Help...A300 low light focusing.
Posted on: Wed, 10/01/2008 - 10:28pm
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Help...A300 low light focusing.
I am having trouble getting a low light focus lock on the A300. I am using a combo of kit, KM50mm 1.7 and SAL75-300. It doesn't seem to matter which lens I have attached. There is plenty of light to get great 1600-3200 shots but I can't get the focus. I tried w/ AF Illuminator in Off and Auto w/ no perceived change. I have tried leaving red eye reduction on/off w/ no help. I left the flash up while not using thinking it might give me the AF Illuminator but no help. Is this simply a limitation of the camera, or my lenses. I remember reading about the great near dark IR focusing of the A700. Is there something similar for the A300. Would a shoe mount flash aid in low light AF or possibly a shoe mount IR emitter that would let the AF work better.
I am vacationing at Disney World and the night shots are killing me. All the moms with their various P&Ss are snapping off shot after shot in the dark and I am left standing there saying "give me a second kids I can't seem to get a focus lock". The moms say "a focus what?" and my wife says "you and that damn camera". Help........I am in camera hell. Maybe, when it gets dark I will tell them that my battery has died.
I looked at the review on this site and it says the pop up flash will give an AF assist but not if in AFC or AFA mode. So this leaves AFS which stands for AF single shot. Is that correct? So leave it up and turn flash off If I want only the assist. Although, I can't seem to figure out how to turn flash off unless I am in Auto mode and then the assist goes away.
Your distance from subject being shot in low light?
Focus is set for wide? or Spot?
Maxxum 9; 70-210 f4; 5400HS , Maxxum 7D+VC7D; Sigma 24-70 f2.8; HVLF42AM, Alpha 700+VG-C70AM; Tamron 70-200 f2.8; HVLF56AM, Canon 20D+BGE2; 70-300 f3.5-f5.6; Speedlite 580 EX II, Nikon D80+MBD80; 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR....make an excellent photo with a beer can, a pinhole, a slice of film and some patience.
Sorry, to keep answering my own post. Thought I could get a quick answer w/out learning on the fly. OK, I have figured out the AFS option and AF assist. I can't figure out how to use the assist but disable the flash. I want the assist, but the look of the natural light ISO 1600-3200 shots. The only way I can acheive the desired effect is to; 1) AFS, AF Illuminator On, compose shot get the lock, 2) switch to MF so the AF doesn't guess again, 3) lower the pop up flash, 4) take the shot.
Is this the most efficient way for me to get the shot? I have learned, that with an external flash, I can get the IR assist without firing a flash which is what I will aim for as funds allow.
The AF illuninator on the HVL 56AM works even when the flash is off. And may be just what you need to get over this.
I think the HVl 46AM also does AF assist when off.
It gets wonky above 200MM IMO.
And Continuous Autofocus setting will disable the assist.
Other than that, the A700 uses a similar IR AF illuminator for assist that is built into the camera body. That's more than likely a big reason why it has very good low light focusing.
Maxxum 9; 70-210 f4; 5400HS , Maxxum 7D+VC7D; Sigma 24-70 f2.8; HVLF42AM, Alpha 700+VG-C70AM; Tamron 70-200 f2.8; HVLF56AM, Canon 20D+BGE2; 70-300 f3.5-f5.6; Speedlite 580 EX II, Nikon D80+MBD80; 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR....make an excellent photo with a beer can, a pinhole, a slice of film and some patience.