Manual focus on Panasonic 12-35

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Linodepalo

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Manual focus on Panasonic 12-35

PostMon Mar 12, 2018 5:08 pm

I just brought a brand new Panasonic 12-35 lens for my BMPCC camera. I’m getting confused since I cannot understand how to switch from auto to manual focus. Can someone help me?
Thanks!
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Denny Smith

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Re: Manual focus on Panasonic 12-35

PostMon Mar 12, 2018 5:41 pm

There is no switch, auto focus is achieved by pressing the focus button, and hold,it down until subject in box is sharp. For Manual focus, just turn the focus ring, it is focus by wire, as there is no real manual focus on any of the Panny Lumix MFT lenses. Better ones like the Panny Leica series have a manual/auto focus switch on some of the lenses, but this is for use primarily on Pannasonic MFT Cameras.
Cheers
Denny Smith
SHA Productions
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Brad Hurley

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Re: Manual focus on Panasonic 12-35

PostMon Mar 12, 2018 5:49 pm

Note that you can check the focus by fast-pressing the "OK" button twice on the back of the BMPCC, which will zoom in. If you don't press twice fast enough you'll see the Metadata screen; it happens to me all the time.

Hey, could you let us know whether image stabilization is working with your 12-25 on the BMPCC? I have that lens on my BMPCC and image stabilization comes and goes: it's supposed to come on only when you hit "record" (and if the IS switch on the lens is set to "on"), but on my BMPCC it doesn't always come on when I hit the record button (I've tested with the IS switch turned to on or off and am noticing no difference in image shake).
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Linodepalo

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Re: Manual focus on Panasonic 12-35

PostWed Mar 14, 2018 1:07 pm

Thanks all! It works fine. About the IS, I do not get any difference when is activated or not, but I’ve still not made a real test on it. I will and post the result later on.
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Denny Smith

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Re: Manual focus on Panasonic 12-35

PostWed Mar 14, 2018 4:59 pm

Yes, IS only works when actually recording, a firmware change made to save battery power on the Pocket camera.
Cheers
Denny Smith
SHA Productions
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Brad Hurley

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Re: Manual focus on Panasonic 12-35

PostWed Mar 14, 2018 5:49 pm

Denny Smith wrote:Yes, IS only works when actually recording, a firmware change made to save battery power on the Pocket camera.
Cheers


This is true, but some of us are finding that IS doesn't always work even when recording. On my BMPCC it comes and goes: you can see immediately when it's on --you hit the record button and suddenly the image becomes more stable in the monitor, but sometimes the image is just as jumpy after I hit record (and yes I've checked to be sure the IS switch on the lens is turned on).

I don't know if the problem is in the lens itself or in the camera, but I've seen other reports of IS not working (or working intermittently) in the BMPCC. It's not super-crucial in my case as I'm mainly doing tripod shots, but it would be nice to be able to rely on it for handheld.
Resolve 18 Studio, Mac Pro 3.0 GHz 8-core, 32 gigs RAM, dual AMD D700 GPU.
Audio I/O: Sound Devices USBPre-2
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Denny Smith

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Re: Manual focus on Panasonic 12-35

PostWed Mar 14, 2018 6:23 pm

Could be dirt in the lens contacts, a pencil eraser works to clean the contacts on both camera and lens, just be carful not to leave any bits behind. Best method is electrical contact cleaner, app,y to a soft cloth then wipe the contacts.
Cheers
Denny Smith
SHA Productions

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