AF modes on the D-lux 3

[elgenper]

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I´m almost embarrassed to ask, since I´ve had the D-lux 3 since February, but only lately have I started using it more or less daily.

 

What is the difference between the "default" AF mode, with one central field, and the mode with the same field, but with an "H"? I know H stands for High speed, but I´ve not found any real explanation in the manual what tradeoff one makes to get that high speed (if there were no tradeoff, obviously the standard setting would have no reason for its existence...).

 

Will the "H" mode give coarser focussing (with fewer steps), or is there something else going on? I can´t really find any systematic difference in precision, and to be honest, not much difference in speed either...

 

Anyone who happens to know?

[streetshooter]

It seems to me that the camera focuses faster in "H" mode, especially in back lit situations and in dark scenes....By the way, The D-Lux 3 is far superior to the G9 for focusing and a few other things too...

shooter

[elgenper]

It seems to me that the camera focuses faster in "H" mode, especially in back lit situations and in dark scenes....

 

Thank you, streetshooter. I share your opinion about the Dlux3´s general superiority.

 

OK, I guess there is indeed a difference in speed betwen the modes; I´ll try some more systematic experiments.

 

But my main point was: what does one sacrifice in order to get this speeded-up focus out of the camera? Something else (possibly focussing precision) must be worse, otherwise there would be no point in having the non-H alternative, would there?

 

I just ask if anybody knows, or has conducted enough experiments to conjecture?

[dorman]

In the handbook it says that the display may freeze momentarily in H mode.

However I've never noticed this, neither have I seen any noticeable difference in focussing time between H mode and normal mode.

[elgenper]

In the handbook it says that the display may freeze momentarily in H mode.

However I've never noticed this, neither have I seen any noticeable difference in focussing time between H mode and normal mode.

 

No, that´s about the same impression I have so far. My own "solution" is to avoid the "H" modes, since I see no radical improvement, and don´t know if I lose precision by using them. And, by now it seems no one else knows, either...

[mjh]

In the handbook it says that the display may freeze momentarily in H mode.

The H modes devote a higher percentage of CPU cycles to focusing, while in the other modes, the camera also tries to keep the display frame rate at the usual level. It is a simple trade-off between a smoothly updated display and faster focusing; focusing accuracy isn’t affected at all. (I tend to prefer the H modes, by the way.)

[elgenper]

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OK, so that´s the only tradeoff, not that the AF is coarser with fewer step (as I feared). In that case, there should be little reason to avoid the H modes, unless a smooth display is very important.

 

For real "action" (running dogs & c), nothing beats manual scale focussing, of course, once you get the knack of keeping your distance constant.

 

Thank you for your clarification!

[Ruhayat]

I don't use my D-Lux 3 all that much either, but it's set to the H mode all the time. Fiddling around with the camera when I first got it, my impression was the H mode works like Continuous (or Dynamic) Autofocus on DSLRs and is better for moving subjects, while the default centralised AF is more like the Static Autofocus and is better for stationary objects.

[elgenper]

I don't use my D-Lux 3 all that much either, but it's set to the H mode all the time. Fiddling around with the camera when I first got it, my impression was the H mode works like Continuous (or Dynamic) Autofocus on DSLRs and is better for moving subjects, while the default centralised AF is more like the Static Autofocus and is better for stationary objects.

 

Hmm.... Just tried, and continuous it isn´t; it still locks at half-press both in the normal and the H mode. On a dSLR, continuous focussing follows an object at half-press and doesn´t ever lock it.

 

There is a "Cont AF" selection in the menus, and when selected, one does get focus following all the time, even without pressing the release (sounds like a good way to drain the battery.... ). But half-press still locks focus. This behaviour is the same in both normal and H modes, however.

 

So, at the moment I feel mjh´s explanation above is the most plausible one, and that there´s no reason to avoid using the H modes (unless the freezing display bothers you; I can live with it).

[Ruhayat]

So, at the moment I feel mjh´s explanation above is the most plausible one, and that there´s no reason to avoid using the H modes (unless the freezing display bothers you; I can live with it).

 

Agreed. For whatever reason, the H mode gives a slightly better chance of getting a good shot in my experience, which is why my D-Lux 3 has been "stuck" at that setting.