Camera not able to focus in tight shots

[Cool G5]

I own the Canon SX 100 IS which sports a 10x Optical Zoom.
Due to the amount of such huge zoom I often get tempted to shoot subjects in real close. But the problem is when I get too close the camera simply fails to focus. If I click a picture the whole picture is blurry.
How can I remedy this? Is it a shortcoming of prosumer camera like Canon SX 100 IS?

I really hate it when it just fails to focus on tight shots.

 

[DScience]

get a tripod.

 

[Big Mike]

Does your camera have a macro mode? If so, witch to that mode...it should allow you to focus while closer to the subject.

 

[Dao]

Agree with Big Mike. Make sure you turn on the Macro (the button with the flower icon)

Acccording to Dpreview, the camera has closest focus distance of 1cm. So it should work.

 

[bigtwinky]

How close is close?

Cameras / lenses need some distance between themselves and the subject in order to focus. So if you are too close, the focus wont work. Some long telephoto lenses can require 6+ feet between them and the subject to focus properly.

Macro lenses allow you to get really close. As mentionned, check to see if your camera has a macro mode, which may need to be activated to allow you to get really close

 

[MJI]

I have the same problem with my Sony Cybershot that has an 8x zoom... There is a certain region that it will not focus if I use the zoom. It seems proportionate to the amount of zoom and distance.

The only way around it that I've found is to set in macro mode, zoom out and move the camera physically closer. Unfortunately this doesn't always allow for the most comfortable position to hold sometimes... If I am shooting flowers in a garden or a butterfly, just out of reach, then I may have to stretch out quite far. I’m sure I must be interesting to watch when I’m straining to get a shot in that area the camera can’t zoom. But then again, if the shot turns out awesome, then it's well worth the stretching and odd poses to get it.

Another thing I am trying recently is to move away from the subject and then zoom in. In some ways I think it may work (to make the background blurry and the forground subject focused), but overall it doesn't seem to make the subject any "bigger" than going right up to would. it's a bit disappointing, but overall I can't complain too much because I've gotten some really good shots using method 1 (zooming out and putting camera closer to subject in "macro" mode). You may have to resort to the crop tool if you want a real close up.

 

[Cool G5]

@DScience - Tried with a tripod but to no avail. I think tripod has got nothing to do with this problem.

@Big Mike, @Dao & @bigtwinky - Thanks for commenting. Yes, it does has macro mode but I am not shooting a close by object. Take for example I just tried as per your suggestion. I zoomed into an deo can lying 5 feet away from me. I used the whole 10x zoom to get as close as possible to the can. When I hit the shutter the camera has difficulty focussing & after trying for a long time it blurs both the subject as well as background. I will try to illustrate it with a few pics later on so you can get a clear idea of what I want to say.

@MJI - I think you are the closest to my problem. But unfortunately its not always possible to get physically close. BTW which sony cybershot camera do you own?

 

[Big Mike]

@Big Mike, @Dao & @bigtwinky - Thanks for commenting. Yes, it does has macro mode but I am not shooting a close by object. Take for example I just tried as per your suggestion. I zoomed into an deo can lying 5 feet away from me. I used the whole 10x zoom to get as close as possible to the can. When I hit the shutter the camera has difficulty focussing & after trying for a long time it blurs both the subject as well as background. I will try to illustrate it with a few pics later on so you can get a clear idea of what I want to say.

5 feet may still be too close when zoomed all the way out. Try it at 10 feet.