How to focus while flying backwards fast?

[welsewool]

Today I've tested fast flying backwards + go up with ma Mavic but at home I was very disappointed with test results.
There are was good light conditions, and first position was in focus but after movement picture became blurry.

Autofocus was ON.

How to deal with this? How to stay focused while distance between drone and point increases?

Here is test footage

 

[Bunny Too]

Today I've tested fast flying backwards + go up with ma Mavic but at home I was very disappointed with test results.
There are was good light conditions, and first position was in focus but after movement picture became blurry.

Autofocus was ON.

How to deal with this? How to stay focused while distance between drone and point increases?

Here is test footage

I have C2 button set to focus and I just tap it every ten seconds or so.

 

[welsewool]

I have C2 button set to focus and I just tap it every ten seconds or so.

But it's still manual process? Ok! Thanks for this good idea. I have to test it

 

[mark_t]

Focus on something further away before performing the pull-back.

You should be able to get sufficient depth of field to maintain focus for the whole shot that way.

 

[welsewool]

Focus on something further away before performing the pull-back.

You should be able to get sufficient depth of field to maintain focus for the whole shot that way.

But should I set manual focus mode instead of auto? This way closeup would be blurry isn't it?

 

[blackoutgt]

Do a quick search on "Hyperfocal distance" for the Mavic Pro. The theory is that if you set your manual focus to roughly 12m, everything from up close (a few meters away) all the way to infinity will be as in focus as possible. At least that's my take on it. It can get confusing quickly, but it's worth a read and I think it will solve your problem.

Infinity focus....

 

[mark_t]

But should I set manual focus mode instead of auto? This way closeup would be blurry isn't it?

Manual is best for this one and use the focus peaking option to help.

You are aiming to just barely have the close-up in focus and use the depth of field to maintain focus as you pull back.

 

[welsewool]

I tried and want to admit that it's quite challenging to smooth operate control height + fly backward + tapping focus (c1/c2) with some frequency.
I saw a lot phantom videos and they just push manipulators full-throtle and getting great shots.
Frustrated...

Test footage:

 

[mark_t]

Phantom uses a fixed focus lens.

I've been warning about the difficulty of exactly this type of shot since the Mavic was first announced.

Mavic does many things way better than the Phantoms, but the classic pull-back reveal isn't one of them.