GH4 Auto Focus versus Manual Focus

[EDRAKEL]

I hate shooting in auto focus. I would rather control the lens than the camera doing it. However, when shooting
someone moving towards me (as in a wedding processional), under low light with the aperture wide open with shallow depth of field, am I better off using the
auto focus on the GH4 or trying to maintain focus with the focus ring? Any thoughts on how you would approach this situation.

 

[stoneinapond]

I hate shooting in auto focus. I would rather control the lens than the camera doing it. However, when shooting
someone moving towards me (as in a wedding processional), under low light with the aperture wide open with shallow depth of field, am I better off using the
auto focus on the GH4 or trying to maintain focus with the focus ring? Any thoughts on how you would approach this situation.

Wow, not sure I'd want to do that with auto focus. Nor would I'd want to do it with a "focus-by-wire" lens. If it's a fully manual lens, you could try and have someone do the walk before the ceremony for practice and perhaps put some markers on the lens barrel. And then concentrate like crazy on the display.

I guess that's why they pay the big bucks for focus pullers in Hollywood.

 

[Bruce Foreman]

I hate shooting in auto focus. I would rather control the lens than the camera doing it. However, when shooting
someone moving towards me (as in a wedding processional), under low light with the aperture wide open with shallow depth of field, am I better off using the
auto focus on the GH4 or trying to maintain focus with the focus ring? Any thoughts on how you would approach this situation.

The lens you will have on the camera may have a lot to do with the answer. If it will be a native m4/3 lens, get someone to move down the aisle under usual church wedding light levels and try the autofocus. You might be pleasantly surprised. Set the focal point where it will be on a couple coming towards you, focus and shoot quickly and surely, many times. If you're trying video, back up at the same speed they are approaching (be sure to have someone behind you with a hand on your belt to guide you for safety, like they often do on feature film shoots). Review your results and see what actually happens.

The autofocus on the GH4 (and GH3) tends to be quite fast, one person on e-p1.net posted that the GH4 autofocuses in very very dark conditions.

If you're going to try manual focus, use an adapted "legacy" lens but you're going to have difficulty finding a manageable enough short focal length lens with a "fast" aperture.

I assume what you are thinking of trying is either the Olympus m.Zuiko 25mm f1.8 or the Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 25mm f1.4, both "normal" perspective focal lengths.