Canon T4i owners - How is the video autofocus

[CaptainZero]

I for one would love to have the video match the autofocus we get for stills. I do not entirely know the reasons why we can't, but it is frustrating. I don't take that much video, but when I do, it's usually outside doing some kind of water sport such as water skiing from inside the boat. Anyone that thinks it's easy to follow focus on a bright sunny day being bounced around in a boat is nuts! Even on a tripod, if you're outside it sucks to try to see the screen. I'm not buying the dslr kit to change it to a movie camera because I only do about 2-3 percent video (if that), but on a camcorder you are watching 'live view' so why is it so hard for my 7d or 5dIII to do it?

 

[Cinematiceye]

To say that DSLRS capable of taking video are not good is just not true. Look up stillmotion, cinematic Bride, Iris & Light, Phillip Bloom jut to name a few on Vimeo. Autofocus would just not work when film making because the focusing adjusting mid shot or grabbing focus somewhere else would totally ruin it. If you want a video camera to take video of your kiddos then maybe the dslr route isn't the way to go. I use my t3i for all my DD's soccer games and have no issues adjusting focus manually. For the sport I don't film wide open so that I can get more in focus and then adjust accordingly and I still get a good amount of blur. Plus I get to use some good L glass using my 70-200mm 2.8. Can't get that look on a video camera.

 

[dnavarrojr]

Both of you need to tone it down and keep an open mind.

The first DSLR to have video was the Nikon D90.

Canon was the next to offer a DSLR that could do video. The camera makers astonished that adding the video feature to DSLR cameras would be as popular as it has turned out to be.

It was only recently that TPF created this forum specifically for DSLR video.

No doubt, to do high quality video with a DSLR camera requires adding several acessories, like manual follow focus or an external microphone.

Not true. My first dozen "video gigs" were done using the kit camera by itself. I didn't need audio for what I was shooting, nor did I need a follow-focus. The very first commercial I submitted to a client was done with my T2i and kit 18-55mm lens. The client and the TV station said it was way more professional looking than anything else done by other agencies in town.

Today, I shoot about a dozen commercials a week for both local and national clients. Yes, I've upgraded my camera (added a couple more) and I've added lots of fancy tools including a full kit with rails, matte box, follow focus, professional shotgun mic, dual wireless lav mics, track dolly, steadycam, etc... But on most shoots I don't use most of that stuff. I still do a few shots a month with nothing but my camera and lens, handheld without a shoulder mount or steadycam.

It's all about knowing your equipment, having a vision and completing that vision.

One of the cameras I own is a T4i and quite honestly, even with the 40mm STM lens made for auto-focus while shooting, it's still not a mature feature. The GH2 does a much better job. What's GREAT is using the touch screen for rack focusing when your camera is on a tripod and your scene is well lit.