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Such lenses are too huge, heavy and too expensive for the 99%
If a camera offers eye-AF - which is a cute feature that we all like and use - the camera should always focus on the closer eye. Of course, you can focus manually if you have fun with it, I don‘t.
But only in AFS. Tracking objects in AFC was always and still is only mediocre, even with the new Phase AF. I dont care for video. AF tracking of S5II hasn’t much improved compared to my S5. My experience is that in some situations AFS of S5 is even better than the S5II. Eye recognition is one point.
I tend to agree: I am mulling the 500 myself. Really quite an achievement at that size.
I don't think I agree w/ this.. I'd say within the last year or two...the Panasonic auto-focus has taken a huge leap, especially in video auto-focus. It might not be as good as Canon, but I would say it's pretty on par, neck and neck w/ Sony. I've never shot Nikon for video, so I don't know but...Panasonic is right there, and definitely ahead of Fuji auto-focus for video. I didn't start using auto-focus on video until 2024, and the sole reason why I started was because the S5ii + recent update made it so. It is spot on. Game-changer for me. By this time next year...it'll be doing whatever Sony and Canon do, for sure. If not better.
Two things I've also noticed about auto-focus for Panasonic video... While recording, auto-focus enabled actually makes the stabilization even better. I don't know what it is or what it's doing but, you can actually see and feel the image get even more stable after you press record. I've tested this on the back LCD and then again looking thru the viewfinder, where I really saw it and noticed it. No complaints from me, just an added bonus I picked up on. The other thing I want to add is...a lot of people are just set it and forget it. They believe you should just be able to switch a setting and have it work the way we want. That's not always the case. I had to research about Panasonic video auto-focus, and then went in and dialed in the settings that work for ME and how I shoot. My auto-focus settings aren't lightning fast and track at the speed of light lol. Not what I want. In video, my auto-focus looks like a human / focus-puller is racking focus from one object to another, smooth and natural. Once I dialed that in, I haven't used manual focus for video since. I been shooting over 20 years, and the first time I've ever done this was this year, 2024. That tells me Panasonic is right there and doing it right.
Exactly, I'm with you. I see YouTubers showing how quickly autofocus can snap from one object to the next. This is crazy for video.
I guess it depends on the subjects because my experience has been different. For the train photography that I do, I use burst mode in AF-C. The S5 was good but I would always get a few slightly out-of-focus shots in a burst. Not with the S5II - they are all in focus. There is no specific subject tracking for trains in the S5II yet (I am hopeful we will get it now that the GH7 has it) but AF-C is certainly working well for me.
Hmmmmm. I only have the S5, & don't shoot video either. I've found AF-C to be very very good. Good enough, that I don't even bother to shoot bursts, simply click off a single frame at the appropriate moment. Perhaps if I shot bursts at higher frame rates I might notice inaccuracies? For example, I was just heading into town one day, and saw a truck convoy heading past. 70 km/hr area, I stopped and clicked off about 80 shots, all AF-C, and there might have been one, maybe that were a bit out of focus. To me, that's a pretty damn good hit rate. Same with animals -the camera draws a box around the head, I press the shutter, & 99% of the time, the focus is on the eye. Even at f1.8-f2 on my 85 & 50mm primes. It actually surprises me constantly, at how good it is. Here look. 70mm @ f2.8
Not happy with his adornments
Pete, what AF settings are you typically using for photo? I've been having some issues with focus on the 28-200 but wonder if it's in part due to the slower aperture and in part due to my settings.
Do you have the silence mode on (electronic shutter). That has more issues with focussing on the s5ii(x).
Those still have full open aperture for AF though but I'm sure you know this.
I'd like to try the 28-200mm but I really must stop purchasing lenses! I have 4 zooms and 5 primes now.
My main issue has been slightly mis-focused shots, especially when shooting past 100mm. It gets in the ballpark but often goes in front of the nose or on the ear. I'm shooting mostly my kid and my dog in zone focus or spot AF with subject detect on (body). Was using set 1 at default but have tried experimenting with other settings and none seem to help much.
Yeah, you really have enough and if you buy more you'll be hoarding again.I'd like to try the 28-200mm but I really must stop purchasing lenses! I have 4 zooms and 5 primes now.
