XL1 / XL1S focus hunting backfocus problems

Josh Bass · May 23rd, 2003, 11:55 AM

What are the official specs concerning focus for the 16x manual? What's the closest you can get fully zoomed in and still focus? Full Wide?

Ken Tanaka · May 23rd, 2003, 01:40 PM

See the table at the bottom of my 16x Manual Servo review.

Josh Bass · May 23rd, 2003, 05:23 PM

I'm sorry Ken, I don't understand, does it mean at both wide and macro it focus to 5cm, or only with the macro function on? I'd still like to know the minimum focus distance for the wide setting without macro activated.

Jeff Donald · May 23rd, 2003, 05:37 PM

Without macro function it focus' to 1m. In macro and lens zoomed to widest angle it will focus to 50mm, about 2 inches.

Josh Bass · May 23rd, 2003, 05:42 PM

Alright, thanks. Sometimes on wide, I get close to my subject, but I can't see it any blurriness. Then, when editing, it looks a little soft. Now I know why.

Don Palomaki · May 24th, 2003, 07:38 AM

For low cost closeup work, consider using a "closeup lens set" (really an adapter). A +1 or +2 adapter will work reasonably well with full zoom through and allow stand-off distance for lighting, etc. You can shoot from 18 inches and have a dime fill the frame. Note that depth of field will be rather small. The adapters can be rather low cost if you get a Hoya or Tiffen set, on a par with filter prices.

For a good bit more money you can buy a quality achromatic diopter adapter from source such as Century.

Andrew Petrie · May 24th, 2003, 11:28 AM

I also have a B+W close up set, an NL1 and NL2, combined together gives you an NL3 equivelant. Works very well, tho not entirely zoom-through. If you were going tight, you'd use an extender instead anyways, but wide allows for very close shooting.

Rick Moore · July 4th, 2003, 09:41 AM

If I zoom in on a subject, focus and slowly zoom out, my XL1 loses focus. I was told that the early XL1 cameras have a focus problem. Is this true?

Don Palomaki · July 5th, 2003, 06:19 AM

Some units shipped with poorly adjusted back focus, more common with early production.

There was a firmware issue in that if you set manual focus at anything less than full zoom, it would not track as you change zoom. This was corrected a few several years ago by a firmware patch.

The other issue is that auto focus mode in general is a bit fussy about what is in the focus zone of the scene. If image content is not suitable for auto focus sensing the lens will start to hunt.

Dean Sensui · July 5th, 2003, 02:57 PM

Another issue is with supplementary lenses on the XL1.

I almost always have a Century 0.7 WA adapter mounted on my lens and it seems to cause a problem with back focus. The image just doesn't stay sharp throughout the zoom range.

If I take the WA adapter off, the lens works as advertised. I have two lenses, one from my original XL1 and one from the newer XL1s. The newer lens seems much more prone to this problem than the older lens. So at this point I'm relying on the older lens and have the newer lens set aside.

Dean Sensui
Base Two Productions

Leland Jung · July 5th, 2003, 11:46 PM

Hi,

I'm having problems keeping focus when I zoom out. I have my XL1s set on manual exposure and focus (gain might be auto). I'm using the stock 16x lens.

I zoom in and use the auto focus buttom to focus, but when I zoom out the picture is out of focus. I think things seem better if I focus a few feet in front of my subject, but I don't always have something to focus on if I do this.

I'm thinking of buy the 16x manual servo lens to fix this problem. Will this help?

Thanks,

Leland

Don Palomaki · July 6th, 2003, 06:00 AM

Sounds like it may be the back focus is off. See:
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...&threadid=6021
for additional discussion that might partlyaddress your question.

Mark A. Foley · July 16th, 2003, 06:37 AM

James suggestion has totally eliminated any problems (I thought I had) with my XL1S...looks like the auto settings of the Canon are a bit sad/weak...but setting using (M) focuing, setting gain to 0 and preset your WB...the camera behaves as good/better than anything I've used (love the trademark softness of the Canon glass). In the big picture of things, we/I should be avoiding the auto settings anyway....
Mark

Jeffrey Levenstone · August 17th, 2003, 03:41 PM

On the camera lens there is a switch AF and M. you have to set this to M. even when you have the camera in
Manual it still will try to auto focus if this switch is set to AF. i hope this helps.

Nathan Gifford · August 18th, 2003, 08:26 AM

The camera also has to be out of "green box" mode too.

