EX autofocus issues: problem for (moving) handheld interviews?
 

Hi there,
I often shoot interviews handheld... bit of movement in all directions; not MTV-style, but definitely not wanting it to look like a tripod shot (which I do as well).
I'm usually wide-open most of the time.
With the Z1 I've been using, I use autofocus for these interviews, and it works fine. Will autofocus work fine with the EX as well, for these situations?
Thanks,
Malcolm

If your using 1080i on the EX1 framing wide, it works fine.

Thanks so much Steven...
Malcolm

Why autofocus on an interview? Whatever the camera I would be worried sick that the system is going to wander off and back and ruin the shot.

By "wide-open most of the time" do you mean a wide angle or an open iris?

Either way, I would consider going to manual focus regardless of which camera you use. Autofocus isn't very reliable on any camera, unless both your subject and your camera is stationary -- and your subject is dead center, as this is where autofocus is looking.

I agree. Never use autofocus in an interview. Since the interview subject stays pretty much the same distance from the camera there is no reason for it. I've seen many interviews (not ones I've shot) ruined by auto-focus problems. Also since you are wide open (wide angle I assume) exact focus isn't as critical. Zoom in, focus, zoom out and don't change it.

thanks so much... I'm learning a ton here (I don't mind admitting I'm very new at this). My thinking was (past tense) that since I was moving the camera during the interview, the focus might be changing a bit, and I didn't want to have to manually change it, while rolling.
But from what I've just read, if I'm zoomed out wide, I might not have to change the focus anyway... I'm not moving more than a couple feet in this direction or that, anyway. So I'll zoom-in, focus, zoom-out, and leave it alone.
Cheers,
Malcolm

Basically Malcom ignore all the gimmicks autofocus/auto iris/atw. All these things have there place but can easily wreck your pictures.