Another AF-100 Review... First Take

So are you me? Haha. I too have an AF100 and if I were writing my review, it would practically be identical to what you wrote, minus the scene file dial as I can live without that. I love the AF100 but I REALLY REALLY REALLY wish we had at least 1:1 zoom like I can do with the DP6 because the focus in red doesn't always work and I hate having to continually use the EVF detail on and off. Or, turning the focus in red on and off. And to be honest, the focus assist in the DP6 actually works better to me than the built in algorithm.

The other thing is the ISO settings. I would rather be able to control the ISO with the dial on the back just as I could the shutter. I prefer to keep the shutter constant, so allowing me to fine tune the gain in camera is the absolute best option to me.

If they added these two things, I would be VERY VERY happy.
 
Rick Burnett said:
So are you me? Haha. I too have an AF100 and if I were writing my review, it would practically be identical to what you wrote, minus the scene file dial as I can live without that. I love the AF100 but I REALLY REALLY REALLY wish we had at least 1:1 zoom like I can do with the DP6 because the focus in red doesn't always work and I hate having to continually use the EVF detail on and off. Or, turning the focus in red on and off. And to be honest, the focus assist in the DP6 actually works better to me than the built in algorithm.

The other thing is the ISO settings. I would rather be able to control the ISO with the dial on the back just as I could the shutter. I prefer to keep the shutter constant, so allowing me to fine tune the gain in camera is the absolute best option to me.

If they added these two things, I would be VERY VERY happy.
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Ditto on the 1:1 focus assist and ISO settings in the back dial. Those would make me very happy, along with no audio monitoring in VFR mode and color balance control of the LCD and EVF (or at least just the LCD).
 
It is quite impossible to focus correctly in very low light without the magnification because the other focus assist don't work. GH1 is much more friendly and much more easy to focus in low light. I agree that the lack of magnification is a big missing
 
If you are trying to focus when you are that underexposed, I would say you have bigger issues to contend with.
 
Mike@AF said:
Ditto on the 1:1 focus assist and ISO settings in the back dial. Those would make me very happy, along with no audio monitoring in VFR mode and color balance control of the LCD and EVF (or at least just the LCD).
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I definitely agree on the no audio monitoring in VFR mode. I forgot about that one. I could see not paying attention to that one. Fortunately, I have not shot any "real" overcranked stuff yet, just test.
 
Oh yeah, the audio on VFR. That too :) Forgot about that one. When you think about it, this is a pretty minimal list to me.
 
LightMast said:
If you are trying to focus when you are that underexposed, I would say you have bigger issues to contend with.
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I've written "in very low light" that doesn't mean "underexposed". Today I've made some test with a couple of f1.2 glasses by night: the clips were more than usable in any kind of project but focus was hard to achieve while was very easy with the GH1 using magnification. Focus bar and red edges need light.
 
I found out DOF can be to shallow even with this baby. Focus assist is really missed but despite it I find DTL to work better than I would have thought. The most ergonomical thing for me is placement of the REC buttons. The one on the right side works great if you use the sidegripe. But that gripe just feels awkward to use and uncomfortable. I'm reaching on top of the handle, just like on the HVX200, to hit REC but my fingers are reminded to find REC somewhere else.

I would also like to get a more technical explanation of the different Matrix settings and what they do. Not just what's in the manual.
 
I agree that the focus bar and the red edges do indeed need adequate contrast in order for them to work, and contrast comes from having light. My solution to this (which is not ideal, but it does work) is to use a maglight to shine a little light on what I'm focusing on, to get critical focus. Or, to use a monitor with a pixel-to-pixel display.

It would have been magnificent if there'd been a magnified focus assist. But there isn't. So yes, we do have to work around it. A little maglight can make all the difference in the world.
 
Barry_Green said:
So yes, we do have to work around it. A little maglight can make all the difference in the world.
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This is a good idea, I will buy a LED torch that can be useful for other tricks. Anyway the manification could be a significative improvement in a camera that has a good low light performance, because it is the only way to achieve a correct focus in low light without using an external monitor.

Regards

Gary
 
editman said:
I found out DOF can be to shallow even with this baby. Focus assist is really missed but despite it I find DTL to work better than I would have thought. The most ergonomical thing for me is placement of the REC buttons. The one on the right side works great if you use the sidegripe. But that gripe just feels awkward to use and uncomfortable. I'm reaching on top of the handle, just like on the HVX200, to hit REC but my fingers are reminded to find REC somewhere else.

I would also like to get a more technical explanation of the different Matrix settings and what they do. Not just what's in the manual.
Click to expand...

I was wondering if I was the only one that was uncomfortable with the grip for hand held work. I think I am going to remove the grip and create a different kind that feels more natural for ME. :) I say that because everyone likes something different. Wonder if any companies are working on other grips.
 
Barry- WOW! GREAT TIP on the flashlight to find focus. Thank you! Focus in Red really POPS now on the catchlights! This is a must for all of us that seem to have a hard time with critical focus on the AF100! If you havent tried this... Try This! This works great, but IMO is an unnecessary work around. I still think (and I know you do to as you have stated several times) that a magnified focus assist is needed!!! I am sure we will see it in an eventual "A" model revision- but realistically what is the likelihood of seeing this in a firmware revision for the current AF100's? Sick of answering this question yet :) ?

And yes... what a great suggestion MIKE@AF for ISO selection- using the SHTR / FR RATE wheel.
 
There is absolutely zero chance of seeing magnified focus assist added in a firmware upgrade. Zero. Not gonna happen. Guaranteed.

So, yeah, figure out your workarounds. The flashlight makes all the difference in the world, and obviously if you have a monitor or cineroid with 1:1, that's awesome too, and using EVF DTL + the red FA can make it a lot easier to catch the focus points too.
 
Yeah :/
Barry is right. To have focus assist would mean to have another processor on-board the camera. So a firmware update has no possible chance of adding the feature.
 
Marc Villafan said:
Yeah :/
Barry is right. To have focus assist would mean to have another processor on-board the camera. So a firmware update has no possible chance of adding the feature.
Click to expand...

Someone send Trammell Hudson an AF100, stat! I guess I'll have to pin my hope on someone hacking the firmware...
 
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