impossible to focus my D40

conair01 · 11-08-2008 10:06pm #1

was at a football match this evening. I got soaked, camera got soaked and pictures was crap. had the settings on my d40 set to sport, it was focusing perfectly before the floodlights came on and the heavens opened. is there anyting i can do for future scenarios??

the lens i had on was 18-135 f3.5-5.6...

Thirdfox · 11-08-2008 10:09pm

Try using spot focus (you manually select the focus point) - this would be putting the camera into A/S/P/M mode (you'd probably want S for sports - try aiming for a shutter speed of around 1/500th to stop the action).

The lens might be a bit too short for football though - unless you're very close to the pitch.

Ricky91t · 11-08-2008 10:10pm

sounds like then rain was catching the light from the flood light and trying to focus on thatnothing you can do bar manual focusing...

sunny2004 · 11-08-2008 10:10pm

did the lens get wet ? as in the front glass ? this would throw off the focusing and unless you completly dry it your back to square one.

Consider manual focus ?

Ricky91t · 11-08-2008 10:11pm

Thirdfox wrote: »

Try using spot focus (you manually select the focus point) - this would be putting the camera into A/S/P/M mode (you'd probably want S for sports - try aiming for a shutter speed of around 1/500th to stop the action).

The lens might be a bit too short for football though - unless you're very close to the pitch.

Would the sport mode on an entry level nikon dslr not automatically choose the centre point?

I dont know anything about entry level nikons but im sure my canon eos 300D used too

Thirdfox · 11-08-2008 10:11pm

Here's one of mine taken with a D40 and 55-200vr:

Good lighting and I was right on the touchlines...
(UCDD/TCD match in case anyone was wondering)

Thirdfox · 11-08-2008 10:14pm

ricky91t wrote: »

Would the sport mode on an entry level nikon dslr not automatically choose the centre point?

I dont know anything about entry level nikons but im sure my canon eos 300D used too

I have no idea! Never used any of the scene modes - except for forced flash off... sneaky trick - use this mode when you want to take advantage of the AF illuminator of the SB600/800/900 speedlight to focus without firing a flash.

sunny2004 · 11-08-2008 10:16pm

Thirdfox wrote: »

except for forced flash off... sneaky trick - use this mode when you want to take advantage of the AF illuminator of the SB600/800/900 speedlight to focus without firing a flash.

Is this option in the menu system ?

challengemaster · 11-08-2008 10:16pm

defo sounds like it wasnt using the centre focus point.

Thirdfox · 11-08-2008 10:18pm

Nope - on the mode dial at the top of the camera - it's a preset scene selector, looks like a no flash symbol (force flash off). Therefore when you use a speedlight in conjunction with this mode you get the benefit of the red AF illuminator without the flash.

Downside is that it goes to closest subject focusing mode (can't change).

oh and OP I heard that heavy rain can fool the AF sensor sometimes...getting the camera wet isn't a good idea either.

soccerc · 11-08-2008 10:45pm

conair01 wrote: »

was at a football match this evening. I got soaked, camera got soaked and pictures was crap. had the settings on my d40 set to sport, it was focusing perfectly before the floodlights came on and the heavens opened. is there anyting i can do for future scenarios?? the lens i had on was 18-135 f3.5-5.6...

I'd suggest the answer is actually in your post and in particular the lens which is not really suitable at low light levels for sport nor is shooting in sport mode which expects daylight conditions.

An example pic with the exif would probably confirm

What ISO had you got the camera set to?

impossible to focus my D40

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