-
auto focus problem on HVX-200
I shot some footage and turned the tape over to an editor who told me that the shots were out of focus. On the screen, the focus looked good to me until later on in the evening. I didn’t have time to take the camera off automatic, so I held down the infinity button while I shot.
Anyway, I am really bugged at why this camera is not focusing. It was out all day and the temps went down to about 40 degrees.
Is there anything anyone can tell me. Should I have the camera serviced? I have to shoot again Friday and I am really scared now.
Again my footage showed up “in focus” on my camera monitor, then I noticed that it was out of focus later on in the evening.
I really have to track this problem down, if I am going to work again. We used 2 identical cameras last evening and mine had the focus problem.
G5, 1.7, 4MB RAM, 30″cine, G4, 1.6 2MB RAM, Mbox, Neumann TLM-103, FCP HD 5. Pro Tools, Adobe Creative Suite, Reason 3.0, Macromedia Studio, ProAnimator, HVX200 with Firestore v4.0
-
4 Replies
-
I have never been a fan of autofocus. The only way to tell the camera is in focus is with a monitor.
Autofocus should only be used in emergency situations.
Lighting makes a huge difference on how the camera focuses in auto mode.
You have between now and Friday to put the camera in manual mode.
Steve Eisen
Eisen Video Productions
Board of Directors
Chicago Final Cut Pro Users Group -
Some questions?
1. What frame rate, raster size were you shooting?
2. Do you have EVF detail engaged?
3. Did you use the Focus Assist at all?
Auto focus at any 24P frame rate is so slow as to be almost useless. Auto focus under poor lighting is useless anyway. Always use manual focus and the focus assist and you should have sharp, in-focus images. The HVX LCD is not the best way to judge focus, espcially in poor lighting situations, an on board hi resolution HD monitor is better. They cost around $2,000.00 to $3,000.00 for a good one.
I only use autofocus as a last resort when I just can’t track a moving subject in bright light. On interiors, I use the LCD with detail on and the focus assist and I have become pretty good, I rarely have out of focus shots anymore, but it has been tough to learn as the HVX LCD is so low resolution, I kind of “feel” when something is in focus as much as I see it is in focus.
Dan
Providing value added material to all of your favorite DVDs
-
Hmm, it takes a split second to turn off autofocus.Never trust it, unless on day exterior, stopped way down, and on a wide lens.
It’s very difficult to judge focus on the LCD.EVF and Focus Assist are necessary. I’ve looked at stuff I thought was sharp on a large HD monitor afterwards, and what would have been perfectly sharp in SD, was at times a little soft in HD.
Marc Kroll
Marcinema,LLC
2 Union St.#2G
Jersey City, NJ 07304 -
Did you ever resolve this issue?
My HVX200 has the problem where I cannot focus it even in manual focus mode.
I don’t know what to do and I am not making enuf money to buy a new camera
or fix this old one.FCP X 10.2.3 – user since FCP 1.25
iMac mid 2011, MBA mid 2012
iPhone 4
HVX-200, Shure wireless mic
Miller Solo tripod
Advanta-Jib
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up