EZ Focus question

[Eugene Kosarovich]

One of the things I always used a lot on my DSR-300A is the EZ Focus function, which minimizes depth of field via shutter and gain and iris for ease in obtaining sharp focus while not recording.

Well, the F335 also has this feature, and I plan to use it enough that I have it on one of my valuable assign buttons.

But here's the problem, it doesn't seem to work right. When I engage it, it oscillates between the proper exposure optimized for focus, as I described above, and then this blown out overexposed setting. It will literally hold one for about 2 seconds, then go to the other, then repeat, over and over.

What's up with that and how do I fix it?

Thanks.

[Greg Boston]

Eugene, I believe the Easy Focus function only works with the Canon autofocus lens (the IR sensors on the front of the camera body). I haven't personally used that lens but it's supposed to operate like an autofocus.

Which lens do you have on the F335?

-gb-

[Eugene Kosarovich]

No, that's not what it does. Like I said, this feature, with the same name, is on the old DSR-300A as well, which had no autofocus option. It's a feature that minimizes depth of field to make sharp manual focus easier.

I just tried it again:

When engaged, it opens the iris fully and turns on the shutter high enough for proper exposure, thus minimizing depth of field. It will then hold this mode for 10 seconds before returning the iris and shutter to where they were before.

But, during this 10 second period, and actually every 1 second, not every 2 seconds as I thought in my inital post, the shutter light will blink out as the gain light blinks on, and the exposure will overexpose for every other second. This continuously repeats over the 10 second period of the function.

I thought maybe I needed to mess with my iris sensitivity on my lens, but I watched the iris while the change happens, and it isn't moving after it fully opens.

And no, I don't have the autofocus Canon lens, pardon the expression, but that lens, yuk.

No, I have the Canon KH20x6.4 KRS.

[Uli Mors]

HI ,

I just tested it but cant agree - the EZ focus works with my f330 like it should be...

?

ULI

[Greg Boston]

Originally Posted by Eugene Kosarovich

No, that's not what it does. Like I said, this feature, with the same name, is on the old DSR-300A as well, which had no autofocus option. It's a feature that minimizes depth of field to make sharp manual focus easier.

I just tried it again:

When engaged, it opens the iris fully and turns on the shutter high enough for proper exposure, thus minimizing depth of field. It will then hold this mode for 10 seconds before returning the iris and shutter to where they were before.

But, during this 10 second period, and actually every 1 second, not every 2 seconds as I thought in my inital post, the shutter light will blink out as the gain light blinks on, and the exposure will overexpose for every other second. This continuously repeats over the 10 second period of the function.

I thought maybe I needed to mess with my iris sensitivity on my lens, but I watched the iris while the change happens, and it isn't moving after it fully opens.

And no, I don't have the autofocus Canon lens, pardon the expression, but that lens, yuk.

No, I have the Canon KH20x6.4 KRS.

Sorry about the confusion. I had forgotten about this function because I never use it (my Fuji lens has a quick zoom button that, while held, runs the lens to full tele to aid with focusing). However, I just tested the EZ Focus on my camera and saw no fluctuations like you describe.

-gb-

[Eugene Kosarovich]

OK, thanks for checking guys.

I'll give Sony a call and see what they think of what it's doing.

Yeah, my lens has the shuttle shot function as well, it's just since my DSR-300A's lens doesn't have shuttle shot, I kinda got used to this function.

[Greg Boston]

Originally Posted by Eugene Kosarovich

OK, thanks for checking guys.

I'll give Sony a call and see what they think of what it's doing.

Yeah, my lens has the shuttle shot function as well, it's just since my DSR-300A's lens doesn't have shuttle shot, I kinda got used to this function.

Just to clarify, the Quick Zoom function isn't the same as shuttle shot. It's not a memory position (I have that too). Quick Zoom is strictly a focus aid. Frame your shot, push QZ, grab focus, release the button, and you're framed and focused.

And please Eugene, let us know what you find out from Sony about this. Especially if it turns out to be a fix that you are able to institute on your own, so that the community can benefit.

regards,

-gb-

[Hornady Setiawan]

Eugene, please check what firmware u have.
Always a good thing to upgrade firmware if u experience problems.
Also try execute 'factory reset' in service menu.

[Eugene Kosarovich]

I have a call into Sony on it, they're looking into it and I will definitely post what the results they come back with are.

As for the firmware, I did update to the latest firmware when it came out a couple of weeks ago and the "factory reset" was part of that process.

This problem was there when I had the original firmware as well, but the camera was so new to me at that point I didn't fully look into the problem till now.

[Eugene Kosarovich]

Haven't heard anything back from Sony yet after a few weeks, I'll have to call them again tomorrow.

I notice there is a new AT-1.11 available on the US Sony site, but the readme doesn't mention this problem. The new AT is for the F335/F355.

[Eugene Kosarovich]

Just wanted to post an update on this. I updated to AT 1.11, and tested my EZ Focus again. No change from what I was getting before, but...

Now I am able to quantify the issue better, and I think maybe I've figured it out...

It may not be a bug as much as a feature limitation.

I discovered that it does work correctly in dark situations. But if there is any bright area in the shot, then it starts doing the pulsing that I described.

So maybe this is just due to a lower dynamic range in the F335 than in my DSR-300A? Cause I never had this limitation in my DSR-300A when I used this function.

So, unless I hear back from Sony, I will go with this as the explaination. And since I now know what situations I can use it under where it will work, I shall.

[Greg Boston]

Eugene, is it possible that you have the TLCS enabled as well. Going back to the original post, it sounds as if EZ Focus and TLCS might be fighting each other over who gets to use the shutter and iris.

Not sure, but just thinking out loud.

-gb-

[Eugene Kosarovich]

Yeah, it does sound like something like that, but no, I've never had the TLCS on.