DVX 100 30P manual vs. 30I auto focus

SteveP

SteveP

New member
I'm helping with a documentary and have selected 30P, but this requires manual focus. The user manual mentioned 30I will allow for auto focus. Is auto focus worth 30I and is the quality of 30I that much different or less than 30P? I am sharing the camera with two other folks who would like to utilize the auto focus. I have noticed the depth of field is quite shallow with indoor lighting requiring F2.8 causing the focus to be quite sensitive differing greatly even if one person is standing slightly behind the other. This leads me to favor manual focus since I don't know which of the two persons the auto focus would fix on. Any thoughts?

This is my first day on DVXUser and I have enjoyed the information I have read so far.
 
Go with manual focus. In progressive mode (24p&30p) the DVX auto focus is really a "focus assist" ...and correctly named as such by Panasonic.
It takes a while for the cam to find focus in the progressive modes.
60i...not bad at all. On a par with other cams in it's class. In the scenario you mention, manual focussing is really the only way to get repeatable results.
I, too, like the 30p look and use it almost exclusively on commercials.
However, you do gain an f stop with interlaced, so that might make a difference to you on some shoots.
Hope this helps.
Ken
the Screen Skins guy
 
Thank you for the tips. :Drogar-BigGrin(DBG) I agree with the manual focus. When I took photography in College we were allowed only manual cameras and gained much better control of the image. I have found that the manual focus is difficult to manage when not using the tripod. As I walk around the subject/s and move closer and further from the subject I have to continuously focus. Are there any thoughts or a rule of thumb to go by?
 
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