I don't know, but I had my camera set to auto, middle zoom range, a little on the lower light side and the focus just jumps a lot. I did not move the zoom and had the camera fairly stable. My Sony did not have this issue at all. If they are advertising this as a run and gun type of event camera, it has to be a lot more stable. Otherwise, I would have just purchase an AF100 and set up all my shots.
AC160 First hands on impressions: AC160 vs HMC150
- Thread starter Phil1076
- Start date
Does it show you on the view finder the edges of the middle zoom range? Did you try other zoom options? And I viewed your video, it jumps big time out of focus, even when the card is not in the way. I am trying to figure out why it does that. There is no drastic change in colors, and you were able to repeat the mistake. I hope someone can try to match your test video to see if they get the same results. I hope hope hope you have a bad camera and not the whole batch are bad. And I hope you get a different good one.
Vaughan Wood
Well-known member
Hi Dstar,
That is a heavy hard test for an auto focus, as you have stated, the subject has poor lighting and the only two things the camera has a chance of focussing on are the sparkle in his eye, and a white card that is being held in front of him.
Notice the camera does the right thing and starts on his eyes, but the combination of several things happen that changes the auto focus:
1. He Blinks right near the start, and also moves the white card closer to the centre of the screen where it calibrates the auto focus, so the camera jumps to the white card and back several times.
2. Later he again tends to close his eyes and jump around through the shallow focus plane a bit , while again moving the white card towards the centre of screen, and again the camera changes focus to the card.
Boy, in my humble opinion it is doing a great job in really difficult circumstances here. Honestly, anyone can defeat an auto focus if you try hard enough, and this is one of those situations. Even in manual focus, I bet he's moving enough to test your focus plane, and he would be moving in and out of focus.
In your earlier shot in the church, I notice the start of the clip has a white altar in the centre of the screen, and that appears to be what the camera has focussed on.
As you pan up, the white outside light and then the overhead lights come into play, so the camera changes focus back further, and the metallic statue against the back wall comes more into focus.
This is probably much more noticeable on your new camera because it is much sharper than your HMC 150, and stands out more.
You want to try a AF100? let me tell you what happens when you pan across a dance floor with a 20mm lens on it. It looks great in the camera, bring it home and 90% of the people dancing will be out of focus, because they are not in the same (very) shallow plane of the next couple dancing. A great camera for interviews and set shots, but not much else in the live event scene.
I own Ex 1s, Af100, Hmc 150 and a AG-AC130, (yes I know, my wife's told me that all ready LOL), but I really think you should be playing around a bit more with your new camera before calling it a dud.
Just an extra thought, the AG-AC130 is the FIRST HD event camera I've ever owned with a PROPER HD image EVF. Over a million pixels, compared to 220,000 on my EX 1's.
With EVF detail and Focus Assist (peaking) you have EVERY chance of nailing focus on EVERY shot during the course of a wedding.
I know, because I used it last weekend, and it was a breeze to get focus with, both in manual and face detect modes.
Good luck,
Vaughan
That is a heavy hard test for an auto focus, as you have stated, the subject has poor lighting and the only two things the camera has a chance of focussing on are the sparkle in his eye, and a white card that is being held in front of him.
Notice the camera does the right thing and starts on his eyes, but the combination of several things happen that changes the auto focus:
1. He Blinks right near the start, and also moves the white card closer to the centre of the screen where it calibrates the auto focus, so the camera jumps to the white card and back several times.
2. Later he again tends to close his eyes and jump around through the shallow focus plane a bit , while again moving the white card towards the centre of screen, and again the camera changes focus to the card.
Boy, in my humble opinion it is doing a great job in really difficult circumstances here. Honestly, anyone can defeat an auto focus if you try hard enough, and this is one of those situations. Even in manual focus, I bet he's moving enough to test your focus plane, and he would be moving in and out of focus.
In your earlier shot in the church, I notice the start of the clip has a white altar in the centre of the screen, and that appears to be what the camera has focussed on.
As you pan up, the white outside light and then the overhead lights come into play, so the camera changes focus back further, and the metallic statue against the back wall comes more into focus.
