Nikon 5: Olympus 0

[espion]

Do you guys feel/experienced/know that Olympus' auto focus is problematic vis-a-vis the others?

I had this experience trying to shoot some very fast moving stuff - its some hovering insect - I just cannot get focus - or by the time I hear the beep the target's off.

You may say the target is too fast.

But that is not true, for I have another guy beside me with a D80 with a slow cheapo zoom lens and he got it, not once, not twice, but five times.

So Nikon trounced Oly 5-0?

Or maybe we need a shootoff? Anyone want to organise one?

I must know why I cannot get that hovering zippy thing!

So really nothing's impossible?

[ndroo]

Maybe the guy was on manual focus?

[night86mare]

Hrm;

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/olympuse500/page26.asp

It says "Auto focus provides just three focus points, although AF performance good".



[EDIT]

And Imaging Resource:

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PROD...0/EV500A14.HTM

Not sure what AF assist is. Something to do with it? "AF assist is tied to flash usage, you have to pop up the flash for the AF assist to operate"

[ExplorerZ]

might want to check what lens the nikon is using... cheapo lens could be like a AFS 55-200 which perform quite a little faster than those screw base lens...

[drakon09]

The only way we'll really know is a shootoff.

However we may want to wait for the E410 or 510 before we do that; the AF module D80 is obviously better and newer than the older E-system cams.

[SleepingIdol]

I agree....I'm using E500 too and always got problem in auto-focusing until got fed-up end up using manual focusing.

[OlyFlyer]

Originally Posted by SleepingIdol I agree....I'm using E500 too and always got problem in auto-focusing until got fed-up end up using manual focusing.

I'm also using E500 and got no problem. I only use the center AF point and aim well.

[espion]

No way you can do this on manual focus.

This was what he got:



This was what I got, long time ago, when using Nikon P&S:



This is what I got today with E500 with 50-200mm, centre focus : Z E R O

[espion]

Originally Posted by night86mare It says "Auto focus provides just three focus points, although AF performance good".

I'm not disagreeing there at all! It is good indeed.

Only that it takes time to be good.

Question is: is it fast enuff?

[night86mare]

Originally Posted by espion I'm not disagreeing there at all! It is good indeed. Only that it takes time to be good. Question is: is it fast enuff?

Sadly, no review sites bother to test the speed of AF..

You can buy my H2! AF very fast one!

[sprintist]

I found out something..

That cheapo lens is 70-300mm f4-5.6.

Second hand one..

[espion]

suggested shoot off format:

1. target: hovering dragonfly

2. Oly vs others

3. same place, same time, two cameramen at a time on same target

4. two techniques:

4a. technique#1: in-situ real time focus acquisition, ie no focus lock allowed

4b. technique#2: no constraints: do anything you need and can do to capture the target.

5. Total 20 shots allowed to get at least one good shot

6. if possible: switch camera between same cameramen, provided cameramen equally competent with systems.

[OlyFlyer]

Originally Posted by espion No way you can do this on manual focus.

I have to disagree. I have done that with full manual cheapo OM lenses.

Do not use C-AF, use S-AF and center point only, then track the bee. Not a difficult task with some practice.

[ricohflex]

Originally Posted by espion Do you guys feel/experienced/know that Olympus' auto focus is problematic vis-a-vis the others? I had this experience trying to shoot some very fast moving stuff - its some hovering insect - I just cannot get focus - or by the time I hear the beep the target's off. You may say the target is too fast. But that is not true, for I have another guy beside me with a D80 with a slow cheapo zoom lens and he got it, not once, not twice, but five times. So Nikon trounced Oly 5-0? Or maybe we need a shootoff? Anyone want to organise one? I must know why I cannot get that hovering zippy thing! So really nothing's impossible?

Then better not compare with Canon's AF on an L lens.

[espion]

Originally Posted by OlyFlyer I have to disagree. I have done that with full manual cheapo OM lenses. Do not use C-AF, use S-AF and center point only, then track the bee. Not a difficult task with some practice.

Do you mean manual continuous focus even as you track the bee?

If so, I do not know if you have attempted to track something like this "bee" - anyone knows what it is? I suspect its some sort of hoverfly and not a bee - or for that matter a dragonfly with its erratic path.

Secondly you would need quite a wide field of view to constantly acquire the flying thing and that means the flying thing will occupy maybe just 1% of the entire picture. When I shoot such creatures I want it to occupy at least 30-50% of the picture.

Thirdly my experience with digital camera's MF is that it only looks focus in the view finder but when zoomed up to 10 times the focus is always not precise. And so I have abandoned MF on digital camera unless it is the E330. At most I use MF together with S-AF or C-AF, to assist the latter.

