AC130: Focus updates anyone?

Hi Walter

Take a look at the sticky on the HMC forum about a DIY remote that's easy to make..I have one too and you can have two focus positions set with a focus shift switch to switch between them..it also does record and iris and zoom too (plus record/pause) I'm fairly sure that Panasonic would have included the two remote jacks that the HMC series have?? Just check on your 160 and see if you have a zoom remote socket and a focus/iris remote socket. It's very easy to make up too..just some wiring without any fancy electronics or power requirements!! If you wanted even more accurate control you could also use multi-turn potentiometers. Definately worth a read and save the PDF file!!!

Chris
 
Kwkeirstead, (not to hijack the thread) Was that video shot with auto white balance or manually set white balance? Your video's color balance looked off. I mention this because when I do a manual white balance I sometimes find it will be a bit too blue and no matter how many times I try to redo the white balance it never gets it right. Theatrical is a perfect example, but other indoor lighting gives me challenges in manual color balance.
 
Sorry, I did not do a white balance for this.

I wonder if having a proper white balance might give a different result for the focus testing? And while we are on this topic, do you think I would have needed to do two white balances, one at the subject and one at the trees?

If so, then I should repeat the test. I usually get someone to stand where the recording is going to take place and hold up an official $34 white card (no shirt cardboard).

In the other test I did a week or so ago, I had something at 30 feet and my far focus point was 1.5 miles across a river. Someone said that was not a practical scenario for real life recordings. I suppose they were right.
 
two white balances: HECK NO
I saw the subject had a white piece of paper.. I assume that would of been enough. Just being in the ball part is plenty good for me.
Only color critical projects get the scrutiny of white balance... the rest of my stuff... I say "good enough for government work" :)
 
In case you have trouble finding it, here is a lnk to the earlier auto-focus test where one object was at 30 feet and the other 1.5 miles away. What is significant to me was the way you could alternate between quick lock-in and hunting. It seemed that if you pointed the camera closer to the top of the far object (a church) the camera hunts, but if you pointed the camera at water/land/church, the lock-in was much faster. Picking an intermediate object during the move from near to far seemed to result in much faster lock in. All of this may be imagined because I learned in the Bernie Mitchell video that the focusing mechanism relies on contrast i.e. where it is low it takes a long time, where it is high it takes less time.

http://youtu.be/5r_QPIA4tsY

I am not the best person to test auto-focus, I rarely take the camera off manual. I expect I need to record a few soccer games to properly test auto focus.
 
Hi Walter

It does a pretty good job in that video!! You cannot expect the camera to lock onto the background until the foreground is out of frame...it's pretty quick too!!

BTW: I posted some pics of my remote in the HMC forum ...you would really love the focus shift setup !!

Chris
 
No way I could undertake to build one of these DIY remotes myself. Sure would be nice to have one though.

Panasonic indeed has two sockets and I suspect there are devices with two wires that let you do focus/iris and zoom/start_stop all from one device.

My Manfrotto 521 PFI focus/iris controller is VERY sensitive - one micro adjustment when you are at 50ft and you can end up at 60, 65 or 70.

Trying to get back to 50 feet might have you visiting 45, 55 and then only succeeding in getting to 50. The adjustment wheel is pretty big, don't altogether understand why things have to be so highly leveraged.
 
kwkeirstead said:
My Manfrotto 521 PFI focus/iris controller is VERY sensitive - one micro adjustment when you are at 50ft and you can end up at 60, 65 or 70.

Trying to get back to 50 feet might have you visiting 45, 55 and then only succeeding in getting to 50. The adjustment wheel is pretty big, don't altogether understand why things have to be so highly leveraged.
Click to expand...


I dont think its your controller as I have the same and a 2nd one for zoom and start stop (i dont have 9 fingers on one hand thats why I use a left and right :-). Anyway I have been having some issues with my focus ring not always moving or jumping I use a 250 but the ring is the same (I think from the specs and reviews) I made a short video asking for some input to see why it is so touchy weather I use ring or controller same result. Jumps around very upsetting as you must nail HD focus or its soft. Link here
 
Hmm. I will have to test the manual focus ring.

Don't recall any issues at all with this prior to installing the controller.

If only we could get Chris to manufacture his controller.
 
Hi Walter

Most DIY projects are called that cos they would be too expensive to manufacture!! Anyone that can use a soldering iron can make that controller!! Maybe a local school would be happy to do it for you....it's really only a matter of mounting a few controls in a plastic box and soldering a few wires...it's a "passive" circuit so no electronics are involved at all!!! The hardest part was trying to cut and place the darn labels on the box...I SHOULD have done it before fitting the parts!!! Sons/Grandsons/Friends???? You are bound to have a hobbyist amongst them??? Just print out a few copies of the PDF file with the instructions and pass them around.

Chris
 
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