Advice on compact set-up for video?

[Davide DB 583]

Thanks, I already have "half moons" on my mask but I find them useful just to read my gauges. Too pain on my neck to see the monitor in front of me. Actually contact lens work very well but font size of exposure settings on monitor are about 1/3 of those on display  .

I'll test a new idea in the next days....

[shelbyrose 13]

Many thanks for all of the advice on buoyancy for my rig, all! Got the chance to take it out in the ocean today for the first time and tested out both my wide angle and macro set-ups. Have some fine tuning to do, but was a good start!

 I’d love to get your suggestions for focusing, particularly with macro. I typically like shooting with manual focus but found it to be a bit challenging to dial in the focus. Is back button focus as I saw @bghazzalmentioned in a prior post the best way to go? Can you have the camera in manual focus and still do back button focus? (Sorry if silly questions! I’ve always just used manual focus on other cameras so learning about auto focus alternatives for the first time!) Any other tips very welcome. Many thanks, as always!!

[ChrisRoss 150]

Back button focus means you activate AF with a different button to the shutter button, generally using your thumb.  When you have focus release the button.  You can then move in and out to get focus more precisely.  Compacts generally have fiddly means to achieve MF even on land - it doesn't get better UW.   Back button AF means you can get focus then release it and it stays at the same focus point. 

You probably also have focus peaking available - this indicates what areas are in focus - you can assign that to a custom button to turn it on and off as required.  It can help quickly see which areas of the frame are in focus.

[bghazzal 81]

Yes, it works well in manual focus, as Chris explained.

I have backbutton and focus lock assigned to the two buttons  sitting conveniently next to the right thumb on the housing - for focus peaking, I have it assigned to the the knob wheel on the left side on the Nauticam housing.

If I turn this knob, assigned to zoom (or the actual zoom lever as well) while focusing, I get focus peaking (mine is set to red, low), with a PIP (picture in picture) zoom window (magnification factor of which can be adjusted).
From there you can use the knob wheel  to move / set the focus point, say to a nudi's rhinophore or the eyes of a critter.

Peaking works well when the scene is strongly lit, likely due to contrast detection, so great for macro. For wide angle, especially ambient light you'll have less focus info detected, but it still works.

Edited June 4 by bghazzal

[shelbyrose 13]

Ahhh thanks @ChrisRossand @bghazzal, that all makes a lot of sense. I didn’t realize you keep holding the back button for autofocus! Makes sense I was having such poor results… Will play with that more tomorrow.  

[shelbyrose 13]

I’m confusing myself again, so do you mind if I clarify the steps here? Do I set ‘focus mode’ to MF when taking this approach? So MF but then activate AF with back button? 

9 hours ago, bghazzal said:

Yes, it works well in manual focus, as Chris explained.

I have backbutton and focus lock assigned to the two buttons  sitting conveniently next to the right thumb on the housing - for focus peaking, I have it assigned to the the knob wheel on the left side on the Nauticam housing.

If I turn this knob, assigned to zoom (or the actual zoom lever as well) while focusing, I get focus peaking (mine is set to red, low), with a PIP (picture in picture) zoom window (magnification factor of which can be adjusted).
From there you can use the knob wheel  to move / set the focus point, say to a nudi's rhinophore or the eyes of a critter.

Peaking works well when the scene is strongly lit, likely due to contrast detection, so great for macro. For wide angle, especially ambient light you'll have less focus info detected, but it still works.

And when you say you turn the knob for peaking while focusing, do you mean you’re holding down the F1 back button? Then release it when you’re done focusing and press F2 to lock focus? How does this work when not using a tripod and you’re still moving relative to the subject? I’ve been scouring YouTube to understand how backbutton works relative to video specifically but can’t find anything that’s not geared toward photo, ugh…

Thanks again!

[bghazzal 81]

41 minutes ago, shelbyrose said:

I’m confusing myself again, so do you mind if I clarify the steps here? Do I set ‘focus mode’ to MF when taking this approach? So MF but then activate AF with back button? 

