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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

RED Komodo to get Face Detect AF

Jon Pais

Jon Pais

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It looks like Face Detect AF is on the horizon for the RED Komodo, probably with a firmware update in December. Meanwhile, it’s available through the Red Control App.

The free version of the RED Control App now offers Face Detect AF and it works with the RED Komodo. The feature will not work without the app being connected. It is a stop-gap until it is fully working with the camera. When activated, a green box will appear on the face. The app does not drive the focus itself but it drives the box while the camera does the focusing. The accuracy of the focus will depend on the stability of the network connection, the lens and the lighting conditions. There are two options: one is to have the app track the first face it finds and stick to that one and the second option is to track the last face it finds – every time there is a new face, it will track that one. App Face Detect Autofocus is located on the Lens page of the RED Control App.

 
I can't wait to hear more about this!
 
How responsive is RED Komodo Face Detect AF? (shot with the Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 macro)

 
Good enough for many situations, I think, and funny that your left ear looks like a face to the AF (at 0:07-).
 
There was just one glitch. No matter what I tried, the camera just would not focus on my face at all. Then I turned off the face detect AF in the app, focused, then turned Face Detect back on and it worked surprisingly well!
 
How does it work with EF lenses?
 
rand thompson said:
These are some very helpful test Jon!
Click to expand...

Thanks. I just recorded some actual footage and even though the face detect box is green, unfortunately the Canon RF 35mm just can't keep up, which was confirmed by another test you posted.
 
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Jon Pais said:
Thanks. I just recorded some actual footage and even though the face detect box is green, unfortunately the Canon RF 35mm just can't keep up, which was confirmed by another test you posted.
Click to expand...

Jon,

That still looks really good for like say a DRAMA that really wouldn't have that much movement. But for an Action scene or movie maybe not so much.
 
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As far as I could test the a few lenses here there is a huge difference between STM motors found in the 35mm or other ‘cheaper’ lenses and the L serie with USM motors…
i own that 35mm and I can confirm it is not the best as far as AF performances.
 
Mikael Lubtchansky said:
As far as I could test the a few lenses here there is a huge difference between STM motors found in the 35mm or other ‘cheaper’ lenses and the L serie with USM motors…
i own that 35mm and I can confirm it is not the best as far as AF performances.
Click to expand...

Mikael,

Yeah I think that there will be ,as time goes by, probably a recommended list of lenses to use by Red based on experience from Red camera users.
 
I gave the face detect AF on the RED Control App another shot this afternoon, and it surpassed my expectations! What's so awesome about RED's free creative LUTs for IPP2 is that you can use the same LUT to monitor in SDR on your smartphone while sending an HDR signal out over HD-SDI to your HDR monitor. That's my landlord at :44. :acne: Sorry, but the video's only watchable in HDR.

 
Jon Pais said:
I gave the face detect AF on the RED Control App another shot this afternoon, and it surpassed my expectations! What's so awesome about RED's free creative LUTs for IPP2 is that you can use the same LUT to monitor in SDR on your smartphone while sending an HDR signal out over HD-SDI to your HDR monitor. That's my landlord at :44. :acne: Sorry, but the video's only watchable in HDR.

Click to expand...

Jon,

The video looked like you used a really good focus puller. Did you modify any settings to get better results are these just the same good results as before?
 
rand thompson said:
Jon,

The video looked like you used a really good focus puller. Did you modify any settings to get better results are these just the same good results as before?
Click to expand...

Pretty much the same settings as when I was wearing the face mask. I tried to keep facing the camera, because it can lose focus the moment you turn your head.
 
I think over time some " Best Practices" , as you are demonstrating, and a "what lenses work best " list will be developed in order to give the best results in this iteration and later of the "Face Detect Auto Focus" in these cameras.
 
Mikael Lubtchansky said:
As far as I could test the a few lenses here there is a huge difference between STM motors found in the 35mm or other ‘cheaper’ lenses and the L serie with USM motors…
i own that 35mm and I can confirm it is not the best as far as AF performances.
Click to expand...

I just sent the RF 35mm lens back after a few days. It's great when it works, but the focus is a bit clunky and slow and occasionally it's just hunting back and forth all over the place. I haven't seen that anywhere as bad with L series lenses, and auto focus has seemed much more reliable.
 
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