Focus Peaking in Magic Lantern at DVinfo.net

Taky Cheung · May 23rd, 2012, 09:29 AM

Do you guys use Focus Peaking in Magic Lantern? Do you think it's accurate? I used it in the past few weddings. Now at home I checked the footage, they aren't quite well focused. I'm thinking not to use it.

Murray Christian · May 23rd, 2012, 11:00 AM

You have to fidget with the different modes according to the lighting conditions for the best results. But no, it's not deadly accurate.
I hit focus much faster and more accurately than I used to without it. It's much better than nothing for me. But if you have a better option you should use that for sure.

Taky Cheung · May 23rd, 2012, 11:22 AM

I used to get better result by rolling the focus ring back and forth to find the mid point. Guess now with Focus Peaking, I just rely on it. But when I check the footage at home with computer, they aren't quite focus properly :/

Donald McPherson · May 23rd, 2012, 12:48 PM

I prefer magic zoom.

Taky Cheung · May 23rd, 2012, 06:59 PM

Is the Magic Zoom another feature provided by Magic Lantern? I think I will stop using Focus Peaking anymore.

Mark Von Lanken · May 24th, 2012, 08:29 AM

Hi Taky,

Yes, Magic Zoom is part if ML. It zooms in 5x and shows that image in the corner of the screen, but the really useful part is that it works while recording. I also use peaking, but mainly use Magic Zoom. If you have both selected, while recording, push the expanded focus button and it will cycle through the Magic Zoom, peaking and then nothing. Hope that helps.

Taky Cheung · May 24th, 2012, 09:50 AM

I just checked out Magic Zoom. It seems a very good solution. Will use it now instead of focus peaking. Thanks for the tips.

Victor Nguyen · May 26th, 2012, 12:46 AM

the problem I found with magic zoom is that you can only zoom in part of the screen

Donald McPherson · May 26th, 2012, 03:15 AM

You can move the focus point around the screen. But i must admit that I find this a pain and just leave mine in the centre.

Les Wilson · May 26th, 2012, 06:02 AM

Focus Peaking in ML on the 5DM2 is off. It doesn't work. Moving the focus box for Magic Zoom on the 5D mark II is easy as it uses the joystick.

Taky Cheung · May 26th, 2012, 11:03 AM

Ahh.. just found out Magic Zoom won't work on T3i crop zoom. After switching back from the crop zoom, it draws only horizontal noise on the magic zoom window :/

Taky Cheung · May 28th, 2012, 11:20 AM

Someone else pointed me a bugfix to the firmware that will fix the 3x crop zoom problem. Done!

Mike Beckett · May 28th, 2012, 12:06 PM

Hi Taky,

ANy chance you could share the details of that? I get the feeling I'm missing out on something here. Thanks!

Taky Cheung · May 28th, 2012, 12:11 PM

I'm not sure which part you are referring to. But for T3i / 600D, after switching back from the 3x crop zoom, Focus Peaking, and Magic Zoom screen will draw noise instead.

Go to this page and download the autoexec.bin to store in the root of the SD card. It will fix the issue.

https://groups.google.com/group/ml-d...8a9e5e56aa782d

Mike Beckett · May 28th, 2012, 01:17 PM

Taky,

I wasn't sure what you meant, hence the vagueness. I was referring to the messed up on-screen noise after magic zoom when peaking is enabled, and didn't know whether it was a Canon firmware update or a new Magic Lantern one.

Thanks so much for the link, I'll try that out!

May 23rd, 2012, 09:29 AM	#1
Taky Cheung Inner Circle Join Date: May 2007 Location: Los Angeles, USA Posts: 2,114	Focus Peaking in Magic Lantern Do you guys use Focus Peaking in Magic Lantern? Do you think it's accurate? I used it in the past few weddings. Now at home I checked the footage, they aren't quite well focused. I'm thinking not to use it. __________________ LA Color Pros Blog RODE Authorized Reseller . Comer LED Camera Lights . TakyBox HTML5 Menu Generator

May 23rd, 2012, 11:00 AM	#2
Murray Christian Major Player Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Perth, Australia Posts: 240	Re: Focus Peaking in Magic Lantern You have to fidget with the different modes according to the lighting conditions for the best results. But no, it's not deadly accurate. I hit focus much faster and more accurately than I used to without it. It's much better than nothing for me. But if you have a better option you should use that for sure.

May 23rd, 2012, 11:22 AM	#3
Taky Cheung Inner Circle Join Date: May 2007 Location: Los Angeles, USA Posts: 2,114	Re: Focus Peaking in Magic Lantern I used to get better result by rolling the focus ring back and forth to find the mid point. Guess now with Focus Peaking, I just rely on it. But when I check the footage at home with computer, they aren't quite focus properly :/ __________________ LA Color Pros Blog RODE Authorized Reseller . Comer LED Camera Lights . TakyBox HTML5 Menu Generator

May 23rd, 2012, 12:48 PM	#4
Donald McPherson Major Player Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Aberdeen Scotland Posts: 815	Re: Focus Peaking in Magic Lantern I prefer magic zoom.

