Minolta Dimage Z1 Focus Problem

[Shifty]

ok... i just got my z1 a few days ago... i took about 300 pictures so far and about 90% of the pictures i took are blurry the only ones that werent blurry was a few macro shots that i took. could this be the camera or me? its been cloudy these past days too... im not sure it might just be that but please help!

[Michael Fanelli]

ok... i just got my z1 a few days ago... i took about 300 pictures so far and about 90% of the pictures i took are blurry the only ones that werent blurry was a few macro shots that i took. could this be the camera or me? its been cloudy these past days too... im not sure it might just be that but please help!

Post a sample or two with EXIF data. My first guess is always user error with the AF or mistaking softness for out-of-focus. No, cloudy weather has nothing to do with it!

[Shifty]

Post a sample or two with EXIF data. My first guess is always user error with the AF or mistaking softness for out-of-focus. No, cloudy weather has nothing to do with it!

i was kinda hoping it was cloudy weather... because then i would have a reason besides it being me! lol ok heres a few samples
or not.... im new at this and dont know how to insert images...

dout this is going to work.. lol

Apature: F/3.5
Shutter: 1/1000
ISO Speed: 50
Focal Length: 6mm
[IMG]Picture 024.jpg[/IMG]

[Michael Fanelli]

This looks like a focus vs softness shot. I took your image and did a mild sharpening on it. The difference was clear. It also appears that your focus was on the foreground.

You chose to use f/3.5 with a high shutter speed. That gives you shallow DOF and only a small portion of the picture will be in focus. You don't need 1/1000 for landscapes!

Set your camera to f/8 or f/11. This will give you a much larger DOF and put much more of the image in focus. Also, all digital images require post-processing, especially sharpening. Give your images a small shot of sharpening to see the difference yourself.

Your camera seems to be working properly. With a little practice, you'll get excellent photographs you'll be proud of.

[tubaman2010]

I've had a Z1 for a good six months now and I've taken thousands of pictures with it. I haven't had any focusing problems with mine. The only thing I hate is that there's so much stupid chromatic aberrations that it drives me nuts. That's my only complaint about it. I think Minolta fixed that problem with the Z2. I love my little Z1 though. Here's a gallery of my shots, all taken with the Z1.
http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=401380

[Shifty]

This looks like a focus vs softness shot. I took your image and did a mild sharpening on it. The difference was clear. It also appears that your focus was on the foreground.

You chose to use f/3.5 with a high shutter speed. That gives you shallow DOF and only a small portion of the picture will be in focus. You don't need 1/1000 for landscapes!

Set your camera to f/8 or f/11. This will give you a much larger DOF and put much more of the image in focus. Also, all digital images require post-processing, especially sharpening. Give your images a small shot of sharpening to see the difference yourself.

Your camera seems to be working properly. With a little practice, you'll get excellent photographs you'll be proud of.

the only problem is... my camera only goes up to f/8...