Focusing issues with Fuji S2

avanti

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I`ve just sent a brand new S2 back for repair because I thought there was something wrong with the focusing.
They`ve sent it back saying it`s been tested and it`s OK and didn`t need repair.
I just wonder if there`s anyone else that thinks these cameras (or maybe all digital cameras?) are a bit strange when using zoom lenses set to their widest angle. I was seeing sharp images in the viewfinder, but when I brought the files up in photoshop they were focused on infinity with the foreground subject matter well out of focus at wider apertures.
Another friend of mine has said that there is a known issue about digital cameras and zoom lenses though the makers won`t admit it, and this is why there are now an increasing number of lenses specially formulated for digital cameras.
The lenses giving me trouble are a 19-35mm and a 28-200, but only on their 19 & 28 settings, if they are zoomed in at all they are fine.
 
Well what kind of camera is the S2? I have a SLR film camera and just zooms, when I scan my negatives to 2400dpi when I zoom in I allways see them out of focus. also zooms I learned that have less quality than a prime lense, and I have seen some diferences between them.

One time I went to the developing shop and while I was waiting I saw a couple of 8x10 completely SHARP, while all the 8x10s I have taken look soft with no sharpness (given the fact that they are focused correctly, or have been auto focused)
 
Cuervo79 said:
Well what kind of camera is the S2? I have a SLR film camera and just zooms, when I scan my negatives to 2400dpi when I zoom in I allways see them out of focus. also zooms I learned that have less quality than a prime lense, and I have seen some diferences between them.
The S2 is a professional standard digital SLR, retailing at about £1200.
And to clarify matters, I don`t mean overall softness, I`m talking about pin sharp backgrounds and out of focus foreground subject matter, although I am looking at a sharp foreground in the viewfinder.
 
my bad then. so its a BIG focus diference... got no idea man...
 
avanti said:
I`m talking about pin sharp backgrounds and out of focus foreground subject matter, although I am looking at a sharp foreground in the viewfinder.

With a SLR style camera the only thing that should change between what you see in the viewfinder, and what is exposed on the film/sensor is the mirror lifts up and the aperture closes down to the set f/stop. That's the whole point of the SLR design: what you see is what you get. I'm just assuming here that DSLRs are based on the same basic body design as the film SLRs have been based on for the last 50 years.

One thing that is tickling my brain is something that does occur when I'm using my large format cameras. I compose and focus with the aperture wide open, just like most modern cams (film or digital), and then I stop down to my desired f/stop before I take the pic (modern cameras do this automatically). If I am focusing on something very close, stopping down actually changes the point of focus, so it's important that I use DOF preview. Possibly your problem has something to do with this? Your image looks good through the viewfinder when the lens is wide open, but when you take the shot the lens stops down, and changes the focus. This may have something to do with using lenses designed for use with 35mm film on the smaller digital sensor. I don't know enough about the technical operation of lenses to do anything but speculate, but it's an idea???
 
That sounds like a pretty feasible explanation and ties in with what the Fuji engineer I was talking to on the phone this morning said.
Basically, I should be going by the focus indicator (little black dot) in the viewfinder on manual focus and not my eye. That`ll take some getting used to.
It`s something to do with depth of field ratios being much different with the digital sensor - I`ve had a lifetime of thinking "wide-angle lens = massive DOF" but it`s not so with DSLRs apparently.
Just to dispel a few myths floating around on this subject on other forums, (straight from the horse`s mouth at Fuji) it`s nothing to do with -
a) taking out the lithium batteries
b) cheap lenses
c) having the focus set at "closest subject priority" (this SHOULD be enabled)
Anyway, we`re getting a Nikon D70 tomorrow, with an 18-70mm DIGITAL lens, I`ll let you know how it goes and how the S2 performs with this lens.
 
have you had any problems with the S2 underexposing? i am finding that it is always a stop underexposed to what my lightmeter says...
any advice or help?
thank you!
 

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