Out of focus

[Texbow]

I recently flew my drone to help a friend locate some landscape boulders on some rural acreage. For the first time I started the video record while the drone was still sitting on the ground. On playback the focus while on the ground is great but once in the air all video was out of focus. My logic on starting the video before take off was so "I wouldn't forget". I assume by doing this caused the flight video to be out of focus. Weather has kept me from testing this so I'm checking to see if others have had the same issue. Thanks.

 

[old man mavic]

I recently flew my drone to help a friend locate some landscape boulders on some rural acreage. For the first time I started the video record while the drone was still sitting on the ground. On playback the focus while on the ground is great but once in the air all video was out of focus. My logic on starting the video before take off was so "I wouldn't forget". I assume by doing this caused the flight video to be out of focus. Weather has kept me from testing this so I'm checking to see if others have had the same issue. Thanks.

i start my video quite often before i take off so as not to forget and as you say it looks in focus which it is but then when you take off the object you were focused on which was very close has gone so now it needs to focus on infinity and to do that you will need to touch the screen to focus or use as it do a preset button on the back of the controller in my case c2 and then it will stay in focus for the rest of the flight if you have it on auto focus setting then it refocuses when you fly close to objects and you can lock the focus to prevent this if you want the foreground or background to be blurred for a particular shot

 

[WobblingWillie]

I have the M2Z but have experienced a similar issue. If the camera focuses on something close to it on the ground then once airborne you need to tap on the screen to make it refocus. I tap on something very far away to make it focus on infinity.

 

[Thomas B]

I also focus on infinity (cloudless area of sky) after I take off. With the CS you just touch and hold a second on the area/ distance where you want sharpest focus.

 

[Texbow]

Thank you gentleman. It was a first for me and I will go back to not starting recording until I reach the altitude I wish to video or as you guys mention, tap the screen for re-focus.

 

[Thomas B]

It’s OK to start video on the ground... I do so I don’t forget to record. Just remember to refocus. If possible use aperture between 4 and 5.5 which seems to be a sweet spot for focus on my M2P.

 

[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

What everyone said, but also: check your focus settings to be sure it's not on manual focus (which is okay, as long as you know it and definitely refocus once in the air). You can do that in your home without flying -- just power everything up and poke around in DJI GO.

 

[Thomas B]

As a footnote. While autofocus and other camera settings work well, I use manual... prefer the control of image it offers and lets me adjust with filters to get what I want.

 

[Bill combs]

It’s OK to start video on the ground... I do so I don’t forget to record. Just remember to refocus. If possible use aperture between 4 and 5.5 which seems to be a sweet spot for focus on my M2P.

i typically start recorded before take off as part of my launch process and then tap the screen in flight to correct it.

 

[Gizmo6257]

I use AFC like Billy Kyle does. I never have to worry about being out of. Focus. The M2P is really good with Auto Focus on. I use to focus manuel y but I look at it, like I have other things I worry about and keep my eye on, so why not let it focus itself. It does it well. I never have out of focus videos.

 

[EricJT]

I use AFC like Billy Kyle does. I never have to worry about being out of. Focus. The M2P is really good with Auto Focus on. I use to focus manuel y but I look at it, like I have other things I worry about and keep my eye on, so why not let it focus itself. It does it well. I never have out of focus videos.

While AF is fairly good, I find MF combined with focus peaking to work best for me as I can confirm which parts of the scene are in focus for my purposes....and using an aperture of 2.8-5.6 combined with ND filters is optimal. Just got the Freewell Variable ND filter set, as it is very useful switching between video and photos....not having to take off and put on different filters is useful.

 

[GadgetGuy]

I use AFC like Billy Kyle does. I never have to worry about being out of. Focus. The M2P is really good with Auto Focus on. I use to focus manuel y but I look at it, like I have other things I worry about and keep my eye on, so why not let it focus itself. It does it well. I never have out of focus videos.

Auto Focus "hunts" and will ruin your video. Set it correctly once in the air, and then forget about it.

 

[DanMan32]

There's a difference with AF and AFC. AF is simply enabling the system to focus when you trigger it. AFC is continuous AF.

Don't press and hold with M2 for focusing. That enables gimbal pan.

 

[GadgetGuy]

There's a difference with AF and AFC. AF is simply enabling the system to focus when you trigger it. AFC is continuous AF.

Don't press and hold with M2 for focusing. That enables gimbal pan.

Pressing and holding is OK, but just don't press and hold and drag!
Only recovery from gimbal panning dragging is flipping the camera straight down and back up to level, to point it straight ahead again! Otherwise, the camera will remain crooked for the rest of the flight!

 

[DanMan32]

Right, and you're likely to drag at least a little bit.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Right, and you're likely to drag at least a little bit.

Before you can drag, a blue circle will appear under your finger alerting you to the dragging. Touching to focus alone won't result in dragging. However, I did recently inadvertently activate dragging when trying to wipe a bug off the screen while flying!