And when you say you turn the knob for peaking while focusing, do you mean you’re holding down the F1 back button? Then release it when you’re done focusing and press F2 to lock focus? How does this work when not using a tripod and you’re still moving relative to the subject? I’ve been scouring YouTube to understand how backbutton works relative to video specifically but can’t find anything that’s not geared toward photo, ugh…

Thanks again!

Edit - the housing's left wheel knob is actually set to the "ring dial", ie that round ring in front of the focal adjustment, and which can be assigned to different fuctions - I have peaking on mine.

I'm in AF mode, but either get the camera to focus using the back button or, most of the time, actually lock the focus.
Once the focus is locked, I just have to access the ring dial (left knob wheel on the housing) to access peaking and fine tune the focus point.

Here's what it looks like on the camera itself - in AF mode - one button to back-button focus, one button to lock focus, then access to focus peaking using the ring dial.
I use the PIP (picture in picture) window in focus peaking mode, so a window pops up, which you can move around and also set magnification (handy for tiny tiny critters)

 

I can't show you on the housing now as I'm diving early tomorrow and have everything setup already, but I'm sure you'll figure it out.
cheers

b

Edited June 4 by bghazzal

[Davide DB 583]

1 minute ago, bghazzal said:

Here's what it looks like on the camera itself - one button to back-button focus, one button to lock focus, then accessing focus peaking on the ring dial.

Excuse me for stepping in. I've had all the Pana GHXs, and as much as the functions and menus were "almost" the same, the devil lurks in that "almost" ...I did not intervene earlier because I do not know the specific menus of the LX10 and you are a black belt in this camera

Why do you have two buttons for back focus and lock? 
On the GHx there is a combination of settings so you do everything with one button.

A particular combination of settings allows, since the GH4, to have AF via the focus lock button while in MF. This is the preferred option for macro people: you use AF to have a rough focus and then eventually move the focus manually via the manual controls.
This mode also saves you from turning the focus ring endlessly until you get to the precise point. Focus dials have the nasty defect of turning tenfold the number of turns required.
Focus peaking is a whole other function that you can enable or not.
 

[bghazzal 81]

10 hours ago, Davide DB said:

Excuse me for stepping in. I've had all the Pana GHXs, and as much as the functions and menus were "almost" the same, the devil lurks in that "almost" ...I did not intervene earlier because I do not know the specific menus of the LX10 and you are a black belt in this camera

Why do you have two buttons for back focus and lock? 
On the GHx there is a combination of settings so you do everything with one button.

A particular combination of settings allows, since the GH4, to have AF via the focus lock button while in MF. This is the preferred option for macro people: you use AF to have a rough focus and then eventually move the focus manually via the manual controls.
This mode also saves you from turning the focus ring endlessly until you get to the precise point. Focus dials have the nasty defect of turning tenfold the number of turns required.
Focus peaking is a whole other function that you can enable or not.
 

No worries - yes this is exactly the same - if you're in MF, then you do everything with one button.  The "lock focus" button is disabled (since the focus is already "locked" by being in manual mode), and you just press the back button focus to access autofocus (which is then locked), and tweak focus manually like you described., eventually using peaking.

I usually stay in AF for wide angle and MF for macro, which is why I have that dual button config in AF, comes in handy in some cases, and this config can be used both in AF and MF - I should have shown both but it's close to my bedtime now

Otherwise same same, focus peaking can be enabled or disabled, as well as PIP mode, peaking sensitivuty, display colour etc....

One major thing the LX10 doesn't have, unfortunately, is auto ISO in manual exposure mode.... That would be grand!

Edited June 4 by bghazzal

[Davide DB 583]

8 minutes ago, bghazzal said:

One major thing the LX10 doesn't have, unfortunately, is auto ISO in manual exposure mode.... That would be grand!

