Focusing with the Zacuto Z series v.2 at DVinfo.net

Tim Davison · January 12th, 2011, 04:18 PM

For those out there who have this, do you notice any real change when turning the red focusing wheel on the z-finder? When focusing on the menu setting on the screen there does not appear to be any discernible difference with the eye cup all the way out or all the way in.....seems rather odd!

Lucky Haskins · January 12th, 2011, 08:38 PM

That's the way it feels to me as well

Tim Davison · January 13th, 2011, 06:10 AM

Are we missing something as it seems rather redundant to have the focus wheel at all!

Kent Jakusz · January 13th, 2011, 08:31 AM

I agree the focus wheel is inefficient. I find follow focus to be very hit and miss. Mostly miss. I have set my af-on button for auto focus. Using it while shooting destroys a couple of seconds of video. Better than the entire thing being out of focus.
Kent

Sue Rapp · January 13th, 2011, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Davison

For those out there who have this, do you notice any real change when turning the red focusing wheel on the z-finder? When focusing on the menu setting on the screen there does not appear to be any discernible difference with the eye cup all the way out or all the way in.....seems rather odd!

Tim,
See below for more information:
Yes, don't look in the ZF turn the diopter all the way to one end. Look in the ZF, then dial it all the way to the other end without looking in the ZF. Estimate where you need it to be and then fine tune it. The problem is the ZF has very fine threads and your eye adapts as you change it. If you are young and have perfect eyes you might not see much difference. That's cool, be happy. The extender frames are made to be semi permanent. So when you snap off they stay with the ZF. There is a video on vimeo that shows how to get them off, their is a trick. Hope this helps and feel free to email me if you have other questions.
Cheers,
~Sue (@zacuto_sue)

Khoi Pham · January 13th, 2011, 04:13 PM

Yes do like Sue suggested and also try this, turn on the menu so you can see all the text (canon camera), now look at the white text and inside the white text look for a thin black line or box, if you don't see it sharply then it is not in focus, remove your eyes from the finder and turn a bunch of turns and look again until you can see the thin black line.

Kent Jakusz · January 14th, 2011, 09:51 AM

Thanks for the suggestions. I tried them and the menu seems to be more in focus. I shoot nature and to keep a moving object in focus is very difficult. With todays technology it would seem that a more precise focusing screen would be available.

Enjoy
Kent

Doug Bailey · January 21st, 2011, 05:43 PM

Kent,
I'm shooting nature. I press the shutter button halfway with AF on, and watch the square in the viewfinder. It turns green when focused. That said, I shot some ducks a few days ago and they were close by when I focused and looked great. As they swam away they went out of focus. I don't try to refocus and will clip the out of focus part. I'm using a Hoodcrane which is essential.
Regards,
Doug.

Kent Jakusz · January 22nd, 2011, 07:46 AM

Doug;
Thanks for the input. I have set my AF-ON button to auto focus. This is a option in the menu. I find it to be more positive than trying to push the shutter button by half. Of course I wish that manual focus was such that I could follow focus accurately. That is my biggest complaint with the DSLR's.

Keep Shooten

Kent

January 12th, 2011, 04:18 PM	#1
Tim Davison Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: London, England Posts: 183	Focusing with the Zacuto Z series v.2 For those out there who have this, do you notice any real change when turning the red focusing wheel on the z-finder? When focusing on the menu setting on the screen there does not appear to be any discernible difference with the eye cup all the way out or all the way in.....seems rather odd!

January 13th, 2011, 08:31 AM	#4
Kent Jakusz Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Stevens Point, Wi Posts: 156	AF-On Button I agree the focus wheel is inefficient. I find follow focus to be very hit and miss. Mostly miss. I have set my af-on button for auto focus. Using it while shooting destroys a couple of seconds of video. Better than the entire thing being out of focus. Kent

January 13th, 2011, 04:13 PM	#6
Khoi Pham Major Player Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Dallas Posts: 747	Yes do like Sue suggested and also try this, turn on the menu so you can see all the text (canon camera), now look at the white text and inside the white text look for a thin black line or box, if you don't see it sharply then it is not in focus, remove your eyes from the finder and turn a bunch of turns and look again until you can see the thin black line. __________________ Khoi Pham www.proeditproductions.com

January 14th, 2011, 09:51 AM	#7
Kent Jakusz Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Stevens Point, Wi Posts: 156	Zacuto focus Thanks for the suggestions. I tried them and the menu seems to be more in focus. I shoot nature and to keep a moving object in focus is very difficult. With todays technology it would seem that a more precise focusing screen would be available. Enjoy Kent

January 22nd, 2011, 07:46 AM	#9
Kent Jakusz Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Stevens Point, Wi Posts: 156	Focus Doug; Thanks for the input. I have set my AF-ON button to auto focus. This is a option in the menu. I find it to be more positive than trying to push the shutter button by half. Of course I wish that manual focus was such that I could follow focus accurately. That is my biggest complaint with the DSLR's. Keep Shooten Kent

January 12th, 2011, 08:38 PM	#2
Lucky Haskins Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Plantation, FL Posts: 55	That's the way it feels to me as well

January 13th, 2011, 06:10 AM	#3
Tim Davison Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: London, England Posts: 183	Are we missing something as it seems rather redundant to have the focus wheel at all!

January 21st, 2011, 05:43 PM	#8
Doug Bailey Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Jupiter, FL Posts: 164	Kent, I'm shooting nature. I press the shutter button halfway with AF on, and watch the square in the viewfinder. It turns green when focused. That said, I shot some ducks a few days ago and they were close by when I focused and looked great. As they swam away they went out of focus. I don't try to refocus and will clip the out of focus part. I'm using a Hoodcrane which is essential. Regards, Doug.