Fourthly it is not that I have not acquired flying things, eg a butterfly in mid flight, but the camera just needs time to acquire focus. If the flying thing moves faster than the necessary focus dwell time, then it is impossible to do. And does anyone know what is the specified focus dwell/lag time for the Oly system vis-a-vis the others?

[OlyFlyer]

No, I mean manual focus with old OM manual lenses. MF on AF lenses is hopeless. The ED 50mm f2.0 is OK but still too slow compared to OM. According to me, the vf in E-500 can be used for manual focus but it needs practice.

IMO, S-AF in E-500 is also OK, if single center AF point is used and the subject is filling the center circle. Obviously that needes more than 1% filling of the vf, not 30-50% but more than 1%. Having the bee covering only 1% will not give you enough MP to get a useful image of the bee anyway, so that may give you the out of focus impression.

[XiaoMiaoWang]

Originally Posted by espion No way you can do this on manual focus.

What no way.



Manual focus, like I always do shooting macro on my Canon.

Manual continuous focus. WAH. That's NEW.

I've always had the precept that manual focus=focus manually=use hand to turn focusing ring on lens. MAYBE espion thinks that all cameras have 'manual continuous focus'.

I think what he meant was AF, then fine tune using manual focus. AF stop (Canon-ites say so) I might think.

And no, the shot was not taken using Manual continuous focus. It is taken with the Manual continuous focus, WITHOUT the continuous. You know the mode and switch/toggle on the lens (or the body) saying AF/M? Yea. You flick that switch and twist the focusing ring till you get the focus, and then... I press the shutter button.

[night86mare]

Originally Posted by XiaoMiaoWang I've always had the precept that manual focus=focus manually=use hand to turn focusing ring on lens. MAYBE espion thinks that all cameras have 'manual continuous focus'. I think what he meant was AF, then fine tune using manual focus. AF stop (Canon-ites say so) I might think. And no, the shot was not taken using Manual continuous focus. It is taken with the Manual continuous focus, WITHOUT the continuous. You know the mode and switch/toggle on the lens (or the body) saying AF/M? Yea. You flick that switch and twist the focusing ring till you get the focus, and then... I press the shutter button.

=/ Did you have to put it in such a way?

Your nickname may be the king of cats, but there's no need to lord it over anyone else, thank yew very much.

Just presenting your facts in a nice way would be a lot more appreciated next time, I'm sure you have made mistakes in statements before too.

And I -think- espion meant to keep tracking the guy as he flew and manually adjust the focus now and then to get a nice moment. So you have thoroughly misunderstood him, I think. Since he had mentioned other things which pointed to that very fact.

[XiaoMiaoWang]

Originally Posted by night86mare =/ Did you have to put it in such a way? Your nickname may be the king of cats, but there's no need to lord it over anyone else, thank yew very much. Just presenting your facts in a nice way would be a lot more appreciated next time, I'm sure you have made mistakes in statements before too.

In WHAT way?

I'm stating facts!

I've got to be convincing mah. All that crap on being the "king of cats"... sibeh no link.

Quote: And I -think- espion meant to keep tracking the guy as he flew and manually adjust the focus now and then to get a nice moment. So you have thoroughly misunderstood him, I think. Since he had mentioned other things which pointed to that very fact.

Isn't that manual override? I just mentioned it? as I quote myself:

Quote: I think what he meant was AF, then fine tune using manual focus. AF stop (Canon-ites say so) I might think.

Now THIS is being misunderstood.

And if it is anybody's fault for causing a misunderstanding here, BOTH poster and 'responder' played an EQUAL part in causing the misunderstanding. We can't possibly be going around conducting English classes for posters and 'responders' anyway!

[night86mare]

Originally Posted by XiaoMiaoWang Manual continuous focus. WAH. That's NEW. MAYBE espion thinks that all cameras have 'manual continuous focus'. It is taken with the Manual continuous focus, WITHOUT the continuous. You know the mode and switch/toggle on the lens (or the body) saying AF/M? Yea. You flick that switch and twist the focusing ring till you get the focus, and then... I press the shutter button.

In this way. Everything in red. Ridiculously scathing and condescending.

[EDIT]

How would you like it if I said:

Quote: XiaoMiaoWang. WAH. That's CUTE. Maybe you think that all cats should be called Miao, but most of the people I know call it Mao. Without the I. You know, the correct hanyu pinyin, and you know, without pressing the button on the keyboard that says I? Yea. You don't press it. And then you type M A O. Simple, right?