Focusing problem with my Canon 350d

ndavies4

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Bought the camera (body only) last Xmas and started using it with a Canon 28-80 USM lens from my old EOS10. Was generally happy but kept thinking everything was in soft focus.

Convinced myself the problem was the lens so after reading various reviews recently splashed out on the Canon 50mm f1.4 USM lens. This has improved things but I'm still not being blown away by the picture quality as I thought I would/should be.

As a test last night: I set the camera to use only the central focusing spot; set it fixed at f1.4; put it on a tripod and pointed it towards a ruler lying at an angle; put the 10cm mark of the ruler at the exact centre of the image; took a shot making sure the central focus point flashed red on the '10' mark.

Resultant image:
photo.html


You can see that it's actually around the 9.3cm mark that is in focus not the 10cm mark. It would therefore appear that the camera is focusing half a cm or so in front of were it should be!

Can anyone help me with this (am I being stupid?) or is it a case of a dodgy camera and so back to Canon?

Regards,
Neil
 
ndavies4 said:
Set it to only use the central one


Hmm, can't see why the focus would be off then. Don't think there's any tolerance in these things. It should be bang on the money. Might be worth getting the camera checked out.
 
That might be within the specs, I've seen worse back/front focussing. Best bet would be to send the camera back for calibration.

K.
 
Hi h4rri.

I had exactly that same problem with a 10D I used to own. All the photo's seemed soft as hell even with different lenses.

I sent it back to Canon to get calibrated and the problem never re-appeared. I didn't have my camera for a few weeks which was painful at the time because I'd just gotten into photography pretty seriously.

But when I got the camera back and the focus worked, I was much happier. All images were a lot sharper and punchier.

The camera (and a 28-105 lens) was unfortunately lost in what I call the "girlfriends drunk sister incident". But that's another story for another time.
 
I've had a similar experience with a 350d - Pics seemed OK with the 18-55 kit lens, I bought a 17-85IS which seemed to front focus - put it down to the lens & got rid of it, bought a 50mm 1.8 & this produced lots of good photos, on closer inspection it seems to front focus on occasions. Got a 24-105IS L & was really bad - very bad images compared to the kit lens, confirmed as faulty & refunded. Now have a 28-105 which is OK(ish). I'm not convinced that the lenses have all been bad & think the body may be at fault. Will get it checked by a canon service center but I'm inclined to dump canon completely, their QC is obviously crap.
 
Thanks for the replies. Sent the picture to Canon's on-line support and they've just replied to say that there probably is a calibration problem and have asked me to send the camera and lens to them for a service.... Will post the outcome here.
 
ndavies4,

Where do you have to send the camera? I took mine to a canon service centre at colchester & didn't seem that good, I'd prefer to send mine direct to canon to look at.
 
Andrew_arkless said:
ndavies4,

Where do you have to send the camera? I took mine to a canon service centre at colchester & didn't seem that good, I'd prefer to send mine direct to canon to look at.

The address is:

Canon (UK) RCC
PO Box 630
Borehamwood
WD6 9AW

Note, the email they sent has given me various instructions and asks me to quote my 'Incident Number', so it's probably best to be in contact with them first.
 

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