Problem with Autofocus in the EX1

[Francois Dormoy]

I noted that the EX1 is very slow in focusing using the autofocus mode. Sometimes it does it with great diffficulties. Pushing the Push AF button doe snot help.
Have other users of the EX1 found the same problem ? What do do to solve it, apart from using manual focusing ?

[Buck Forester]

If I'm in auto focus mode and it doesn't snap into focus right away when I change focal points, I simply manually focus to get it in the right zone. The auto focus on the EX1 is not one of its strong points. Sometimes it does pretty good, other times no. I don't do any serious shooting in auto focus.

[Dave Morrison]

Originally Posted by Francois Dormoy

...doe snot help....

Doe snot will NOT help. Now, buck snot....that's different. ;-)

[Ted OMalley]

Originally Posted by Dave Morrison

Doe snot will NOT help. Now, buck snot....that's different. ;-)

Don't judge it so quickly - the whitetail doe snot has some peculiar properties that might prove beneficial.

[Buck Forester]

You guys making fun of bucks and does is not fawny.

[Dave Morrison]

You don't know the hoof of it.

[Ted OMalley]

That's it, I'm tailing.

[Tom Roper]

I'm laughing over my doe nots and coffee.

[Craig Seeman]

Oh deer!
(10 characters required!)

[Martin Drew]

The auto focus on the EX1 is very poor. It is extremely slow to reach focus when subject distance changes and once focus has been achieved it hunts, rhythmically going slightly in an out of focus until AF is switched off. I feel it is pretty much unusable.

I am surprised Sony haven't sorted this out. I can't believe that the design brief was to create a useless auto focus function so maybe there is a deeper reason within the lens design that makes auto focus implementation difficult, but Sony felt that not having the button would impact sales. It is possible that it is something which may be fixed in a future firmware update, but it seems like something quite obviously wrong so if they haven't fixed it already...

I wonder what AF is like on the EX3? If that is bad too then I wouldn't hold your breath for a fix on the EX1.

M

[Craig Seeman]

I think the auto focus has a very different function in the EX compared to other cameras (particularly consumer prosumer). The Vortex training DVD implies it. The slow auto focus means you can track a subject that is moving both in front of and behind other objects without it loosing the tracked subject. This might be typical of a sporting event for example. On the above DVD they have people passing behind trees I believe as the example.

It would be nice if it had a auto focus speed control though.

[Tom Roper]

Originally Posted by Craig Seeman

I think the auto focus has a very different function in the EX compared to other cameras (particularly consumer prosumer). The Vortex training DVD implies it. The slow auto focus means you can track a subject that is moving both in front of and behind other objects without it loosing the tracked subject. This might be typical of a sporting event for example. On the above DVD they have people passing behind trees I believe as the example.

It would be nice if it had a auto focus speed control though.

That's a great observation. I noticed while doing a nude shoot, the subject (my dog) remained in focus while she walked behind the trunk of a maple tree.

[Kevin Shaw]

Originally Posted by Martin Drew

I am surprised Sony haven't sorted this out. I can't believe that the design brief was to create a useless auto focus function so maybe there is a deeper reason within the lens design that makes auto focus implementation difficult...

My understanding is that the lens used on the EX1 was changed partway through the design process, so that may have thrown the autofocus engineers off course -- but that should still be resolved for those who appreciate the functioning autofocus on earlier Sony HD cameras.

[Martin Drew]

Originally Posted by Craig Seeman

I think the auto focus has a very different function in the EX compared to other cameras (particularly consumer prosumer). The Vortex training DVD implies it. The slow auto focus means you can track a subject that is moving both in front of and behind other objects without it loosing the tracked subject. This might be typical of a sporting event for example. On the above DVD they have people passing behind trees I believe as the example.

It would be nice if it had a auto focus speed control though.

Hmmm. Wonder if that is a bit of post rationalisation. If it were true I would expect the PUSH AF button to be really snappy, no reason for that to be tracking a moving subject, but it is just as sluggish. Also the manual specifically states that auto focus is activated each time it detects a change in the image. No mention of a delay for tracking subjects. I wonder if the Vortex DVD is just looking for a positive spin. There is no way I would use the EX1 auto focus for sporting events its way to slow.

In the manual it also says the adjustment is terminated when the subject comes into focus and stands by until the next change is detected. That isn't my experience. The AF seems to be constantly hunting so that even when it achieves focus on a well defined subject it doesn't stay there for long, it pulses slightly in and out of focus constantly. Not really useful for anything I can think of.

M

[Martin Drew]

Originally Posted by Kevin Shaw

My understanding is that the lens used on the EX1 was changed partway through the design process, so that may have thrown the autofocus engineers off course...

That would make a lot of sense Kevin. I wonder if the EX3 is any better.

M