If I'm using the stock 16x lens and not the manual one, I'll use the PUSH AF button unless the situation demands it.
So I'm lazy, sue me! :)

Does the LCD have any controls over picture ? If so see if adjusting the contrast or brightness helps in adding a visual contrast as to which you can use as a focus reference.

I have the sharpness of the LCD set to its highest.

There is a problem with the "push to focus" solution, however. This affects DVX users as well in that when focusing in 24p, your auto focus and push focus is going to be much slower than in 60i. It is so slow in fact that Panasonic termed it "focus assist". This has nothing to do with a problem in the camera, it is just that the camera is only sampling 24x a second for focusing, instead of 60x. So when using the camera in 60i push to focus should be fine, however, if shooting in 24p, your stuck in manual unless you want to wait around for the camera to search and search for something to focus on.

Marty...

Besides the zoom-in, focus, zoom-out technique we discussed via email...another thing in your bag of tricks for focusing is to watch for moire's....when your viewfinder starts to moire, it's a dead giveaway that the offending object is in focus.

Personally I've not had a problem focusing this camera, (I detailed in my email how the XL2's 20x lens by nature should be a bit more challenging interms of focus than what you are used to with the 10x DVX) and I find the viewfinder to be a much more accurate in terms of the image than the DVX LCD...which is ultimately more important to me.

Barry

Barry,
I find that the color reproduction is not that accurate in the viewfinder. In other words there seems to be much more brilliant colors on the recorded tape than what I was seeing in the viewfinder. I also find that the image isn't as bright as it appears to be in the viewfinder. This is despite the fact that I have only increased the sharpness of the viewfinder and nothing else.

Also....regarding the focus....I love the 20x lens because of the fact that at the longer end your DOF is shallower and therefore requires precise focusing. My concern is that the focus ring is too touchy! I am focused just a little long of the subject....I try to tweak the focus and because of the servo ring it jumps right past and now I am focused too short of the subject....and this goes on until I get it right. Surely others see this focus ring as a little different beast to tame than a real manual ring or even the way other servo's behave.

I am just looking for insight on how to adapt to this and the viewfinder.

thanks!