Camera Focus Functions - Manual Focus & Continuous Auto

[Butterpuff 6]

Just saw the following info on camera focus on the Mavic FAQs on DJI's website. It seemed to answer or hint at an answer to a couple of questions I still was unsure of. It seems there will be a manual focus option with a focus slider and it looks like the Mavic can continuously autofocus on a subject in ActiveTrack, TapFly, and Gesture modes. I was hoping for both of these options.

CAMERA
1. How do you enable auto focus on the Mavic Pro camera?
Focus is essential to capturing sharp images. To enable auto focus:
1. Tap the screen in the DJI GO app camera interface.
2. Long tap the screen to enable auto focus when using ActiveTrack, TapFly and Gesture modes. (This function needs to be enabled in General Settings)
3. Focus at the center by pressing a customizable button. C1 is set by default and can be used during normal flight or while using Intelligent Flight Modes.

2. When shooting in manual focus mode, my shots are blurred even when moving the slider all the way to infinite focus. Why?
The focus range of the Mavic is 0.5m to infinite. Slide along the bar until you reach a focus point. Sliding straight to infinite focus does not guarantee sharp focus.

3. Can I zoom during shooting?
The Mavic Pro supports a 2x digital zoom, but does not support optical zoom. You can zoom in or out by draging on the screen or by pressing the customizable buttons.

4. How to enter Portrait mode?
Slide to the left on the screen and tap the a Portrait/Landscape icon, or by pressing customizable buttons.

 

[Luisrsg]

Regarding #2,
I had a similar experience, I flew up, pressed c2 to focus on the horizon, I expected to have infinite focus, when I looked at the footage, it started focused but as I flew, it became blurry, how can I change to manual focus? I have tried to go through all the settings and can't find it for my life. If anyone has tips on the focus feature, it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[woolvie]

Just saw the following info on camera focus on the Mavic FAQs on DJI's website. It seemed to answer or hint at an answer to a couple of questions I still was unsure of. It seems there will be a manual focus option with a focus slider and it looks like the Mavic can continuously autofocus on a subject in ActiveTrack, TapFly, and Gesture modes. I was hoping for both of these options.

CAMERA
1. How do you enable auto focus on the Mavic Pro camera?
Focus is essential to capturing sharp images. To enable auto focus:
1. Tap the screen in the DJI GO app camera interface.
2. Long tap the screen to enable auto focus when using ActiveTrack, TapFly and Gesture modes. (This function needs to be enabled in General Settings)
3. Focus at the center by pressing a customizable button. C1 is set by default and can be used during normal flight or while using Intelligent Flight Modes.

2. When shooting in manual focus mode, my shots are blurred even when moving the slider all the way to infinite focus. Why?
The focus range of the Mavic is 0.5m to infinite. Slide along the bar until you reach a focus point. Sliding straight to infinite focus does not guarantee sharp focus.

3. Can I zoom during shooting?
The Mavic Pro supports a 2x digital zoom, but does not support optical zoom. You can zoom in or out by draging on the screen or by pressing the customizable buttons.

4. How to enter Portrait mode?
Slide to the left on the screen and tap the a Portrait/Landscape icon, or by pressing customizable buttons.

Great info. Thanks for posting.

 

[Butterpuff 6]

Regarding #2,
I had a similar experience, I flew up, pressed c2 to focus on the horizon, I expected to have infinite focus, when I looked at the footage, it started focused but as I flew, it became blurry, how can I change to manual focus? I have tried to go through all the settings and can't find it for my life. If anyone has tips on the focus feature, it would be greatly appreciated.

The attached picture shows where autofocus/manual selector is for the Inpire Go App. Do you see anything like that on your app with the Mavic?

 

[Luisrsg]

View attachment 555

The attached picture shows where autofocus/manual selector is for the Inpire Go App. Do you see anything like that on your app with the Mavic?

I don't see that on mine. I'm running Android on a s7 edge.

 

[Rick]

I've been waiting for the answer to this since adjustable focus was announced on the Mavic camera. This is very good news and I would love to see a video example demonstrating the options and implantation of the focus modes.

 

[Butterpuff 6]

I don't see that on mine. I'm running Android on a s7 edge.

Strange. That's a much needed feature that I hope made it into the production units. I emailed DJI support with the question of how you activate Manual Focus and where the focus slide bar is. They're probably overwhelmed with shipping complaints and questions, so I don't have much confidence in getting a response anytime soon. Hopefully, if it's not there now they'll include in a future update.

