Aging eyes

phishstuff · #1 2013-01-28, 2:59pm

I used to be an okay photographer, but I just don't trust my eyes anymore. I use the auto focus on my camera, and it looks in focus when I take the photo, but then I open the file and think "YUK"!
I wear my distance lenses when shooting, but wonder if I am looking through them or not. I also have prescription readers and maybe should be wearing those. I just don't know!!

Does anyone have suggestions for taking photos with old, unreliable eyes?

Thanks,
Stef

Eileen · #2 2013-01-28, 3:12pm

My camera has a (diopter?) that I can adjust to take pictures without my glasses. I'm not sure if yours has one or not? I do use the auto focus with the indicator of where it is focusing most of the time.

Dragonharper · #3 2013-01-28, 3:53pm

If the auto focus is working then there are other possibilities for blurry photos. First thing to try is a smaller aperture (larger F stop number) try F8 or F11. Also try using a faster shutter speed, say 250/s or higher. You will probably need more lighting to achieve this. If you are using a DSLR, you are actually looking at something fairly close, try using your readers. You might also want to try placing your camera on a tripod for added stability.

Mike Jordan · #4 2013-01-28, 5:33pm

Your auto focus should be able to focus correctly even if you were blind. Your eyes do not come into play when it focuses unless you over ride it by changing it after you have locked the camera focus (usually by pressing half down on your shutter button) and before you actually press the shutter.

It could be you are shooting with to slow of a shutter speed as mentioned above and usually when the eyes go your not as steady as you use to be either. Also, depending on what camera you have, if it has more than one focus point, you could be looking the spot you want in focus but the camera is using one of the other focus points which could be different than your spot. If you do have multiple focus points, lock the camera on the center focus point. That way if you use the center of the lens as your focus point when you are composing your shot, that is where the focus will be.

To test out your camera focus, put it on a tripod and take a picture of something taped to a flat vertical surface. Fill the frame with the image and take several different shots, both in auto focus and manual focus so you can compare just how good or bad your eyes are. If in auto focus you are finding that your shots are not coming out sharp, either your camera is not working right or your eyes really are bad and even with a sharp picture you see fuzzy.

Mike

phishstuff · #5 2013-01-30, 7:59am

Thanks for all the suggestions and I am planning on doing the test, Mike, because I know that will be a great help. I used to work in a photo studio and I should know all this stuff, but must have major brain farts. I also am used to manual focus, manual film cameras and good eyes, so I am kind of feeling sorry for myself

.

Thanks again everyone!
Stef

Mike Jordan · #6 2013-01-30, 6:26pm

Ha! They don't make cameras any more that you can manual focus easily and quickly. I bought my first auto focus camera in 1996 and hated it... but then I had been using a RB67 for a lot of years too. I finally got a decent auto focus in 2000 and an excellent one a few years after that. A camera that has really good auto focus can really help out when you shoot fast action activities like I did.

I've been taking pictures since I could hold my first camera and have always had poor eye sight that was correctable to 20/20. A couple of months ago I had a detached retina fused back down and was almost over it when another side came lose the end of Dec. My eye sight in that eye is still fuzzy and healing but at least it looks like it will improve pretty close to what it was before, it's just going to take awhile. I'm just very glad that I still have one very good corrected eye to use in the mean time or I would be going nuts.

Mike

phishstuff · #7 2013-02-05, 7:16am

Sorry to hear that, Mike. I have a cousin who has detached retina problems constantly- it's awful. I hope that it heals quickly for you.

My eyes are so important to me and I can't stand that my sight is failing. I guess I should be thankful.

Thanks for you advice!
Stef