Olympus C4000 Zoom manual focus

After two years of enjoying the basics of my Olympus C4000 Zoom, I
discovered the "manual focus" setting (by pressing down the OK button
for more than one second and setting the focus distance) on page 32 of
the manual ("Advanced Shooting"). Perhaps this feature should instead be
called "fixed focus setting" instead of "manual focus, because there's
also an auto focus/manual focus setting in the regular settings (Camera
settings: Fulltime Autofocus), which I always set to "off." Even when I
set focus in the "advanced setting" to "auto focus," the regular setting
stays on manual. Can someone explain why there are two different
auto/manual focus settings? It seems that the advanced one would be
useful for blurring a background (or foreground) or, for example,
keeping the distance constant when photographing a bunch of ebay stuff
with a tripod or some such project. With the regular focus setting it
seems there is much more depth of field (unless shooting in manual mode
with a large aperture).

nosredna wrote:
After two years of enjoying the basics of my Olympus C4000 Zoom, I
discovered the "manual focus" setting (by pressing down the OK button
for more than one second and setting the focus distance) on page 32 of
the manual ("Advanced Shooting"). Perhaps this feature should instead be
called "fixed focus setting" instead of "manual focus, because there's
also an auto focus/manual focus setting in the regular settings (Camera
settings: Fulltime Autofocus), which I always set to "off." Even when I
set focus in the "advanced setting" to "auto focus," the regular setting
stays on manual. Can someone explain why there are two different
auto/manual focus settings? It seems that the advanced one would be
useful for blurring a background (or foreground) or, for example,
keeping the distance constant when photographing a bunch of ebay stuff
with a tripod or some such project. With the regular focus setting it
seems there is much more depth of field (unless shooting in manual mode
with a large aperture).


Hi Nosreda...

There are two different settings, because they are
very different

The one you found when you held the ok button is indeed
manual focus. You (should have) seen the focus scale
on the right side of the viewfinder, the up down buttons
will let you select the distance you like.

The second, continuous focus, is related only to auto
focus, of course. The camera continually focuses, rather
than just when you half press the shutter release. Handy
in some cases - think of a child running toward you, for
instance. Downside is it's a little tougher on your
battery consumption. BTW, it's automatically turned on
for you when you select the program mode "sports". (small
icon of a skier)

Hope this helps.

Ken

nosredna wrote:
After two years of enjoying the basics of my Olympus C4000 Zoom, I
discovered the "manual focus" setting (by pressing down the OK button
for more than one second and setting the focus distance) on page 32 of
the manual ("Advanced Shooting"). Perhaps this feature should instead be
called "fixed focus setting" instead of "manual focus, because there's
also an auto focus/manual focus setting in the regular settings (Camera
settings: Fulltime Autofocus), which I always set to "off." Even when I
set focus in the "advanced setting" to "auto focus," the regular setting
stays on manual. Can someone explain why there are two different
auto/manual focus settings? It seems that the advanced one would be
useful for blurring a background (or foreground) or, for example,
keeping the distance constant when photographing a bunch of ebay stuff
with a tripod or some such project. With the regular focus setting it
seems there is much more depth of field (unless shooting in manual mode
with a large aperture).


Hi Nosreda...

There are two different settings, because they are
very different

The one you found when you held the ok button is indeed
manual focus. You (should have) seen the focus scale
on the right side of the viewfinder, the up down buttons
will let you select the distance you like.

The second, continuous focus, is related only to auto
focus, of course. The camera continually focuses, rather
than just when you half press the shutter release. Handy
in some cases - think of a child running toward you, for
instance. Downside is it's a little tougher on your
battery consumption. BTW, it's automatically turned on
for you when you select the program mode "sports". (small
icon of a skier)

Hope this helps.

