Sony Focus w/delayed shutter release

TopoTail

New Member
I recently attempted a self portrait using the delayed shutter release. I put the RX100 on a tripod, set the timer for a 3-second delay, released the shutter and sat down so I was in place in time for the shutter release.

At first I set the camera to the Portrait setting, but I could see on the camera screen that the photos were not in focus. I switched to manual and set the f stop at f11 to maximize depth of field. On the camera screen these loooked good, but when I transferred them to my iMac it was clear that the f11 shots were also out of focus.

So what was going on? were the shots out of focus because I wasn't able to partially depress the shutter button to set the focus? Was the camera focusing on the wall behind my head because I wasn't there when I pushed the shutter release.

What should I do to get my face in focus the next time I try this?
 
I believe you need to eliminate the things that could have gone wrong to find out:

1) If you use the camera, as usual, are your shots out of focus too?

2) When you are using the timer, by the time you have fully pressed the shutter (thus activating the timer) the camera would be pre-focused. Are you focusing the camera at the right distance? or is the camera focused behind you, or in front of you? Although you are using f11, at close distances f11 may still leave enough out of focus areas.

3) Using f11...may the shot be soft, rather than out of focus, because of movement (it just take a bit to look out of focus) if the shutter speed was too slow? (I am assuming here you are using no flash)

Any of the above can result in a soft photograph. I forget, but I thought that the RX1 had the cybershot "smile to trigger the shutter" function.
 
1) Normally I have no problems with focus.

2) I suspect that when I pushed the shutter release, the camera focused on the wall behind me, and that when I inserted myself into the scene I was too close to be in focus, even at f11.

The question, I guess is whether there is a way around this, short of having someone else push the shutter release after I'm already in place?

I'm guessing the answer is no, but thought it was an interesting challenge.
 
As it stands...no solution I can think of unless you were to place an object where you would be, then press the release, push the object away and take its place.

Otherwise...you may want to buy a long cable release

http://www.adorama.com/images/large/CZCR40.JPG

They are inexpensive and thankfully the RX1 can make use of this rather old but very useful item.
 
Don't Sony cameras have the self-timers with triggers based on an additional face coming into the frame? Or smile triggers? Such a feature may delay the auto-focus lock until you get into the frame.
 
Don't Sony cameras have the self-timers with triggers based on an additional face coming into the frame? Or smile triggers? Such a feature may delay the auto-focus lock until you get into the frame.

The RX1 has this, so I wouldn't be surprised if the RX100 does. The RX1 version has a smile trigger which I've only played with briefly but should work for this use.

You can focus on something the same distance, and then switch to manual focus. the camera will stay focused at that distance.....now you can set the timer and shoot.

That's probably the best bet, manual pre-focus and/or use a stand-in for the self portrait. If you're using a large DoF like f/11 then you can most likely pre-focus on something (chair you're sitting on, wall near you, etc.) and it would be close
 
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