May 23rd, 2003, 11:55 AM	#136
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	What are the official specs concerning focus for the 16x manual? What's the closest you can get fully zoomed in and still focus? Full Wide? __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

May 23rd, 2003, 01:40 PM	#137
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	See the table at the bottom of my 16x Manual Servo review. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

May 23rd, 2003, 05:23 PM	#138
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	I'm sorry Ken, I don't understand, does it mean at both wide and macro it focus to 5cm, or only with the macro function on? I'd still like to know the minimum focus distance for the wide setting without macro activated. __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

May 23rd, 2003, 05:37 PM	#139
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	Without macro function it focus' to 1m. In macro and lens zoomed to widest angle it will focus to 50mm, about 2 inches. __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

May 23rd, 2003, 05:42 PM	#140
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	Alright, thanks. Sometimes on wide, I get close to my subject, but I can't see it any blurriness. Then, when editing, it looks a little soft. Now I know why. __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

May 24th, 2003, 07:38 AM	#141
Don Palomaki Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Northern VA Posts: 4,488	For low cost closeup work, consider using a "closeup lens set" (really an adapter). A +1 or +2 adapter will work reasonably well with full zoom through and allow stand-off distance for lighting, etc. You can shoot from 18 inches and have a dime fill the frame. Note that depth of field will be rather small. The adapters can be rather low cost if you get a Hoya or Tiffen set, on a par with filter prices. For a good bit more money you can buy a quality achromatic diopter adapter from source such as Century. __________________ dpalomaki@dspalomaki.com

May 24th, 2003, 11:28 AM	#142
Andrew Petrie Major Player Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London, Ontario, Canada Posts: 484	I also have a B+W close up set, an NL1 and NL2, combined together gives you an NL3 equivelant. Works very well, tho not entirely zoom-through. If you were going tight, you'd use an extender instead anyways, but wide allows for very close shooting. __________________ Andrew \| Canon XL1s, ME66, Vinten Vision 3, GlideCam V16 (for sale!)

July 4th, 2003, 09:41 AM	#143
Rick Moore Tourist Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Brighton, UK Posts: 1	Focus problem? If I zoom in on a subject, focus and slowly zoom out, my XL1 loses focus. I was told that the early XL1 cameras have a focus problem. Is this true? __________________ Rick Moore Primal Video

July 5th, 2003, 06:19 AM	#144
Don Palomaki Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Northern VA Posts: 4,488	Some units shipped with poorly adjusted back focus, more common with early production. There was a firmware issue in that if you set manual focus at anything less than full zoom, it would not track as you change zoom. This was corrected a few several years ago by a firmware patch. The other issue is that auto focus mode in general is a bit fussy about what is in the focus zone of the scene. If image content is not suitable for auto focus sensing the lens will start to hunt. __________________ dpalomaki@dspalomaki.com

July 5th, 2003, 02:57 PM	#145
Dean Sensui Inner Circle Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 2,054	Another issue is with supplementary lenses on the XL1. I almost always have a Century 0.7 WA adapter mounted on my lens and it seems to cause a problem with back focus. The image just doesn't stay sharp throughout the zoom range. If I take the WA adapter off, the lens works as advertised. I have two lenses, one from my original XL1 and one from the newer XL1s. The newer lens seems much more prone to this problem than the older lens. So at this point I'm relying on the older lens and have the newer lens set aside. Dean Sensui Base Two Productions

July 5th, 2003, 11:46 PM	#146
Leland Jung New Boot Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 6	XL1s Stock Lens Focus Problem Hi, I'm having problems keeping focus when I zoom out. I have my XL1s set on manual exposure and focus (gain might be auto). I'm using the stock 16x lens. I zoom in and use the auto focus buttom to focus, but when I zoom out the picture is out of focus. I think things seem better if I focus a few feet in front of my subject, but I don't always have something to focus on if I do this. I'm thinking of buy the 16x manual servo lens to fix this problem. Will this help? Thanks, Leland

July 6th, 2003, 06:00 AM	#147
Don Palomaki Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Northern VA Posts: 4,488	Sounds like it may be the back focus is off. See: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...&threadid=6021 for additional discussion that might partlyaddress your question. __________________ dpalomaki@dspalomaki.com

July 16th, 2003, 06:37 AM	#148
Mark A. Foley Major Player Join Date: May 2003 Location: Bonaire, Ga. Posts: 356	James suggestion has totally eliminated any problems (I thought I had) with my XL1S...looks like the auto settings of the Canon are a bit sad/weak...but setting using (M) focuing, setting gain to 0 and preset your WB...the camera behaves as good/better than anything I've used (love the trademark softness of the Canon glass). In the big picture of things, we/I should be avoiding the auto settings anyway.... Mark

August 17th, 2003, 03:41 PM	#149
Jeffrey Levenstone New Boot Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 16	AF On the camera lens there is a switch AF and M. you have to set this to M. even when you have the camera in Manual it still will try to auto focus if this switch is set to AF. i hope this helps.

August 18th, 2003, 08:26 AM	#150
Nathan Gifford Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Tickfaw, LA Posts: 1,217	The camera also has to be out of "green box" mode too. __________________ Nathan Gifford Southern Cyclist Magazine & Productions For quick answers try our Search! To see me and Rob Lohman click here