Ken

nosredna wrote:
After two years of enjoying the basics of my Olympus C4000 Zoom, I
discovered the "manual focus" setting (by pressing down the OK button
for more than one second and setting the focus distance) on page 32 of
the manual ("Advanced Shooting"). Perhaps this feature should instead be
called "fixed focus setting" instead of "manual focus, because there's
also an auto focus/manual focus setting in the regular settings (Camera
settings: Fulltime Autofocus), which I always set to "off." Even when I
set focus in the "advanced setting" to "auto focus," the regular setting
stays on manual. Can someone explain why there are two different
auto/manual focus settings? It seems that the advanced one would be
useful for blurring a background (or foreground) or, for example,
keeping the distance constant when photographing a bunch of ebay stuff
with a tripod or some such project. With the regular focus setting it
seems there is much more depth of field (unless shooting in manual mode
with a large aperture).


Hi Nosreda...

There are two different settings, because they are
very different

The one you found when you held the ok button is indeed
manual focus. You (should have) seen the focus scale
on the right side of the viewfinder, the up down buttons
will let you select the distance you like.

The second, continuous focus, is related only to auto
focus, of course. The camera continually focuses, rather
than just when you half press the shutter release. Handy
in some cases - think of a child running toward you, for
instance. Downside is it's a little tougher on your
battery consumption. BTW, it's automatically turned on
for you when you select the program mode "sports". (small
icon of a skier)

Hope this helps.

Ken

In article KRmwd.525435$nl.14085@pd7tw3no,
Ken Weitzel wrote:

nosredna wrote:
After two years of enjoying the basics of my Olympus C4000 Zoom, I
discovered the "manual focus" setting (by pressing down the OK button
for more than one second and setting the focus distance) on page 32 of
the manual ("Advanced Shooting"). Perhaps this feature should instead be
called "fixed focus setting" instead of "manual focus, because there's
also an auto focus/manual focus setting in the regular settings (Camera
settings: Fulltime Autofocus), which I always set to "off." Even when I
set focus in the "advanced setting" to "auto focus," the regular setting
stays on manual. Can someone explain why there are two different
auto/manual focus settings? It seems that the advanced one would be
useful for blurring a background (or foreground) or, for example,
keeping the distance constant when photographing a bunch of ebay stuff
with a tripod or some such project. With the regular focus setting it
seems there is much more depth of field (unless shooting in manual mode
with a large aperture).


Hi Nosreda...

There are two different settings, because they are
very different

The one you found when you held the ok button is indeed
manual focus. You (should have) seen the focus scale
on the right side of the viewfinder, the up down buttons
will let you select the distance you like.

The second, continuous focus, is related only to auto
focus, of course. The camera continually focuses, rather
than just when you half press the shutter release. Handy
in some cases - think of a child running toward you, for
instance. Downside is it's a little tougher on your
battery consumption. BTW, it's automatically turned on
for you when you select the program mode "sports". (small
icon of a skier)

Hope this helps.

Ken

It helps, but I'm still a bit confused. By "continuous focus," I assume
you refer to the setting for Mode Menu/Camera/AF (off/on). I always have
this OFF, because I like to focus manually (and I understand how
AutoFocus would be good for sports, etc.). It's my understanding that
the Mode Menu focus setting is the one to use for a range of "normal"
conditions, and the "advanced" focus is useful for shooting several
shots that are the same distance away, or when you want to focus on a
specific area of the scene and control the depth of field (using it in
conjunction with Aperture-preferred mode setting). At least I wouldn't
want to set distance for each shot when I'm doing casual photography.
least I don't want to set the distance before each shutter action.
your comment about sports mode setting focus to auto, when I look at
the setting in the Mode Menu after setting the Sports mode, AutoFocus is
OFF. But I guess that doesn't matter--shooting in a Programmed mode
overrides what's set in the Mode Menu?

