I am doing something wrong with the focusing on the E-M1

**Mary Anne** · 07-06-2014, 7:02pm

I cannot seem to keep the focus on the image where I put it, I am still learning this E-M1 and cannot work out what I am doing wrong.
Tried out some macro shots today with an adapter and my Tamron and Canon prime lenses and had to move the focus point at almost every shot.
Shooting Manual and Manual Focus and would love some Help Please..

**Nick Cliff** · 07-06-2014, 9:33pm

Maryanne am assuming you use a tripod and focusing rail plus 14x enlargement when focusing on the screen or viewfinder and or a shutter release cable works with the epl5 regards Nick.

**Mary Anne** · 07-06-2014, 11:16pm

Hi Nick no I don't. I never use a tripod or a focusing rail when I shoot macro I can get good sharp detail with one shot on my other cameras
Its impossible for me to shoot fast flying subjects unless the camera is hand held. Though surely the focus can stay in one spot unless you move it.
I guess the adapter is causing this, and Thank You for your Help.

**Arg** · 08-06-2014, 1:55am

Hi Mary Anne

Do you have any µ4/3 lenses, and are they the same? (same problem)

I think you would have to try some tripod macro shots -- just to be sure the problem also occurs on tripod, and then you can conclude it is related to technique.

I am having trouble thinking of how the adapter itself can cause a problem with manual focus photos?

What specific lenses have you had the problem with?

I use µ4/3 but not E-M1 so cannot be too specific re your camera, sorry.

**Mary Anne** · 08-06-2014, 9:33am

Hello Arg Yes I have the 12-40mm f/2.8 lens and yes it does happen with that lens on sometimes.
It happened last week at Sea World when I was shooting fish at the Aquarium, shooting on Auto which I never use so blamed that.
This is not my every day camera and finding it hard to learn I try to spend a couple of hours a day working with it and lately a lot more.
Guess I have been shoot Canons too long

**davsv1** · 08-06-2014, 9:14pm

Hi Mary Anne,
Not sure if this is any help but, are you sure the evf diopter is adjusted correctly for your eye? Secondly, i have heard of some people with certain eye issues that simply cannot use an evf for some reason ( i hope this is not your issue). I don't use focus peaking myself but I find the magnifier extremely useful for manual focusing, I have the video record button set to magnify the view finder so I can turn it off and on quickly and intuitively . Failing that, I could drop in tomorrow or tuesday and have look for you.

**Arg** · 08-06-2014, 9:21pm

Cameras often reset the AF point when they are turned off. Newcomers to µ4/3 often turn off after every shot because of unwarranted 'range anxiety' regrading the battery. So.... are you turning the power off and on a lot?

**Nick Cliff** · 08-06-2014, 10:47pm

Maryanne do you have your camera setup to use the super control panel ,if not davsv1 might be able to set it up ,sometimes it can be a bit of a minefield setting up the olys initially ,regards Nick.

**Mary Anne** · 09-06-2014, 1:22am

Originally Posted by davsv1

Hi Mary Anne,
Not sure if this is any help but, are you sure the evf diopter is adjusted correctly for your eye? Secondly, i have heard of some people with certain eye issues that simply cannot use an evf for some reason ( i hope this is not your issue). I don't use focus peaking myself but I find the magnifier extremely useful for manual focusing, I have the video record button set to magnify the view finder so I can turn it off and on quickly and intuitively . Failing that, I could drop in tomorrow or tuesday and have look for you.

David Thank You.. I had not thought of the evf diopter I will check it out tomorrow.. I did a few hours out in the garden this morning shooting the Bees again with the Tamron macro and any tiny subjects I could find, this time I put the camera on the monopod I have not looked at the images on the computer yet. Late afternoon I found some lacewing eggs on a shrub so cut the stem off bought it inside and had a go at taking images with the MP-E-65mm macro lens using a LED desk lamp for lighting took them up to 5x I had to use live view for those, I have not looked at them yet either. I will admit I am finding this great little camera very hard to work out though lately every time I work some thing out I write it in a book so I don't forget. I will email you later today as its now Monday.