This is probably much more noticeable on your new camera because it is much sharper than your HMC 150, and stands out more.
You want to try a AF100? let me tell you what happens when you pan across a dance floor with a 20mm lens on it. It looks great in the camera, bring it home and 90% of the people dancing will be out of focus, because they are not in the same (very) shallow plane of the next couple dancing. A great camera for interviews and set shots, but not much else in the live event scene.
I own Ex 1s, Af100, Hmc 150 and a AG-AC130, (yes I know, my wife's told me that all ready LOL), but I really think you should be playing around a bit more with your new camera before calling it a dud.
Just an extra thought, the AG-AC130 is the FIRST HD event camera I've ever owned with a PROPER HD image EVF. Over a million pixels, compared to 220,000 on my EX 1's.
With EVF detail and Focus Assist (peaking) you have EVERY chance of nailing focus on EVERY shot during the course of a wedding.
I know, because I used it last weekend, and it was a breeze to get focus with, both in manual and face detect modes.
Good luck,
Vaughan
Last edited:
Hi Vaughan,
I think what is bothering me is that I have an older Sony Fx1 and it would have been stable in this situation. I have not had one issue with that camera and noticed it, but right away I noticed that the AC160 reacts to fast causing the focus to jump like this. You can buy a $300 handycam and would not notice this. If I was taking time to light perfect and set up my shots I would use my Dslr, but I purchased this as a run and gun event camera and it is making me nervous.
I think what is bothering me is that I have an older Sony Fx1 and it would have been stable in this situation. I have not had one issue with that camera and noticed it, but right away I noticed that the AC160 reacts to fast causing the focus to jump like this. You can buy a $300 handycam and would not notice this. If I was taking time to light perfect and set up my shots I would use my Dslr, but I purchased this as a run and gun event camera and it is making me nervous.
mellodeque
Member
Hello, i testes AC130 and AC160, so its looks ok (till now i'm using the EX1R/EX3 and HMC150 and SDT750) now time for change gear. I decided to buy 2xAC160 and 1xAF101 (160 is for rallies/adventure, AF will be for Promospots).
In my opinion AC130 have little different body material ( i mean the surface is more "matte" and the silver ring on body is also "looking" cheaper than 160/250) - anyone noticed this too ?
Sometimes i'm using SDT 750 as a timelapse camera (it have "very similiar" colours like HMC150 (when you set DigitalCinema Colour in menu) - so SDT have 1/4inch 3MOS sensor - and sharpnes of picture from this handy cam is even more detailed than EX1R (when shooting 1080 50P 28Mbit AVCHD, so if AC160 have the same type of sensor the quality must be avesome)
I decided to buy 160 becouse of prices P2Cards, and SDI-HD output (when you need you can use for ex. Samurai Recorder for 4:2:2)
For now i only tested this new cams in shop, so now is the time for field-test - i'm waiting for demo cam from dealer.
I also heard from our dealer, that the panasonic will relase soon firmware upgrage for Ac160 - upgrade for record audio/video in full 1080 50P - if that's true - the quality will be better than now.
(sorry for my english)
/regards
/Mell
In my opinion AC130 have little different body material ( i mean the surface is more "matte" and the silver ring on body is also "looking" cheaper than 160/250) - anyone noticed this too ?
Sometimes i'm using SDT 750 as a timelapse camera (it have "very similiar" colours like HMC150 (when you set DigitalCinema Colour in menu) - so SDT have 1/4inch 3MOS sensor - and sharpnes of picture from this handy cam is even more detailed than EX1R (when shooting 1080 50P 28Mbit AVCHD, so if AC160 have the same type of sensor the quality must be avesome)
I decided to buy 160 becouse of prices P2Cards, and SDI-HD output (when you need you can use for ex. Samurai Recorder for 4:2:2)
For now i only tested this new cams in shop, so now is the time for field-test - i'm waiting for demo cam from dealer.
I also heard from our dealer, that the panasonic will relase soon firmware upgrage for Ac160 - upgrade for record audio/video in full 1080 50P - if that's true - the quality will be better than now.
(sorry for my english)
/regards
/Mell