In article KRmwd.525435$nl.14085@pd7tw3no,
Ken Weitzel wrote:

nosredna wrote:
After two years of enjoying the basics of my Olympus C4000 Zoom, I
discovered the "manual focus" setting (by pressing down the OK button
for more than one second and setting the focus distance) on page 32 of
the manual ("Advanced Shooting"). Perhaps this feature should instead be
called "fixed focus setting" instead of "manual focus, because there's
also an auto focus/manual focus setting in the regular settings (Camera
settings: Fulltime Autofocus), which I always set to "off." Even when I
set focus in the "advanced setting" to "auto focus," the regular setting
stays on manual. Can someone explain why there are two different
auto/manual focus settings? It seems that the advanced one would be
useful for blurring a background (or foreground) or, for example,
keeping the distance constant when photographing a bunch of ebay stuff
with a tripod or some such project. With the regular focus setting it
seems there is much more depth of field (unless shooting in manual mode
with a large aperture).


Hi Nosreda...

There are two different settings, because they are
very different

The one you found when you held the ok button is indeed
manual focus. You (should have) seen the focus scale
on the right side of the viewfinder, the up down buttons
will let you select the distance you like.

The second, continuous focus, is related only to auto
focus, of course. The camera continually focuses, rather
than just when you half press the shutter release. Handy
in some cases - think of a child running toward you, for
instance. Downside is it's a little tougher on your
battery consumption. BTW, it's automatically turned on
for you when you select the program mode "sports". (small
icon of a skier)

Hope this helps.

Ken

It helps, but I'm still a bit confused. By "continuous focus," I assume
you refer to the setting for Mode Menu/Camera/AF (off/on). I always have
this OFF, because I like to focus manually (and I understand how
AutoFocus would be good for sports, etc.). It's my understanding that
the Mode Menu focus setting is the one to use for a range of "normal"
conditions, and the "advanced" focus is useful for shooting several
shots that are the same distance away, or when you want to focus on a
specific area of the scene and control the depth of field (using it in
conjunction with Aperture-preferred mode setting). At least I wouldn't
want to set distance for each shot when I'm doing casual photography.
least I don't want to set the distance before each shutter action.
your comment about sports mode setting focus to auto, when I look at
the setting in the Mode Menu after setting the Sports mode, AutoFocus is
OFF. But I guess that doesn't matter--shooting in a Programmed mode
overrides what's set in the Mode Menu?

My C755 doesn't even mention Manual Focus in the book. Nice to know now
thanks to you...... TRR

nosredna wrote:

My C755 doesn't even mention Manual Focus in the book. Nice to know now
thanks to you...... TRR

nosredna wrote:

In article . net,
TRR wrote:

My C755 doesn't even mention Manual Focus in the book. Nice to know now
thanks to you...... TRR

When I first got the camera, I skimmed through the paper manual (two
thirds of which is in a foreign language) and got very overwhelmed,
thinking I would sit down with it eventually and really learn what the
camera is capable of. I only dug it out the other day when I noticed a
red "MF" on the bottom right-hand corner of the LCD that I hadn't
noticed before. I found nothing in the manual about such initials
appearing on the LCD, but the section on manual focus rang a bell. I
suspect there's a more thorough explanation in the pdf manual on the CD
that came with the camera. When I read that, I'm sure I'll find out more
neat things about this great little camera. Last night I discovered how
to do selective focusing (hold the shutter down to focus on a point,
keep it held down, move the camera to frame the shot, and then release
the shutter).

In article . net,
TRR wrote:

My C755 doesn't even mention Manual Focus in the book. Nice to know now
thanks to you...... TRR

When I first got the camera, I skimmed through the paper manual (two
thirds of which is in a foreign language) and got very overwhelmed,
thinking I would sit down with it eventually and really learn what the
camera is capable of. I only dug it out the other day when I noticed a
red "MF" on the bottom right-hand corner of the LCD that I hadn't
noticed before. I found nothing in the manual about such initials
appearing on the LCD, but the section on manual focus rang a bell. I
suspect there's a more thorough explanation in the pdf manual on the CD
that came with the camera. When I read that, I'm sure I'll find out more
neat things about this great little camera. Last night I discovered how
to do selective focusing (hold the shutter down to focus on a point,
keep it held down, move the camera to frame the shot, and then release
the shutter).