3x wide!

[John Benton]

I recently started using the 3x wide on my XL-H1...
(I know, I know, wait...)
Specifically because I use a 35mm adapter (letusxlflip) for most everything I shoot
and this is GREAT, until you go Wide. As some of you know, a still lens below 35mm (like a 24mm for ex) just doesn't have the wherewithall to go wide. It works great with an obj in the forground but not for a basic wide shot (like an establishing)
AND
The 3x Lens, as some people have said, is not as sharp as the HD lens.
This is a Good Thing, however, because I am mixing it with 35mm footage. (35mm combined with regular stock lens needs work in post to match up...ie taking the sharpness down from the stock HD)
So it works,
AND, I got a great price on eBay....

The 3x is quite great in Low Light...BUT
The problem is that in low light the auto focus cant find itself, so it starts jumping around trying to find focus.

Has any one experienced this?
Is it something I can send to Canon Repair to solve (there is no warantee)

Thanks,
J

[Chris Hurd]

Hi John,

AF works by measuring the difference in contrast between hard edges within the frame (vertical edges are best). In most low light situations, there simply isn't enough contrast available in the image for AF to work properly. Therefore, low light situations have always been the undoing of AF. You could send your lens in to Canon, but I'm pretty sure they'll tell you that it's working properly. In low light situations, AF should be turned off and focus is best set manually. Hope this helps,

[John Benton]

Thank You Chris,
I had a feeling that something like this was going on.

Also, part of my post is a rejoice, in as far as I found a great way to work with 35mm & a wide Stock lens (SD) that has more than adequate results

Thanks for your promp reply,
J

[Tony Davies-Patrick]

I'm glad that you are enjoying the 3X SD lens on your H1 John.

As Chris has mentioned, autofocus has both negative and positive aspects...when it works it can be a great help, but when it doesn't - such as with low contrast subjects or in low light levels - it can be a real headache.
Just set the lens to manual whenever you are shooting footage where the AF begins to 'hunt'. The free-spinning manual focus ring on the Canon 3X lens is not as good as using the better-handling focus ring on a full-manual lens, but it will at least get you out of sticky situations when the AF can't cope.

[Robert Sanders]

I love the 3x lens. I use it a lot. I'm looking forward to the 6x lens in the near future.

[John Benton]

Robert,
Thanks, It was some of your posts that led me to use it, and again
Mixing the 35mm footage with the 3x wide somehow works better than both the stock lens and is a better wide than a 24mm