GH4 photographers - how to auto focus with the GH4?

[gutterball321]

I have my GH4 and love it for video. I love taking photos and have got some great shots of of scenery and objects but whenever i try a portrait shot or anything with a person it will not focus on their eye. I have used a friends canon 6d which has few focus points, and when i take a picture using auto focus and none of the points are touching the persons eye it still nails focus on their eye almost every time. With the GH4 it is almost impossible. I did some headshots for a company's website and had to use a tripod and manual focus which was embarrassing because it took a while when a $300 camera could have nailed the focus better in auto focus.

So what modes do you guys use for just family shooting photos or headshots? I tried using the point focus but its hard to get right on their eye from a 45mm lens or farther. I have tried 1-area and touched the persons face and snapped the photo but it always catches their nose or hair and never gets the eye sharp. I have also tried the face/eye detection and although it looks like the box has it in the right spot with the 2 white lines on the eye, the photo still doesnt nail focus. I have a high shutter speed so its not my movement, i take the photo as I auto focus so i am not focusing moving an inch then taking the photo and my settings are good because pictures of anything besides people come out great.

Any special setting you guys use when taking pics of people? How do I get the eyes in focus?!?

 

[Bruce Foreman]

In looking at the 3 samples I see the point of focus appears to be behind the plane of the eyes. In the second image it looks to me like nothing is in focus. In trying to do half press autofocus and shutter release in basically one motion you may be doing two things that affect focus.

First is the half press too fast may not be allowing AF to "lock" on, then the "hurried" shutter press IS moving your camera. That's what I think happened in number two image.

AF can be touchy. I, myself, would not use it in the studio (are your lights continuous or are they studio flash?), but if you cannot MF accurately in the studio try this: Program the AE/AF button for S-AF and AF LOCK. Next you want MF+ASSIST set to on and the ASSIST set for FOCUS RING.

One press of the AE/AF button does one single AF and then switches to MF, when you turn the focus ring on the lens to refine, touch up focus, or totally refocus on something else, the "magnified assist" kicks in. Half press of shutter button clears magnified assist. Camera remains in MF until you exit current mode, turn off camera, or press AE/AF again in which case AF goes back to default mode.

Once you get used to it using the "back button" AE/AF for AF either "nails" focus or gives you a quick way to verify/adjust and back to work.

 

[yslee]

Use single point, and make sure you're using the smallest box. Make sure you're putting the box over the eye; putting it over the face isn't good enough. I've shot plenty of stuff on my GH3 and don't have any major issues.

A $300 digital camera with its really tiny sensor (as much as m4/3 is sneered at for being "tiny", these are really small) and incredible DoF means it is a lot easier to get sharper images.

And you wonder about people who buy f/1.2 lenses on FF bodies for portraits, eh?

 

[gutterball321]

thanks guys, those examples werent from my shoot. Our photographer was grabbing some headshots for our company website and i just did a few next to her because i knew id get the same problem i always get and i could post those for examples. The single point would probably work yslee, i just was hoping i wouldnt have to use touch screen or move around the pointer for every quick shot. I also thought focus peaking would help but ive learned it doesnt nail focus exactly, it also peaks on areas a little before and after what is actually in focus.

 

[Bern Caughey]

I shoot a lot of portraits wide-open on the 12-35/2.8 or 35-100/2.8 & never have focus problems. Been using facial detection a lot recently as it makes quick portraits a breeze.

Though I doubt it's the problem try lighting with more contrast. The examples are overly filled, & flat, which may be causing the autofocus to miss.

Also suggest your photographer try one keylight instead of three to avoid cross-lighting.

 

[yslee]

The single point would probably work yslee, i just was hoping i wouldnt have to use touch screen or move around the pointer for every quick shot.

I've used $5000 DSLRs and I still do the same thing - I never trust the camera to select the AF points by itself!