AC160 For those of you who use the auto-focus...
- Thread starter Phil1076
- Start date
Auto-focus?
Auto-focus?
Is the auto-focus good enough? Well, each person will have to ask themselves that question.
In my view, it is a defect and NEEDs to be fixed by Panasonic. I hope they step-up and address the issue. Coming from the Canon XH-A1, it is not even close to as good. It really is embarrassing on Panasonic's part.
If you rely on auto focus a lot, do not get the camera, you will be just frustrated with it. If you can, and are willing to go with manual focus when you have to, then consider the camera.
I did two weddings with the camera, both times I needed to switch to manual focus for parts of the wedding. But I was able to use the auto focus during the processional, to get the bridal party coming towards me. So it is not a total loss.
I also used the auto focus to videotape my daughter skating, and it seemed to follow her well.
For me, I can deal with the auto focus issue. I am hoping that Panasonic will fix it soon. The rest of the camera is very good; for the price it is a solid camera.
Auto-focus?
Is the auto-focus good enough? Well, each person will have to ask themselves that question.
In my view, it is a defect and NEEDs to be fixed by Panasonic. I hope they step-up and address the issue. Coming from the Canon XH-A1, it is not even close to as good. It really is embarrassing on Panasonic's part.
If you rely on auto focus a lot, do not get the camera, you will be just frustrated with it. If you can, and are willing to go with manual focus when you have to, then consider the camera.
I did two weddings with the camera, both times I needed to switch to manual focus for parts of the wedding. But I was able to use the auto focus during the processional, to get the bridal party coming towards me. So it is not a total loss.
I also used the auto focus to videotape my daughter skating, and it seemed to follow her well.
For me, I can deal with the auto focus issue. I am hoping that Panasonic will fix it soon. The rest of the camera is very good; for the price it is a solid camera.
I agree with Firefox. If you rely on auto focus, don't get this camera. You will be ready to shoot something you absolutely need for your job or that you would have no problems doing with other cameras...........and BOOM focus goes haywire. Hopefully, someone has there $299 dollar handycam and you ask if you can borrow their footage for your job.....
This comment is for auto focus only
This comment is for auto focus only
Last edited:
Sounds like it's a deal breaker for me...being a single shooter with 2 cameras and doing "can't miss this shot" events, I need this. If there's no response from Panasonic within the next 2 weeks or so I think I'll jut buy another HMC150 or dump the brand altogether. Thanks for the replies.
MikeyBouchereau
New member
I do alot of shoots where I can't miss this shot. I have found riding the push auto works really well as well as pulling your own focus. I don't know if I will ever leave my 160 as a wide shot unless I set the focus myself.
cherchieh
Member
i've been using my AC160 on quite some events: family activity, wedding, test footages in the park, in the city, in the house...Well, I don't quite leave my auto-focus on, but I do switch it on kinda often...And yes, it sometimes give a little problem or two, but overall I seriously don't see it as a deal breaker. Maybe coming from shooting video on a dslr which has no auto-focus had me satisfied with its performance.
I find the auto-focus giving problem only when there are blinking lights shining directly into the lens. Other than that, when set and prepared correctly, it is awesome. During one of the weddings, I cursed the cam so hard because it didn't hit the focus point I intended for it to hit as fast as I hope...But during post, I reviewed the clip and thought it gave the footage a little "natural" feel and that wasn't bad, in fact it was great.
So, if your shootings are war-like, where you need to have all your focus hit on, bam bam, then you might want to consider other options. But having said that, it is just in a very few situations that AC160 failed me, it is spot on for most of the time. I'm saying this from the point where I didn't try to push the camera to its limit, but have been using it like a normal video camera would be used.
Generally it is good, and it only gives problem once in a while, and I think instead of saying it didn't find its focus, I think it is too sensitive and slight change of lighting and contrast would blow the focus away. I think people are concerned about this issue especially IF it happens during critical moments, which we have seen some samples of that in the forum. As far as I remember, I saw one which the focus went crazy during the revealing of the sign, and another one when the kids were performing on stage with lights on the hands...For me, I'm lucky it didn't happen during "critical moments".
Okay, I'm not saying Panasonic is not at fault this time. Having seen how much better the HMC150 is doing, I think it's a defect and Panasonic should address this and hopefully older owners like ourselves would get a decent "upgrade" to it. BUT, for most of the time I'll be shooting weddings and I don't think it's a deal breaker. If you can work you way around it, this is an awesome cam!
I find the auto-focus giving problem only when there are blinking lights shining directly into the lens. Other than that, when set and prepared correctly, it is awesome. During one of the weddings, I cursed the cam so hard because it didn't hit the focus point I intended for it to hit as fast as I hope...But during post, I reviewed the clip and thought it gave the footage a little "natural" feel and that wasn't bad, in fact it was great.
So, if your shootings are war-like, where you need to have all your focus hit on, bam bam, then you might want to consider other options. But having said that, it is just in a very few situations that AC160 failed me, it is spot on for most of the time. I'm saying this from the point where I didn't try to push the camera to its limit, but have been using it like a normal video camera would be used.
Generally it is good, and it only gives problem once in a while, and I think instead of saying it didn't find its focus, I think it is too sensitive and slight change of lighting and contrast would blow the focus away. I think people are concerned about this issue especially IF it happens during critical moments, which we have seen some samples of that in the forum. As far as I remember, I saw one which the focus went crazy during the revealing of the sign, and another one when the kids were performing on stage with lights on the hands...For me, I'm lucky it didn't happen during "critical moments".
Okay, I'm not saying Panasonic is not at fault this time. Having seen how much better the HMC150 is doing, I think it's a defect and Panasonic should address this and hopefully older owners like ourselves would get a decent "upgrade" to it. BUT, for most of the time I'll be shooting weddings and I don't think it's a deal breaker. If you can work you way around it, this is an awesome cam!
ullanta
Veteran
Why would you ever do that? Specifically, a wide shot... they are the easiest to focus, with wide depth of field, and the most susceptible to drastic autofocus problems if someone passes close...
I have been noticing that it is not just lights that fool the cameras auto focus, but the color white in general. I have been testing with the camera in a little under lit situations. The image still look good in the camera, the iris not fully open, and middle of the lenses focal length. I start panning around finding objects to focus on. If I hit a object that is white or slowly pan across a white object, the camera really starts to hunt for focus. No light source on directly on the white objects, so there is not a real peak in lighting, and it still hunts for focus.
The bad part is, if the camera has a larger white object close to the center of the frame, the camera immediately starts to hunt for focus. So, if you are shooting a subject or subjects with white shirts, not under the best lighting conditions, you are in for big trouble.
White object the size of maybe a 3rd of the frame.
The bad part is, if the camera has a larger white object close to the center of the frame, the camera immediately starts to hunt for focus. So, if you are shooting a subject or subjects with white shirts, not under the best lighting conditions, you are in for big trouble.
White object the size of maybe a 3rd of the frame.