windsurfing photography question 999

nice photo fb.

You should have bought the Nikon.

But really, how can the foreground OR the background be out of focus keeping the subject, which is i assume in the middle, in focus? How close was the foreground/background? You'll need to upload an example, say shot #1 and #2.

Since it is on Aperture it is more likely that the camera has decided to change the focal point between shots. What was the focus program thingy on: Area, Point, Dynamic, Mutable, Drunk, I forget the names... you know what I'm talking about.

no offence but the fact that your saying you should have bought a Nikon shows that you know about as much about photography as Gestalt.

Gestalt,

My guess is you had the camera set to continuos focus. When your cam is on that setting it will need to do the following:

1) select a focus point (either 9 point selective or specific focus point)

2) focus on the object you are trying to photography and make sure the camera is locked on

3) assuming your camera locked on correctly it should now track the moving object automatically; this will not happen correctly if there is very little contrast difference between your object and the background; in that case the camera will start hunting for focus.

As I said this has 0 to do with the camera and everything to do with the operator.

However, you might find the following technique easier:

1) set your camera to single focus

2) set your focus point to either the center point or left or right most focus point

3) focus on the object and start shooting, after half a second re-focus and shot again

This takes some practice and won't work if you have a slow focusing lens.

So don't let anyone tell you, you should have bought a Nikon. As always, the camera is only as good as the photographer... not the other way around. The fact that there are so many bad photos on in the Gallery section proofs this...

i'm pretty sure EP's nikon comment was just a p1ss take

Too right, this type of camera can never compare to a good quality DSLR no way. I'd be a clown to say it could. Haircut's photos back on page 2 prove your point.

But I just posted the shot cos I'm happy with it and I know there are others reading here that might be thinking of getting a new camera but don't have the bucks to get into a DSLR.
I think a camera like this is great because it just sits in the car and if I get the urge after a sail to take some photos, It's just too easy to grab and shoot, no rooting arround
Don't worry if I had the money I'd have both in a flash

Cheers

but will never be closed. Unless someone develops a new technology (eg water based lenses) I doubt "compact point and shoots" will ever match the quality of a DSL combined with a fast 500 or 600 mm lens. It's simply physically not possible to build a high quality lens system that small.

Of course a camera like mine will never match a quality DSLR, the other problem for a camera like the Panasonic is noise because the sensor is so small, but it's a good compromise for the dollars and the for the average punter

Sorry, I didn't want to hijack this thread, just been reading it and found it interesting and thought I'd show an alternative for people in my boat