Magic Focus

[Stokestack]

What are the chances something like a primary, secondary, terciary horizontal line being set and color coding those to lines to lines on the graph?

Seems like a good idea, Steve. I was just about to post this request, exactly the same: three lines. Maneuvering a single line around seems like it might be too fiddly, whereas dividing the screen with three increases the likelihood of one crossing the object of interest while keeping the display clean enough.

 

[Joel Kaye]

If I'm shooting a low angle shot of a person and I want to rack the focus vertically from their eyes to their belt buckle I don't see how the magic focus would help unless a histogram is also available on the vertical axis too.

You've got to be able to see all of the areas on the scene that are in focus easily. I don't know how you do that unless you paint graphical indicators right on top of the image. If you use histograms around the frame I'm not sure your eye can juggle 3 points of data.

I was a little bummed to not see a working focus assist at NAB... but the viewfinder does appear to be very nice. I looked through a lot of viewfinders and none were particularly easy to focus with. I still think JVC's implementation looks the best as this point.

(the funniest quote I got in Vegas was when I told the Silicon Imaging guys about Accuscene on RED they both looked at each other and said "That's why that guy never called us back!!!" - needless to say Silicon Imaging is working on their own viewfinder and it's doubtful it'll be anywhere near as nice...)

 

[Alexander Nikishin]

If I'm shooting a low angle shot of a person and I want to rack the focus vertically from their eyes to their belt buckle I don't see how the magic focus would help unless a histogram is also available on the vertical axis too.

That's what I've been saying all along.

Considering that the Red will have integrated i technology, I'm sure a solution can be created based on this.

 

[Graeme Nattress]

i technology doesn't help at all though, that's for a different and also very important application. Remember the focus graph sees the entire image and displays a graph that gets built up from all those lines across, meaning you'll see when the other objects come into or out of focus whether they're arranged vertically or horizontally or not.

Graeme

 

[wshultz]

Is it working Graeme? Bet you didn't know how much people were interested in seeing this aspect did you?

 

[Joel Kaye]

i technology doesn't help at all though, that's for a different and also very important application. Remember the focus graph sees the entire image and displays a graph that gets built up from all those lines across, meaning you'll see when the other objects come into or out of focus whether they're arranged vertically or horizontally or not.

Graeme

Can you post a few stills showing how the magic assist looks when tracking an object across the frame? A photoshop mockup would be fine.

 

[Graeme Nattress]

It's in the list of things to get turned on in camera. When that will be is something that is effected by a large number of factors, so no predictions. The test footage I used to prototype it seemed to show that everything would work good, but the proof is in the pudding. I'm pretty confident though that this will be yet another very useful aid to camera operators, and you can never have enough useful aids.

Graeme

 

[JD Holloway]

Anxiously holding my breath!

I would laugh if some 3rd party tied the software to the remote focus motor to make an autofocus accessory!

 

[david farland]

So whether Graeme's magic focus has:

1. 3d graph in one location on the viewfinder.
2. One column graph on the x axis and one on the y axis.
3. Indicator with degree of focus overlaid on the picture frame.

doesn't really matter as these are simply display choices which we'll probably have a choice over anyway. Important to note there's no focal point....it's a focal plane.
The magic bit I presume will be how thresholds are set i.e. low vs high contrast images.

What does matter is that he has sampled BOTH axis for this information, that it has an absolute max not relative value, and that I can check it in post....yeah!

Cheers,

 

[S. Um]

Thanks for chiming in Graeme. I hope this feature will be ready soon so that we can all see it in action. Most of us still have trouble grasping the idea. Maybe that's the way revolutionary technologies are? I just hope it's something that's easy to use.

Personally I'd be happy with an SLR-type focus indicator, where you have about 10 or so focus spots on the screen and the camera lights up the areas that are in focus. At least that's what I'm used to. But maybe the magic focus will revolutionize the way we think about focus. Look forward to seeing it soon.