SX20 IS Manual Focus

[Vidcanon]

I have a SX20 IS and find the manual focus very hard to regulate and very small to see on the screen , it's like a 3/4 " box. Sometimes when I'm focusing the camera can't seem to pickup the object at all. Anyone have any tips .... Please , before I decide to return it. I like the 20x optical zoom feature. Plus the wide angle function.
I was thinking about upgrading to the EOS Rebel XSI but your'e looking at buying lenses and it has a rechargable battery pack instead of 4-AA's. Would I be making a wise choice
in your opinion or should I just stick with my SX20 IS?

[Jon]

Any particular reason you're trying to use manual focus? You can change the size and position of the AF frame for better precision (p. 83 of the manual). That's generally all I ever need.

[Pardes]

Vidcanon, I feel your pain. I've been struggling with this for days. As Jon said, enlarge the focus screen.

The camera has the most trouble in the 2-3 foot focus range and that is where everything goes to hell in a hand basket and nothing seems to work either on manual focus or autofocus. So I take a deep breath and start over .....

It does get better but never foolproof yet, at least for me. Generally the autofocus works fine but when you need manual focus, you really need it. I'm hoping I can solve this problem and find that it was a technical problem and not just something we have to learn to live with.

[Vidcanon]

Any particular reason you're trying to use manual focus? You can change the size and position of the AF frame for better precision (p. 83 of the manual). That's generally all I ever need.


Thanks Jon I will look in the manual for that. Much appreciated.:D

[Vidcanon]

Vidcanon, I feel your pain. I've been struggling with this for days. As Jon said, enlarge the focus screen.

The camera has the most trouble in the 2-3 foot focus range and that is where everything goes to hell in a hand basket and nothing seems to work either on manual focus or autofocus. So I take a deep breath and start over .....

It does get better but never foolproof yet, at least for me. Generally the autofocus works fine but when you need manual focus, you really need it. I'm hoping I can solve this problem and find that it was a technical problem and not just something we have to learn to live with.


Yes Pardes , I find it to be in that range also. I posted some pics in the macro section called fly tying and they were out of focus. I hope the bigger screen helps some.
Still learning , there are so many functions on this camera. I'll never use them all.lol
I read that you use custom mode. I tried that , but when I customised it and took the shot , it went back to all the original settings and I had to re-enter them all.:o
Thnks for the reply.

[Pardes]

Yes Pardes , I find it to be in that range also. I posted some pics in the macro section called fly tying and they were out of focus. I hope the bigger screen helps some.
Still learning , there are so many functions on this camera. I'll never use them all.lol
I read that you use custom mode. I tried that , but when I customised it and took the shot , it went back to all the original settings and I had to re-enter them all.:o
Thnks for the reply.

I assume you know to save your custom settings???? After you make the changes, scroll all the way down to the last choice on the "shooting" settings. Press that and confirm the save.

Like an idiot, I tried to save all modes with different settings, but if you notice, the save settings ONLY applies to the custom mode. If you make changes to the other modes like AV or TV, it will automatically save those modes at those settings the next time you turn on the camera.

[Vidcanon]

I assume you know to save your custom settings???? After you make the changes, scroll all the way down to the last choice on the "shooting" settings. Press that and confirm the save.

Like an idiot, I tried to save all modes with different settings, but if you notice, the save settings ONLY applies to the custom mode. If you make changes to the other modes like AV or TV, it will automatically save those modes at those settings the next time you turn on the camera.


Thanks ...........I didn't know about the save function.:D