Pterodontia misella - BugGuide.Net

Fooling Auto-focus

I have a point-and-shoot camera with only auto-focus so maybe I can help (assuming you don't have manual focus either). The camera is looking for straing lines to focus on. The text on the paper and the pin are perfect for that. You have to get the camera to ignore them.

1) Lay a tootpick or colored thread on the subject and press the button half-way. See if you can get the focus locked on the object, then remove the object and finish pressing the button.

2) (This is trickier) Press the button halfway letting it focus, then move the camera (while looking through the view-finder) until the real subject is in focus. Finish pressing the button. This is not exact so I will often keep the button pressed (firing multiple images) slowly raising and lowering the camera in TINY steps until I have images from several distances.

Also, a little more light on the subject may help. The paper is better lit, and that may contribute to the camera's confusion.

… John R. Maxwell, 7 December, 2007 - 11:22am

Thanks John, I'll have to try

Thanks John, I'll have to try that. I figured that the lettering on the label was contributing to the problem.

… Dennis Haines, 7 December, 2007 - 11:31am

Does that look any better Joh

Does that look any better John?

… Dennis Haines, 7 December, 2007 - 3:35pm

Number 3

I guess you found a third way

3) Remove the text confusing the camera, and give it fewer choices for focus subject :-)

… John R. Maxwell, 7 December, 2007 - 4:26pm

I did find that even when rem

I did find that even when removing the label the autofocus fixated on the pin, especially with the smaller species.

… Dennis Haines, 7 December, 2007 - 6:01pm

Oh Yeah

Much better!

… John R. Maxwell, 7 December, 2007 - 3:38pm

Moved

Moved from Pterodontia.

… Will Chatfield-Taylor, 7 December, 2007 - 10:41am