AC160 My AC160 as a sports run and gun camera

P

phil s

Member
I shoot professional cycling, and the AC160 is my weapon of choice. I don't use Auto anything, so the zillion pages on autofocus problems weren't a concern to me. Here's some recent footage from the Tour of Qatar and Tour of Oman, many shots from fast moving vehicles of fast moving subjects. I get on really well with this camera.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhCL9EG6d_k&list=PLUdAMlZtaV10Iz-Yiv6QXdaFa9dD0VX9G&index=7

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtTcVF5he5M&list=PLUdAMlZtaV10Iz-Yiv6QXdaFa9dD0VX9G&index=9

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZYbxj7F2W4&list=PLUdAMlZtaV11jmVp3-DUlhuZgHnYRLIIl&index=6
 
In Qatar I was shooting in Cine-D, 1080/50p, shutter at 1/120, making quite heavy use of a DVTEC Multirig for the handheld stuff. It's a god-send.
 
I'm deciding between the 130a or 160a. I use auto focus a lot so leaning more towards the 130a
 
Zim,

Why would auto-focus sway you more towards the 130a than the 160a? They're indentical in that respect. The 160 has 50p, SDI-out and a few more options, but is otherwise the same camera.
 
I've read the 160 had some problems. I was told yesterday that should be fixed by now.
Mike Beckett said:
Zim,

Why would auto-focus sway you more towards the 130a than the 160a? They're indentical in that respect. The 160 has 50p, SDI-out and a few more options, but is otherwise the same camera.
Click to expand...
 
The AC130 and AC160 had identical autofocus systems, as well as identical lenses. Same is true with the 130a and the 160a: they are also identical in these areas.
 
Very nice, Phil.

I know what you mean about the whole auto mode. There is NO way that I would want to even try to shoot auto in those situations.
 
Auto-focus with either the AG-AC130A or AG-AC160A requires transitioning through contrast areas on the way from a source point to a target.

If you are able to do this, you get quick lock down on focus, otherwise it will take some time with a 22x lens.

The trick it seems is to navigate in such a way that it is not obvious to a viewer that you are seeking out a contrast arc when moving between two objects. If you cannot identify such an arc or do not wish to travel along such an arc, then Push Auto gives good results (i.e. move quickly, then Push Auto).

Bernie Mitchell explains how auto-focus works on these cameras . . .

http://www.panasonic.com/business/provideo/avccam.asp?cm_sp=PSC-Web-Site-_-Medium-Banner-_-AG-AC160

I tested auto-focus over a period of several months with, to me, repeatable results.

In the "Bell to Church Steeple" test below, I was able, on demand, to achieve a quick lockdown on focus or experience a long lockdown time depending on how I navigated to a target location.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5r_QPIA4tsY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vi7Pcyw3NlE

Given the auto-focus technology in use on these cameras (piezo electric), the cameras, in my view, work the way they should work.
 
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