Manual focus or Auto focus

E

EDRAKEL

Active member
Can I trust the auto focus on a GH4 to accurately record a wedding processional? I hate using the auto focus however, under low light conditions when I open up the iris I lose DOF. This makes it
difficult to stay in focus on my subjects as they are moving towards me. Any suggestions as to how I can overcome this dilemma. I am using the following lenses. Pany 25mm f1.4, Olympus 12mm f.2 , Rokinon 85mm f1.4
 
i dont autofocus anything unless you really trust you sensors or skilled enough to keep your focus points locked on the subject so that autofocus doesnt have to work hard id say use auto... focus to infinity maybe .. but i dont know how great it would be to do alot of switch out at a wedding since its about catching those great random moments
 
Cams that use pizeo-electric technology for focusing work on the basis of contrast.

You can go from a source point to a target point and get 20 second focusing or 2 second focusing, depending on the arc you take and what happens to be along that arc.

Few of us want to have to go through a particular arc to get from one scene to the next, so the attractiveness of auto-focus diminshes.

Except that some cams have instant-focus buttons, which allow fast focus, but how do you get to the button when your cam is on a jib?

Even when the cam is on a tripod, and reachable, I don't like to go to the front of the cam and risk giving it a jolt.

If you have a 1/3 " 3-MOS cam, and you are doing stage event recordings, it probably is sufficient to retain the focus settings for front, mid, rear stage and dial in to the appropriate one as the event unfolds.

I get good results with my Studio 1 Productions remote (on/off, focus, iris, zoom).

Too bad the cam I use only has manual ND filter settings, it would be nice to have these electronically changeable or, better still, continuously adjustable as is the case for other key parameters.

Anyone see any holes in my logic? Always looking to improve.
 
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your ceremonies must be bloody dark! if you are stationary watching the bride come toward you what's wrong with manual focus, the bride is walking at an even pace, surely you're not shooting wide open
 
Most any indoor ceremony is going to be too dark to allow very much DOF. Outside on a bright, sunny day is about your only hope for that.

Zooming in (or using a longer lens) cuts down on the amount of light coming into the camera as well, which only makes matters worse. Wide angle lenses help a bit, but it all still depends on the level of light.

If you can't handle the focus manually, then you have no choice but to put it on auto-focus. The only other alternative would be to fix the focus on the point where the bride will come to a stop, and let her walk out of fuzziness and into sharpness. Not ideal, in most cases.
 
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