XT-1 Continuous focus setting

[martinog]

I've just bought a Fuji XT-1 and when I set it to continuous focus it hunts and is unable to lock on any focus point.
Is this a malfunction or normal behaviour?
Also the as the ‘Am I crazy?!’ poster says the images are soft, files from a EOS 60D are sharper and I find Iridient is no better.
Everything else about the camera I like but I’m thinking of cutting my losses and returning it.

Martin   

[Johnny_Johnson]

Hi Martin,

I don't personally own the X-T1 but I understand that it continually focuses when it's in the Continuous Focus mode. It's probably the contrast detection focus system's way of verifying that it has achieved maximum contrast.

Later,
Johnny

[Alan Smallbone]

In general I don't use continuous focus on any camera unless I am tracking something that is moving. The Fuji can track things if you lock on to it. I have no problem getting sharp images, the lenses are superb and sharp. Any new camera takes some time to to get used to it and to learn how it responds. The Fuji is not a dslr and to pick it up and expect it to behave exactly as a dslr is not the best way to learn to use it. Try shooting some still objects and take some time to learn the camera.

Alan

[AndyS]

Hi,

In continuous focus mode the image in the viewfinder will hunt back and forth, and never really appear to lock on. Howver this doesn't mean it isn't working....

Best settings I've found are to:

a) Make sure High Performance mode is on (under power settings somewhere)
b) For continuous focusing use one of the central 9 set of AF points
c) Set the release mode to 'focus priority'. This ensures the camera only takes a picture when the image is in focus.
d) Use either CH or CL
e) In the lower-left of the view finder you should see a green circle appear when the camera has found focus (even if the view finder still appears to be hunting.

Sorry if the above isn't absolutely precise - don't have my camera with me at the moment.

With these settings, even though the viewfinder appears to show the camera hunting, I've had really good results in continuous focus mode. I don't shoot BIFs, but for situations where I have tried it (kids running, vehicles, animals and birds on the water/ground) I've got really good results.


Hope that helps,
Andrew.

[martinog]

Thanks to you all.

I'll have to try your suggestions Andrew and as you say Alan I need to learn some different techniques but not quite back to the OM1 days.

Martin

[W.T. Jones]

Sorry I did not see this earlier, Andrews setting are generally what I have found to work well too. Another thing you can do is increase the size of the focus box one two clicks. If you have it set at it's smallest size, while very precise, it sometimes struggles in situations where there is little or no contrast or low light. Only increase the size of the box as much as you need to make it work. I find if you increase to the full size (Fuji cameras anyway) will grab focus on occasion on something else in the background that has better contrast and the intended subject will be out of focus. I generally use one size up from the smallest setting, which I thought was good for shooting Ice Hockey as an example.

Warren

[Martin Ranger]

Another thing you can do is increase the size of the focus box one two clicks. If you have it set at it's smallest size, while very precise, it sometimes struggles in situations where there is little or no contrast or low light. Only increase the size of the box as much as you need to make it work.

+1
You need to have some high contrast area in your focus box for the tracking to work. I was shooting skaters yesterday, and found that the tracking to be surprisingly good.

[AndyS]

Another thing you can do is increase the size of the focus box one two clicks. If you have it set at it's smallest size, while very precise, it sometimes struggles in situations where there is little or no contrast or low light. Only increase the size of the box as much as you need to make it work.

+1 from me as well.

Andrew.

[jakobox2]

I'm a new XT-1 owner and am also very surprised at the performance in continuous focus mode. Almost to the point I thought there was a defect with my camera.

Interestingly, I find that if I turn "pre-AF" on, the camera will focus without half depressing the shutter, and then it hunts FAR less and feels much more accurate. However, as soon as I press the shutter button it starts constantly hunting for the focus point.... Even in cases of bright light/high contrast focus points.

I wonder if this will be updated in future firmware versions. The supposedly amazing AF system was a big sell on this camera for me, but in practice I find it to be lacking.

[Martin Ranger]

[...]

However, as soon as I press the shutter button it starts constantly hunting for the focus point.... Even in cases of bright light/high contrast focus points.

I wonder if this will be updated in future firmware versions. The supposedly amazing AF system was a big sell on this camera for me, but in practice I find it to be lacking.

Admittedly, I am just guessing (so take this with a grain of salt) but I would think the "constant hunting" is how contrast detect autofocus works: it focuses on a particular distance, then checks if focusing behind/in front of that distance increases contrast. As long as the image is in focus, I don't see the problem with this.

"Amazing AF system" is all relative. It is a huge improvement over the X-E1. It is fast enough for me to shoot fashion and lifestyle photos professionally. It seems more accurate than the AF of my D800. It is definitely not as fast as a good DSLR, and it is reportedly slower than the Olympus OM-Ds. Whether it fulfills your needs is something only you can decide. Like most cameras it also takes a bit of practice to find out the strengths and weaknesses of the system. Personally, I would test/practice a lot on the kind of images you are planning to take with it. If you can get it to work, keep it. If not return it. I would not wait for a firmware update to make a camera work for me, especially as it might never happen.

[Petrus]

If the focus would lock when on "continuous focus" it would NOT be continuous focus. That is why there are normal locking AF and continuous focus AF. Continuous focus is supposed to be used when the subject is moving continuously and locking the focus before taking the shot would cause less than perfect focus because the subject distance varies. Simple as that, DSLR or mirrorless, makes no difference.

[Hulyss]

This is just matter of settings. Continuous AF work just fine on the XT-1, like a mini D700 (in a more accurate way I may say).

An example this is not a legend :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nW8Cz_v3w1E&list=PLiXUulBBkNvEQdNf7E3-m1EnyghXrKXCc&feature=share

[Sterling22]

Yes, the camera's AFC behaviour seems weird but the results are sharp photos after the lens appears to have gone berserk hunting for focus.

[Hulyss]

Yes, the camera's AFC behaviour seems weird but the results are sharp photos after the lens appears to have gone berserk hunting for focus.

Yes it need some practice before nailing it.