[ayhshum]

I am using Canon 400D and having some trouble taking night portrait photo. Whenever I press the shutter button halfway, I always have difficulty in making the AF points covering the person’s face (i.e. the dot inside the AF points mostly flashes in red in other areas in the photo, but just not on the person). Consequently, most of the photos always turn out blurry on the person and clear in the background. Therefore, I always had to press the shutter button a million times before I can make the AF point to finally detect on the person. This situation happens in all modes of the camera.

If I use manual focus, I could only control one AF point. That would be ok for one person photo, but not for group pictures because only one person would be in focus.

I don’t know if it is because it is at night so the camera couldn’t detect the person and therefore made the AF point to shift its focus on the background instead or if it is because there is something wrong with the camera itself. In daytime, the problem is not as severe and the AF points are more easily focused on the person automatically.

How can I take a night photo (single or group) with both clear on the subject and on the background?

Please advice. Thx thx !

[ckshum]

AF problem - Use the center AF point instead of letting the camera choose the AF point itself. Since the subject is often too dark to focus, the camera naturally thinks the brighter, clearer backgound is the place to focus.

Group picture - Use higher f-number, i.e. smaller aperture to increase the depth of field so that all the people and the background will be sharp in focus. Try f/8 or above. However, slow shutter has to be used to compensate for the smaller aperture. In other words, you may need a tripod to get a steady picture.

[gwu1]

choose centre focus point.

focus at the eyes (which provide sufficient contrast for focusing).

[ayhshum]

But sometimes even the centre AF point does not focus or flash in red on the person in low light and would only automatically focus on bright areas with other AF points. Also, there are some photos which I do not want the person standing right in the centre of the photo. If this is the case, then what should I do?

So if I use a higher f-number (smaller aperture value) for group photo, all people should be in focus even if the AF points does not flash in red directly on the person but on the bright background?

[man24]

400d 係咁架. 一早話佢夜晚對唔到焦, 你有錢,就買個原廠外閃,佢外閃有紅外線對焦,唔使用佢閃光燈對焦,閃到女model 盲都對唔到.
cheap 方法, 你買過十蚊電筒照下女model 對焦.
仲有相機要set 手動用中間一點對焦, 佢九點對焦係夜晚係廢

[man24]

仲有問題係CANON 機有1成係走焦

[peterchan04]

>>> If I use manual focus, I could only control one AF point. That would be ok for one person photo, but not for group pictures because only one person would be in focus.


Is this for real...? 吾係噤既.... 手動 對焦... 點會係 噤..?

"One AF Point" in maunal focus mode.... wow.... are u sure it is a Canon 400D....?


.

[pongyee]

manual focus 點解會 control AF point ???

[ayhshum]

So does that mean even if I sent the camera back to Canon, the out focus problem would not be fix?

[hanny]

don't be afraid


becasue normally the focusing system are detect easly to the bright
place so if you want to focus face

1>you better use single point

2>you can try to pop up the flash and half press the button to focus the target but normally when you are pop up the flash the flash will make some flashing to help for focusing the traget

not a big dual very easy
the is not a big trouble because not only 400d like some other dslr
pentax or other also like this

you have to know that the focusing system have to check with some brighter place for the contract to give the camera information
to controll the lens focusing

for example i useing a d200 to photo a guy that stand in front of a strong sun light it will very difficult to find a right focusing point
so you set it to single point to the guy ot may be pop but the flash for pre-flashing or you can focus to the guy some flashing place like eye

so will more easy to flash

people aways say can not focus in the net becasue they just know one press photo

try to do it

thank you

[peterchan04]

>>> So does that mean even if I sent the camera back to Canon, the out focus problem would not be fix?

bring the lens with u too.

[ayhshum]

The problem I have is sometimes even during daylight, the AF point couldn't even detect all people in the photo, which end up some people are in focus and some are not.

[tam_dominic]

To get all people in focus, set smaller aperture eg. F8, F11

[pongyee]

>> The problem I have is sometimes even during daylight, the AF point couldn't even detect all people in the photo, which end up some people are in focus and some are not.

Sound like you are using a super telephoto.

[ognirringo]

夜晚難對焦係好正常

根本唔夠光

用電筒不失為一個方法

或者試下用中央重點平均測光(400d 應該有) + 用中間對焦點

應該會好d