Olympus E-520 out of focus

[sham63]

Originally Posted by Foxcow

If what you are seeing through the viewfinder is blurry while the pictures themselves and the shots via live view are sharp, it sounds like you need to adjust your viewfinder.

There is a small, black knob on the right side of the viewfinder that you need to adjust to your vision. Go to a well lit area with some contrasting objects. Let your camera autofocus on something. Adjust the viewfinder with that knob so that what you see is sharp and clear.

You shouldn't have any problems after that.

I did not explain the issue properly. The diopter is adjusted fine. When using the viewfinder and af the pictures are blurry when viewed on the computer. The green af light comes on, wheich should mean the focus is ok. When using liveview and af, the pictures are sharp and in focus when viewed on the computer.

Here are a some samples, 100% crop. This is the are where I was focusing on.
Viewfinder:


Liveview:


The difference is pretty dramatic. I sent the camera in to Olypmus last week. I could not return it because after I bought I had to go of town for a coulple of weeks, and the store has a 7 day return window for cameras. They did not have any more E-520's in stock and would not take it back.

[sham63]

The camera came back yesterday, and the focus problem is still there. After talking with Olympus tech support both the camera and lenses are being sent back. The problem is worse in the 14-42, but can still be seen in the 40-150. Also the pictures seem to be in focus in the lower section of the picture, but not where I was focusing at. Hoping for the best this time.

Jim

[Foxcow]

Originally Posted by sham63

The camera came back yesterday, and the focus problem is still there. After talking with Olympus tech support both the camera and lenses are being sent back. The problem is worse in the 14-42, but can still be seen in the 40-150. Also the pictures seem to be in focus in the lower section of the picture, but not where I was focusing at. Hoping for the best this time.

Jim

Ouch. Please keep us up to date. It sounds like there is a major calibration or hardware issue.

[Brian Steele]

Originally Posted by sham63

The camera came back yesterday, and the focus problem is still there. After talking with Olympus tech support both the camera and lenses are being sent back. The problem is worse in the 14-42, but can still be seen in the 40-150. Also the pictures seem to be in focus in the lower section of the picture, but not where I was focusing at. Hoping for the best this time.

Jim

Did Olympus ever fix this properly for you?

I ran into the same problem with my E520. At the wide end of the 14-42 lens, shots would appear out of focus. I sent it into Olympus for repair and it came back working a bit better, but the shots were still a bit blurry. I wasn't sending back again, so I just grumbled and stuck to taking photos with my other lenses instead.

I just purchased a E620, and the sharpness of its pictures at the wide end of the same lens suggest that there's clearly something defective with the E520. At least my E520.

There's supposed to be a way to adjust the focus point manually. Has anyone here tried this?

[DooSPX]

I have a E-420 (no IS) and the Oly lens are actually very sharp for being kit lenses. I hope Olympus can do something for you, because they are great cameras.

Your 620 would have the ability to manually adjust focus points, but not the 520. I have used the focus adjustment on the E-5 and it works quite well.

[Shutterstude]

Hello folks,

This is my first post (I just joined this forum, though I have been a Darren Rouse fan for sometime now)

Is this issue addressed? even I had a lot of trouble getting a hang of the E520. I was on the verge of flinging it away. But I realized it is a great camera and it is me, the problem.

I have now kinda gotten used to this equipment. Though I am way to go in mastering it.

I had the diopter calibrated etc. I believe it is the focus ring that we need to get used to. Canon etc have a different kind of focus ring and I found that more user friendly at the beginning.

I will be keenly following this thread (hoping there are updates to this)

Shub

[DLJames]

I have an E-520 camera that I use a lot. I had to send it back to the factory once to adjust the auto focus. The kit lens are not mfg. with the tightest focus tolorances in all manufactures cameras. When I got my camera back the focus problems were corrected. a sample of what I get is posted in the people SYS under 5 yeear old at christmas if you want to compare. I do use my camera professionally and have taken thousands of photos.

[sham63]

Wow, haven't checked here in a while and this topic is still going on. As a late update, Olympus phone tech support recommended I ask for a replacement so I did. The replacement E-520 worked a lot better, only having focus problems when the 14-42 was at its widest, unlike my first 520. If I just move it in a little the focus is tons better. I have heard that the 14-42 is soft at its widest, so I have just been zooming it in a bit, like maybe a mm, if that. Sometimes it still shows 14 mm as the focal length. I think I read a post on dpreview where someone compared a 14-42 to 14-54, and the 14-42 was a little wider than the 14-54.

Is 14-42mm wider than 14-54mm?: Olympus SLR Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

I am far from an expert, but it seems to me that the 14-42 is going wider than it is designed to do.

Jim