Hunting with a Tamron 28-75

[dpp]

Hello All

I shot a wedding yesterday and for the first time I can remember my Tamron hunted. I love this lens, its sharp and everything I wanted and a great walkabout.

The scenario was as follows

Couple standing in front on the registrar (as they tend to), with a bloody great big window right behind the registar. I tried focusing on either the Bride or Groom, but it would not fix on any of them, just kept hunting for a focus point.

In the end I focused on his foot and then repositioned.

Has anyone else had this problem and do you think, as I suspect the window was a huge factor in this.

Conditions outside, not too bright but not dark, 3.00pm in the UK

[Olegis]

My Tamron also hunts occasionally, but it's always in difficult lighting condition and / or low-contrast subjects. Can you provide a sample photograph of what went there, because I didn't quite understand it from your post ?

[Cadwell]

Any lens will hunt in light conditions where the camera can't find enough contrast for the AF to work effectively. One possible solution to that problem (and I am assuming you don't want to use flash) is to use an external flash gun's focus assist beam but set the flash not to fire via a custom function.

[dpp]

Thank you chaps, the photo came out fine in the end, I was using bounced flash on a off shoe cord
, it was just a bit nerve racking as time was running out, and also the lens was making its hunting noise at a very important point in the ceremony.

Thanks for your help

[tim]

Sometimes lenses hunt - get over it and learn to quickly switch to manual focus. Also, for places like that, perhaps get a quieter lens.

[TomC]

Sometimes lenses hunt - get over it and learn to quickly switch to manual focus. Also, for places like that, perhaps get a quieter lens.

Get over it?? Wow, tim, I believe thats the most abrasive I've see someone be on this forum.. Did you have a bad day??

[tim]

My apologies, i'm quite drunk. I must remember not to drink and post ;)

The Tamron lens does hunt at times, especially in very low or very high contrast situations. I switch to manual focus.

[TomC]

My apologies, i'm quite drunk.

LOL. I figured something was up :D
Good suggestion above about using an external flash while using a CF to keep the flash from firing.

[davidwegs]

I have this lens and the Canon 24-70. I found the canon handles the higher contrast a little better but not that much. The tamron (although it tries/hunts harder) hits focus more often than the canon, IMO.

So yes, they do hunt a little, however, that is better than locking onto a subject and not really aquring true focus. I simply recognise the "hunting" and switch to manual.

Its better and quicker than you would think.

[ScottE]

Have you tried assigning auto-focus to the AE (*) button on the back of the camera and just using the centre focusing sensor. That way you can usually obtain focus on the eyes(usually better to focus on than the shoes) and recompose without having to worry about holding the shutter half way down. If you and the bridal party don't move you can usually take a series of shots without re-focusing, although it is a good idea just in case focus wasn't perfect the first time. Who needs a whole series of shots that are slightly out of focus?

This is also a reason I prefer Canon USM lenses. If auto-focus starts to hunt, you don't waste any time. You just focus manually.

[billsh]

As others have indicated, the problem is with trying to focus the bride and groom, not necessarily the lense. I have shot several weddings with different lenses and a flat tux or solid white gown can be difficult to focus on. I usually focused on their faces and repositioned. Just info for future use.

[edsarkiss]

just fyi -- a lens doesn't hunt. the AF system in the camera hunts.

all the "smarts" for AF are within the camera body -- the interface to the lens is essentially "closer!" "farther!" "closer!" etc,.

the lens is more accurately described as an obedient hunting-dog. ;-)

oh -- and amen to ScottE's advice to put AF on the * button. (set CF-04 to 1). this is a fantastic option that takes a little bit to get used to, but makes great sense once it sinks in to your habits.

[phili1]

Its not the lens its the auto focus mode not finding what it is looking for. Hold the Camera in a vert position and focus. Some times on black and white it will do that. Did you have a flash on, the infared will take over. or focus on the face.