Ripley Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 I went to shoot the moon tonight in a park but due to cloud cover, couldn't do it as it kep disappearing. So I shone the spot lights on a tree and decided to take a photo of a big old tree lit by side lighting. However, my lens wouldn't AF so I switched to Manual. Now my night vision is crap (which is why OH drove me to the park) so even adjusting the diopeter, I couldn't be sure the tree was in focus. I turned the lens and fired but the photo still suffered slight blur. Of course I used a tripod and auto timer too. How do you know when the lens is in focus on MF? The focus light beeped but then didn't beep again even though I kept rotating the lens. Ah well, at least the dog got a run around the oval in the dark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubiton Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 (edited) Two options - either trust your eyesite or move the focus ring very very gently with the focus set on one spot (or nikon equiv) until it shows up the focus point and beeps. If you have a wide open aperture your depth of field will be very shallow so you only have a small depth area to focus in. Of course this is assuming that you are taking photo of something that has at least a little bit of contrast (eg moon, fire, etc). Otherwise youd have to get someone who has got good night sight to take the photo. Edited January 10, 2009 by rubiton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ripley Posted January 12, 2009 Author Share Posted January 12, 2009 Ta. Tried that on the glow worm caves yesterday (pitch black in there) and it worked but didn't have a tripod so photos crap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chezzyr Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 Darn - was looking forward to glow worms Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ripley Posted January 12, 2009 Author Share Posted January 12, 2009 I'll see what they look like when I upload them later. They look like glowing kreptonite on my camera back. Trying to walk in this long tunnel (discarded railway tunnel) that is pitch black and sharing one torch was no picnic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rugerfly Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 hmmm on the nikon, with mf there is a dot that stay's solid when the subject is in focus (around focus points anyway) and flashes if it cant or is out of focus. Cant help you with the Canot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ripley Posted January 13, 2009 Author Share Posted January 13, 2009 I found my manual and it says that if you hold your finger on the shutter and rotate the lens on MF at the same time, the focus light will flash in camera once focus is achieved. I shall try that next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris.p.day Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 (edited) I found my manual and it says that if you hold your finger on the shutter and rotate the lens on MF at the same time, the focus light will flash in camera once focus is achieved. I shall try that next time. Most cameras you can pop the flash up and it will strobe to get a focus lock, then you can put it back down to take the photo. Easier than carrying a flash light around! This may not help if you are focusing on something outside of the range of the flash. Edited January 16, 2009 by chris.p.day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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