GH4 - GH5 AF+MF for Macro

Hi guys, I'm still fighting with my macro skills (I'm really a rookiee for macro) so reopen this old topic...

How do you set your GH4/gh5 camera for macro work? I do not have an external monitor. Till now my experiments got pretty miserable results.

Starting form this valuable thread (http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=53817) my settings are:

AFS/AFF: AFS (half-press focus)
Continuous Auto Focus Off

AFL Lock Hold - On

AF+MF On (allows fine manual adjustments of focus)
MF Assist On (the lens barrel)
MF Guide ON
Peaking ON (L)

I made countless test at home thinking i was mastering the controls but when in the water it was a completely different story (as usual).

While in MF the focus peaking colors did not appear at all. I now that it depend on the subject contrast but i thought to see something. I tried several colors, high and low. So it seems that GH4 focus peaking it's not so reliable: I was filming huge Lytocarpia hydroids

I thought to get perfect focus peaking on this kind of texture/surface but nothing appeared.

Moreover, from what I read, while I'm in MF I should be able to make a quick AF using the AF Lock backbutton. (AF lock in WA shots it's my normal AF method).

Unfortunately while in MF if i press AF Lock nothing happen. The only way i found was:

#1 put the camera in AFS

#2 press AF lock

#3 Put the camera in MF

#4 from here working with MF. (***)

*** at home while in MF I can press the small AF icon on the touchscreen and the camera will perform a quick AF while in MF.

How the hell do i perform this underwater? All the reef heard me swearing inside the loop of my rebreather

Thanks

Davide what is the setting for 'Functon of the AF/AE button'? I do not see this mentioned and this is the one you need for one touch AF on the rear button

It's set on AF not AE

The I have AF lock ON

If the rear dial is set to MF are you able to perform an AF with the back button AF/AE)?

If the rear dial is set to MF are you able to perform an AF with the back button AF/AE)?

Yes

Function of AF-AE lock -> AF-ON

AF/AE lock hold -> OFF

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Yes

Function of AF-AE lock -> AF-ON

AF/AE lock hold -> OFF

 

 

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I tried with no result. There's something else influencing this behaviour.

Mine is a GH4 with latest firmware

I tried with no result. There's something else influencing this behaviour.

 

Mine is a GH4 with latest firmware

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Disable AF+MF

 

 

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The other function that interferes is 4K live cropping however it should not work with touchscreen either

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What lens are you using? Oly 60mm macro? I know with that lens MF is next to useless as you have turn the focus ring so far to get any response at all and then you add a focus gear and the gearing on that slows things down even more so you you do 2 full turns of the housing focus knob and you struggle to pick up any difference in the image focus. The only way to use it is in AF with back button focus. I use Oly Em-1 II not GH4 but on that I found the focus peaking not always that bright and hard to see depending on colours in the scene being shot, the menus had settings to make it brighter/more obvious and change colour but still hard to see sometimes. The standard behaviour was to show peaking when you tweak the focus ring, better was to assign it to a function button so it was could be activated and stay on if you wanted to rock to achieve fine focus.

I'm using the Pana-Leica 45 mm. It has the slowest AF I ever seen but it's fully operational. I tried with the 7-14 mm and 14-45 mm: same behavior.

Disable AF+MF


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Done.

AF + MF = OFF

AF/AE = AF

AF Lock = OFF

I ever tried to disable MF Assist but nothing change.

The only way to engage AF while being in MF is via the AF icon on the touchscreen.

Very sad

I'm using the Pana-Leica 45 mm. It has the slowest AF I ever seen but it's fully operational. I tried with the 7-14 mm and 14-45 mm: same behavior.

 

 

 

 

Done.

 

AF + MF = OFF

AF/AE = AF

AF Lock = OFF

 

I ever tried to disable MF Assist but nothing change.

 

The only way to engage AF while being in MF is via the AF icon on the touchscreen.

 

Very sad

OK AF+MF makes no difference

In function of AF AE button you should have 4 options

AF lock

AE lock

AE+AF lock

AF On

The last one is what you need. I can say on the GH5 setting to AF ON disables AF LOCK Hold

 

OK AF+MF makes no difference

 

In function of AF AE button you should have 4 options

 

AF lock

AE lock

AE+AF lock

AF On

 

The last one is what you need. I can say on the GH5 setting to AF ON disables AF LOCK Hold

You nailed !!!

AF ON

Even on GH4 it disables AF LOCK Hold

You made my day. Thanks

Late to the party. Glad you got it sorted.

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I don't know if Panasonic foresaw all the subtle different behaviors combining those Focus options...

BTW

Panaleica 45mm is an amazing lens optically speaking but its electronic and mechanic part is subpar. Why don't they come up with a MKII after so many years

I don't know if Panasonic foresaw all the subtle different behaviors combining those Focus options...

 

BTW

Panaleica 45mm is an amazing lens optically speaking but its electronic and mechanic part is subpar. Why don't they come up with a MKII after so many years

If you think about it the logic is sound pressing the button make the camera focus you can’t keep it pressed otherwise you are no longer in manual focus

For macro 45 mm is a good focal length when the visibility is poor and also works well for portrait however I dont like fixed length camera for video all the clips unless you have amazing behaviour look like a picture slideshow

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