Background in focus

I'm using a Canon 50D, Canon 70-200F4 l on several bird shots. Focus point shows dead center on humming bird. 6 shots.single shot setting. Why is back ground in focus and bird is not? thanks Pat

might be back focusing or the bird was to small to focus on?

Humming bird was 15 feet away. Is this called back focus? And in 50D micro adjustments for lenses, do I move the focus bar negative or positive? Thanks.

Only adjust the micro adjust is you are positive this happens all the time.

MA will not help you if this was just a miss focus.

Does the lens do this every time? if not, don't micro adjust.

Do you have the original photo before it was cropped? Could you post it if you do?

Take Care,
Cheers, Patrick

Possibly there was more contrast on the flowers for the camera to lock onto. The focus point is larger than you think.

http://home.comcast.ne​t …ster/ebay/humfu​llsize.jpg full size
Many birds in trees are back focused with 50d and 70-200mm l

Pat Forster wrote in post #12480794
http://home.comcast.ne​t …ster/ebay/humfu​llsize.jpg full size
Many birds in trees are back focused with 50d and 70-200mm l

It appears the focus point locked focus on the twig to the left of the bird rather than the bird itself. This is quite typical when you have a very small focus target. You'll also notice there is more contrast for the focus to lock on in the twig than the bird itself.

I'm going to bet you just missed focus, that bird is pretty darn tiny in that full resolution picture.

From the looks of your original picture it looks like your back focusing to me.

Take Care,
Cheers, Patrick

yogestee wrote in post #12480844
It appears the focus point locked focus on the twig to the left of the bird rather than the bird itself. This is quite typical when you have a very small focus target. You'll also notice there is more contrast for the focus to lock on in the twig than the bird itself.

Thanks all..any way changing the metering on 50 d would help?

Definitely missed focus, especially if you did not use spot focus.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …/63200266@N04/5​747263612/

Wow, nice example. In my shot I used evaluative metering mode, not spot mode. Pat

Pat Forster wrote in post #12480867
Thanks all..any way changing the metering on 50 d would help?

Pat,, metering and focus are two entirely different things.

One thing that might help is, select AI Servo focus.. I use AI Servo 95% of the time and it's damn handy for moving subjects.

I definitely think it's a missed focus. Try to shoot more to see if it's just a one off or not.