May 23rd, 2012, 06:59 PM	#5
Taky Cheung Inner Circle Join Date: May 2007 Location: Los Angeles, USA Posts: 2,114	Re: Focus Peaking in Magic Lantern Is the Magic Zoom another feature provided by Magic Lantern? I think I will stop using Focus Peaking anymore. __________________ LA Color Pros Blog RODE Authorized Reseller . Comer LED Camera Lights . TakyBox HTML5 Menu Generator

May 24th, 2012, 08:29 AM	#6
Mark Von Lanken Major Player Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Tulsa, OK Posts: 910	Re: Focus Peaking in Magic Lantern Hi Taky, Yes, Magic Zoom is part if ML. It zooms in 5x and shows that image in the corner of the screen, but the really useful part is that it works while recording. I also use peaking, but mainly use Magic Zoom. If you have both selected, while recording, push the expanded focus button and it will cycle through the Magic Zoom, peaking and then nothing. Hope that helps. __________________ Mark Von Lanken www.VonWeddingFilms.com

May 24th, 2012, 09:50 AM	#7
Taky Cheung Inner Circle Join Date: May 2007 Location: Los Angeles, USA Posts: 2,114	Re: Focus Peaking in Magic Lantern I just checked out Magic Zoom. It seems a very good solution. Will use it now instead of focus peaking. Thanks for the tips. __________________ LA Color Pros Blog RODE Authorized Reseller . Comer LED Camera Lights . TakyBox HTML5 Menu Generator

May 26th, 2012, 12:46 AM	#8
Victor Nguyen Major Player Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Houston,Texas Posts: 289	Re: Focus Peaking in Magic Lantern the problem I found with magic zoom is that you can only zoom in part of the screen

May 26th, 2012, 03:15 AM	#9
Donald McPherson Major Player Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Aberdeen Scotland Posts: 815	Re: Focus Peaking in Magic Lantern You can move the focus point around the screen. But i must admit that I find this a pain and just leave mine in the centre.

May 26th, 2012, 06:02 AM	#10
Les Wilson Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Boca Raton, FL Posts: 3,014	Re: Focus Peaking in Magic Lantern Focus Peaking in ML on the 5DM2 is off. It doesn't work. Moving the focus box for Magic Zoom on the 5D mark II is easy as it uses the joystick.

May 26th, 2012, 11:03 AM	#11
Taky Cheung Inner Circle Join Date: May 2007 Location: Los Angeles, USA Posts: 2,114	Re: Focus Peaking in Magic Lantern Ahh.. just found out Magic Zoom won't work on T3i crop zoom. After switching back from the crop zoom, it draws only horizontal noise on the magic zoom window :/ __________________ LA Color Pros Blog RODE Authorized Reseller . Comer LED Camera Lights . TakyBox HTML5 Menu Generator

May 28th, 2012, 11:20 AM	#12
Taky Cheung Inner Circle Join Date: May 2007 Location: Los Angeles, USA Posts: 2,114	Re: Focus Peaking in Magic Lantern Someone else pointed me a bugfix to the firmware that will fix the 3x crop zoom problem. Done! __________________ LA Color Pros Blog RODE Authorized Reseller . Comer LED Camera Lights . TakyBox HTML5 Menu Generator

May 28th, 2012, 12:06 PM	#13
Mike Beckett Trustee Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Antrim, Northern Ireland Posts: 1,569	Re: Focus Peaking in Magic Lantern Hi Taky, ANy chance you could share the details of that? I get the feeling I'm missing out on something here. Thanks!

May 28th, 2012, 12:11 PM	#14
Taky Cheung Inner Circle Join Date: May 2007 Location: Los Angeles, USA Posts: 2,114	Re: Focus Peaking in Magic Lantern I'm not sure which part you are referring to. But for T3i / 600D, after switching back from the 3x crop zoom, Focus Peaking, and Magic Zoom screen will draw noise instead. Go to this page and download the autoexec.bin to store in the root of the SD card. It will fix the issue. https://groups.google.com/group/ml-d...8a9e5e56aa782d __________________ LA Color Pros Blog RODE Authorized Reseller . Comer LED Camera Lights . TakyBox HTML5 Menu Generator

May 28th, 2012, 01:17 PM	#15
Mike Beckett Trustee Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Antrim, Northern Ireland Posts: 1,569	Re: Focus Peaking in Magic Lantern Taky, I wasn't sure what you meant, hence the vagueness. I was referring to the messed up on-screen noise after magic zoom when peaking is enabled, and didn't know whether it was a Canon firmware update or a new Magic Lantern one. Thanks so much for the link, I'll try that out!