Jump to content

NX1 won't manual focus - arghhhh...


tombrown1
 Share

Recommended Posts

Hi all.  First post over here.  Having a really aggravating problem with my Samsung NX1 and 16mm Samsung NX 2.4 lens.

Everything is on manual focus.  But whenever I press video record, it reverts to continuous auto focus no matter what I do.  While it is recording I can switch back to manual focus, but at that point I've already lost my manual focus point.

 

Just want to record manual - arghhhhh!!!  

 

Anybody have any advice?  I've been through the entire manual and have the latest fw - 1.32.

 

 

Thanks,

 

Tom

Link to comment
Share on other sites

EOSHD Pro Color 5 for Sony cameras EOSHD Z LOG for Nikon CamerasEOSHD C-LOG and Film Profiles for All Canon DSLRs

There isn't any AF switch on this lens.  How do you stay in standby mode?

 

Since the op, I had a chat with Samsung.  They said this:

 

"Okay. As per the information I see that the camera while recording the videos will switch to autofocus to manual and vice-versa depends upon the brightness and lighting around the camera to make sure that it records with quality."

Then later:

 

"The focus mode switches between manual and auto depends upon the lightning on the captured objects. This is the integrated feature to make sure with the quality of the video recording are upto the mark. In the manual focus mode it’s nearly impossible for the camera to focus on a moving subject if any other objects are in the frame. hence it switches between the modes."

 

Then they made it clear this is a fw issue and cannot be changed through any settings.

 

Why on earth would anybody make a camera that is forceably taken from MF regardless of the shooter's intentions?  Maybe I'll need to buy a MF lens....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OK, go to standby mode by hitting the custom right key on the back, switch to manual focus by hitting the AF ON button, and you're set to record in MF. Then when you stop recording, you'll stay in standby mode and manual focus. You can start/stop the recording any number of times. Just don't switch away from standby mode (by either hitting the custom right key again or taking a still picture, for example), and you're good.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrators

Yes very annoying. And very stupid.

The solution is not to use Samsung's lenses until they fix it.

There's no excuse for having to enter the focus menu to enable MF every time you want to shoot a take... and at the worst possible moment as well - i.e. seconds before the take starts.

Worse still, in order to have the magnified focus assist work, you have to be outside of movie standby mode. So you can't just stay in standby mode with MF enabled if you want to check focus that way.

The auto-focus is very poor... hunts around and does not do what you want it to do.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, but a MAJOR pain with using non-Samsung lenses is that there's no focus peaking in video mode, which is precisely where you need it the most. At least with my Samsung lens (16-50) I can turn off AF on the lens and get peaking in video. If you use the LCD, you CAN get peaking with non-Samsung lenses too by clicking an option on the screen (which is another pain, but at least it's possible), but there's no way to get peaking when using the viewfinder.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, but a MAJOR pain with using non-Samsung lenses is that there's no focus peaking in video mode, which is precisely where you need it the most. At least with my Samsung lens (16-50) I can turn off AF on the lens and get peaking in video. If you use the LCD, you CAN get peaking with non-Samsung lenses too by clicking an option on the screen (which is another pain, but at least it's possible), but there's no way to get peaking when using the viewfinder.

You have peaking with legacy lenses. Just no magnification. To enable peaking -> touch icon on screen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You have peaking with legacy lenses. Just no magnification. To enable peaking -> touch icon on screen.

As I said, it's possible on LCD, but not on EVF.

I've heard somewhere that the magnifictaion on the NX1 is only x4! I checked briefly in the manual but didn't find anything about it.

It could be real issue, can someone help me about this because I was about to buy it?

Thanks.

​You actually have two options: x5 and x8.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yep- that's an insane "feature." Who in the hell is making these decisions and how did s/he get that job? 

Thanks for for bringing up this issue, OP. I discovered it while on a shoot last week with my 30mm/2, and wasn't able to find any settings to fix it. That's the last Samsing lens I'll buy without an AF switch. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, at least they fixed it now so it keeps MF as long as you stay in standby mode, which is actually not all that bad since you typically keep shooting video. Let's give them credit for that. Before that it would switch back to CAF every time you stop recording! That was crazy by any standard.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, at least they fixed it now so it keeps MF as long as you stay in standby mode, which is actually not all that bad since you typically keep shooting video. Let's give them credit for that. Before that it would switch back to CAF every time you stop recording! That was crazy by any standard.

​Yeah OK...but come on how difficult is it for them to keep MF ALWAYS set like in picture mode? I find this little "workaround" ridiculous.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Samsung is often dumb and seldom listens. What happened to the list of suggestions we compiled here, months ago? No one has been implemented yet.

​This is absolutely nuts. Samsung has set a new (high) standard in responsiveness through firmware updates. Yes, there are a lot of quirks in the camera still, but you need to understand this is Samsung's first foray into pro cameras, and by all accounts they've done an incredible job with NX1. Let's give props for that rather than calling them dumb. I'm confident they'll come up with many more fixes soon, it hasn't even been a year since launch for crying out loud!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the responses.  Absolutely nuts.  Love this camera and really thought Samsung was ready for the big-boy table.

 

Just ordered the Rokinon 12mm 2.0 with all MF.  A little frustrating because I'm flying this camera and really didn't want to go with a lens that is about 3x heavier. 

 

Sekhar, agreed - their fw update schedule is admirable.  Hopefully they get some of these head-scratchers taken care of.

 

 

Best,

 

Tom

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • EOSHD Pro Color 5 for All Sony cameras
    EOSHD C-LOG and Film Profiles for All Canon DSLRs
    EOSHD Dynamic Range Enhancer for H.264/H.265
×
×
  • Create New...