Will this work?

[tasmo2]

Okay so I royally SUCK at manual focus. I have no idea why, I mean you just turn the thing until its clear, but to me its so hard to tell the difference! I know I need my eyes checked so maybe that is why.. LOL When I get the money to have that done maybe I will see a difference in that also. I take lighting photos, and as you know, that is manual focus only and I am having a heck of a time with the focus being off. SO my question is, if I focus on something, say a light in the distance near my storm in AF, then flip over to MF will that stay focused where I need it?

Also, I have read that when using a tripod you should take VR OFF, my thinking is that would be a bad thing during storm photography though... any ideas?

Thanks guys!

[Elmo]

Most lenses have distances marked on the barrel. Put in manual and set the distance. (It will help to check them before hand.

How do you feel lightening will cause lens movement.

[RLucas]

Originally Posted by Elmo

Most lenses have distances marked on the barrel. Put in manual and set the distance. (It will help to check them before hand.

How do you feel lightening will cause lens movement.

Finding distance scales on a digital lens is rather rare. I usually focus on the horizon if there is enough contrast. From there back, you should have decent focus. Or, you can usually get a feel for where the lightning will strike from just watching the storm for a few minutes, and focus on that general area. Aperture should be around f8 on up from my experience. You can also set your shutter speed from 15 to thirty seconds, if you have an idea of the frquency of the lighning. You can try it with and without the VR. If the thunder is close enough, or if it is very windy it can do some serious shaking. So my first instinct would be to use it.

[OsmosisStudios]

Originally Posted by RLucas

Finding distance scales on a digital lens is rather rare.

Yet somehow all of mine have them...

[RLucas]

Originally Posted by OsmosisStudios

Yet somehow all of mine have them...

From her gear list.
My Gear: Nikon D3000, D80 18-55mm, 55-200mm, 50mm, SB600... and a still a big wish list! LOL!

Other than the 50mm, do any of these lenses have the distance scale on them?

My bad, I should have specified "kit" lenses.....

[tasmo2]

Originally Posted by Elmo

Most lenses have distances marked on the barrel. Put in manual and set the distance. (It will help to check them before hand.

How do you feel lightening will cause lens movement.

Obviously its not the lighting that will cause the movement.. but what comes with it. Wind and thunder.

Originally Posted by RLucas

Finding distance scales on a digital lens is rather rare. I usually focus on the horizon if there is enough contrast. From there back, you should have decent focus. Or, you can usually get a feel for where the lightning will strike from just watching the storm for a few minutes, and focus on that general area. Aperture should be around f8 on up from my experience. You can also set your shutter speed from 15 to thirty seconds, if you have an idea of the frquency of the lighning. You can try it with and without the VR. If the thunder is close enough, or if it is very windy it can do some serious shaking. So my first instinct would be to use it.

Thanks for your response! I'll try focusing on the horizon and see if that works next time! Its just tough to focus in the dark. LOL

[OsmosisStudios]

Originally Posted by RLucas

From her gear list.
My Gear: Nikon D3000, D80 18-55mm, 55-200mm, 50mm, SB600... and a still a big wish list! LOL!

Other than the 50mm, do any of these lenses have the distance scale on them?

My bad, I should have specified "kit" lenses.....

"kit" lenses and "digital" lenses are both terrible terms. Forgiven.

[RLucas]

Originally Posted by RLucas

Finding distance scales on her lenses, with the exception of the 50mm, will be rather tough, because there are none. I usually focus on the horizon if there is enough contrast. From there back, you should have decent focus. Or, you can usually get a feel for where the lightning will strike from just watching the storm for a few minutes, and focus on that general area. Aperture should be around f8 on up from my experience. You can also set your shutter speed from 15 to thirty seconds, if you have an idea of the frquency of the lighning. You can try it with and without the VR. If the thunder is close enough, or if it is very windy it can do some serious shaking. So my first instinct would be to use it.

Is that better Os?


No "terms" were harmed in the editing of this post.

[tasmo2]

So can anyone tell me the answer to the original question? LOL!

If I go right now to where I am going to be shooting, set my distance and hit AF to focus, then flip it over to manuel and don't change the distance it should stay focused right?

[IABoomer]

Originally Posted by tasmo2

So can anyone tell me the answer to the original question? LOL!

If I go right now to where I am going to be shooting, set my distance and hit AF to focus, then flip it over to manuel and don't change the distance it should stay focused right?

Yes.

As to your original question, I hate to ask what seems obvious, but do you have the diopter set correctly? I ask because I picked up my wife's aunt's Canon DSLR to shoot a picture, and while it beeped to indicate focus, the view through the viewfinder was blurry because her aunt changed the diopter so she could use the camera without her glasses on.

Put the camera on a tripod, let it auto-focus on something, then make sure the view through the viewfinder is in focus. If not, make the necessary adjustment.

The suggestion about not using IS when on a tripod comes from the idea that the tripod itself should keep the camera still, and the IS system might actually try to balance out movement that isn't happening, thus inducing blur into the image. I guess if it's really windy or there's lots of vibration where you have the tripod setup, you might want to keep the IS on to compensate.