When is shot focussed FZ-150

[Shinnen]

Hi All,
Sometimes when taking a picture it can be slightly out of focus, but does not appear so on the small LCD screen. Is there a way of knowing if the picture is out of focus before snapping it?
Thanks,
...... john

[TCav]

When you position the AF area over the subject, and press the shutter button half way down, you'll find out if it's in focus. If the AF Area is blinking, the subject is not in focus. When it's lit solid, the subject is in focus.

Are you saying that you've done that and it's still not in focus?

[Shinnen]

Hi TCav,
I think so ....... yes ........ the AF area being the green square in the centre. When the picture's not in focus it turns red?
..... john

[BBbuilder467]

Normally, the FZ would be in multi-focus by default. When you half-press the shutter button, the focus squares should "pop" green as soon as they lock focus, which should be almost instantly. That tells you the distance that the focus has achieved. Everything that is in the focus box areas would be in focus to indicate the plane of focus.
　
If the camera has been set to center focus, a single box will go green.
　
Regardless of the autofocus mode, if the camera can't focus lock, it will come up as a red square in the center. It can't focus.
　
Unless it's very low light, nearly dark, the FZ should focus lock almost instantly.
　
If the camera doesn't focus and it isn't noticeably dark and/or very low contrast, you're probably too close to a subject for the focal length (zoom) and between the telephoto and macro/close-up focus range.
　
That's about the only time I've ever had a Panasonic not lock focus instantly in 150,000 shots. Unless, you happen to be using diopters and don't know how to use them.
　
If the green square is lit, at that moment, the subject is in focus. The camera locks on the contrast, so you can cause the camera to slightly mis-focus if the subject isn't distinct or the camera locks on the edge of the subject rather than the front.
　
You're really not likely to encounter this unless you're very close to a subject.
　
You didn't happen to activate the macro mode in PASM and forget to turn it off? Anything over 39" will be out of focus.
　
If you activated manual focus, it will be focused wherever you left the focus or return to infinity at start up. No green or red squares in manual focus.
　
You should be asking these questions on the Panasonic forum. Those folks should know this stuff better than I do. The Panasonic system is unlike anything else.

[SIMON40]

Just out of curiosity- what were you shooting..?
Was the subject moving- thus in focus when you half pressed but moved when you depressed the shutter? If you- or your subject- or indeed if not a fast enough shutter speed is used- all will effect focus (in the case of too slow a shutter speed it will be slightly blurred through movement- often confused/mistaken for poor focus).

If the green square is lit- it's focused- just make sure the square is locked onto what you want- because if its picked out a higher contrast area behind (or in front of) your subject, you'll have a focus issue.
One way to alleviate the above scenario is to switch to center area AF- and you can adjust the size of that area to suit your subject- and indeed you can move the single area around the screen/image if you so wish (assuming your subject is off-centre).

If I'm shooting moving targets,such as runners or cyclists- I always use the enlarged center area AF- and if they're coming straight at me (at speed) I'll use the burst with AF on each frame mode- usually the 5.5fps/AF.
I won't however use the burst/AF option if the targets are moving past me at a consistent distance from me (L-R or R-L as I see it)- preferring the burst with single AF option- as it's frame rate is slightly quicker then the burst/AF option and I'm confident that the AF has got it right the first time (I'd say it does 99% of the time...).

[Shinnen]

Hi Simon/BBbuilder,
I was shooting flowers. I do tend to use iso 100 a lot, so yes..... movement might have been an issue; and it may have been overcast and the shutter speed too slow, I don't recall now. I have now switched to centre AF ...... that may help, and I'll watch for the contrast problem you mentioned. Yes..... I do recall have problems with the close up lens, telling if it was focusing or not. I assume that this is pretty much a matter of guess work, i.e. the AF will not necessarily work (with the close up lens, that is)?
....... john

[pcake]

i tend to use very fast shutter speeds when shooting flowers outdoors, as even an almost undetectable wind can make the flowers, leaves or stems blur.

[Shinnen]

Thanks pcake. I'll try that, although I fear noise from higher iso.
...... john

[Ozzie_Traveller]

G'day John

Another way of doing flowers is to pop the flash and use it to create the exposure
It gets away from the 'long' shutter speed that shows tiny bits of movement

Flash will also / automatically give a black background too

Phil

[Shinnen]

Thanks Phil,
But wouldn't that generally lead to over exposures?
....... john