 

[Butterpuff 6]

Regarding #2,
I had a similar experience, I flew up, pressed c2 to focus on the horizon, I expected to have infinite focus, when I looked at the footage, it started focused but as I flew, it became blurry, how can I change to manual focus? I have tried to go through all the settings and can't find it for my life. If anyone has tips on the focus feature, it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Butterpuff 6]

Strange. That's a much needed feature that I hope made it into the production units. I emailed DJI support with the question of how you activate Manual Focus and where the focus slide bar is. They're probably overwhelmed with shipping complaints and questions, so I don't have much confidence in getting a response anytime soon. Hopefully, if it's not there now they'll include in a future update.

Here's the focus slider you get when Manual Focus is enabled.

 

[Luisrsg]

This is what I see.

 

[Rick]

View attachment 857

Here's the focus slider you get when Manual Focus is enabled.

Hi Butterpuff,
When you use the slider to alter focus, does the camera respond simultaneously as you move your finger up and down on the slider, or does it react only once you take your finger off the slider. In other words, can you alter focus in a linear way.

 

[Butterpuff 6]

Hi Butterpuff,
When you use the slider to alter focus, does the camera respond simultaneously as you move your finger up and down on the slider, or does it react only once you take your finger off the slider. In other words, can you alter focus in a linear way.

I don't know how well the focus slider works because I don't have my Mavic yet I haven't seen any video demonstration of the manual focus function nor have I seen any discussion of how it works. I got these screenshots from DJI after I submitted a question asking if the manual focus function even existed and how you accessed it if it did. I'm really interested in the feature because it seems to let you focus to infinity without any need to tap-to-focus on some object in the distance. It seems like a better way to ensure you are focused to infinity. I wish someone with a Mavic would share their experiences in using this feature.

Note: I don't think this feature was available until after the last Go app update, which is probably why there hasn't been much discussion of it.

Sent from my iPad using MavicPilots

 

[Rick]

I don't know how well the focus slider works because I don't have my Mavic yet I haven't seen any video demonstration of the manual focus function nor have I seen any discussion of how it works. I got these screenshots from DJI after I submitted a question asking if the manual focus function even existed and how you accessed it if it did. I'm really interested in the feature because it seems to let you focus to infinity without any need to tap-to-focus on some object in the distance. It seems like a better way to ensure you are focused to infinity. I wish someone with a Mavic would share their experiences in using this feature.

Note: I don't think this feature was available until after the last Go app update, which is probably why there hasn't been much discussion of it.

Sent from my iPad using MavicPilots

Thanks Butterpuff, I appreciate you taking the time to reply. I assumed you already had the Mavic. It will be interesting to hear back from an owner just how this focus system works in the real world.

 

[Butterpuff 6]

Thanks Butterpuff, I appreciate you taking the time to reply. I assumed you already had the Mavic. It will be interesting to hear back from an owner just how this focus system works in the real world.

It's weird that no one with a Mavic seems to be discussing or even acknowledging this feature. It makes me wonder if it's really available to current owners, even though DJI support told me it is.


Sent from my iPad using MavicPilots

 

[msinger]

I briefly tried the manual focus feature yesterday. I find it's easier to use the auto focus, so that's what I've been using most of the time.

 

[Rick]

I briefly tried the manual focus feature yesterday. I find it's easier to use the auto focus, so that's what I've been using most of the time.

Hi msinger
If you get the time, could you see how the focus adjusts when you use the slider. Does it adjust at the same moment as the slider is manipulated in a progressive way or is it stilted, and lastly maybe not reacting until you take your finger off the slider?

 

[msinger]

By default, manual focus is disabled. It must be turned on in the "General Settings" section of DJI GO.




Once enabled, you can toggle between automatic focus and manual focus by clicking "AF/MF" at the top, right of DJI GO.




When using manual focus, the focus slider will appear on the right side of DJI GO.




You can adjust the focus distance by moving the slider up and down. The focus changes in real-time as you move the slider. There are little tick marks on the slider, but it doesn't jump to those ticks as you move change it. It seems to move fluidly from top to bottom.

 

[Rick]

That's very kind of you msinger, I now fully understand how manual focus works. You say the slider moves smoothly between the focus range on the graphic of the slider. Does that smooth transition translate to smooth changes of focus on the actual video image?. I'm sorry to carry on so, especially after all the trouble you've just gone to. Many thanks.

 

[msinger]

Yes, the focus appears to change smoothly as I adjust the slider.

 

[Rick]

Yes, the focus appears to change smoothly as I adjust the slider.

Many thanks msinger, really appreciate your time and patience!! This is great news to me. I realise using focus this way would rarely be used, but it's great to have the facility. Given the autonomy of the Mavic, this method of focusing could be used in setting up a shot where tap to focus may not give the desired effect. Thanks again, and enjoy your Mavic.