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P950 will not focus


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2 replies to this topic

#1
TonyGo2

TonyGo2

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I'm 76 and have been using cameras since I was 12. I have loads of experience with with canon kit, always shoot in RAW with DSLRs with a variety of lenses up to 300mm and a macro 200mm macro lens, and have been using Photoshop and Lightroom since they first appeared. I can usually get a good picture of what I am trying to shoot.

I'm off the Costa Rica in a few months time and have just bought a P950 to take with me. Birds and other nature shots expected. I usually take about 2000 images on a 2 week trip 90% are keepers.

The P950 is driving me mad. I cannot get the thing to focus. I usually focus using a centre focus point, zoom, focus on the object of attention, hold the focus to reframe and then fully click to take the shot.

With the P950 I have set image file to RAW, selected Aperture priority, and tried to photograph a flower by an open window. It never focuses on the flower in the centre. It will only focus if I zoom way out. I want the flower, about an inch and a half, across to almost fill the frame.

 

The zoom is at about 200 mm equivalent, for the right perspective, AF-F is set as is close-up. The only way I can get a focus on the flower is with the flower in the middle third of the screen both vertically and horizontally - using only 1/9 of the available pixels.

If I move closer or further away it focuses on the leaves behind the flower.

What am I doing wrong?

How can I get it to focus?

Have I got a faulty camera?

I need some help.

 

PS I love the software to edit the RAW files - NX Studio.

 

 



#2
Ellinor William

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If I were troubleshooting I would do a factory reset to default settings. After you turn the camera back on after doing this I would take my time - shoot in IA (automatic mode) in good light on something you would normally think would be easy to focus on, i.e. no same color background. If it works, continue on to focus on the item using different zooms. If that's good then move to P mode and see if you can focus.

Check this for more troubleshooting methods, https://digital-phot...-stops-working/



#3
TonyGo2

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Thanks for for suggestions.

I'm getting on better now that I have realised that the minimal focusing distances at each focal length with this camera are very high. They are much higher than I was expecting.
The best method is TO STEP BACK to increase the camera to subject distance until to does focus.