Infinity Focus issue

[Dan Cook]

I've got a Sony HC5 HD camera and I'm doing some testing. I threw it into infinity zoom mode and zoomed out it looks great. But zoomed in this was the result:

http://vimeo.com/3859155

Notice how it's completely out of focus? I checked the menu and it was still in infinity mode. That's not normal is it?

 

[Dennis Sherrod]

I am not sure, but have you tried to zoom in and then go to infinity focus and then zoom out. See if this may make a difference.

 

[Dan Cook]

No change. Still fuzzy.

 

[Dennis Sherrod]

Sorry, I am lost now.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Try a subject that is distant - infinity focus by definition shouldn't work on close-up subjects. When you're zoomed in on that camera, the DOF at infinity probably begins a hundred feet or so from the camera (just a wild guess). Anything close should probably be on auto or manual. On a storm you probably won't have this problem though, since it is a distant subject.

 

[Lanny Dean]

I've got a Sony HC5 HD camera and I'm doing some testing. I threw it into infinity zoom mode and zoomed out it looks great. But zoomed in this was the result:

http://vimeo.com/3859155

Notice how it's completely out of focus? I checked the menu and it was still in infinity mode. That's not normal is it?

Dan, this appears to be a back focus issue...when I was still in the media as a one man band, I had this issue all the time with the DVC pros and some of the later Canon's (prosumer models) XL1, XL2, and even the GL2.
I also had the same issue with the panisonic 3CCD HD straight out of the box I purchased this year. (which I had to return to factory)
These "prosumer" cameras have no real adjustments for backfocusing issues, hence my returning the camera to the factory. After "re-adjusting"
the lens (by replacing the surface mount board) and "adjusting" the infinity settings, Panasonic sent my camera back to me. I have had no issues with it since. Of course I am not saying that you are having the same problem as I did, but interestingly enough, my CDDS (all 3 colors) are Sony made/products.

As far as the DOF, depending on your camcorders lens, your DOF will change accordingly as your distance to subject changes...this is where my cam was giving me issues with trying to use the infinity focus and the cam not responding correctly.
The correct procedure for setting backfocus (if this was a true manual adjustable/removable lens) can be found here: http://www.mediacollege.com/video/camera/focus/back-focus.html

I understand it does not really help you out in this case but it should give you some ideas and you may need to contact Sony.
Just my thoughts.

BTW, if you get a chance, please contact me via-email or pm.....

 

[Dan Cook]

Try a subject that is distant - infinity focus by definition shouldn't work on close-up subjects. When you're zoomed in on that camera, the DOF at infinity probably begins a hundred feet or so from the camera (just a wild guess). Anything close should probably be on auto or manual. On a storm you probably won't have this problem though, since it is a distant subject.

You were right; zoomed out at a more distant target and all was well.

 

[Mikey Gribble]

I was up at Best Buy the other day looking at new video cameras (I've already researched them a lot online, but I'm lost when it comes to the technical side of things). I had a VX2100, which I paid about $2,500 for when I bought it. It worked great, but I decided I wasn't going to spend a couple grand more to upgrade on my next camera because I just didn't see enough quality improvement in the video to justify it when compared to the lower end $1,000 cameras. It's time to retire the VX2100 now...
I am pretty set on getting either the HDR-SR10
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs...RSR10&catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs...10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921665736696

or on getting the HDR-XR100
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs...10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921665736704

I obviously had infinity focus on my VX2100, which I forgot to set btw on Monday and recorded a rain drop on my screen instead of the tornado, but that's neither here nor there. Do these lower end cameras have infinity focus or just auto focus? Are you just screwed if you get a rain drop on the screen and don't know it, because that is what the girl at Best Buy kept telling me. I have a hard time believing that's the case, but I'm not smart enough to figure it out on my own.If anybody has any advice on which camera they would go with I would LOVE to hear it.

 

[CraigFisher]

I have researched and purshased the 100 for my department. They have auto and manual focus.