XL1 / XL1S focus hunting backfocus problems

[Simon Duncan]

But I even noticed certain drifting of focus in manual mode.

I focus on a particular point and notice that the focus can slip and even breath. That is without moving the zoom or focus ring.
It just appears on this camera no to be very solid.

Again could this be something which might be tightened up or addressed by giving the camera a service?

[Don Palomaki]

If focus is drifting when nothing is going on, including changes in image content or zoom setting or lighting, then worth having the camcorder checked.

If you send it in for a check, it is helpful to also send in a tape with an example of what is happening.

[Cole McDonald]

check to see if the lens is dirty as well...we had a lens that a friend had purchased off of ebay (it had a single large finger print on the inside of the back element...the screws were glued down as well...wonder why it was being sold?). It never got good focus ever when in auto due to this.

[Jack Smith]

Make sure your not in green mode, as even if you set manual focus, the camera will stay in auto.Although there are many factors which can affect focus , the "breathing" sure sounds like autofocus.

[Simon Duncan]

Hi Cole,

Just a question on cleaning the lens.

What do you use to clean the lens?

Are there any major Don'ts with cleaning these canon lens?
eg Materials or products to stay clear off.

[Don Palomaki]

Clean as you would a lens on a high quality still camera.

[Cole McDonald]

that one, we didn't...we sent it back for a refund and purchased a different camera.

[Jan Mitacek]

I'm experiencing this problem:

I'm in full wide. I set the focus to auto - focus is adjusted automatically. Then I set the focus to manual, then I zoom to full tele not even touching the focus ring. When zooming, the lens is going more and more out of focus, BUT in almost full tele the picture is suddenly sharp again and in full tele it is blured again.

I think the alignment of the lens and body is bad and should be adjusted. But I don't understand, why ther is this "sharp" in almost full tele. Your ideas are welcome.

[Don Palomaki]

Depth of field/focus is greatest at wide angle settings so focus accuracy is not as important or apparent. The accuracy of focus is most apparent at full telephoto setting due to the much reduced depth of focus.

The normal procedure for setting focus is to zoom in fully on the subject of interest, focus, than adjust zoom as needed to compose the shot. With this done, the focus should be good through out the zoom range. If it is not, the backfocus setting is off, and for the XL1 series with the stock auto lens, it means a trip for service (special tools requiredm; however, the manual lenses do provide for user back focus adjustments).

In general, setting focus when at full wide angle zoom setting will not provide satisfactory results when you zoom in.

Why the change in focus to sharper and then to not as sharp in the zoom? Assuming the lens is otherwise in good condition, I do not know for sure but given that the lens element positions are computer and servo controlled based on a specific program for the lens motion, and different elements may move differently during the zoom, it likely relates to starting the zoom from what is effectively an "out of focus" position even though depth of field made it look like it was reasonably in focus.

[Skip Hall]

Originally Posted by Chris Hurd

Once you switch to manual focus, zoom all the way in on the farthest object from you. Press the "Push AF" button the side of the lens to set focus (you need *some* light for this). This is called "setting critical focus."

Zoom back out, and everything should stay in focus from here.

Hi Chris,
I know this has been addressed about a million times, but I thought I'd mention something that my XL-1 service guy told me. After inspecting and tuning up my camera, he told me that I shouldn't have focus-wander problems, if I use a procedure virtually identical to what you outlined above. However, he said that during the shoot, if I ever zoom the camera's lens in past about 80%, it was highly likely that the AF would lose its setting when I zoomed it back out again. This issue, he said, may become worse, if the zoom controls are operated quickly... going in or out (I think, is what he said).
I must confess to not understanding the mechanics behind this issue, but I certainly wish I could wish it away... but I can't.
I did test this information at my last dance recital shoot, however, and I believe his information is/was correct. My AF seemed to stay locked at the manually-set point, unless I zoomed in too far, or pulled back quickly.
But my eyesight (and the resulting "transitional" bifocal glasses!) makes it difficult to always discern perfect focus, even though I use the B&W viewfinder (as opposed to the stock one). I'll soon be working with a larger monitor at my station, so I can get a better sense of accuracy, but I thought I'd just drop in my two-cents worth... for whatever it's worth.

Thanks!

Skip Hall
Homeworks Video Productions
Suffolk, Virginia

[Manny Felarca]

I bought an XL1s 3 months ago. Prior to the XL1S, I had bought a Sony TRV900. The Sony was easy to use right away. Focusing wasn't an issue. Same with my Sony VX1000. I can manually set the focus, or set the focus to infinity, and the focus stayed exactly there (I was videotaping a high school football game). I loved it. After buying the XL1S, I decided to use it for a different football game. It was a complete disappointment. I would zoom in, focus, and zoom ouot.... and lose focus. It was a complete disaster.... Since then, I made it a point to really learn how to use it. I attended any field hockey, football, volleyball, soccer... anything that I could practice on and not have to give a DVD out to anyone. Well, just last Friday, I finally decided to use the XL1s again, on the last football game for Helix High School (Highlanders) against Steele Canyon (Cougars). Wow! The clarity of the video just blew me away! My wife watched the footage, which I had transferred to DVD, and she wanted to know if I had spent money on a new camcorder. Even I was astonished how much better the footage was compared to my first 2 months of using it.

If you just want simplicity, the Sony camcorders are excellent, or even Panasonic ones. If you want to be in control (and really, that's the issue here. With the XL1S, you are in control, good or bad), then the XL1/XL1S, XL2 are definitely capable of jaw-dropping videos. I remember the first time I used my Canon 20D (still camera). I was so disappointed because of the many images that didn't seem sharp, or where the exposure wasn't right. It seemed that my point and shoot, which cost $1200 less, did a better job. Then I learned to stop using the 20D as a point and shoot. That made all the difference!

[Manny Felarca]

Originally Posted by Simon Duncan

But I even noticed certain drifting of focus in manual mode.

I focus on a particular point and notice that the focus can slip and even breath. That is without moving the zoom or focus ring.
It just appears on this camera no to be very solid.

Again could this be something which might be tightened up or addressed by giving the camera a service?

The manual says that even on manual focus, it can drift, depending on variables like temperature.

[Dean Sensui]

I had an XL1 and XL1s.

The IS lenses were nearly useless when it came to setting focus. So I got the fully manual 16x lens and that made a big difference. Not having any automatic features didn't matter at all to me since I never used them anyway.

The XL1 and XL1s CCD had a tendency to color shift over time. I sent the cameras in annually to get re-calibrated. Otherwise one corner would start to shift slightly cyan and the other magenta. Never had that happen in any other camera, and I worked with several different Sony cameras, and a couple of Canons, over the past several years.