I'm lost-20D & auto focus

[SDJNJ]

Help!! I am coming from a point & shoot to the Canon 20D. I've got the lens on auto focus, but when I zoom, everything in the viewfinder becomes blurry & I have to use the manus focus ring to make it clear. What am I doing wrong? On a point & shoot, whenever you zom in auto focus, seconds later, the image is clear in the viewfinder. Help! I feel like I'm missing something! THANKS for any advise!!!!!

[PacAce]

You have to half press the shutter release button for the AF to work. Just turning the zoom isn' going to do anything but change the lens focal length.

[dhbailey]

You also have to get the zoom as you want FIRST and then autofocus, since the focus will change as the zoom changes.

Another factor is the particular lens you are using, which you didn't indicate. Some lenses "hunt" longer than others to find the focal point.

Yet another factor to consider is whether you are letting the camera decide the focal point, out of all the possible ones, or if you are manually selecting the focal point. If you are leaving the camera in control, it may be focusing on a branch, twig, blade of grass, bird flying by, which is closer than the object you are trying to photograph. I keep my camera set on center-point focus only, so I am in control of what it focuses on most of the time.

It will take a lot of practice (good thing the pictures are free and we can get instant feedback, huh?) and experimenting but you'll soon get the hang of it.

And remember that half-press, but I'm sure that's the same from your p&s camera, assuming it was a digital and not a film camera.

[yellow_belly]

Hi, you can either release the shutter button and half press it again to refocus or select AIServo mode (look in the manual) which enables the focus to be continuous, this is mainly used to follow a moving object.

Terry

[SDJNJ]

Thanks everyone! Got it figured out!