanted me to meet her new kittens. They were inside in a room with window light and cannot exactly run yet, but were still mobile. Light was probably "poor", but nothing that would have even phased me with my Leica (this is probably my issue - I am a manual focus gal). Used ISO 3200 and attempted to get some close up shots. First try - the damn thing wouldn't focus AT ALL. Threw it in macro mode - still nothing. Switched to MF and used the AE lock button - better, but when I reviewed my images at home, I only had TWO shots in focus. Huh? That's a load of crap.
Am I doing something wrong? I LOVE everything else about this camera - style, ergonimics, image quality; but for the life of me I cannot get it to focus in anything but bright daylight at a distance of at least 3 feet....Show more →
This may be a silly thing to ask, but you have the Corrected AF frame turned to "on" in the menus, right? If you do, you can still only focus down to around to something like 26 inches (IIRC,) and then you have to switch to the EVF.
edit: I just reread through the thread, and I saw that you do have the af corrected frame on, I believe, so never mind part.
Nothing but family shots for me, recently, so I guess I can post a few from this past weekend. These are from Underwood Farms in California, which my 2 year old son affectionately refers to as "Underwear Farms." All with the X100:
