Panasonic AG-DVX200PJ Tech Brief - Volume 5 - Page 4

Using °e Autofocus System, Customizing °e Autofocus System

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to provide sharp focus on a large high-resolution sensor. Furthermore, when the elements are brought to a halt, the unit employs vibration dampening to ensure that the lens elements are brought to a perfectly smooth, complete stop, with no wobbling or shi ing. Using the Micro Drive Focus Unit, Panasonic has attempted to optimize the focus system to meet three general goals: 1. Fast focus speed 2. Stable focus (meaning, once it locks on a subject, there should be little to no "hunting") 3. Accurate tracking (meaning, as a subject moves closer to or further from the camera, the focus system should track it e ectively and should not lose focus. Using e Autofocus System Autofocus is not generally the rst choice professional videographers reach for; rather it is something that might be relied upon in a fast-moving, fast-changing environment when there are too many tasks to keep track of. But the autofocus system o ers several bene ts even for the manual focus shooter. First and foremost, autofocus is able to see and discern details that are di cult for a human operator to observe, especially when using the built-in LCD monitor or view nder. Small errors in focus may be easily visible on, say, a 24" production monitor, but may not be easily discerned on a 4.3" LCD panel. However, the autofocus system sees and discerns every pixel; accordingly, it may be able to make more precise judgements than a human operator could. For a static shot, you might just ask autofocus to set the focus for you (by using the Push Auto button). Additionally, autofocus can be used to establish or track focus on something as routine as a sitdown interview. Using the Area Focus function, the operator can assign an area of the screen to concentrate on (such as where the interview subject's face is); the autofocus system can then attempt to keep track of the subject while she may shi or move in the chair, moves that might cause the subject to move out of the depth of eld of the lens's focal plane. Finally, autofocus might be asked to cope with more complex tasks, such as lming a football game or a live event or wedding dance. ese varied events might require a di erent approach from each other; for example, the football game might require lightning-quick response, whereas the wedding dance might be best served by ignoring much of the eld of view and concentrating solely on the couple in the center. To cope with the wide variety of scenarios the autofocus system might be tasked with, Panasonic made the system programmable and customizable. Customizing e Autofocus System Recognizing the obvious reality that a sit-down interview might bene t from a very di erent type of autofocus than a football game, Panasonic has provided several ways to customize the autofocus system, to make it more suitable for any given situation, including: 4

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to provide sharp focus on a large high-resolution sensor.
Furthermore, when the elements are
brought to a halt, the unit employs vibration dampening to ensure that the lens elements are
brought to a perfectly smooth, complete stop, with no wobbling or shiſting.
Using the Micro Drive Focus Unit, Panasonic has attempted to optimize the focus system to
meet three general goals:
1. Fast focus speed
2. Stable focus (meaning, once it locks on a subject, there should be little to no “hunting”)
3. Accurate tracking (meaning, as a subject moves closer to or further from the camera,
the focus system should track it effectively and should not lose focus.
Using °e Autofocus System
Autofocus is not generally the first choice professional videographers reach for; rather it is some-
thing that might be relied upon in a fast-moving, fast-changing environment when there are too
many tasks to keep track of.
But the autofocus system offers several benefits even for the manual
focus shooter.
First and foremost, autofocus is able to see and discern details that are diffi
cult for a human
operator to observe, especially when using the built-in LCD monitor or viewfinder.
Small errors
in focus may be easily visible on, say, a 24” production monitor, but may not be easily discerned
on a 4.3” LCD panel.
However, the autofocus system sees and discerns every pixel; accordingly,
it may be able to make more precise judgements than a human operator could.
For a static shot,
you might just ask autofocus to set the focus for you (by using the Push Auto button).
Additionally, autofocus can be used to establish or track focus on something as routine as a sit-
down interview.
Using the Area Focus function, the operator can assign an area of the screen
to concentrate on (such as where the interview subject’s face is); the autofocus system can then
attempt to keep track of the subject while she may shiſt
or move in the chair, moves that might
cause the subject to move out of the depth of field of the lens’s focal plane.
Finally, autofocus might be asked to cope with more complex tasks, such as filming a football
game or a live event or wedding dance.
°ese varied events might require a different approach
from each other; for example, the football game might require lightning-quick response, where-
as the wedding dance might be best served by ignoring much of the field of view and concen-
trating solely on the couple in the center.
To cope with the wide variety of scenarios the autofo-
cus system might be tasked with, Panasonic made the system programmable and customizable.
Customizing °e Autofocus System
Recognizing the obvious reality that a sit-down interview might benefit from a very different
type of autofocus than a football game, Panasonic has provided several ways to customize the
autofocus system, to make it more suitable for any given situation, including:
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