Z1 focus... seems a tad soft! at DVinfo.net

Blake Cavett · January 7th, 2009, 11:44 AM

Maybe it's my eyes (I wear glasses!) or the viewfinder is wacky... but in some (not all) of my video the subject matter seems a bit soft. I use peaking to fine tune it. Anyone have any issues with their Z1 or is this just an operator issue?

David Moody · January 7th, 2009, 12:28 PM

I have noticed the same thing with my FX1. Soft focus compared to footage from my HV20.

Vito DeFilippo · January 7th, 2009, 01:31 PM

I know the back focus on mine isn't great. So you can really use the 'zoom in, focus, zoom out' technique. Wish I had realized it before the warranty was out )-:

But other than that, it's fine.

Michael Liebergot · January 7th, 2009, 04:32 PM

What is your sharpness set to in your active preset.

Or are you not using any custom presets (Custom Preset on OFF)?

Blake Cavett · January 7th, 2009, 10:33 PM

Sharpness is at 11 to 12.

Bill Rankin · January 8th, 2009, 08:20 AM

On my Z1 I found that taping in HDV I MUST use manual focus because if your subject is just a little off dead center they (the subject) can become soft. When taping in DV with auto focus I don't have a problem.

Boyd Ostroff · January 8th, 2009, 01:22 PM

This seems odd, but I think the lighting/color/contrast of the subject affects the apparent sharpness. I shoot performances and the lighting is often terrible for video. But I have seen a number of examples where a person's face looks out of focus, but a piece of scenery right next to them looks sharp. Maybe it's just me, but I don't think so because I've seen it happen many times. The problem seems especially bad for dark skinned individuals in situations where their faces are not lit very well.

Anybody else notice this, or am I just getting a little goofy?...

Vito DeFilippo · January 8th, 2009, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boyd Ostroff

Anybody else notice this, or am I just getting a little goofy?...

I've noticed this, Boyd. I wonder if it's the skin tone settings in the picture profiles that's smoothing out these areas, making them less sharp.

Boyd Ostroff · January 12th, 2009, 01:41 PM

Well I have that turned off, but maybe it's always there to a certain degree? Seems more likely that it's just the codec struggling to work under poor lighting conditions.

Aric Mannion · January 14th, 2009, 09:20 AM

Wait, where are you seeing this problem? Are you watching it on a monitor or a computer? If you're looking at on the computer what are you viewing it through and is it pro res or HDV?

January 7th, 2009, 11:44 AM	#1
Blake Cavett Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Madison Posts: 330	Z1 focus... seems a tad soft! Maybe it's my eyes (I wear glasses!) or the viewfinder is wacky... but in some (not all) of my video the subject matter seems a bit soft. I use peaking to fine tune it. Anyone have any issues with their Z1 or is this just an operator issue?

January 7th, 2009, 01:31 PM	#3
Vito DeFilippo Trustee Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Montreal, Quebec Posts: 1,585	I know the back focus on mine isn't great. So you can really use the 'zoom in, focus, zoom out' technique. Wish I had realized it before the warranty was out )-: But other than that, it's fine. __________________ . http://www.nosmallroles.com

January 7th, 2009, 04:32 PM	#4
Michael Liebergot Trustee Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,505	What is your sharpness set to in your active preset. Or are you not using any custom presets (Custom Preset on OFF)? __________________ Michael www.lvpvideo.com

January 8th, 2009, 08:20 AM	#6
Bill Rankin Major Player Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 433	On my Z1 I found that taping in HDV I MUST use manual focus because if your subject is just a little off dead center they (the subject) can become soft. When taping in DV with auto focus I don't have a problem. __________________ Bill Rankin

January 7th, 2009, 12:28 PM	#2
David Moody Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 86	I have noticed the same thing with my FX1. Soft focus compared to footage from my HV20.

January 7th, 2009, 10:33 PM	#5
Blake Cavett Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Madison Posts: 330	Sharpness is at 11 to 12.

January 8th, 2009, 01:22 PM	#7
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,802	This seems odd, but I think the lighting/color/contrast of the subject affects the apparent sharpness. I shoot performances and the lighting is often terrible for video. But I have seen a number of examples where a person's face looks out of focus, but a piece of scenery right next to them looks sharp. Maybe it's just me, but I don't think so because I've seen it happen many times. The problem seems especially bad for dark skinned individuals in situations where their faces are not lit very well. Anybody else notice this, or am I just getting a little goofy?...

January 12th, 2009, 01:41 PM	#9
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,802	Well I have that turned off, but maybe it's always there to a certain degree? Seems more likely that it's just the codec struggling to work under poor lighting conditions.

January 14th, 2009, 09:20 AM	#10
Aric Mannion Major Player Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 616	Wait, where are you seeing this problem? Are you watching it on a monitor or a computer? If you're looking at on the computer what are you viewing it through and is it pro res or HDV?