Hi,

I wrote this thread to get good recommendations from pilots who are experiencing the out of focus and oftentimes blur image on image and especially video on MP.

I am new to MP. I used spark before and i dont have this camera/video prob that most of the picture seen on the image is blur.

I thought MP would be better not only for some features but also for the camera knowing that this has 4k video. Though i usually do only 1080 or 2.7k.

Please give some advise how can i improve the video and image focusing. Is there a way to stop the AF so it will not auto focus time to time especially during mid air and taking cinematic shots.

Thanks..

Hi, sorry for the troubles that it caused, may we have your app and firmware version? Is the issue occurs in the SD card as well? Please provide a short video and screenshot of this issue so that we could check it for you. You can use google drive or dropbox then provide the link here. Kindly keep us posted for further help. Thank you.

DJI Tony Posted at 2018-8-21 16:06
Hi, sorry for the troubles that it caused, may we have your app and firmware version? Is the issue occurs in the SD card as well? Please provide a short video and screenshot of this issue so that we could check it for you. You can use google drive or dropbox then provide the link here. Kindly keep us posted for further help. Thank you.

Hi Tony,

Thanks for your immediate response.

I think i am using not the latest version. However, the firmware update didn't pops up on my drone whenever i am connected that is why i am unsure. With that i will try to update if that will solve the issue, if that is your preferences, right? is the new update will solve the issue?

I would like to know also if there is a capability for mavic not to use auto focus or manual focus so i will not tap the screen of my cp and let the camera do the recording and picture taking on it's own. i dont want to mostly tap the monitor of my cp to just auto focus.

You are tapping the screen to focus?  The MP requires it.  If you want to stop focus hunting, Go4 has a manual focus option you can use to lock it.

Mavic~Spark~yeL Posted at 2018-8-21 16:19
Hi Tony,

Thanks for your immediate response.

Hi there, we highly suggest you update the firmware of your drone for reliability purposes. Also, you may go to your camera settings and click manual to disable the auto focus. For reference, you may see the attached image below. Should you have further question, please let us know. Thank you.

DJI Natalia Posted at 2018-8-21 16:36
Hi there, we highly suggest you update the firmware of your drone for reliability purposes. Also, you may go to your camera settings and click manual to disable the auto focus. For reference, you may see the attached image below. Should you have further question, please let us know. Thank you.

[view_image]

Hi Natalia, thanks! but the latest firmware will not solve the issue?

anyway, since there is a manual focus, meaning i need to change the iso/shutter every now and then for every shot? those two wont be interchangeable time to time for every movement of the aircraft to capture different angles of a certain view?

does the manual focus will not focus on one specific part of the image/video? since i dont want to have blur video/image on the whole pic or video.

gnirtS Posted at 2018-8-21 16:20
You are tapping the screen to focus?  The MP requires it.  If you want to stop focus hunting, Go4 has a manual focus option you can use to lock it.

hi thanks gnirts, i was wondering if i did manual focus. so the iso and shutter is lock. so i need to change it every time i change angle from a certain view.

No you don't.  Its a tiny sensor.  If you're filming things 10m+ away just focus once and its all you need.

This focusing lens on the Mavic Pro is pretty much useless. I havent seen anyone use it while flying. You will need to fly too close to your subject to really be able to use it and notice a difference. So close that your colision avoidance sensors will probably wont let you lol. This is something Im really hoping they fixed on the new Mavic 2.

Asainz320 Posted at 2018-8-21 18:30
This focusing lens on the Mavic Pro is pretty much useless. I havent seen anyone use it while flying. You will need to fly too close to your subject to really be able to use it and notice a difference. So close that your colision avoidance sensors will probably wont let you lol. This is something Im really hoping they fixed on the new Mavic 2.

and what if the subject is the view of a place, which is most common interest of mine.

gnirtS Posted at 2018-8-21 18:05
No you don't.  Its a tiny sensor.  If you're filming things 10m+ away just focus once and its all you need.

yes i will fly more than 10m+ and far away from a certain subject.

i will also fly which the subject is the view, so the infinity.

but if i did manual focus, it will change as i am approaching the subject right?

Mavic~Spark~yeL Posted at 2018-8-21 19:31
yes i will fly more than 10m+ and far away from a certain subject.

i will also fly which the subject is the view, so the infinity.

MP has more DSLR type functions. It's not really a point and shoot with infinite focus.

