S2 IS focusing solutions

Canon S2 focusing solutions

Posted by Gail Bjork on Tuesday, May 30th, 2006 | Leave a comment

The general causes of S2 focusing problems are not much different than other cameras, but some of the solutions listed in the chart below are:

Photographing low-contrast subjects
Overlapping nearby and distant objects
Very bright subjects in the center
Subjects moving very fast
Photographing subjects through glass
Taking pictures out of the camera’s shooting range
Smudges on the front of the lens

What follows are specific focusing issues with the S2 and suggested solutions.

Problem	Possible causes	Solutions
No focus	Shooting at full telephoto mode when standing too close to a subject. Too dark. Lack of contrast on subject.	Zoom out (wider angle) in increments until focus lock can be achieved. Move back at least three feet (minimum focus distance). Lock focus on item with contrast that is same distance as the main subject, then recompose.
Slow focus - camera “hunts”	Zooming too fast when using continuous autofocus. Low contrast.	Use slow zoom (the S2 has two zoom speeds) Lock focus on item with contrast that is same distance as the main subject, then recompose. For faster focus, try holding the camera vertically.
Side focus - When focusing on the center of a subject with the lens fully zoomed to 12X, the subject is out of focus but items to it’s side are in focus.	The camera focuses on “something” at it’s minimum focus distance when you press the shutter button. If photographing a very small subject and the area behind it is busy, the camera has nothing specific to focus on.	Zoom out; change your photo-taking angle. Prefocus on something of equal distance, then recompose; turn on continual auto focus. Focus manually.
Back focus - main subject focused on is out of focus but the background is in focus.	Varies according to subject and shooting conditions.	Prefocus on something of equal distance then recompose. Change the orientation of the camera to vertical. Focus manually.
Can’t focus on translucent object, such as a dragonfly with large wings.	Camera may focus on an object behind the translucent subject. If using Continuous AutoFocus, the transparent object may cause the camera to change focus.	Shut off Continuous AutoFocus and use Single area focus; focus manually.
Other suggested fixes when camera doesn’t focus	Turn the S2 vertically and depress the shutter-button halfway to get the focus lock; turn camera back horizontally, recompose and take the shot. Turn the camera off then on again.
Notes: when prefocusing, you may have to first lock exposure using AE Lock (manual page #103). More info about Focus and Exposure Lock.