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[OM] Re: Thoughts on IS - and a Confession.

Subject: [OM] Re: Thoughts on IS - and a Confession.
From: Moose <olymoose@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 31 Jul 2004 21:58:26 -0700
W Shumaker wrote:

>At 01:44 AM 7/25/2004, you wrote:
>  
>
>><snip>
>>I have tried an E-1, and it had focus speed issues in dim light. Sure it 
>>gets there in most cases, but not very fast. Some on the list have had 
>>similar experience, others either don't runinto it or aren't bothered by it.
>>    
>>
>
>If I might address this point. I have zero experience with other auto
>focus pro cameras.
>
One can tell. :-)

>But when I am in dim light, and a lot of other
>situations where auto-focus has its problems, I can tweak via manual
>focus.
>
But you only need to do that if the AF doesn't work. You are assuming 
equal AF capability, and that is not the case. Besides, where it is 
really dark the AF assist light will take care of it. The trouble I ran 
into was with the 50-250 zoom past the middle of its range. In moderate, 
not really dim, light and with plenty of detail contrast, the E-1 hunted 
a lot. The 300D just snapped in with no problem. Yes, I could focus 
manually, but this is a situation where I simply shouldn't have to.

> The real question to me would be, how well can you manually
>focus the camera when the situation calls for it? If your eyesight is
>such that you need the auto-focus, period, then fast lens and the best
>camera are for you. Otherwise, in those tough to auto-focus situations,
>if you cannot do decent manual focus, you are scr___d! It's almost like
>we forgot where we came from. If the choice is between a camera that
>can auto-focus at EV1 versus EV2, but the camera that goes to EV2 does
>manual focus really well, that is the better camera.
>
They virtually all go down to sub EV these days and to complete darkness 
with the AF assist lights. Near those limits without assist, I don't 
think anyone can focus any of them well manually; we are talking the 
light of a single candle. You would be better off with scale focus.

>If I can readily tell by looking in the viewfinder what the camera has
>locked on to for auto-focus, I'm happy and click away, because I know I
>can tweak it to where I want it if it is not.
>
I don't recall how the E-1 shows it, the 300D flashes the sensor 
locations that found focus, so one does know where it focused. One can 
pick individual focus points too, to force it, but it's sort of a pain.

>Don't give up control if you don't have to. There are some features of a 
>camera that just don't seem to have a decent spec for them. The viewfinder 
>display is one of them, and ease of manual focus.
>
I thnk the displays of the E-1 and 300D are pretty similar. It's been a 
while since I tried them out side by side. The 300d gains by having a 
bigger image size and loses by maving a mirror prism. None of the APSish 
or less sensor size DSLRs are anywhere near as easy to focus manually as 
OMs, but I have good visual acuity and just have to pay a bit more 
attention.

>.............
>So I guess I'm one not bothered by the auto-focus limits of the E-1
>because I just step in and take over without missing a beat. Auto-focus
>speed tests under controlled situations can give one an idea on
>performance, but they are not real world tests.
>
Exactly! The published tests showed little difference  except at 
extremely low EVs. My personal real world tests, prompted by Steven S's 
similar tests, showed very real and frustrating differences in normal 
conditions. Maybe it was just a less than perfect E-1.

>Sorry for the sour grapes....
>
Goodness, I though this was a good natured discussion. Grapes, what 
grapes? Well, you bashed the 5050, but I put that down to picking the 
wrong kind of camera for what you want to do, not to the 5050 itself. 
It's pretty much like others in its category, I think.

Moose



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