Shooting your face (auto focus issue)

C

ChrisGen

New member
Hi guys,

A quick question about shooting one handed with the Gh-1 while moving around on foot.

I found the auto-focus to be fairly accurate, but it requires a constant repetition of "half" push on the shutter button for the camera to keep my face in focus.

I am currently seeking a solution to retain constant focus while I swing around the camera for a travel show.

Anybody have experience with the Gh-1 on moving close objects?

I would really appreciate any advice or suggestions on this.

Thanks,

Chris
ps. the camera is fantastic.
 
Pointing it back at yourself?

Try setting the dial to AFC and the autofocus mode to face-tracking. Works well for me for those kinds of shots.
 
The AF tracking is such a promising feature and I find both tracking and face detection in the GH1 to be quite far ahead of the competition, but I had numerous issues with it this weekend.

In practical use, i.e. while recording and moving the camera around, it doesn't actually seem to be of much use. :huh:

Tracking shots are really difficult with manual focus on a stabiliser without having a guy pulling focus, on rails, on a dolly, in a hollywood studio :) Especially if you have a fast lens in low light which means shallow focus... an inch back or forth and you've had it!!

This is why I think proper AF tracking will be a great way forward for the GH1's successor. How about some kind of sensor shift which turns manual focus lenses into auto focus simply by electronically moving the GH1's sensor closer or further back from the back of the lens? (PS Panasonic... idea copyright ME)
 
Also, the minimum focusing distance of the lens could be a problem. The lens can't focus on anything that is closer than half a metre away so, depending on how long your arm span is and how far away you are holding it from your face, it could be struggling to "see" you.
 
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