Auto focus doesn't work... yet?

pancake | Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69552551@N04/7600050850/)

Hi Philip,

Great photo!

Looks like a fancy lens cap!

Bit fiddly to focus manually on a C300 so autofocus would be a great addition to the firmware wish list.

Can't be that difficult?

Incidentally I bought the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM to add to my kit. It's very useful for those situations where you just need a bit more throw on your lens such as filming a meeting or group of people.

Very smooth focus, good IS and pleasing bokeh. Not quite as sharp as the 17-55mm F/2.8.

Squirrel & Grasshopper on Vimeo

I have to admit, the pancake on the C300 made me giggle. :)

Bit fiddly to focus manually on a C300 so autofocus would be a great addition to the firmware wish list.

Can't be that difficult?We won't ever see proper auto-focus on the C300 as it doesn't have the necessary hardware like the XF105/305 or even the T4i/650D for using the new STM lenses.

Incidentally I bought the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM to add to my kit. It's very useful for those situations where you just need a bit more throw on your lens such as filming a meeting or group of people.

Very smooth focus, good IS and pleasing bokeh. Not quite as sharp as the 17-55mm F/2.8.The Canon 17-55mm F/2.8 is what I generally have on my C300 just about the only other lens I use is the 70-200mm F/2.8L IS II. I have however contemplated buying the 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS for that extra reach for run'n'gun situations. For even greater reach there is the Sigma 18-250mm & the Tamron 18-270mm but I have always been so disappointed with off-brand lenses that I will probably stick to the Canon.

Hi Nigel,

I agree with what you say " We won't ever see proper auto-focus on the C300 as it doesn't have the necessary hardware like the XF105/305 or even the T4i/650D for using the new STM lenses"

The hardware you refer to is presumably the sensor?

The actual mechanical focus adjustment is achieved within the lens either with USM ( UltraSonic Motor ) or the new STM.(Stepping Motor Technology)

The T4i/650D has the hybrid CMOS sensor that has a phase detect capabilities built on the image sensor itself to enable it to constantly auto focus.

Now I'm not clever enough to really understand how that all works and all I would ever want would be to to electronically spot check the focus. Just like I do with my Canon 7D.

So could a firmware update enable the C300 to utilise the contrast detection autofocus method?

This is achieved by measuring contrast within a sensor field, through the lens. This method of autofocus is implemented in software.

I suspect that the C300 doesn't even have the hardware necessary to talk control the focus motor within the lens.

The C300 is able to focus a lens through the wireless controller or a Lanc controller so that end of the equation is there.

All it needs now is the firmware to be tweaked to enable the sensor to be used to measure focus . . . or not.

This is a question for someone like Alan Roberts.

I suspect that the C300 doesn't even have the hardware necessary to talk control the focus motor within the lens.

Then how is it the WFT can pull focus?

I suspect that the C300 doesn't even have the hardware necessary to talk control the focus motor within the lens.
Then how is it the WFT can pull focus?Of course you are absolutely correct I had forgotten that I had actually read a review of the WFT-E6 used on the C300 describing the ability to remote focus.

Speaking of 40mm lenses, my favourite lens on the C300:
Voigtlander Ultron 40mm f/2.0 SL-II Manual Focus Lens BA229DN

A bit pricier but a stop faster than the Canon, close focussing, wonderful build quality, tactile focus ring.