MA2 Focus Issue? Or Me

ctballos · Nov 2, 2020

Hello Folks,

I am having a focus issue with the MA2 and I'm not sure if it is me. Last week I'm doing a video survey of a granite monument 165 feet tall. The Saratoga Monument in Victory, NY. What's happening is I fly to the top, activate the video and slowly fly down the structure, and when I'm moving I am not in focus. When I stop it immediately focuses.

Settings: #4 ND filter, 4k/30, H.265, HDR on, roughly 10' from the surface.

Is this normal? My only guess is that I am too close.

Any thoughts?

Tom Ballos

Howard70 · Nov 2, 2020

Hello Tom:

I’m not sure about actual focus in these cameras - I think the MA2 may have a fixed lense. However, I’ve found frame rate to greatly affect the appearance of focus. For me 4k at 60 fps provides the sharpest appearing video in most conditions.

Note added in edit - you could be too close, but that would have to be real close and I don’t think would change in a still image?

Good luck!

Howard

dawgpilot · Nov 2, 2020

The Mavic Air 2 does indeed have a fixed focus lens. Possibly your gimbal is having issues while the drone is in motion? It might be helpful if you posted a sample video here so that others can take a look.

Pappy · Nov 2, 2020

I suspect the "out of focus" is nothing more than motion blur. You're recording in HDR mode which can slow the shutter down to 1/30 of a second. I record all of my videos with "Video Subtitles" on to get exposure and gps info for each frame recorded. The frame grab below was recorded in HDR mode and the data for the frame showed the exposure was 1/30 @ iso 230, and this is for a bright sunny day with no ND filter. I would try leaving the ND filter off and either move further away from the subject or to slow down the descent speed.

ctballos · Nov 3, 2020

Thanks dawgpilot and Pappy. I'll do some tests without HDR. It was an overcast day so there wasn't much light. I'm new to video editing so it might take me a to cut a section out.

Kyle76 · Nov 3, 2020

I assume you’re not using a filter that might be overloading the gimbal. I experienced that on my Mavic Mini.

Tentoes · Nov 3, 2020

Can you show us a sample video?

ctballos · Nov 4, 2020

Here is the video.

dawgpilot · Nov 4, 2020

ctballos said:
Here is the video.

Looks like normal motion blur to me. Try one of the 60fps modes and see if that helps.

ctballos · Nov 4, 2020

I'm going back up there Friday. I can try it at 60fps.

Thanks all.

Howard70 · Nov 4, 2020

Hello Tom:

Thanks for posting the video - I agree with Dawgpilot it looks like motion blur that might be mitigated with 60fps.

However, in your original post you mention a “survey” of the structure. Just wondering if that means recording to evaluate the condition of the monument, etc. If so, you might try doing a series of vertical panoramas down each side at established heights above takeoff. That way you’d get incredibly sharp imagery easily viewed to check out the condition of mortar between stones, etc. I’ve been impressed with the stitching of MA2 panoramas when I was recording some natural “towers” along a cliff face.

Howard