Problem with FZ5 focus while using zoom

[wilson77]

Hi,

I bought FZ5 recently and now found out that pictures taken with zoom(when more than 6x) are quite blurry and with more time spending, i found out that subject is getting out of focus with a very little shake. I tried with a tripod as well but there seems to be a problem while focussing on subject (while using >6x zoom). I have tried using IS (Mode 1 and Mode2) with P/AE mode.

I tried using Simple/P/AE mode and was still having the same problem.

I am not sure if it is a problem with my camera or I am missing some setting there.

I hope someone can help me in this regard.

Thanks in advance.

[genece]

IS in the panasonic cameras are advertised to give you 2 full stops of handholdability.....I think it does even better than that but it can not do miracles.

Show us a photo with the exif included and I am sure we can help.

But to try and handhold at 1/8th of a second is very difficult.....if that is what you are trying to do.....you need to practice and the subject needs to remain motionless.

and the more zoom you use the more difficult it is to handhold.

If you are doing this indoors, remember the minimum focus distance at 6X is about 7 ft.

Practice outdoors in good light and you will quickly become a fan of IS.

[xophedebx]

Hi,

Remember also the Depth of Field rules:

How closer the subject
How bigger the aperture (smaller the A number, 2.8 on FZ5)
How bigger the focal distance (zoom 12x 432 mm)

==> how smaller the depth of field, thus the depth where the pic is in focus.

At 2 m from a subject, with zoom 12x and aperture on 2.8, you have ... 2 cm of depth of field !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Try my dof excel sheet if you want on http://users.belgacom.net/christophe.vlaminck/fz1.html

A tip: try the Aperture mode instead of the program AE.

Xophe

[John_Reed]

I'll bet you're trying to focus on something that's too close for your zoom setting. See if you have the same problem if you back away from your subject?