manual focus hfs11 help at DVinfo.net

Olivier Jezequel · October 3rd, 2009, 12:21 PM

Hiya,
I just got the hfs11, everything is going okay so far except for the manual focus.
i have tryed to use the custum thing in the front to make my picture focus or out of focus, but it keep jumping to a hardcore zoom each time i touch it, i cannot even see anything and cannot control the focal lens, thats very frutrating.
the only way i found to make this effect of going into focus is the joystick on the screen with manual control. it works but that's not very handy and i have to enter into the menus and sub menus each time....

how does this thing work ?? the doc just say nothing except to show the button..

thanks

Robin Davies-Rollinson · October 3rd, 2009, 03:43 PM

You'll need to go into the menus and find Custom Ring. You can then assign it to focus or exposure as well as a choice of zebra,peaking etc.
If you choose Focus, you can then look in the menu for Focus Assist. That is what you are seeing when the viewfinder image is enlarged when trying to focus. It just gives you a tighter part of the frame to help focus. It will disappear if you move the zoom or go into record. In fact, when recording, the Focus assist is not enabled. If you don't like it, switch it off in the menu.
If you're not seeing a great deal of difference with the manual focus using the custom ring, that's because you need a lot of turns of the ring to pull focus from ,say, infinity to closer. The joystick is much quicker, but not so precise.

Kevin Bjorke · October 4th, 2009, 03:30 PM

btw, when turning the wheel, farther=down

I tend to use the on//off button of the custom wheel a lot -- poke it for quick AF assistance then back to MF.

Stuart Robinson · October 4th, 2009, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Olivier Jezequel

i have tryed to use the custum thing in the front to make my picture focus or out of focus, but it keep jumping to a hardcore zoom each time i touch it, i cannot even see anything and cannot control the focal lens, thats very frutrating.

To reiterate, it's supposed to do that. With focus assist on, whenever you manually focus you'll get a peaky zoom of a portion of the image, that way it's easy to tell whether edges are sharp and your subject is in focus. Personally, with the tiny screen, I find it impossible to manual focus without the assist.

Olivier Jezequel · October 5th, 2009, 06:52 AM

it is all make sens now :) thanks guys, i will try that this evening.
so there is no way to make the ring more sensitive like the zoom if it is a lot of turns to do ?

thanks again

Kevin Bjorke · October 5th, 2009, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Olivier Jezequel

so there is no way to make the ring more sensitive like the zoom if it is a lot of turns to do ?

I wish!

Use a LANC remote.... :)

October 3rd, 2009, 12:21 PM	#1
Olivier Jezequel Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: London Posts: 45	manual focus hfs11 help Hiya, I just got the hfs11, everything is going okay so far except for the manual focus. i have tryed to use the custum thing in the front to make my picture focus or out of focus, but it keep jumping to a hardcore zoom each time i touch it, i cannot even see anything and cannot control the focal lens, thats very frutrating. the only way i found to make this effect of going into focus is the joystick on the screen with manual control. it works but that's not very handy and i have to enter into the menus and sub menus each time.... how does this thing work ?? the doc just say nothing except to show the button.. thanks

October 3rd, 2009, 03:43 PM	#2
Robin Davies-Rollinson Trustee Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Gwaelod-y-garth, Cardiff, CYMRU/WALES Posts: 1,215	You'll need to go into the menus and find Custom Ring. You can then assign it to focus or exposure as well as a choice of zebra,peaking etc. If you choose Focus, you can then look in the menu for Focus Assist. That is what you are seeing when the viewfinder image is enlarged when trying to focus. It just gives you a tighter part of the frame to help focus. It will disappear if you move the zoom or go into record. In fact, when recording, the Focus assist is not enabled. If you don't like it, switch it off in the menu. If you're not seeing a great deal of difference with the manual focus using the custom ring, that's because you need a lot of turns of the ring to pull focus from ,say, infinity to closer. The joystick is much quicker, but not so precise.

October 4th, 2009, 03:30 PM	#3
Kevin Bjorke Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: San Francisco, California Posts: 43	btw, when turning the wheel, farther=down I tend to use the on//off button of the custom wheel a lot -- poke it for quick AF assistance then back to MF.

October 5th, 2009, 06:52 AM	#5
Olivier Jezequel Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: London Posts: 45	it is all make sens now :) thanks guys, i will try that this evening. so there is no way to make the ring more sensitive like the zoom if it is a lot of turns to do ? thanks again