Question:
I shoot a lot of closeups. Sometimes the camera seems to lockup even though the focus seems right. Why?

Answer:
Closeup or macrophotography is a discipline in itself. As the camera and lens get closer to a subject, the depth-of-field becomes shallower and focusing becomes more critical. Ideally, a macro lens will give a photographer more flexibility shooting at close distances. The kit lenses bundled with Olympus DSLRs can shoot macro up to a point, but if the subject is inside of the minimum focusing distance of the lens, the camera may not lock focus and the picture cannot be taken. The minimum focusing distance changes with the zoom setting on the lens. The MACRO Scene Mode sets up the camera with settings to enhance macro shooting, one of which is that is moves the autofocus slightly deeper into the subject automatically. The MACRO Scene Mode does not convert a non-macro lens into a macro lens.
If the camera balks when you think the image is in focus and the camera doesn’t agree, try the following measures:

• Set the AF Frame selection to the center AF Frame rather than use the AUTO option. In the AUTO option, the camera selects which AF Frame to use on its own. The camera may choose to focus on something other than the subject you want. Selecting the center (or left or right) AF Frame gives the photographer more control.
• Use Manual focus and the A (Aperture Priority) shooting mode, and stop the lens down to a small f-stop such as f16. This will yield greater depth of field so that much more of the subject will be in sharp focus.
• Turn on RELEASE PRIORITY S if you are using S-AF or S-AF+MF autofocus modes. Using RELEASE PRIORITY S will allow the camera to shoot whether it gets a focus lock or not. If you are using the A shooting mode and a small f-stop this will give the photographer more control. RELEASE PRIORITY S is found in the SETUP 1 (Wrench 1) menu.

Most of the E-System Zuiko Digital lenses can be used as macro lenses when they are mounted on the camera body using the EX-25 Extension Tube. The EX-25 dramatically reduces the minimum focusing distance of any lens by moving the lens 25mm (1 inch) away from the sensor. For a table of focusing distances for Zuiko Digital lenses mounted on the EX-25, read more here.

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