Focus Dot

[kyliestills]

I recently noticed that the red focus dot within my lens is off. It only lights up in one corner of the screen, which has forced me to focus my subject there, and then move my camera back so the subject is centered. It wasn

[tkerr]

I recently noticed that the red focus dot within my lens is off. It only lights up in one corner of the screen, which has forced me to focus my subject there, and then move my camera back so the subject is centered. It wasn't always like this. Could the lens be broken, or a setting have been messed with? Its driving me absolutely nuts!


Camera is Canon Rebel T1i. Lens: EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

Are you talking about the AF Points?
Auto Focus is a function of the lens and camera, but the Individual AF Points are a function of the camera and not the lens.


Make sure you haven't reset you're AF Point.
Page 66 of the T1i manual
http://gdlp01.c-wss.com/gds/6/0300002246/01/eosrti-eos500d-imh-en.pdf

[neuroanatomist]

I recently noticed that the red focus dot within my lens is off. It only lights up in one corner of the screen... Could ... a setting have been messed with?

Apologies if I'm offering too simplistic a solution, but it sounds like you simply manually selected an off-center AF point. See p. 65 in the T1i manual.

focus my subject there, and then move my camera back so the subject is centered.

One of the basic rules of composition, the 'rule of thirds' suggests placing your subject at one of the intersections of an imaginary tic-tac-toe grid (dividing horizontal and vertical into thirds), for better visual impact.


It's usually better to manually select a point you want to use - that way, you decide what you want to focus on, rather than hoping the camera guesses correctly (automatic AF point selection will pick the closest object, assuming that's what you want to focus on). With a wide aperture lens shot wide open, depth of field is thin, and using the center point (or any specific point), then recomposing the shot, can result in the subject being out of focus.

[kyliestills]

You guys rock. I knew it was going to be something stupid. Must have hit it on accident. Forgive me. I am still very much learning this camera! A beginner. I do take a decent photograph though!

[HDNitehawk]

kyliestills


On page 136 of the manual it tells you how to clear the settings and return to the default settings. It basically is the function under the wrench with 3 dots, Clear Settings item


More than once when I was starting out I went back to this setting and cleared everything because of settings I had put in the camera on purpose or by accident and didn't remember how to get them back off.


If you are ever not sure about why the camera is doing some thing. You can always just reset all the settings.

[tkerr]

One of the basic rules of composition, the 'rule of thirds' suggests placing your subject at one of the intersections of an imaginary tic-tac-toe grid (dividing horizontal and vertical into thirds), for better visual impact.

The AF points at 2, 4, 8 and 10 O-Clock around the center AF point can be used to apply the rule of thirds when looking through the view finder to compose your shot.