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Videography and Hyperfocal Distance

Joined
Jan 17, 2019
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I thought when I got into drone photography I'd be satisfied with photography and not videography. I'm a competetnt, not professional nor great photographer. However, I've been tinkering with video, and wonder if this is accepted practice or just a lazy man's approach to 'focus'. I've fiddled with the AF on the X5 and X5s and quite honestly not that impressed with AF, especially in the world of DSLR's continuous focus long time available. AF not bad, but slow, and requires a manual intervention as we know.

To the point, I've been using a 45 mm lens to fool around with on the X5 and seems that using the hyperfocal length and manual focus (leaving MF alone) a reasonably good way to keep things sharp, and keep the lens in its sweet spot. While this may be a DUH to all but me, is there any place on this forum where 'tips and techniques' are a forum unto themselves. E.g. I just read a good one on setting WB in the air, rather than using the presets. If this is a silly post, trash it, but I know from experience on other venue forums that many users have tips and techniques that are great.
 
I thought when I got into drone photography I'd be satisfied with photography and not videography. I'm a competetnt, not professional nor great photographer. However, I've been tinkering with video, and wonder if this is accepted practice or just a lazy man's approach to 'focus'. I've fiddled with the AF on the X5 and X5s and quite honestly not that impressed with AF, especially in the world of DSLR's continuous focus long time available. AF not bad, but slow, and requires a manual intervention as we know.

To the point, I've been using a 45 mm lens to fool around with on the X5 and seems that using the hyperfocal length and manual focus (leaving MF alone) a reasonably good way to keep things sharp, and keep the lens in its sweet spot. While this may be a DUH to all but me, is there any place on this forum where 'tips and techniques' are a forum unto themselves. E.g. I just read a good one on setting WB in the air, rather than using the presets. If this is a silly post, trash it, but I know from experience on other venue forums that many users have tips and techniques that are great.
 
I've fiddled with the AF on the X5 and X5s and quite honestly not that impressed with AF...

Amen to that. If you're not diligent - REALLY diligent - you can be left "holding the bag" when the footage comes back "soft." Maddening. This is especially prevalent in low-light situations. There's a huge disconnect between the sharp 4K footage you're actually shooting, and the stripped down version you see on your iPad. It's **** maddening that one could actually be out of focus, and not see it on the 720p iPad footage. As you have discovered, if you leave AF to its own devices, at some point you will be sorely disappointed.



To the point, I've been using a 45 mm lens to fool around with on the X5 and seems that using the hyperfocal length and manual focus (leaving MF alone) a reasonably good way to keep things sharp, and keep the lens in its sweet spot. While this may be a DUH to all but me, is there any place on this forum where 'tips and techniques' are a forum unto themselves.

I found "focus assist" VERY helpful. Those red lines are a good safety net. I highly recommend it.


E.g. I just read a good one on setting WB in the air, rather than using the presets.

NEVER use AWB. There are good starting points (like 5600K daylight, 4200 moonlight, 7000K cloud cover) etc. But ultimately these should be adjusted mid flight.

I have two construction clients that I generally shoot on the same day. It's the strangest thing, but client #1 everything always looks too warm, and client #2 (shot literally 30 minutes later on the same settings) seems too cool. Unfortunately, the waypoint program I use doesn't allow me to adjust WB dynamically, so I just fix it in post.

So, yeah...for cinematography, I believe your environment has a LOT to do with your WB decisions...and can only be assessed from the air.



If this is a silly post, trash it, but I know from experience on other venue forums that many users have tips and techniques that are great.

Not silly at all. Hopefully, I have given you some useful information.

D
 
Your info spot on, and much appreciated. I wish that I could program a manual focus wheel C1 or C2, but I just checked the Go 4 app and no such parameter. I have used peak focusing on my Sony, mirrorless DSLR's and it's very effective, so I use it on the Inspires, but the 'slider' on the 7.5 Ultra Crystal Sky, maybe it's the screen protector, not that responsive IMO. I'm really so new to this and just tended to play with the Phantoms and never seriously considered a fixed focus camera worthy of anything other than 'fooling around'; yet, they do a pretty decent job as the hyperfocal length seems to go from inches to infinity LOL.

I've got the 45mm Olympus on the I1/X5 and the 25 mm Olympus on the I2. I likely need a 12-18 (have to look what fits) as a prime. Oh, have the pancake model of the 14-42 where the zoom is indeed controlled by the Go 4 app, but I'm a prime lens snob so don't take it too seriously, but it's really not a bad lens.Oddly, due to its geometry the 14-42 pancake does not fit on the X5, so no option there.

As I said, I'm a barely competent but not expert DSLR photographer and much applies to drones, but videography have no expertise but fooling around I'm slowly becoming hooked on its possibilities. I've also learned why I could never be a pilot as aireborne I easily lose my sense of where I am, even tho' have lived in neighborhood for almost 25 years, at altitude it all looks so different. Thank goodness for maps, visual, and RTH lol.
 
I wish that I could program a manual focus wheel C1 or C2, but I just checked the Go 4 app and no such parameter.

Yep. And unfortunately you can't even count on ∞ either. I find sharp focus is just slightly short of ∞. Maddening.


I have used peak focusing on my Sony, mirrorless DSLR's

Not to pick nits, but there's no such thing as a "mirrorless DSLR." Without a mirror, there's nothing to "reflex."...<;^)




and it's very effective, so I use it on the Inspires, but the 'slider' on the 7.5 Ultra Crystal Sky, maybe it's the screen protector, not that responsive IMO. I'm really so new to this and just tended to play with the Phantoms and never seriously considered a fixed focus camera worthy of anything other than 'fooling around'; yet, they do a pretty decent job as the hyperfocal length seems to go from inches to infinity LOL.

My aerial photography paradigms are very different from ground shooting. In the air, I LIKE the fixed focus. For aerial, I actually prefer the X3 to the X5. Without a third guy pulling focus, the X5 scares the bejesus out me - especially on set.



As I said, I'm a barely competent but not expert DSLR photographer and much applies to drones...

Yep. Having a good working knowledge of photography will put you ahead of the game. I've always maintained that it's better to be a photographer/cinematographer who can pilot a drone as opposed to a drone pilot who can take photos.



, but videography have no expertise but fooling around I'm slowly becoming hooked on its possibilities. I've also learned why I could never be a pilot as aireborne I easily lose my sense of where I am, even tho' have lived in neighborhood for almost 25 years, at altitude it all looks so different. Thank goodness for maps, visual, and RTH lol.

Yep...I cut my drone teeth on the Phantom 1. ZERO telemetry. More than once I got "lost" up there and almost didn't make it home!!

I almost forgot... Calibrate the camera. If you're lucky, ∞ will actually focus as ∞.

D
 

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