Flycam nano / Stabilizer + GH1 Settings?

[e-steve]

Can anyone who's been using their GH1 or GH2 share their experience/tips on settings when using a stabilizer?

1) Do you find 20mm 1.7 or the 14-140mm offer different advantages (autofocus etc) -- does the 20mm hunt too much in this situation?

2) Do you leave the AF on?

3) Do you avoid larger aperture settings because of focus issues?

I'm shooting an event (outdoors around 6pm) and assume I can get away with a smaller aperture, but not sure if I really want everything to be in focus (in which case maybe I just mount an HV20 on the stabilizer).

Any advice would be appreciated! Just got my Flycam nano this week so trying to work it out...

Thanks!

 

[brunerww]

I have had a Flycam 5000 for about 6 months, but have only used it for a few tests because it is so difficult to balance properly. It was not very useful with my old non-autofocusing Canon T2i. With the 14-140 on the GH2, however, I have had fair to good results with the autofocus on (not a lot of hunting in reasonable light). I don't have the 20mm, so I can't speak to how well it flies.

 

[e-steve]

I'm wondering though if you can set the camera to MF and use a small aperture setting and get away with it, since more would remain in focus... does anyone do this?
I suspect the 14-140 may be a smoother AF, but I also haven't upgraded the lens firmware at all yet...

I've read that balancing flycams can be a pain, but hopefully I can get the hang of it...

 

[emory]

Can anyone who's been using their GH1 or GH2 share their experience/tips on settings when using a stabilizer?

1) Do you find 20mm 1.7 or the 14-140mm offer different advantages (autofocus etc) -- does the 20mm hunt too much in this situation?

2) Do you leave the AF on?

3) Do you avoid larger aperture settings because of focus issues?

I'm shooting an event (outdoors around 6pm) and assume I can get away with a smaller aperture, but not sure if I really want everything to be in focus (in which case maybe I just mount an HV20 on the stabilizer).

Any advice would be appreciated! Just got my Flycam nano this week so trying to work it out...

Thanks!

I find the image stabilization of the kit lens surprisingly good. Autofocus with Firmware 1.3 is also quite acceptable. The 20mm 1.7 is a fast and sharp little lens, but i find its autofocus useless for anything but finding focus, then setting the AF lock. I never leave autofocus on while recording because its anemic but loud motor hunts endlessly. And yes, particularly at close distances with the pancake you're going to have focus problems at wide apertures if your subject moves in and out.