F350 Focus

[chicagoshootr]

Rented a F350 for a shoot last week...used it a few days.
I found it damned hard to focus...

Is that a function of the 1/2 chips or just a crappy viewfinder?
Or...maybe I'm just getting old.

[Canonman]

Depends on which version of the firmware it had. A couple updates back, the peaking in the vf was much improved. I doubt it was a crappy viewfinder since it's native 16:9 and 2.0 inches compared to the 4:3/1.5 that was standard on the F330.

I have no problems focusing with my camera, but then I've owned it for almost 2 years now.

cm

[Run&Gun]

Focusing in HD is not easy. And the problem can be compounded if you're shooting wide open. And if you're shooting 24P, it can be a real b!tch. HD lenses are also very sensitive to back focus. And if the peaking isn't right in the VF, that can make you have a very bad day...

[SimonW]

Tell me about it. I did a shoot with someone else's 350 once, and the back focus was only ever so very slightly out. Not even noticeable with the peaking in the viewfinder (though peaking can give a false idea if you have it set too high). Lots of out of focus shots followed.

[chicagoshootr]

Well, the camera came with what looked like a pretty low-end lens, and being 1/2 inch, I couldn't use any of my own. They didn't have a 2/3 adapter.
I fiddled with the peaking constantly. I like to shoot all my interviews wide open for DOF. I have 2/3 HDCam, and it's easy to nail focus--at any f-stop. That's why I figured the difference was either the chip size or the viewfinder.

[videomagician]

I just finished shooting two days with a new 355 with an older Nikon 19X 2/3" SD lens. Back focus was off just a tad and shooting 24P I had a LOT of out of focus shots. I tried to turn the peaking on but it just looked like I had the camera on +18 gain no matter what the setting. Does the peaking work differently than a 400A? Even my little DVX100A peaking seems more user friendly.

David

[Baltimore Shooter]

I just finished shooting two days with a new 355 with an older Nikon 19X 2/3" SD lens. Back focus was off just a tad and shooting 24P I had a LOT of out of focus shots. I tried to turn the peaking on but it just looked like I had the camera on +18 gain no matter what the setting. Does the peaking work differently than a 400A? Even my little DVX100A peaking seems more user friendly.

David

I'm thinking you answered your own question. You said the back focus was off just a tad. But when shooting in HD, focus in much more critical than in SD. With regards to the peaking issue. You may need your engineer to open the VF and turn up the potentiameter(sp?), then you can adjust it to your liking on the front of the VF.

Warren

[Run&Gun]

Turning up the peaking in the VF isn't gonna make your shots "in focus" if your back focus is off. Focusing while shooting 24P is a pain in the @$$... Period.