Annoying LX5 focus settings, also in D-Lux 5?

[felipe-m]

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I read elsewhere, and then tested myself and sadly confirmed yesterday, that the focus setting on the LX5 is by defaulf on a realtively large area, and when one changes it to, say, a smaller area, turns off the cam, and on again, it goes back to the larger area, so it ignores your previous setting. Apparently, even if you set it in one of the custom settings, it still goes back to the larger area.

 

This is very annoying, IMHO, I usually use a small area and don't want to have to change it all the time... Does the D-Lux 5 keep the user's setting?

If it does, it may be another plus for the re-badged Leica....

 

Also, even the "small" area seems way bigger than the "spot" on the Lx3/D-Lux4, which may make it difficult to precisely choose focus. Any expereince with this?

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[Walt Calahan]

I'll have to check my LX5 to see if this is happening to me. Perhaps I do not define my focus area as small as you. Until now I haven't noticed.

[farnz]

No, my DL5 retains its focus mode setting through turn off and turn on.

 

Pete.

[Shootist]

No, my DL5 retains its focus mode setting through turn off and turn on.

 

Pete.

 

It's not the focus mode, single point, multi point and so on, the OP is talking about. It is the size of the focus area in single point mode. When he sets it to the smallest area, focus button then wheel turn to the left, and then turns the camera off and back on again the focus area is back to the camera default, one size bigger then the smallest area.

 

This happens on my LX5 also and since the DL5 is a re-clothed LX5 it will do the same.

[farnz]

Ed,

 

My mistake. I understand what you mean now and, yes, it's the same with the DL5.

 

Pete.

[felipe-m]

hmm, thanks for the replies, seems to be true then, very annoying...

What would be the rationale for such a thing, am I missing something? This is hardly the typical low-end point-and-shoot that should take all decisions all the time for inexperienced/uninterested users, so why not have the option to remember the user's AF favourite setting?

 

That would be my first wish for the next firmware update!

 

Any comment on the apparently missing "spot" focusing option? Why the heck do that? Not helpful at all for macro, close portrait or other things needing very defined focusing...

The smallest area is still way bigger that the spot option on the LX3/D-Lux4. Is it just the drawing of the area, or the actual sensor portion giving the readout that is bigger?

[Shootist]

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I believe it was done to speed up focusing. It's much easier to focus on a larger portion of a subject then to focus at one spot.

 

I don't find it that hard to change the focus area. Turn the camera on, hit the focus button, turn the wheel one click to the left, press the shutter button.

[felipe-m]

I believe it was done to speed up focusing. It's much easier to focus on a larger portion of a subject then to focus at one spot.

 

If that's the price to pay then I would be ok with that. But not sure it's true, it would depend on the size of the spot. The readout from a smaller area or "spot" would seem faster to process/number crunch. Also, a larger area/object can occupy several focus planes, making it more difficult to decide and lock focus?

 

I don't find it that hard to change the focus area. Turn the camera on, hit the focus button, turn the wheel one click to the left, press the shutter button.

 

Not saying it's hard. If your subject is static, just a few clicks is still a hassle, but no big deal. But if you have little time, that extra fiddling with the cam can be the difference between getting the shot, or getting it properly focussed, and not.

 

The code for remembering the focus setting and for spot focus exists from the previous cams, why remove useful options, effectively making the camera less flexible?

 

Those 2 things seem to point to a dumbing down of a camera that is supposedly for photographers, enthusiasts and the like...?

[Dan States]

I think when you factor in the immense depth of field in a micro sensor camera

it's unlikely that the smaller spot makes much difference in actual results at standard distances. I was surprised that the spot option came off the pull down menu but so far have found the focus of the camera to be much faster and more accurate in general use.

 

Best wishes

Dan

[Shootist]

I think when you factor in the immense depth of field in a micro sensor camera

it's unlikely that the smaller spot makes much difference in actual results at standard distances. I was surprised that the spot option came off the pull down menu but so far have found the focus of the camera to be much faster and more accurate in general use.

 

Best wishes

Dan

 

Have to agree generally. It was what I was trying to say and as usual some one else put it better. The only problems I've had with focusing is not placing the focus area in the correct spot. Even when using the camera at it's max aperture the DOF is great enough to, most of the time, cover what I really want in focus.

 

If anyone is having problems with this then maybe they need to take the time to make sure they have the focus area correctly positioned to get what they want in focus.

[felipe-m]

Dan, Shootist, I agree with most of those points for most situations, except for quick macro of moving subjects, like insects, where the MF is not always practical. This lineage of camera has performed very well there in the past, for me especially with spot focusing. I hope the removal of the spot option does not make the selection of very defined areas more difficult or erratic...?

 

And I do hope the next firmware update allows to remember ALL your favourite settings, at least in A, S or M modes! Can't think of a reason why this is not a good thing...?

 

 

Have to agree generally. It was what I was trying to say and as usual some one else put it better. The only problems I've had with focusing is not placing the focus area in the correct spot. Even when using the camera at it's max aperture the DOF is great enough to, most of the time, cover what I really want in focus.

 

If anyone is having problems with this then maybe they need to take the time to make sure they have the focus area correctly positioned to get what they want in focus.

[sjconnor]

I'm amazed at the level of acceptance on this issue. Whose camera is this? Mine, or Panasonic's? If I want a small focus area, I should be able to set that and be done with it. Having the camera override my choice every time I turn the camera off and then on again is ridiculous.

[farnz]

I'm amazed at the level of acceptance on this issue. ...

Welcome to the forum!

 

Since this is written into the software, how do you propose that people who are unhappy with it go about changing it? Lobbying Panasonic *might* elicit a response and perhaps eventually a firmware update but there could be just be as many people who prefer the way the camera works now so what should Panasonic do then?

 

Personally it's something that doesn't particularly bother me either way because 1) I don't use the facility very often if at all, 2) if I want to use it I can so it works and I just need to remember to readjust it when I turn the camera back on, and 3) I'd rather that the Panasonic resource which would be used to change the firmware were working on additional functionality.

 

Pete.

[ho_co]

Just a question:

 

If you choose the tight focus frame and other parameters and save that as a user setup, will the tight frame come along when you recall that setup?

 

You've probably tried that, but it took me a long time to get used to all the items stored in the Custom mode slots on the D-Lux 4, so I thought I'd ask.

[felipe-m]

I don't have either cam yet, the only similar thing I have read is that even if you set a tighter focus area in one of the C functions, it still goes back to the bigger area... Maybe someone can confirm this, but if it's true, that's just nonsense IMHO. If I'm specifically choosing to have that as custom function, then why on earth is Panasonic overriding my decision? What's the point of having C functions then?

The firmware has, in that respect, been needlessly dumbed down...

 

 

Just a question:

 

If you choose the tight focus frame and other parameters and save that as a user setup, will the tight frame come along when you recall that setup?

 

You've probably tried that, but it took me a long time to get used to all the items stored in the Custom mode slots on the D-Lux 4, so I thought I'd ask.

[MikeMyers]

I would guess that some software project manager at Panaseica decided that too many people might put the camera into this strange mode, and forget to change it back when they were done, meaning from then on the camera might get a reputation of not focusing properly.

 

Since my memory is rather pathetic, I'd prefer to have a message appear when I turn the camera on "do you want your special settings, or default settings", reminding me that I left the camera in an unusual mode.

 

 

 

I know what you guys are saying, and I sort of agree, but I don't want to begin to think of the number of shots either I, or my friends, have missed because we "forgot" some unusual mode in which we had left the camera....