Cameras & Camcorders

[Cdy291]

Why is the auto focus so slow on this model? There are times when it just wont focus on things and I have to move the camera somewhere else. The Sharp and Panasonic MiniDv I have had in the past never gave me any troubles. I asume they are all like that.

[Allan-BBY Community Connector]

Hi Cdy291,
 
There is nothing more frustrating that trying to capture an image or video footage just to miss your opportunity because your camera or camcorder won't focus on your subject.
 
This camcorder should come set to auto focus mode, which should do a generally adequate job of focusing on your subject. If you want faster and more precise focusing performance I would suggest choosing one of the ten scene modes that best suits your shooting environment, or for even more precise control you could switch to manual focus mode.
 
If your subject is very close to you, very far away from you, or you are shooting in low light your camcorder's autofocus may not perform as well as you would like it to, and I would suggest switching to manual focus in these types of shooting environments.
 
If you continue to have problems I would suggest bringing it into your local Best Buy® store and having a digital imaging expert take a look at it to make sure there isn't a problem with your autofocus. They should be able to compare its autofocus performance against their display model to see if it is focusing as it should. If it is found to be defective and you are still within the return or exchange period of the retailer you purchased it from you should be able to exchange it for a new one. If it is less than a year old and found to be defective you should be able to get it serviced under the manufacturer's warranty.
 
I hope this helps!
Allan
Community Connector
Best Buy® Corporate

[Cdy291]

It just refuses sometimes. The other night I had it pointed at my cat, about three feet away and he was just lying there. I could see the lense in the video pulsing back and forth trying to find the correct focus. This is a problem I have never even thought of before because all my other cameras performed so well.

[Cdy291]

I took the camera back to the store and the sales guy played with it for a while and was convenced that there was something wrong with it. I got another one.