Iceburner 0 #1 April 17, 2008 so, having bought a new hc 5 and jumped it a few times, i have had some problems with the zoom i use a liquid .3 lense, and having autofocus on (which i didn't use with my other cameras) i have had a few instances where it focus' wrong....and then i have set it on the ground (using spot focus) and had a few jumps where it was outta focus...just wondering what other jumpers do with the same/similiar setup as i plan on using this as my primary tandem/aff helmet for videos. pm or reply would be helpful. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
everymansaved 0 #2 April 17, 2008 I'm not familiar with the HC-5, but I imagine the focusing part works just like on any other camera. With a single element lens like the cookie, you need to put the camera into auto focus, and let it adjust until what's in frame is in focus. You can also go to manual focus and adjust it manually to this point. Once it's focused, make it stay at that focus by taking it off of auto. I'm not sure if the HC-5 has a focusing ring or not, but if it does, tape it down to make sure it stays there. Hope that helps. PS: They probably do a better job of explaining it here: http://www.royallens.com/instructions.php It's the Royal Lens website, but the two lenses use the same optics.God made firefighters so paramedics would have heroes...and someone can put out the trailer fires. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dragon2 2 #3 April 17, 2008 Why are you jumping autofocus? The single element lenses aren't great for that and you have to be careful the focus doesn't hunt, manual focus seems the way to go for camcorders. Also, why are you putting a low-res single element lens on a hdv camera? Seems a shame to lower its quality thay way. I jump the hc5 in manual focus and with a hdv lens, like the raynox hd3030 or raynox 5050 or similar. Mine usually has the hd3030 on it, love it for tandem/fs4/wingsuit/etc etc. I put mine on infinity every day, technically that's a bit too far away and I should use a closer setting but it's easy to see if I set it that day as the focus setting only stays put for 16 hours or so (can be wrong about the number). ciel bleu, Saskia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mrwrong 0 #4 April 17, 2008 Use manual focus instead. Just be aware that this setting 'reset' itself after 12 hrs, it's not a bug it's supposed to behave this way. I started with cookie lenses for my HC5 but went over to Raynox HD3032Pro when I realized the cookie didn't serve my HD cam as well as the Raynox are doing resolution wize. And I also (to my surprise) found out the Raynox was cheaper than the cookie “The sum of intelligence on the planet is a constant; the population is growing.” - George Bernard Shaw He who dies with the most toys, wins..... dudeist skydiver # 19515 Buy quality and cry once! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Iceburner 0 #5 April 17, 2008 Quote Why are you jumping autofocus? The single element lenses aren't great for that and you have to be careful the focus doesn't hunt, manual focus seems the way to go for camcorders. Also, why are you putting a low-res single element lens on a hdv camera? Seems a shame to lower its quality thay way. I jump the hc5 in manual focus and with a hdv lens, like the raynox hd3030 or raynox 5050 or similar. Mine usually has the hd3030 on it, love it for tandem/fs4/wingsuit/etc etc. I put mine on infinity every day, technically that's a bit too far away and I should use a closer setting but it's easy to see if I set it that day as the focus setting only stays put for 16 hours or so (can be wrong about the number). didn't have the money to afford an hd lense right away, so transfered my old wide angle lense to the hd camera to shoot some video. now i'm just waiting on the hd lense to ship. so long story short, i was too poor to buy all the hd stuff at once Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dragon2 2 #6 April 17, 2008 You should be able to sell a single element lens for more than a raynox would cost you, at least over here ciel bleu, Saskia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jtval 0 #7 November 14, 2008 QuoteUse manual focus instead. Just be aware that this setting 'reset' itself after 12 hrs, it's not a bug it's supposed to behave this way. I just started jumping an HC5. There has to be a way to set the settings and not have them revert to default,no? It's ridiculously annoying.My photos My Videos Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 20 #8 November 14, 2008 Nope, the firmware on all the new Sony's reset the settings after 12 hours. Its just one more thing to add to the start up sequence each day. I've lost 2-3 great shots this year since AutoFocus was on and it picked the wrong item to focus on.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Butters 0 #9 November 14, 2008 QuoteNope, the firmware on all the new Sony's reset the settings after 12 hours. Its just one more thing to add to the start up sequence each day. I've lost 2-3 great shots this year since AutoFocus was on and it picked the wrong item to focus on. I've also lost some good video. I hate this "feature"."That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DSE 5 #10 November 14, 2008 it's not just a Sony feature. It's a twelve hour clock used by most camcorders. It's no different than a CYPRES. Do you get tweaked because you forgot to turn it on? I uploaded a backfocus chart somewhere here on DZ.com...it's on the wlal of our DZ for focusing. It also helps remind videographers to switch to manual. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jtval 0 #11 November 16, 2008 Quote it's not just a Sony feature. It's a twelve hour clock used by most camcorders. It's no different than a CYPRES. Do you get tweaked because you forgot to turn it on? Cypres has always done that. EDIT: I liken it to if cypres changed their start-up procedures. I.E. if you got a new cypres(one) and you had to hit the button at every countdown step. 6400--hit button 5000--hit button 100--hit button 0-hit button again for proper use. Why change the firmware for something that was never an issue? *** I uploaded a backfocus chart somewhere here on DZ.com...it's on the wlal of our DZ for focusing. It also helps remind videographers to switch to manual. What is WLAL? Why would they change the way their camera wroked to ALWAYS go back to default settings? It annoying as fuck. One setting will not work for every situation so why does it matter if it resets? Let me leave it where I want it and adjust from there. Obviously, with skydiving we can leave the settings where we set them and it'll be good for 99 percent of the jumps. If anyone finds or can creat new firmware (and than tell me how to install it) let me know. THere shoudl at least be a personal setting block where you can set YOUR OWN defaults.My photos My Videos Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PharmerPhil 0 #12 November 17, 2008 QuoteWhy would they change the way their camera wroked to ALWAYS go back to default settings? It annoying as fuck. Because they're not making them for skydivers, simple as that. These are designed for consumers. If your average mom and pop somehow get the camera stuck on manual anything (because they're skydiver son was holding the camera at the family outing maybe?), it will revert back to a point and shoot, which is how 99 percent of these are used anyway. No more customer returns because "the HD video looks fuzzy." Personally, for tandems, I don't give a hoot. I change my foscus setting three times for each tandem jump anyway (and the "Spot Focus" mode on the newer cameras make this easier). If the camcorders had always done reset focus, it would have just been part of your procedure and no one would have even cared or complained. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jtval 0 #13 November 17, 2008 I havent shot a tandemin a while I shoot 4 way and freefly now. It's annoying as fuck. Why wouldnt they add a feature that you can change your defaults? If for the last 5 years Sony has had the camera set up the original way (the settings stay) why do they only change now? I'll say it again. it's annoying as fuck.My photos My Videos Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites