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Author Topic: FujiFilm X-30 random AF failures on landscape photography  (Read 2811 times)

biker

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FujiFilm X-30 random AF failures on landscape photography
« on: September 10, 2015, 05:57:08 am »

I've already asked this question on another site with no satisfactory answer.

I like this small compact camera for a decent image quality (for its size), low weight and body build. Unfortunately, it has a few glitches as well.
Initial firmware version 1.00 has had a rather annoying issue with image composing where the halfway pushed shutter button didn't lock focus reliably. This has been successfully fixed in the 1.01 version. Version 1.02 is just a Windows 10 connecting issue fix.

There's another focusing-related problem that hasn't been fixed yet. One of a few tens of landscape pictures is out of focus. Not totally blurry but still visible unless display magnification is lower than about 20%.
I've encountered that many times at f=4 which I'm using for many landscape shots (DoF is enough for a 2/3" sensor and details seem to be rendered best) but it may occur even with other F numbers.
There's absolutely no object in the foreground that should cause these issues, everything is within the range of hyperfocal distance. And yet, it reoccurs on different kinds of landscape shots even when lighting conditions are perfect.

Recently, I've started shooting panoramas (not those in the "panorama" camera mode but individual shots to be stitched in Hugin) using the manual focus because of the risk that one of images could be spoiled this way. This could be solution for all pictures but I do want my AF!

Has anyone experienced a similar problem? Once again, it's not always but random, no matter what landscape shot it is.

My settings:

Focus mode: S (front dial) 
Macro: Off 
Focus area: unchanged (in the centre) 
Release/Focus priority: AF-S: Release; AF-C: Release 
Instant AF Setting: AF-S 
AF Mode: Area
Pre-AF: OFF 
AF Illuminator: Off

Is there something that should be changed? Thanks!
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speedyk

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Re: FujiFilm X-30 random AF failures on landscape photography
« Reply #1 on: September 13, 2015, 12:09:43 pm »

I'll guess that you also came from film and have that frame-sparing mentality I had to overcome. :-)

I haven't used a Fuji yet, but other brands I've tried have occasional or even frequent AF glitches. If I'm using AF I tend to shoot multiples. I sometimes do it with MF as well, sometimes I move a bit when doing closer shots while crouching, or the wind is blowing flowers around, or a bug tries to hide. While chimping doesn't sound very nice, cards hold a lot of photos and culling is a lot faster than printing and louping through a contact sheet.

It doesn't answer your question directly, but it is part of a larger distrust I have for "helpful" things, they might do what someone else wants or thinks is good enough but not for me at any given time. I take responsibility for bringing home the shots I want.
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razrblck

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Re: FujiFilm X-30 random AF failures on landscape photography
« Reply #2 on: September 13, 2015, 12:30:29 pm »

Release/Focus priority: AF-S: Release; AF-C: Release 

There's your issue. For AF-S the priority should be focus acquisition, not shutter release. With Release, the camera is going to take the shot whenever you press, even when it hasn't acquired perfect focus, so if it takes too much time or can't focus correctly you will still take a picture but end up with something slightly off.

Try changing that setting first, then keep in mind you need to have enough contrast for the sensor to acquire proper focus. Sometimes, focusing on trees or rocks, you might think there's enough contrast to your eyes but the sensor may not have enough information to properly lock on that object. Looking for a different target at the same distance and recomposing is the quickest way, if you don't want to use manual focus.
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biker

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Re: FujiFilm X-30 random AF failures on landscape photography
« Reply #3 on: September 13, 2015, 05:15:07 pm »

I'll guess that you also came from film and have that frame-sparing mentality I had to overcome. :-)
No problem for me. :) On the last holiday, I had 48 GB and have used about 75% of that capacity. The main problem while trekking is time (I don't want to let others wait for me too long).

If I'm using AF I tend to shoot multiples.
Thanks. That's actually what I'm doing for all important shots. But not in case of panoramas (for the aforementioned reason).

There's your issue. For AF-S the priority should be focus acquisition, not shutter release. With Release, the camera is going to take the shot whenever you press, even when it hasn't acquired perfect focus, so if it takes too much time or can't focus correctly you will still take a picture but end up with something slightly off.

Try changing that setting first, then keep in mind you need to have enough contrast for the sensor to acquire proper focus. Sometimes, focusing on trees or rocks, you might think there's enough contrast to your eyes but the sensor may not have enough information to properly lock on that object. Looking for a different target at the same distance and recomposing is the quickest way, if you don't want to use manual focus.
Thanks! That's really helpful. I hoped these were factory settings but I might changed something accidentally. Can't wait to test it thoroughly to see if the issue has gone.
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biker

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Re: FujiFilm X-30 random AF failures on landscape photography
« Reply #4 on: October 12, 2015, 04:01:05 pm »

Unfortunately, the occasional out-of-focus landscape shots are reappearing even with this setting:

AF-S PRIORITY SELECTION: FOCUS

As there is no firmware update that would address this issue, the re-shooting and manual focusing remain the only solution available. :'(
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