I was disappointed before I got it on the GH5, too.
I actually tried it twice and then abandoned it. I didn't like the chosen exposure at all. Not to mention that in wide shots all you have to do is cross some headlights of another sub to get an exposure change. In short I thought it was the solution to all evils and instead.
I use it occasionally in less demanding and more controlled settings, like my son's swimming competitions

 

[shelbyrose 13]

A belated thanks for the response on this @bghazzal--I was looking at your messages on the way to the dive boat this morning! Super helpful, as always. The video was quite helpful and your exchange with @Davide DB actually also helped clarify where I was getting tripped up I think. 

I've gotten to do a couple of dives with each set-up and I'm still finding my way around the rig and figuring out the best settings, but it's been fun so far, particularly the macro work. Hopefully won't need to continue to bug you all with further questions, but really really appreciate having this resource and being able to get your advice!

[Davide DB 583]

Looking forward to see some video.

Don't be shy!

[bghazzal 81]

23 hours ago, Davide DB said:

I was disappointed before I got it on the GH5, too.
I actually tried it twice and then abandoned it. I didn't like the chosen exposure at all. Not to mention that in wide shots all you have to do is cross some headlights of another sub to get an exposure change. In short I thought it was the solution to all evils and instead.
I use it occasionally in less demanding and more controlled settings, like my son's swimming competitions

 

I see - It sounded like a great idea, but I can totally imagine this kind of scenario! Happy to hear I'm not missing out on too much fun then, i'd heard auto-ISO in manual described in very lyrical terms...

One last thing on back button focus and focus lock, having the 2 button config for AF also comes in handy in the LX10's macro focus modes, which allows for a closer focus point, especially at  24mm -  you also have Macro Zoom mode, where you can user longer focal lengths but the minimum lens-to-subject distance increases the longer the FL.
These macro modes are both AF modes, which is why it's nice to have a focus lock button handy.

With a compact's non-interchageable lens, macro shots on the LX10 work best either shooting with a short depth of field (nice bokeh at 1.4...) in MF, or with the AF macro focus modes.
Wet closeup lenses do help a lot, which is why I'm looking forward to my AOI UCL-09, which actually left Jakarta today, apparently

Edited June 5 by bghazzal

[ChrisRoss 150]

I'm not sure I'm following the 2 button system for back button on the LX-10.  I use olympus and you use back button only in AF.  hold the button down and the camera attempts to AF. release the button and  it stops and is locked till you press the button again.  It also works like this on my old Canon DSLRs.  i can't see any reasoin to do it any other way unless the camera is just hunting and not locking anywhere at all.

I have focus peaking on a function button the way it works for me is you activate it while not attempting to AF it turns on and stays on till you half press the shutter button.  You can also activate it by turning the focus ring.  To make best use of it you want it on while not attempting to AF or MF and then you can rock back and forwards to bring the area you want into focus.  Obviously the sequence is slightly different in video as you probably don't want to record the rocking, but you want it active while filming to you can check the chosen part stays in focus.

[bghazzal 81]

Yes this is the same Chris - what I call "2 button" is having the back button focus (what you would have on half-shutter by default in most cases) on one button. However this doesn't focus lock in AF, it just refocuses based on focusing area preset, but this will not fully lock in AF.

There is a seperate focus lock function (you can see when the focus is locked on the video I posted when the green dot appears on the top right hand side of the screen), which I have on another button (hence two button).
This can be released by refocusing or by manually unlocking.
But you could just use this lock function for instance, like in your description, this is a matter of personal preference - I find the refocus function useful in AF for wide angle for instance, though I use focus lock most of the time.

Then there's also the use of back-button in MF mode, which Davide described above, where back-button focusing becomes an basic AF function inside MF mode (which is focus lock by default, since it's manual), which you then fine tune manually.
In MF the focus lock button is deactivated, and the half-shutter focus button becomes an (AF) focus lock.

Peaking works is a different beast, which in the same way you describe, in AF or MF, you can assign it to a function button or focus ring, or it can be fully deactivated.

In my MF settings, I have peaking on by default, and the ring dial brings up a PIP magnifying square if necessary.

 

Edited June 6 by bghazzal