Autofocus speed

indianajoe · Jan 15, 2017

For those of you flying this camera, how fast and accurate is the AF? Is it suitable for sports or other action events?

amorrison · Jan 18, 2017

Not sure how to answer this. There is no parallel to a modern dslr ai or predictive focus for sports. But then I can't see how you would need this either. Unless you were really close to the action. The focus is a one shot type that takes about a quarter second or so to lock in. You would need to position yourself so the action was not approaching or receding from the camera, or at least within the depth of field of the lens. In bright light prefocus and shoot at higher F stops. Hope this helps...keeping the shutter speed high enough to stop the action.

Sent from my iPad using InspirePilots

indianajoe · Jan 18, 2017

Thanks for the reply. Sounds like contrast-detection, which is what I was expecting. More for set shots or traps like you mentioned, where you know the distance and can pre-focus ahead of time. Good to know...

Sent from my iPad using InspirePilots

jmkreege · Jan 18, 2017

No servo/continuous function here, and you are looking at contrast. I haven't seen specs on the number of points or the coverage area but based on my experience so far, both numbers will be lower than you'd expect

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

Inspire1vision · Jan 18, 2017

Manual focus is an option too, and works with the hand wheel whenever they finally start shipping them.

Sent from my iPad using InspirePilots

Rotofan · Jan 19, 2017

amorrison said:
Not sure how to answer this. There is no parallel to a modern dslr ai or predictive focus for sports. But then I can't see how you would need this either. Unless you were really close to the action. The focus is a one shot type that takes about a quarter second or so to lock in. You would need to position yourself so the action was not approaching or receding from the camera, or at least within the depth of field of the lens. In bright light prefocus and shoot at higher F stops. Hope this helps...keeping the shutter speed high enough to stop the action.

Sent from my iPad using InspirePilots

I am

jmkreege said:
No servo/continuous function here, and you are looking at contrast. I haven't seen specs on the number of points or the coverage area but based on my experience so far, both numbers will be lower than you'd expect

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

I am new to the Inspire line but what I am seeing on my first flight is continuous AF unlike the Inspire 1 from what I have read. Am I wrong? Reviewing my video I had AF on, focused on a pasture gate, increased altitude and it seemed to AF on the fly?? There are times where I can see in the video focus adjustment going on without me tapping on the screen. I will try again with a 45mm lens as it should be more obvious.

amorrison · Jan 19, 2017

Rotofan said:
I am

I am new to the Inspire line but what I am seeing on my first flight is continuous AF unlike the Inspire 1 from what I have read. Am I wrong? Reviewing my video I had AF on, focused on a pasture gate, increased altitude and it seemed to AF on the fly?? There are times where I can see in the video focus adjustment going on without me tapping on the screen. I will try again with a 45mm lens as it should be more obvious.

There is a timed AF in the Mavic where it Autofocuses like it's on an interval timer ever so many seconds, but I have not seen this with the I2... it is not a continuous focus like some camcorders have though. You would have to be shooting pretty close up to need this kind of focus and for that there is the dji manual focus puller accessory.

Sent from my iPad using InspirePilots

Rotofan · Jan 19, 2017

amorrison said:
There is a timed AF in the Mavic where it Autofocuses like it's on an interval timer ever so many seconds, but I have not seen this with the I2... it is not a continuous focus like some camcorders have though. You would have to be shooting pretty close up to need this kind of focus and for that there is the dji manual focus puller accessory.

Sent from my iPad using InspirePilots

Thank you for the response. It did seem like it was not continuous but rather I was flying around and saw an AF adjustment. Maybe it's a feature picked up from the Mavic.

sparkworld · Mar 25, 2017

This is one of my biggest complaints with the system is that there is no continuous autofocus. So if you are close to an object and go up in the air for a distant focus you have the pumping action of the find focus every time you tap on the screen or hit C2. If you set your lens at a decent f stop you can compensate for this with a wide depth of field but if you are in low light with the lens set at wide open then you are stuck with this dilemma. I may try my hand at the focus assist mode in manual focus, although flying and focusing are tricky while making sure your composition is still good.
Which leads to my second "c'mon" which is the lack of waypoints and the DJI's disabling of autopilot by auto flight logic (Now Hanger). Once you master this program you can let go of flying and just focus on the craft of videography. And repeat it perfectly again and again. Phenomenal piece of cheap software that is hard to fly without now that I'm addicted. Bit of a learning curve but then so is flying these amazing drones.

Thatius Dudeson · Mar 27, 2017

sparkworld said:
This is one of my biggest complaints with the system is that there is no continuous autofocus. So if you are close to an object and go up in the air for a distant focus you have the pumping action of the find focus every time you tap on the screen or hit C2. If you set your lens at a decent f stop you can compensate for this with a wide depth of field but if you are in low light with the lens set at wide open then you are stuck with this dilemma. I may try my hand at the focus assist mode in manual focus, although flying and focusing are tricky while making sure your composition is still good.
Which leads to my second "c'mon" which is the lack of waypoints and the DJI's disabling of autopilot by auto flight logic (Now Hanger). Once you master this program you can let go of flying and just focus on the craft of videography. And repeat it perfectly again and again. Phenomenal piece of cheap software that is hard to fly without now that I'm addicted. Bit of a learning curve but then so is flying these amazing drones.

You could get the focus wheel, but that takes a second person, or third hand most times...

sparkworld · Mar 28, 2017

Thatius Dudeson said:
You could get the focus wheel, but that takes a second person, or third hand most times...

The trouble I have with visually focusing seems to be in the resolution of the screen. There were many times that I felt that either I was focused or wasn't and then found out I was wrong when I got it back in the studio. The focus assist seems promising (where the image is blown up) but that will take a lot of practice to do smoothly and still fly correctly. Which is why I hope that Autopilot is re-enabled soon.

NickU · Mar 28, 2017

You can also use focus peaking to help you judge focus - works for both photo & video.

Thatius Dudeson · Mar 28, 2017

NickU said:
You can also use focus peaking to help you judge focus - works for both photo & video.

Yes, this is what I do.... Can't miss those red outlines

sparkworld · Mar 28, 2017

My personal experience with focus peaking is that it's not very trustworthy. I'm now experimenting with assigning the C2 button as a autofocus reset button to see if the footage is as jerky as the screen seems to indicate it would be. How else can we go from subjects that are near to full infinity is the question that I'm struggling with and how to make that a reasonably smooth transition. And fly at the same time, of course. Seems like I'm talking myself into an assistant, or, to beat a dead horse, a working version of Auto Pilot.

deltalimatango · Apr 21, 2017

I have developed a sort of continuous tap sequence now when I fly as to always try to maintain some sort of focus. It can be annoying as there is no continuous focus but it is better than nothing at the moment.

Thatius Dudeson · Apr 21, 2017

Professionals use manual focus...

deltalimatango · Apr 21, 2017

Thatius Dudeson said:
Professionals use manual focus...

This comment is so ridiculous that one can only assume it to be a joke or the fact that you know zero point zero about photography. Try photographing a diving hawk and manually focus then post the results.

Thatius Dudeson · Apr 21, 2017

deltalimatango said:
This comment is so ridiculous that one can only assume it to be a joke or the fact that you know zero point zero about photography. Try photographing a diving hawk and manually focus then post the results.

Lol... okay buddy. Keep up that hobby, and I'll keep raking in loot.