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[OM] Re: Somebody stop me, please....

Subject: [OM] Re: Somebody stop me, please....
From: Chuck Norcutt <chucknorcutt@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 30 Jun 2006 13:54:16 -0400
That shutter lag/focusing delay on the A1 is what taught me that I 
wanted a 5D.  However, there is more than one way to skin a cat.  I 
recall a bar mitzvah party one night where the DJ turned the lights down 
so low that the two other photogs there (with a 10D and 20D and 2.8 
lenses) couldn't focus either.  I could hardly see the subject let alone 
focus on it.  I couldn't even focus on nearby bright spots since there 
weren't any.

Although it didn't help with the focusing, there was plenty of flash 
power to light the room to f/5.6 at ISO 200.  I finally threw in the 
towel and switched to manual focus and preset the distance to about 6 
feet and said a prayer to the gods of small sensor depth of field.

Even at 120 lines/mm (what's needed to make a sharp 8x10 from a 2/3 
sensor) the hyperfocal distance at 7mm (28mm equiv) and f/5.6 is about 
3.5 feet.  At 10mm (40mm equiv) and f/5.6 the hyperfocal distance is 
about 7 feet.

If we drop down to a resoulution of 60 lines/mm (plenty good for a 4x6 
print) the hyperfocal distance at 15mm (60mm equiv) and f/5.6 is still 
only 8 feet.  The point is that, on such a small sensor camera, the 
depth of field at f/5.6 is tremendous and well within the full range of 
distances seen in a banquet hall as long as you keep the focal length 
within a 28-60mm equivalent range.

The cautions on the A1 are to be careful with the zoom and with the 
manual focus ring.  Both are easy to move out of position of the 
acceptable range and need to be checked periodically.

Despite some obvious screw-ups where I had bumped the zoom or focus 
rings I ended up with more in-focus keepers than both Canon shooters 
combined.  Sometimes the equipment causes problems while at the same 
time allowing shooting outside the box.

Chuck Norcutt



AG Schnozz wrote:

> shoulder.  The A1 stinks at event photography due to the
> shutter-lag and high-ISO performance.
>


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