Soft focus on AG-AC160
 

Hi

I posted the following on an other forum but didn't get so much help, so I try here on DVinfo also.

I think I have a problem that perhaps someone here on DVInfo can help me with.

I find the picture from my AG-AC160 soft on the wide side of the zoom range. I've tried a lot of different
settings but still, the picture is not as sharp as I expected from this camcorder. I have had it sent in for a
warranty repair where they adjusted back focus according to the documentation that came back with the camcorder after service.

As I wrote above, I find the picture soft at the wide end. I am also concerned about the distorted picture in the upper corners of the picture, and also in the lover corner to some extent. Below are links to four files. The distorted picture is best visible in clip 1.m2t and 3.m2t, where the leafs are very fuzzy, and in clip 4.m2t where the details on the tree is smeard out. Both sides are affected the same way but the right side is best visible on these clips.

All files are filmed with 50p and rendered as a 25i BluRay compatible file.

When zommed in, the picture gets sharper. Zoomed in a bit, I have nothing to complain about

If someone reading this and have some spare time, please feel free to download the files and comment if you find the pictures out of focus or if they are as sharp as one can expect. The files are between 50MB and 67MB.

The files and settings for each file was (all other settings default):

1.m2t https://secure2.storegate.com/Shares...8-3e4deabba295

DETAIL LEVEL +2
V DETAIL LEVEL +1
DETAIL CORING 0
CHROMA LEVEL +5
MASTER PED -2
GAMMA HD NORM
KNEE LOW
MATRIX NORM1
APERTURE F1.6
SHUTTER 1/120
FOCUS 19m

2.m2t https://secure2.storegate.com/Shares...b-e0bd8a1bd14e

DETAIL LEVEL +4
V DETAIL LEVEL +1
DETAIL CORING -2
CHROMA LEVEL +4
MASTER PED -2
GAMMA B.PRESS
KNEE LOW
MATRIX NORM1
APERTURE F2.0
SHUTTER 1/250
FOCUS 28m

3.m2t https://secure2.storegate.com/Shares...2-1e85a8fea48f

DETAIL LEVEL +2
V DETAIL LEVEL +1
DETAIL CORING -2
CHROMA LEVEL +4
MASTER PED -2
GAMMA B.PRESS
KNEE LOW
MATRIX NORM1
APERTURE F1.6
SHUTTER 1/500
FOCUS On the house

4.m2t https://secure2.storegate.com/Shares...7-8f992b3903c7

DETAIL LEVEL +2
V DETAIL LEVEL +1
DETAIL CORING -2
CHROMA LEVEL +1
MASTER PED -2
GAMMA B.PRESS
KNEE LOW
MATRIX NORM1
APERTURE F2.8
SHUTTER 1/60
FOCUS 19m

Is the sharpness as one can expect or do you think that there is something weird with the camcorder. I've read a lot of tests before buing, and most of them says that the lens is very good, so that's why I find the soft focus and the distorted corners wery odd.

Regards,

/Bo

Re: Soft focus on AG-AC160
 

Hi, I downloaded the files and will look at them closely. Back tomorrow with possible comments.

I have a problem myself with the distance meter on my AG-AC160A. - I posted a discussion on this but no takers yet.

The camera overstates the actual distance by as much as 13 meters at one point. My warranty runs out in 3 months. If I am able to confirm that this is a problem with my camera I will take it in for warranty service.

If you have the time please try to replicate my test.

Re: Soft focus on AG-AC160
 

What is curious here is that #1 seems to show more detail on the tree than #4, yet, if you look at the curtain at the shed, you can see the slats on #4 but not on #1.

My conclusion is it is very difficult to comment because the angles are different, different times of day, different settings.on the camera.

I think you should get a big focusing chart and run some controlled tests with as few variable changes as possible.

How about you find some target on the internet then we can both download it, run some tests at different zoom levels and compare results?

Re: Soft focus on AG-AC160
 

the distance complaint is no longer a complaint so it's off my list.

I found that Panasonic in the manual on page 94 actually warns that the distance meter under mm/m and mm/feet "may be in error", so no point pursuing this further.

If you do want to go a few rounds with me on soft focus, pick a chart that is on the Internet and I will try to mirror any measurements you make regarding zoom out focus.