I simply can't focus my AF100 with it's build in FA. Need on camera monitor advice.

Barry_Green said:
You can. Turn the color all the way down on the LCD and it'll be B&W, but the FIR still shows up as red.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I'll try that tomorrow! I guess I couldn't see the focus in red on the LCD.

I was wondering if there is a DTL button for the LCD or does the EVF DTL effect the LCD screen as well (I have a feeling this may be too much to ask for).
 
Thanks Guys... I just tried it and it really really works... also, the little joystick labeled "function" allows you to select foreground v/s background or any area or object or person for focus. Bump the "push auto" button and voila... you can trim it from there and watch the red track across your focus area.

This forum is so very helpful having hands on peeling layers of the onion. Just like Steve wishing to be able to turn both LCD and EVF on... and we can... I was poking around the menus looking for the focus and detail control and I came across something I had been wishing for/wondering about regarding "why would they have the iris control just the opposite of what we were used to on the DVX?" Well it can be set either way to ramp up as the dial goes up, or the other way around.

This discovery mode is getting fun! So glad to be out of the theoretical "I wonder what it might be able to do?" mode. I drove from New Orleans to Houston for a shoot last week (one which I postponed to allow the camera to com in) I picked up the camera and did a sunset cityscape night traffic time lapse sequence as a test with the 20mm 1.7 and Nikon 50mm1.4 and full gain and after downloading the AVCCAM Viewer from Panasonic, I finally was able to load some clips onto my new mega CS5 workstation and see them full size and the picture was truly amazing... Gotta love this camera!
 
I've had no problems getting sharp focus using the DTL & FA...but I also look at the focus bar too...all in all, very easy to focus!
(even with these aging eyes)
 
I'm still getting used to the FA method, as I come from the Canon DSLR world as well. I've been silent about it because, well, it takes time to change something you used so regularly and I know that practice DOES help. I could nail focus on certain lenses without the zoom assist because I knew the lens ON the 7D.

So far, I find that using DTL is my last resort as well. I try it without it first, then pop it on if I am still having trouble. I also played with DTL on without FA and I too like that as well. I still need to shoot A LOT more before I feel comfortable with my settings.
 
Yeah I'd love zoom in focus assist as well- but I have to admit I'm pretty good at nailing focus with the red highlighting. If you turn on this and EVF detail and practice you'll get there...

Noah
 
Check out Small HD DP6 SDI it's awesome and has HDMI, Component, and SDI. I have found it really easy to focus on the AF100 LCD, so much better than the HPX300 or HVX200.

How do you turn on focus assist red outlines? I have not tried this function yet. I receive Barry's Book today!
 
chancenorris said:
Check out Small HD DP6 SDI it's awesome and has HDMI, Component, and SDI. I have found it really easy to focus on the AF100 LCD, so much better than the HPX300 or HVX200.

How do you turn on focus assist red outlines? I have not tried this function yet. I receive Barry's Book today!
Click to expand...
1. Read Barry's book!
2. FA is assigned to user1, but you can assign it to any of the user buttons.

I have the DP1...and that is a sweet monitor too. Bigger for us old guys!
 
chancenorris said:
Check out Small HD DP6 SDI it's awesome and has HDMI, Component, and SDI. I have found it really easy to focus on the AF100 LCD, so much better than the HPX300 or HVX200.

How do you turn on focus assist red outlines? I have not tried this function yet. I receive Barry's Book today!
Click to expand...

Does the dp6 have 1:1 pixel mapping or any other zooming in function for focusing?
 
Sure does! The little thing is quite versatile.

1:1 mapping, Focus assist, Peaking, False color (with two modes), blue-only, Picture-in-picture, the list goes on. I can't recommend it enough! And holy crap, their service is incredible. I don't believe an email reply has ever taken longer than 2 hours. Very helpful, and best of all very active: there's always a new firmware in the works, and they're always working to make it compatible with every new camera (not to mention add new features).
 
I actually visited the smallHD company and can attest, they are some awesome peeps. I own a DP1X and they let me evaluate a DP6 for a week for a shoot I was doing. For those curious of the differences, all I can say is this. Size wise, the DP1X is more useful for me on my crane. Outside of that, the DP6 was better in EVERY other aspect. I was thinking of getting rid of my DP1X but given I like it better on my crane, I am going to probably keep it.

The DP6 starts faster, has better features, a better interface, better color rendition, better contrast, better off axis viewing. It was hard giving it back! :)
 
So is pixel mapping essentially similar to the zoom in feature of the Canons then? How does it work? I'm really seriously considering the DP6 now.
 
So the DP6 has 720p resolution, and in most cases with Canons it is downconverting the 1080 signal to fit the screen. 1:1 mapping turns off this downconversion, and displays the output signal of the camera at 1:1. So what you're getting isn't 1:1 of what the sensor sees (no display would be able to do this), but 1:1 of what the camera outputs.

However, if you zoom in on your camera to see actual pixels, this is reflected on the DP6. In combination with the DP6's 1:1 feature, you CAN get pixel-accurate focusing, but it requires steps on both the monitor and the camera to get there.
 
The Canon does 5x and 10x, and it actually shows a crop of the sensor and NOT the 1080p downconverted image scaled up, which is easy to tell because miraculously, no moire gets shown zoomed in (which makes it harder to detect). But as klon says, when using both the camera zoom and the DP 1:1, you can get pixel accurate focusing. In fact, given that you are seeing a crop of the sensor BEYOND the 1080p when zoomed in on the canon, you are getting beyond pixel accurate for what you are recording. (Which is why I like the function so much).

With the AF100, the OLPF is designed for 1080p, so a crop mode if there were even possible doesn't make sense because you aren't going to see anything more. The most I would like to see is even a 1:1 or at least a 2x in the future to help in situations where the red doesn't work as well and we keep the LCD resolution from being our gating factor.
 
TV Logic offers a monitor that seems to be based on the same panel and housing as the Small HD, the VFM-056W. It costs a bit more, but has waveform and vectorscope. TV Logic is in Burbank, Ca. and is also very good at coming out with new firmware. We have one on order and it's due mid-month. Kent Preco.net has provided amazing service from previous TV Logic and Tektronix purchases over the years. I believe that Zacuto and Filmtools also sells TV Logic.

If I'm on a tripod, I won't shoot without an on-board monitor with a shallow DOF camera or adapter. With our TV Logic LVM-071W, I'm normally in pixel to pixel with the quadrant I've selected, plus red peaking, plus waveform with translucent background. Really like TV Logic and Flanders Scientific monitors, and the latter has fantastic service as well.
 
I haven't tried the EVF B&W + FA method, but... why doesn't the AF100 have a magnified focus assist like the 170? I can only hope something like that will become available through a firmware update (or hack, I don't care). The 5X/10X zoom assist has been available on the 5DII for what, two years now? Seriously, Panny...


Oh, and anyone up for a DP6 or TV Logic group buy? :D
 
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