Originally Posted by Arg

Cameras often reset the AF point when they are turned off. Newcomers to µ4/3 often turn off after every shot because of unwarranted 'range anxiety' regrading the battery. So.... are you turning the power off and on a lot?

Arg I had the Camera on for a few hours this morning and then late this afternoon again and never turn it off till I have finished shooting or the battery runs out which often happens first. Lucky I have three batteries for this camera.

Originally Posted by Nick Cliff

Maryanne do you have your camera setup to use the super control panel ,if not davsv1 might be able to set it up ,sometimes it can be a bit of a minefield setting up the olys initially ,regards Nick.

I think so Nick, as David has done a few things for me already.

**swifty** · 13-06-2014, 2:31pm

Hi Mary Anne, I can't offer any specific help cos I'm not using the same model.
But I'm not sure I understand exactly what you're describing.
Using your adapter, I'm assuming there's no AF support (I'm not aware of any third party adapters that offers AF compatibility but focus confirmation may be supported).
If that's correct, do you mean you can't get the E-M1 to confirm focus on the selected focus point when you have your subject in focus? Or do you mean you can't get it to AF with the adapter?
Sorry if I'm not understanding your problem correctly.

**Mary Anne** · 13-06-2014, 6:11pm

Hello Swifty. No there is no AF support though I knew that when I bought the Adapter
Was planning on using that adapter with my three Macro lenses to see how it would go, the Tamron 90mm, Canon 100mm L, and Canon MP-E-65mm.
As I only shoot M and MF when shooting macro that was not a problem..
The camera does not seem to focus on the selected point if you look here you will see that there is no focus on the head in #1 and none on the eye in #2

I think I have found out what the problem is with the Adapter on the E-M1 as I have been taking lots of photos lately.
If the subject is a large like a Bee it does not seem to keep the entire subject in focus..
Using the E-M1 with the Olympus 60mm macro lens loan to me by David davsv1 I had no problems taking This Hoverfly

Now if I shoot a very small subject like a lacewing egg, its size about half a mm 0.5mm with the Adapter it seem to be more in focus.

SOOC just resized.. Used a LED Desk Lamp for lighting and all hand held.

E-M1, Kipon adapter Canon MP-E-65mm Lens at 3x.

E-M1, Kipon adapter, Kenko Extension Tubes 12mm-20mm-36mm and Tamron 90mm Lens

E-M1, Kipon adapter, Kenko Extension Tubes 12mm-20mm-36mm and Canon L 100mm Lens

I am finding it so much easier to use my MP-E-65mm lens with this adapter than with the Canon camera and Twinlite flash so it will be great to use for those really tiny subjects.

**swifty** · 14-06-2014, 12:48am

Hi Mary Anne,
I have a theory as to what might be happening.
I believe it may be purely an issue with DOF.

In the bee shots, there's simply inadequate DOF to cover the size of the (larger subject) bee.
Whereas even with the very limited DOF in the earwing egg shot, the size of your subject is small enough such that the entire object falls within the DOF. Lovely shots BTW, very abstract like.

The hoverfly shots were done with the Olympus 60mm at f8. Firstly the focal length is shorter, hence deeper DOF compartively and with the f8 setting, it appears the DOF is adequate. Also you mentioned in the post these were tight crops so the subjects were comparatively small in the original frame ie. less magnification indicating you're further away from your subject, again resulting in deeper DOF.

In your Tamron shots with the adapter, the f-stop isn't recorded in the exif. The adapter may not stop down automatically when the shutter is released. You may be able to physically stop down the lens but this may render your viewfinder very dark. I don't know how the EVF would react in this situation (whether it compensates at all?).
Do you recall your f-stop settings with the Tamron/adapter? It could be that you used a larger aperture resulting in a shallower DOF?
If the posted bee photos represent the whole frame or close to the whole frame, another reason could be you're far closer to your subject and closer to your minimum focusing distance resulting in greater magnification and far shallower DOF.

**Mary Anne** · 14-06-2014, 10:03am