Panasonic GH2 manual focus assist - rack focus - dSLR workflow

Jason Chan of BananaMana demonstrates a little feature of the new Panasonic GH2 - manual focus assist gauge.

This little gauge allows you to see your focal distance on your LCD screen. It would be even better if it had little markers on the line so we could rack focus more accurately. This could also be solved by moving the line down towards the bottom of the screen so we could mark the side of the screen with pencil for rack focusing.

"GH2 touch screen":

[dereknobuyuki]

I was wondering how to make that gauge more useful; Adding little digital markers sound like a great idea!!

Perhaps little slivers of sticky post-it notes could be applied to the screen but of course that wouldn't help me if i'm using the viewfinder.

[BananaManaTV]

@ucheucheuche That would be awesome. Even a few markers would be great. Apparently this guage is more accurate than marking anything on the lens focus wheel - because these automatic lenses aren't geared like the old manual lenses - so it's not accurate to mark focus settings on the focus wheel (thus even a manual rack focus system wouldn't work properly). If using manual follow focus system - then better to use a manual lens.

[BananaManaTV]

@samir0810 Absolutely - we use an adapter with a Nikon 50mm lens. This little film we made was mostly shot on the Nikon lens with an adapter: Matrix Parody Part 2 - BananaMana Films.

[BananaManaTV]

@dereknobuyuki Actually after using the GH2 alot we find that the viewfinder is the best way to focus. We use the viewfinder and manual focusing almost all the time now. Compared to other cameras (even some video cameras out there) the viewfinder has enough definition to do really fine focusing. The more I practice the faster and more accurate I get. I almost never use auto focus now. So although I thought I'd be using the gauge for rack focusing - in practice - I don't - I just do it manually.

[BananaManaTV]

@TheMusicianGirl100 Actually to use the touch screen you need to put it on afc or afs NOT MF. Then you should be able to touch the screen to get it to rack focus. The focus assist gauge should come up when you set it to MF and then use the MF ring on the kit lens. (NOTE: you have to be using one of the panasonic lenses).

[CharlesHenrySanson]

I really like your videos. Why not put a piece of tape along the bottom of screen to mark focus points?

[hamletcat]

@samir0810 Good idea - we actually really like the 14-42 lens - it's cheap and works great for video AND it's incredibly light. Don't forget to use the ex-tele mode. I program one of the function buttons to turn it on and off easily and then your 14-42 becomes a 28-84 lens (equivalent of 55-160)

[BananaManaTV]

@dereknobuyuki Actually after using the gh2 a lot I'm so used to manual focus using just sight that I don't think I'll ever really use the gauge. I never even use auto focus anymore - you just get used to fast manual focusing - just takes a little practice.

[samir]

@BananaManaTV Thank you very much :) What does the guy above mean? He talked about turning a button off and making the lens 55-160. Can I really zoom that much with a 14-42?!

[ucheucheuche]

@BananaManaTV
1. Panasonic should put some mm/cm/inches/feet/metres on that scale.
2. Add a distance(s) lock feature. Camera can then autofocus to a preset distance, so you don't have to.

That way you can rapid-rack-focus between two or three subjects.
:) Now that would be advantageous.

[TheMusicianGirl]

@BananaManaTV Thank you for the quick response! :) I dont know, the thing is I put the camera on MF and I would touch the screen to focus on the subject I wanted....but it just wouldn't work like it does on the tutorials I watch. And, yes, the manual focus gauge doesn't show up either. I think I am just lost....

[BananaManaTV]

@whole27 Then I think you should be looking at camcorders. dSLRs are very good at lots of things and what people like them for is the short DOF and generally bigger sensor. If you're doing more docu stuff and require greater focus and auto focus - then definitely get a camcorder. Which one will largely depend on your budget. The FS100 is supposed to be excellent!

[BananaManaTV]

@TheMusicianGirl100 Do you mean you can't Manual Focus? Or that the manual focus gauge doesn't show up?

[TheSara]

@BananaManaTV will those lenses be applaied to this GH2 model, or to the newer version?

[TheMusicianGirl]

Hi! Great video! I do have a question though. I'm a little confused....I put it on MF (manual focus) but it acted no different than in AFC. Basically I am still having issues with the focus assist gauge and the manual focus one can execute on the touchscreen. Can you please help me with this? Thank you :)

[BananaManaTV]

@Tallaias You definitely CANNOT do smooth zooms - this is because of the lens. Video cameras have motorized zooms - SLR cameras don't. However, Panasonic has announced new lenses they call "X" lenses. They should be out end of the year. These have motorized zooms!! Should be pretty cool - and should solve this problem while still allowing us to get the depth of field we love from dSLRs.

[rolfen]

Can you use the magnify focus assist work during recording as well (with manual focus lenses)?

[BananaManaTV]

@TheSara90 They can be used on any GH2 or even Gh1 I believe...

[BananaManaTV]

@R2FilmProductions - in response to your video about the correlation between the focus gauge and the focus wheel - we have repeated what you did in your video - and yes you're right it doesn't correspond! Damn automatic lenses.

[BananaManaTV]

@samir0810 No - touch screen rack focus will only work with panasonic lenses. Kit lens 14-140, 14-42 and the pancake.