Still with the focus issues!

Boog0822 · Mar 27, 2017

It's getting annoying to the point where I think there's something wrong with my Mavic. [emoji35]
One video looks good and in sharp focus then the next has a thin section of the center in focus and the top and bottom of the frame horribly out of focus. To steal a Lombardi quote, What in the hell's goin on around here? Compare the videos. Shot the blurry one first then shot the in focus one. Why the drastic diffenence???

Strafe1 · Mar 27, 2017

Exactly as you stated. Second one is really good. Don't know what to say.

Boog0822 · Mar 27, 2017

It's quite frustrating. In the first video I'm clicking all over on the screen and it does nothing to the focus. I did notice that it beeps three times quickly rather than two time quickly when it's actually focusing correctly.
Any ideas???

raymo · Mar 27, 2017

This reminds me of how you can use an old large format film camera to do perspective corrections. Angle the lens and the edges go out of focus on the film plane, in this case the sensor. Not sure of the geometry of the Mavic lens but if it got grit caught on one edge, top or bottom, this might be the effect.

CyberNate · Mar 27, 2017

The only way this could happen is if the focus element is tilting on the horizontal axis. There must be some binding in the focus mechanism such that the top or bottom is sticking and the whole thing slants. Hmmm, I see something similar on mine, but not as drastic. Portions of my video are out of focus sometimes, but other times it's perfect. I've come so close to sending it in, but then I'm like, it must be something on the lens or the weather and just forget about it. Plus, I simply don't like sending it in because then I'm without my toy.

Edit: One thing you could try is putting into manual focus and spinning the dial full in and out to move through the entire focus travel. Then flip it back to auto. I often flip to manual focus for those time when my camera refuses to focus at all. After switching back it works fine.

raymo · Mar 27, 2017

Great idea. I was going to suggest trying to touch focus on screen with the gimbal pitched slightly down, then touch top (infinity) and bottom (close focus). If working it back and forth frees it up, then there is likely a physical issue with the lens. Might ask DJI how the lens is actually focussed.

Boog0822 · Mar 28, 2017

CyberNate said:
The only way this could happen is if the focus element is tilting on the horizontal axis. There must be some binding in the focus mechanism such that the top or bottom is sticking and the whole thing slants. Hmmm, I see something similar on mine, but not as drastic. Portions of my video are out of focus sometimes, but other times it's perfect. I've come so close to sending it in, but then I'm like, it must be something on the lens or the weather and just forget about it. Plus, I simply don't like sending it in because then I'm without my toy.

Edit: One thing you could try is putting into manual focus and spinning the dial full in and out to move through the entire focus travel. Then flip it back to auto. I often flip to manual focus for those time when my camera refuses to focus at all. After switching back it works fine.

I put it in manual and go the whole focal range and it doesn't even move. Then in auto I click all over the screen and three beeps, not two, and it doesn't change the focus no matter where I touch the screen.
Nothing...
Then I turn it off and restart it and it focuses fine. What the?
Something ain't right. [emoji21]

CyberNate · Mar 28, 2017

Boog0822 said:
I put it in manual and go the whole focal range and it doesn't even move. Then in auto I click all over the screen and three beeps, not two, and it doesn't change the focus no matter where I touch the screen.
Nothing...
Then I turn it off and restart it and it focuses fine. What the?
Something ain't right. [emoji21]

Yes, I would send that in. You don't want to deal with that mess on a $1000 drone.

Boog0822 · Mar 29, 2017

CyberNate said:
Yes, I would send that in. You don't want to deal with that mess on a $1000 drone.

How do I go about doing that?

CyberNate · Mar 29, 2017

Boog0822 said:
How do I go about doing that?

Go to the dji website and find the product support section. In there you can either chat with support agent, or call. Do the chat as it's faster. They will email you a ups shipping label and you will drop off the items they've listed in the email at a ups shipping location.

Boog0822 · Mar 29, 2017

I updated the firmware to the newest version, then calibrated the gimbal. I tried focusing inside my house (holding it and moving it around, not flying) and it worked every time I tried to focus on different areas of the frame using still photos. I turned it on and off 3 times and it worked all 3 times. I didn't have a SD card in so I didn't take any photos or videos. Hopefully it'll continue working!

CyberNate · Mar 29, 2017

Boog0822 said:
I updated the firmware to the newest version, then calibrated the gimbal. I tried focusing inside my house (holding it and moving it around, not flying) and it worked every time I tried to focus on different areas of the frame using still photos. I turned it on and off 3 times and it worked all 3 times. I didn't have a SD card in so I didn't take any photos or videos. Hopefully it'll continue working!

Well, it sounds like it was bound up, but now it's freed itself. Glad it's working.