AF tracking not available for video mode?

D

D90GH1_eric

Active member
Am I correct that once you enter the movie mode, AF tracking is no longer available? How do you keep a moving object (my 18-mon old son) that moves about randomly in the frame in focus?
 
adys said:
if you don't lock the focus with af-lock, it will track by default.
Click to expand...

How do I know which object in the frame the camera is actually tracking? Does it use the AF area that I select before entering the film mode? It seems that it always AF the object in the center of the frame.
 
adys said:
if you don't lock the focus with af-lock, it will track by default.
Click to expand...
WRONG. Oryginal question was about AF TRACKING in VIDEO guys.

AF TRACKING - is one of AF modes, when you select first part of frame, and then you can re-frame, but selected area is still kept in focus.

You can find this mode eg. after pressing LEFT ARROW (when in PASM) - then you can select:
- FACE DETECTION
- AF TRACKING
- 23-AREA
-1-AREA

Another way is to dial iA mode and press LEFT ARROW - entering AF TRACKING selection of area to be tracked.

It looks that GH1 and GF1 miss that functionality in VIDEO. And for example - recent Panasonic camcoder offers that in VIDEO - HS300.

I have found small workaround, but only for situations, when subject moves left or right. Or I want to place it in different part of frame. But distance shouldn't change a lot. What I do is - press shutter speed - so AF works. And until I keep it pressed - AF is deactivated. And subject can change position withing frame, AF is not hunting or focusing on background.

But when subject moves closer or further from me - I have no other solution than manual focus...

PS: Let's not confuse and mix functionalities. Someone elso also mentioned AF-LOCK. This button DOES NOT work in video (to be fully precised - video can only start with AF locked, but can't be used again, can only be released).
You need to use shutter button and keep it pressed - in order to lock AF. BUT it still DOES NOT TRACK. It means it just keeps focus on one distance. But when subject comes closer or further - it fails... This is what we need ;-)

Any good news?
 
tflak said:
Check this out and be sure to read the comments:

http://vimeo.com/5264787
Click to expand...

What he has done is not "AF tracking." The camera was just using the center AF point to focus object that is in that box in the middle. When you shoot still in the AF tracking mode, you select an OBJECT any where in the frame and the camera will then lock on to that object to maintain focus as the object moves about in the frame. This feature is disabled in video mode.
 
Tflak, Martti Ekstrand
- you MIX AF TRACKING with CONTINUOUS FOUCS !

Pls have a look at how you select a point, and no matter where in frame it is - camera focuses on it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoILWZp_QL8&feature=player_embedded


Additional Info:

"The new AF Tracking, which keeps the subject in focus even if it moves around to ensure continuously beautiful image quality. The standard auto mode focuses on the subject at the center of the screen, but AF Tracking allows the user to lock the focus on a subject even if it is at an edge of the screen. This is done by simply touching the selected subject on the touch-screen. AF Tracking ensures that the subject stays in focus even if it moves or turns away from the camcorder, thus recording images with the most suitable AF/AE (auto focus/auto exposure) settings."
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-HDC-HS300-Definition-Memory-Camcorder/dp/B001QXDLJW

"While AF Tracking keeps the subject in focus even if it moves around to ensure continuously perfect image quality."
http://www.digitalrev.com/en/panasonic-hdc-hs300-7228.html#pdm_desc_dot
 
Jerry, the question was how to keep the focus in movie mode, you are taking it too literally.
 
adys said:
Jerry, the question was how to keep the focus in movie mode, you are taking it too literally.
Click to expand...
I really don't think so, based on author's question and comments. AF TRACKING is a proper name, specific property - used in AV world. And it really looks, that GH1 does offer it only in PHOTO mode, not VIDEO (like SD2, HS300 or E-P2).

Pls read once again below question:

D90GH1_eric said:
Am I correct that once you enter the movie mode, AF tracking is no longer available? How do you keep a moving object (my 18-mon old son) that moves about randomly in the frame in focus?
Click to expand...

"Once you enter the movie mode", "randomly in the frame" - got it? There is a function, that from unknown reason - is not available in video. Let Eric confirm.

This is somehow unexpected issue - for parents who realise, that FACE RECOGNITION and CONTINUOUS FOCUS is not enough with small children. Unless you want them during whole shot in the same part of the frame.

Pls - also read TITLE of this THREAD - AF TRACKING not available in video mode. Not AF not working in video mode.

Best Regards,
Jerry_R
 
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Jerry, and all other who have replied,

I think by this time, I am very certain that the AF "tracking" function is disabled in GH1 when shooting in the video mode.

AF tracking is very common for dSLRs that you can lock on to a particular object in the frame to ask the camera to maintain focus while that object moves about in a random fashion without you moving the camera at all. AF tracking is also used when you want to use the center AF area to lock focus and exposure and then recompose. With AF tracking on, as you recompose, the object will remain in focus even though it is no longer in the middle of the frame.

In the GH1, if you press the AF mode button on the 4-way control dial, you will see four options, and AF tracking is the second from the left. Try playing with it to see whether this can be really useful for videoing moving objects.
 
I will give them the benefit of the doubt that this is not a feature that is left out and can be easily fixed with a firmware update. It must use quite a bit of processing power to do so and the GH1 is just not ready yet. In the future, may be ...
 
Jerry_R said:
So question is, if Panasonic will add it with new firmware or will ask us to buy GH2..?

One more description of AF TRACKING:
http://panasonic.net/avc/lumix/systemcamera/gms/gh1/ia.html

(just go down to AF TRACKING section with animated movie with running children)
Click to expand...

Having never used anything other than Creative Movie Mode, I haven't tested what is described in the above link. And I'm here by myself right now with no moving subjects to try it out. But it would certainly appear from the description on that page that AF Tracking should work IF you are in iA (Intelligent Auto Mode).

But I gather you guys are saying that is not the case and AF Tracking (as described) does not work even if in iA mode when shooting video. Right?
 
tflak said:
Having never used anything other than Creative Movie Mode, I haven't tested what is described in the above link. And I'm here by myself right now with no moving subjects to try it out. But it would certainly appear from the description on that page that AF Tracking should work IF you are in iA (Intelligent Auto Mode).

But I gather you guys are saying that is not the case and AF Tracking (as described) does not work even if in iA mode when shooting video. Right?
Click to expand...

I never used iA mode to shoot video but will try, I doubt though. You do not need a moving object to see tracking in action since tracking also helps when you need to re-compose. For example, you can select an object by pressing the shutter release, the AF bracket will first turn green, when you release it, the bracket will turn yellow. If you then move the camera around (as if to recompose) you will see that the yellow bracket remains locks on to the object of interest. It is pretty cool when it is working.
 
Hi! Steps to reproduce what we miss:

- go to Creative Movie mode

- press left arrow button, you will see:

AFM.jpg


BUT 2nd icon from left is unavailable...

It is disappointing, that GH1 with dedicated HD 14-140mm lens can't use it, but Panasonic camcoder - cheaper than lens itsself - can (TM20, SD20).
 
Huh...my G10 allows AF tracking in video mode...and it works surprisingly well. Why would this feature be included in the G10/G2 but omitted from the GH1/GH2? Surely it must be available via hack?
 
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