Serious focus issues - shoot tomorrow

Kegan

Kegan

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Hey everyone,

I did a search on this board as well as over at DVinfo - nothing. I'm sure I've seen this problem before but I've gone through quite a few pages of threads to no avail. I've been noticing that when I'm zooming into something, my auto focus switches back and forth or sometimes doesn't even pick something to focus on, regardless of if my camera is DIRECTLY pointing to an object.

Once it finds an object, its sometimes okay...but it might switch a couple times back and forth. It's very irritating and makes the footage unusable.

I got hired to operate my camera on a feature film shoot, starting TOMORROW and I have no idea what to do. I can't send it in, because well...I need the cash and I don't want to let the director down.

I haven't really played around too much in manual focus. Maybe if I only use manual focus it might work? Is this a common problem? Any fixes or setting I may have altered?

Thanks,

Kegan
 
stick to manual kegan, auto isn't meant for professional work. If there's any focus pulling ask help from the crew.
 
Thanks nudge, I guess I'm just not used to the form factor of the A1 too much yet. I always used manual focus on my DVX and had become comfortable with it. I'll do some tests later today, once my battery's charged. Hopefully manual focus will solve my problem.

-Kegan
 
The A1 has only one motor to handle both zooming and focussing, so when you zoom the auto focus will drift in and out. It is better to use manual focus, and set it by zooming in first, adjusting focus, zooming back and then starting the shot. You can also use the push auto focus button from time to time if the subject is moving nearer to the camera.
 
Hm, see I knew I'd read something similar to this before. Now that's an irritating problem! Haha, but I guess it forces me to use my manual focus more...if not the only focus I use from now on.

I wonder why I didn't notice it before. So, my A1 ISN'T broken? I just hadn't noticed it before? Well, that's a major issue I have with the camera. It's great, but jesus...autofocus is annoying.

-Kegan
 
Have you tried the autofocus with your DVX? The hunting autofocus is something I've seen in just about every camera I've ever handled (not that many, but a good handful). Stick with manual and you'll be fine. You may also just notice it more when zoomed since your DOF is exaggerated more so than when shooting wide. Shoot manual.
 
Unless the director calls for it, I might consider avoiding zooms, anyway. I've never been a huge fan of zooms unless you're making a reference to 70's filmmaking. They are making quite the resurgence these days, but they still feel pretty weird when I see them in narrative filmmaking. Anyway, that might be a way to avoid your discomfort with focus and zooming together.
 
Good call - thanks dustino. It will be the first time I'll be working with the director. Hopefully it goes smoothly. I'll post back tomorrow on how the first day of shooting went. I practiced using manual focus with the A1 and have become decently comfortable with it. I might need a focus puller, but as mentioned will likely call a crew member over to help.

Thanks guys..just a bit of freaking out because I never noticed it as much before.

-Kegan

PS - I never noticed it THAT much with my DVX...maybe I just avoided a lot of zooms in general.
 
I've done behind the scenes stuff, and stuff with a lot of chaos of sorts. Never know where you're going to look, never know where you're going to zoom or the light you're going to have.

But, in AF I was without problems. But, when I zoomed I zoomed slowly and filled the frame with my subjects, so as to not let the camera think I could possibly be zooming anywhere else. But, for the most part, I avoided zooming.

Of course you're already shooting now, so hopefully it's going well.
 
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