Advanced

PHOTOGRAPHY FUNCTIONS FOCUSING (DISTANCE)

3 Features

The distance from the subject to the camera is referred to as the shooting distance.

When the shooting distance is set correctly and the image appears sharp, the image is focused.

■Three focusing methods

The mechanisms for focusing are S-AF (Single AF), C-AF (Continuous AF) and MF (Manual focus).

PHOTOGRAPHY FUNCTIONSEXPOSURE (SHUTTER SPEED AND APERTURE)

Exposure refers to the light that hits the CCD or the total amount of captured light and determines the brightness of the image.

The exposure is determined by the combination of aperture and shutter speed. In AE (Auto- exposure), the camera determines the correct exposure, allowing for factors such as the brightness of the subject and the sensitivity setting.

S-AF:Use S-AF for normal photography. In this mode, the camera focuses each time the shutter button is pressed down halfway. Select the AF mode (➡P.68) when the Mode dial is set to “N”, “M”, “<” or “>” mode.

◆ The AF sensor ◆

The FinePix S9100 / FinePix S9600 uses an external AF sensor (external-light passive phase difference AF) that features faster AF operation than previous models. The external AF sensor does not function when Macro mode, Super macro mode, the digital zoom, AREA or C-AF focusing is used. It may take longer to focus if the external AF sensor is soiled (➡P.145).

C-AF:Use C-AF to photograph moving subjects. When this mode is set, the camera focuses continuously on the subject in the center of the screen. See P.48 for details.

MF: The focus is adjusted by turning the focusing ring manually. See P.49 for details.

■Causes of focusing errors and the solutions

Closed

 

 

(

 

 

pA

 

 

erture

 

 

)

 

 

Open

 

 

Slow

(Shutter speed)

Fast

The graph at left shows the way the aperture and shutter speed settings can be changed while maintaining the same exposure level.

h When the aperture is decreased by one step, the shutter speed also decreases by one step (the dot moves upper left).

h When the aperture is increased by one step, the shutter speed also increases by one step (the dot moves lower right).

h Combinations that result in the shutter speed or aperture being outside the available range of settings cannot be selected (white dots).

h In the “N”, “M” and “<” Photography modes, it is easy to select different settings along this line.

h Selecting settings that run parallel to this line by adjusting the brightness of the photographed image is referred to as exposure compensation.

Cause

Solution

The subject is not in the AF frame.

Use AF lock (AF mode: AF (CENTER)) ✽1 or MF.

 

 

The subject is not suited to AF.

Use AF lock (AF mode: AF (CENTER)) ✽1 or MF.

The subject is outside the shooting range.

Turn Macro mode on or off ✽2.

 

 

The subject is moving too quickly.

Use MF (pre-setting the shooting distance for a shot )

 

 

✽1 Taking pictures using AF lock

Press the shutter button down halfway to focus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Main subject

 

 

Capture the main subject

Recompose the shot and take the picture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

in the center of screen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✽2 Turning Macro mode ON/OFF

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wide-angle:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wide-angle: Approx.10

cm-3 m

 

 

Approx.1 cm-1 m

 

 

 

Approx. 40 cm (1.3 ft.) - infinity

 

 

 

 

(3.9 in.-9.8 ft.)

 

 

(0.4 in.-3.3 ft.)

 

 

 

Telephoto:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Telephoto: Approx.90 cm-3 m

 

 

(Wide-angle only)

 

 

 

Approx. 2 m (6.6 ft.) - infinity

 

 

 

 

(3.0 ft.-9.8 ft.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Macro OFF

 

 

 

Macro ON

 

 

Super macro ON

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

◆ Subjects not suitable for autofocus ◆

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

h

Very shiny subjects such as a mirror or car

h Subjects with little or no contrast between the

body

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

subject and the background (such as white

h Subjects photographed through glass

walls or subjects dressed in the same color as

h Subjects that do not reflect well, such as hair

the background)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

or fur

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

h Shots where another high-contrast object (not

h Subjects with no substance, such as smoke or

the subject) is close to the AF frame and is

flames

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

either closer or further away than your subject

h Dark subjects

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(such as a shot of someone against a

h Fast moving subjects

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

background with

 

 

strongly contrasting

36

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

elements)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

◆ When you cannot get the correct exposure ◆

AE lock: Determines and fixes the exposure at a target level. Use the following procedure to take a picture using AE lock:

Press the “AE-L” button (sets and locks the exposure). ➡ Press the shutter button down halfway (sets and fixes the focus). ➡ Press the shutter button down fully (takes the picture).

Exposure compensation:

This function uses the exposure level set by (–)(0)(+) the AE function as a reference (0) and then brightens (+) or darkens (–) the image.

By selecting auto bracketing, you can shoot 3 frames, one underexposed (–), one at the reference exposure (0) and one overexposed (+).

Shutter speed

When shooting a moving subject, you can either “freeze the motion” or “capture the sense of movement” by adjusting the shutter speed.

 

 

 

Freezes the motion of the

 

 

 

Photographs the traces left

 

Fast

 

subject.

 

Slow

 

by the subject’s movement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aperture

By adjusting the aperture, you can change the depth of focus (depth of field).

 

 

 

The area in front of and

 

 

 

The area in front of and

 

Closed

 

behind the subject is also

 

Open

 

behind the subject is out of

 

 

 

in focus in the shot.

 

 

 

focus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Main subject

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Features Advanced

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