macro mode question

[hwaxman]

I'm pretty new to the G3 and could use some guidance.

When I use the macro mode and the focus seems to settle down, the square shows green but the image is far from the clarity I expect.

Additionally, low light results are very disappointing. The auto mode never stops focusing, often showing an orange square. It seems that if I select 'landscape' mode that a flash picture should be quite sharp indoors as a solution.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

[RajaBhat]

Hi,
In Macro Mode, you really need to get some LIGHT on to the subject!! After all, the camera is only human, and can't see what you can't see!!!! Just a regular bulb will do, just switch the white balance to tungsten. Make sure the focus point is on a SHAPE of some kind and eventually it will politely beep and focus.
If nothing works, just simply switch to manual focus mode and you can get a nice focus. The camera brings in a focusing magnified mini screen.
Raja

[hwaxman]

RajaBhat wrote:
Hi,
In Macro Mode, you really need to get some LIGHT on to the subject!! After all, the camera is only human, and can't see what you can't see!!!! Just a regular bulb will do, just switch the white balance to tungsten. Make sure the focus point is on a SHAPE of some kind and eventually it will politely beep and focus.
If nothing works, just simply switch to manual focus mode and you can get a nice focus. The camera brings in a focusing magnified mini screen.
Raja


Thanks for the suggestions. I'll try. Maybe I *was* expecting too much

[dtrayers]

In macro mode the depth of field is pretty small, on the matter of a fraction of an inch. And the relative size of the auto-focus area is pretty large compared to your subject. The G3 is looking for sharp contrast to focus on, and it may not be the same thing your looking at.

I suggest you check out my reply to this post:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=12174

It's the one with the closeup photo of the home made rain coat (2nd reply).

Look at the area of sharp focus in the fabric. It's in the same plane as the back of the Lensmate. I had intended on focusing on the filter at the front, but the auto-focus area also included the back. In my haste to take a picture, I didn't verify the focus and just trusted the G3.

The sharpness of the fabric (by the way, that image was just resized and cropped in PSE2. No sharpening was done.) demonstrates that the G3 can take very sharp images, it's just not always at the same point your would choose! :D