DOF + Viewfinder + Focusing = Hard time

Hi guys!


Well, I just got my first DSRL (D5100) which means that I´m a newbee, so be patient...


First, I don´t have the right lenses to my camera body. I should have bought the 1.8G (which provides AF) but I got the 1.8D by mistake, so I need to manually focus every single shot.


That said, I really like the DOF that 1.8 aperture provides, but I just can´t get the right focus using the view finder. While the LCD shows a huge difference of focus, the view finder shows a very faint defocus effect so everything seems to be right focused. When I take the shot... I see that the LCD was right.


Usually I take a picture of my little daughter, but the delay of shooting by the LCD makes me lose the best moments. That´s why I want to use the view finder.

Thanks in advance.

Rafael

The DOF at f1.8 is very shallow. Your daughter may move a little and the focus will be soft or out. Also, check the diopter of the vewfinder, make sure that is sharp. I wear reading glasses and that is also a problem, they get in the way and make what I see in the viewfinder out of focus.

the d5100 has a range finder function for manual focus, its in there somewhere. shooting wide open will not help though.

WJYPhoto said:

The DOF at f1.8 is very shallow. Your daughter may move a little and the focus will be soft or out. Also, check the diopter of the vewfinder, make sure that is sharp. I wear reading glasses and that is also a problem, they get in the way and make what I see in the viewfinder out of focus.

Click to expand...

To adjust the diopter see pages 23 and 206 in the manual.

The easiest and best way to adjust the diopter is to turn the camera on and look at the information at the bottom of the viewfinder screen and adjust the diopter knob until the numbers or letters at the bottom of the viewfinder are sharp and you are done. The diopter knob is right next to the viewfinder and is usually a very small knob that has little gripper ridges on it. Jeff

evan said:

the d5100 has a range finder function for manual focus, its in there somewhere. shooting wide open will not help though.

Click to expand...

Yep, when manually focusing, you will see a little white dot appear at the bottome far left of the viewfinder screen. Once that dot is solid - not blinking - that means you have your picture in focus.

D5100Shooter said:

Yep, when manually focusing, you will see a little white dot appear at the bottome far left of the viewfinder screen. Once that dot is solid - not blinking - that means you have your picture in focus.

Click to expand...

Just to clarify something here, I would like to say that when the light comes on and stops blinking it means that the location of the focus point is in focus. If itis where you want the focus to be the picture will be in focus but it only is indicating that the camera achieved focus at the point where the focus point was at and not necessarily where you wanted. You need to make sure the focus point is in the correct location and the light stops blinking to achieve what you are looking for. I just posted this to clarify the point. Jeff

grandpaw said:

The easiest and best way to adjust the diopter is to turn the camera on and look at the information at the bottom of the viewfinder screen and adjust the diopter knob until the numbers or letters at the bottom of the viewfinder are sharp and you are done. The diopter knob is right next to the viewfinder and is usually a very small knob that has little gripper ridges on it. Jeff

Click to expand...

Nice tip on how to adjust the diopter! Worked fine here. It didn´t solve my issue with defocused photos though... Thanks anyway!

AC016 said:

Yep, when manually focusing, you will see a little white dot appear at the bottome far left of the viewfinder screen. Once that dot is solid - not blinking - that means you have your picture in focus.

Click to expand...

Thank you AC016, that´s solved the problem! I just tested here and worked fine to me! I can´t believe I miss that on the manual after reading it so many times. Such a simple solution...

grandpaw said:

Just to clarify something here, I would like to say that when the light comes on and stops blinking it means that the location of the focus point is in focus. If itis where you want the focus to be the picture will be in focus but it only is indicating that the camera achieved focus at the point where the focus point was at and not necessarily where you wanted. You need to make sure the focus point is in the correct location and the light stops blinking to achieve what you are looking for. I just posted this to clarify the point. Jeff

Click to expand...

Well pointed Jeff. Noted here... Thank you!