AF100 tips, tricks, and FAQs

[Ledion]

I have to say this is a top 3 AF100 thread. I already knew all the stuff the OP posted but reading through the thread I learned a couple more things that will come in handy.

Here are the most important things to remember as far as usability is concerned, and as far as my opinion counts:

1. OP #3 - The function Knob used to dial to a desired white balance. (Might I add you need to be in Preset for this to work) This is so important to me because I'm a perfectionist nerd when it comes to matching footage. In fact I'm going to keep this thread on my Bookmarks because I always forget that you have to hold down the Function Knob in order to do this. There is one embarrassing time I was trying to show off to my friend about my new knowledge of the AF100 and I totally forgot how to do this so I just looked like a jerk.

2. OP #7 - That is great Focus advice that I always use in the field and started using since I first started shooting sports and one of my teachers told me that it is easier to hold focus when viewing the image in Black & White. It is completely true and everyone should learn the benefits of this technique. What I do with the AF100 is this: I set up the viewfinder to be in Black and White while having the LCD in color. This way I can look at focus as much as my annal personality needs me to, while looking at the full image in the LCD.

3. Being able to copy a card to another card in camera. What a great function and I will start using it when I need to backup small shoots on the fly without having to bust out my laptop.

Don't get me wrong, the other tips and tricks are very important and everyone should read through this whole post, but these stick out to me in order to be better than average with the AF100.

[speedandstyle]

Is this what you're looking for (from the manual):

"If you wish to initialize the user file and scene files at the same time, the user file and all six scene files can be restored to their factory default settings by selecting YES for the MENU INIT item on the OTHER FUNCTIONS screen."

Maybe? Some of the terminology used is throwing me. If "initialize" means reset and "user file and scene files" mean settings then yea that would be it. Thanks.

[John B.]

Is this what you're looking for (from the manual):

"If you wish to initialize the user file and scene files at the same time, the user file and all six scene files can be restored to their factory default settings by selecting YES for the MENU INIT item on the OTHER FUNCTIONS screen."

[speedandstyle]

Just got a used AF100 and I have a question. I did look but could not find an answer so I apologize if this has been posted before. Is there a quick reset to factory default settings? If so where? I looked through my PDF copy of the user manual but could not find a reset for everything just resets on individual settings. Thanks!

[gabrielrazeto]

Thanks!

[XSVpro]

Who cares about auto focus when trying to obtain a picture perfect 24psf to an external recorder? I only use this setting when shooting narrative and don't intend on letting the AF100 decide what's in focus for me or the director. In fact I can't remember the last time i used auto focus? Maybe when playing around with the 7-14 once. Handicam movie cam anyone?

[XSVpro]

The hyper deck shuttle v2 relays the signal from the HD-SDI via its own HDMI or SDI output so external monitoring when using the shuttle to record 24psf is perfectly fine. I just shot a short film just like this and had my DP4 connected to the Shuttle.

[Barry_Green]

24PSF turns off the HDMI.

A recorder like the Nano or PIX will be able to strip out the pulldown and return the image to 100% perfect 24p. Identical in all ways to 24psf.

Personally I think HDMI is an abomination and I prefer to never use it whenever I can avoid it, so I haven't been bothered by it. Plus, if you're using an external recorder like a Pix or Nano, they can both input HD-SDI and output HDMI, so you could just connect to the output of the recorder to get HDMI if you need it.

[Adamsenoj]

Honestly it doesn't make a difference for me. Why?

[David W. Jones]

What do you need, 24, or 23.976?

[Adamsenoj]

Any recorder worth it's salt knows how to reverse out 2:3 pulldown and record a true native 24p.

And that is 100% the same as 24p?

I always get "nervous" when I hear the word 3:2 pulldown because that was the way of getting fake progressive from an interlaced stream, like we did in the old interlaced DV days.

But in your post you said setting the 24psf to ON can disable the HDMI output. So there are cases when it doesn't actually disable the output?

Because according to point #6, SDI, HDMI and LCD can be used at the same time or SDI, HDMI and EVF, which is good.

But with the 24psf set to ON it may interfere with the HDMI. What threw me off was when you said it can rather than it will disable the HDMI output, which made me think there may be cases where having 24psf ON will not disable the HDMI.

The only reason I'm asking is because I think the hyperdeck shuttle can't reverse pulldown.

[Barry_Green]

Any recorder worth it's salt knows how to reverse out 2:3 pulldown and record a true native 24p.

[Adamsenoj]

Yes, but you need 24psf to record true 24p to an external recorder or?

[Barry_Green]

Turn 24psf OFF and you can do all that.

[Adamsenoj]

1. Wondering why some certain function isn't working? Some features disable other features, and one of the most notable of those is having the HD-SDI 24PsF output set to ON. I strongly recommend to everyone to leave 24PsF set to "off" unless they know exactly what they're doing. It can disable the HDMI output, it disables variable frame rates, and it disables autofocus, so lots of people are going to be scratching their heads as to why all these functions quit working on their cameras, when in reality all they have to do is turn 24PsF to "off" and all that stuff comes back.

When outputting 1080 over SDI, the broadcast standard is 1080/60i. When you're shooting 24p, that means that the camera inserts 3:2 pulldown to convert the 24p signal into 60i for output.

The AF100 has the ability to instead output the special 24PsF mode, which is really basically 48i -- no pulldown at all. It's interlaced, but a monitor or recorder that understands 24PsF will also know that it's meant to be progressive, and the monitor will know to reassemble it into its true progressive nature before displaying it. And a recorder like the NanoFlash can read 24PsF and knows to convert it into true 24P. So, in effect, 24PsF means "output true pure native 24P instead of interlaced 60i with 3:2 pulldown."

So for certain uses it can be nice and handy. But it also causes lots of conflicts, so only use it when you really need it.

So this means that when using the camera with an external recorder you can't monitor using a HDMI monitor?

Also you can't record to an external recorder if you need auto focus?