Is X5 auto focus full time?

AerialPhoto123.com · Sep 26, 2016

I'm using the 45MM lens on my X5. If I set focus on an object in the foreground by tapping the object on the screen, should I expect the lens to automatically focus on the background once I raise altitude above the object and the object goes out of view? It does not do this. I'm in auto focus mode on the go app.

Thanks in advance for any answers, advice or tips.

DennisR · Sep 26, 2016

AerialPhoto123.com said:
I'm using the 45MM lens on my X5. If I set focus on an object in the foreground by tapping the object on the screen, should I expect the lens to automatically focus on the background once I raise altitude above the object and the object goes out of view? It does not do this. I'm in auto focus mode on the go app.

Thanks in advance for any answers, advice or tips.

No auto focus at all. Thats why you have touch screen. It allows you to pull focus like a normal camera.

InterMurph · Sep 26, 2016

DennisR said:
No auto focus at all. Thats why you have touch screen. It allows you to pull focus like a normal camera.

"No auto focus at all" is misleading, because of the terminology problems here.

The X5 absolutely has "autofocus". You engage it by touching the screen; the camera will focus the lens on the object(s) in that part of the image.

What the X5 does not have, and what this poster is asking about, is "continuous autofocus". If there is one feature I would love to see on the X5, it is Canon's Dual Pixel Autofocus for video. I have two cameras with this (7D Mark II and 5D Mark IV), and it is incredible; it blows away every other camera's continuous autofocus in video.

Canon has licensed this feature to Samsung, so there is no reason it couldn't be licensed to DJI. It would require a new sensor, but that would be a remarkable upgrade.

AeroMirage · Sep 26, 2016

The X5 will focus very well on close objects by toughing the screen. If you will be videoing objects with varying distance, set it to MF and to infinity. It does well there. For stills, I focus most shots for optimum sharpness.

DennisR · Sep 26, 2016

InterMurph said:
"No auto focus at all" is misleading, because of the terminology problems here.

The X5 absolutely has "autofocus". You engage it by touching the screen; the camera will focus the lens on the object(s) in that part of the image.

What the X5 does not have, and what this poster is asking about, is "continuous autofocus". If there is one feature I would love to see on the X5, it is Canon's Dual Pixel Autofocus for video. I have two cameras with this (7D Mark II and 5D Mark IV), and it is incredible; it blows away every other camera's continuous autofocus in video.

Canon has licensed this feature to Samsung, so there is no reason it couldn't be licensed to DJI. It would require a new sensor, but that would be a remarkable upgrade.

I get that he was asking if it had auto focus without touching it which as you say, does not. It think its strange how people think having a drone means they are now photographers. I have the Mark 3 but will be buying the 1DXmark 2 today in fact. The mark 4 is no good to me as the crop factor is 1.7. I need wide angle. the 1DX2 has a crop factor of 1.3 in 4k which is still a bummer but I can get around that with a canon lens 11-24.

InterMurph · Sep 27, 2016

DennisR said:
The mark 4 is no good to me as the crop factor is 1.7. I need wide angle. the 1DX2 has a crop factor of 1.3 in 4k which is still a bummer but I can get around that with a canon lens 11-24.

That crop factor is for 4K video only; 1080p uses the full sensor.

I gave up on Canon for video a while ago, and I now mostly use the Sony A7S II and A7R II for video. Canon's dual pixel feature is great, but not good enough to overcome the incredible image-quality advantage that Sony has.

DennisR · Sep 27, 2016

InterMurph said:
That crop factor is for 4K video only; 1080p uses the full sensor.

I gave up on Canon for video a while ago, and I now mostly use the Sony A7S II and A7R II for video. Canon's dual pixel feature is great, but not good enough to overcome the incredible image-quality advantage that Sony has.

First time I have heard that. The Sony is too small a form factor for me. I doubt clients would take me seriously with what looks like a toy camera. I guess the best thing is to have both. The Canon and the Sony.

InterMurph · Sep 27, 2016

If you show up with a Sony, the client will think that ysill be getting some amazing-quality video. They won't care about the size.

DennisR · Sep 27, 2016

InterMurph said:
If you show up with a Sony, the client will think that ysill be getting some amazing-quality video. They won't care about the size.

Have you ever done a tv commercial with real clients?

InterMurph · Sep 27, 2016

DennisR said:
Have you ever done a tv commercial with real clients?

No.

Have you done commercials with a 5D? I can't imagine the soft video they produce would be acceptable for TV.

Or did I misunderstand something?

DennisR · Sep 27, 2016

InterMurph said:
No.

Have you done commercials with a 5D? I can't imagine the soft video they produce would be acceptable for TV.

Or did I misunderstand something?

There you go then.
If you went to a business with a toy looking camera and asked for $3000 to shoot a tv commercial you would be laughed at. What you forget about is most tv ads are in SD only and even if presented in HD, they are converted for tv. There is no 4k on television. I don't see any soft video in my mark 3 but the DR has its limitations. It is also meant to be sharpened in post. The truth is we have been shooting HD for 10 years and its only the last 6 months there is HD content in this country. If I went with the Sony, I would have to pimp it out with matt box and rails etc to give the clients the impression it was a pro cam.

InterMurph · Sep 28, 2016

Sorry, but I don't see how the Sony A7S II is "a toy looking camera" but the 5D Mark III is not. They are not that much different in size, particularly with a large lens attached.

But I'm not a professional, so I don't have to care about appearances, and I can just focus on results.

DennisR · Sep 28, 2016

InterMurph said:
Sorry, but I don't see how the Sony A7S II is "a toy looking camera" but the 5D Mark III is not. They are not that much different in size, particularly with a large lens attached.

But I'm not a professional, so I don't have to care about appearances, and I can just focus on results.

The mark 3 is also small, but it is twice the size of the Sony. You are right. if you are not pro then you can use an iPhone if you like. The results I need are in my pocket. Thats the important thing. The results you get don't matter. The results I get go on television and I get paid well for it. Thats the bottom line. Im not saying the Sony isn't better, Im just saying it looks like a toy to clients.

Cgland · Oct 1, 2016

I'd like to think clients would hire you based on your reputation and portfolio, not your equipment

The Shadow · Oct 1, 2016

Ego trips here! agree with Cgland. Actual proof and professionalism go a long way. Is it not what you got but how you use it?

Panamedia · Oct 1, 2016

Does this look like client would think cheap?

sony

Panamedia
Oct 1, 2016

Cgland · Oct 1, 2016

Nice rig

Ralph thompson · Oct 1, 2016

If you have have a compatible AF lens on the X5, its switched to AF and you are flying with the GoApp, then the lens will auto focus without having to touch the screen. You can touch the screen using the green square on a high contrast subject to be safe (think hyper-focal distance when doing this) . However third party Apps cannot control focus because DJI does not allow this through their SDK. I mainly use a third party App and I have to control focus manually with the long touch on my iPad before starting a mission.

davidjmurray · Oct 1, 2016

Ralph thompson said:
If you have have a compatible AF lens on the X5, its switched to AF and you are flying with the GoApp, then the lens will auto focus without having to touch the screen.

Really? Sounds like you are describing continuous autofocus behavior. I'd love to have this feature available. But I have never seen my X5 do this with any of my lenses (Oly 12, 25, 45mm and the DJI 15). When the GoApp is set to AF, they all readily focus on the location I tap on the screen, but I have never seen them change focus on their own during flight and/or while shooting video or stills. In fact, when shooting wide area videos, I usually focus the lens at the hyperfocal distance at the start of a flight by hovering at the appropriate height with the lens pointed straight down and tapping on a high contrast target on the ground, and then leave it focused there. I don't bother to switch the GoApp focus setting out of AF mode (in case I decide I want to change focus during flight), and the lens remains focused exactly at the distance that I set it, This would not work if the camera were continuously autofocusing. So your statement makes me wonder if there's a GoApp setting I've been missing over my +/- 100hrs of i1Pro flying. Please explain!

DennisR · Oct 1, 2016

Cgland said:
I'd like to think clients would hire you based on your reputation and portfolio, not your equipment

Yes.. and they do. obviously you have never done a pro job either and wouldn't know. The 2000 plus tv commercials I have done speak of my work. The truth is clients do take us at image value. Its the same as turning up in a crap car. It shows that a person is not successful so one would have little chance of getting the job.