You can assign teh buttons on the controller to AF center. You can tap to focus on your app, and the MP will focus on those subjects in frame. I recommend probing YT for videos on MP's focusing system to better help you. After that, learn about the sharpening and other custom options you can set.

Since MP camera is not so point and shoot, and more DSLR type, you have to learn the camera features and settings that work for your images and video. There is no universal setting that applies to every scene, every time of day, every location, every subject. Experiment with the camera even if not taking flights.

I just set my MP on a tripod that I created a flat board and 1/20 mount. Put the MP on there and learn that camera and settings options.

miketmtpro Posted at 2018-8-21 20:53
MP has more DSLR type functions. It's not really a point and shoot with infinite focus.

You can assign teh buttons on the controller to AF center. You can tap to focus on your app, and the MP will focus on those subjects in frame. I recommend probing YT for videos on MP's focusing system to better help you. After that, learn about the sharpening and other custom options you can set.

well very much said. thank you.

Mavic~Spark~yeL Posted at 2018-8-21 19:31
yes i will fly more than 10m+ and far away from a certain subject.

i will also fly which the subject is the view, so the infinity.

No it won't change.
On the mavic hyperfocal distance is roughly 5m and everything over about 7 is infinity.  I did the maths on another thread.
Unless you're flying closer than that the focus is not going to change.

MP has more DSLR type functions. It's not really a point and shoot with infinite focus.

The mavic has nothing like DSLR functions.  Its a 2015 cell phone camera quality and featureset and no more than that.  Its point and shoot with a few minor manual options - just like a cell phone.
As for "infinite focus", it still has to follow the laws of physics just like call cameras.  Its got a tiny sensor with a huge depth of field.  Infinity focus is very very close.

gnirtS Posted at 2018-8-22 01:48
No it won't change.
On the mavic hyperfocal distance is roughly 5m and everything over about 7 is infinity.  I did the maths on another thread.
Unless you're flying closer than that the focus is not going to change.

Exactly right!!! I dont know who thought it was a good idea to make this camera a varialble focus lens. Im pretty sure they just repurposed a cell phone camera and didnt even bother removing the focusing part instead of leaving it fixed focus to infinity. It makes sense on a cell phone since you can get close to your subject. It makes zero sense on a drone since you can't get that close to your subject to really use the focus feature.

Well its only a f/2,2 lens so if you're closer in than 4m or so you need to focus.  Infinity wont cut it.
What is frustrating is the tap to focus (continous AF is better).  An algorithm to at least work out if its close OR if its further away just keep it on infinity would be nice.

We are dealing with 2015 cellphone tech though.  Look how much they software has improved in 3 years and what the top end Pixel 2 and P20 Pro can do.  Mavic is showing its age now.

gnirtS Posted at 2018-8-22 01:48
No it won't change.
On the mavic hyperfocal distance is roughly 5m and everything over about 7 is infinity.  I did the maths on another thread.
Unless you're flying closer than that the focus is not going to change.

Spark and Air focusing systems are more PAS than MP.

MP has more dslr "type" features, ie customizable than the others. It's not a fixed focus drone camera either.
It's not the greatest, but does offer more flexibility. I had the Air, still have the Spark and MP.

I have taken images near my home of a mall that is .5mile away. I can make the background clouds more in focus than the mall, and vice versa. It's not exactly a 5m limit unless the object is in front of you. For items large enough to be in frame, you will have the dof and focus variation.

Flying by the Rock Hall with the Stadium in the background, if I focused on either one, I could blur one enough vs another, so it's not really infinite focus, but it's not a ton of bokeh either. I flew around 2 boats more than 40' apart. I was able to focus on either with some blur on the other in the background or foreground if I selected. Not like portrait of course, but enough to have variation.

What the 23rd offers will be something else as well.

miketmtpro Posted at 2018-8-22 08:59
Spark and Air focusing systems are more PAS than MP.

MP has more dslr "type" features, ie customizable than the others. It's not a fixed focus drone camera either.

DSLR "features" means nothing.  The MP has some basic manual options for the camera.  Just like every camera cellphone and upwards has had for the last several years.

What you're describing sounds more like a manufacturer tolerance issue than anything else.
You can calculate the DOF, hyperfocal and infinity distance in 5 mins here for the MP as all the details are known.  

Mavic pro auto focusing needs enough light, therefore, it's perfect during the day time but not at night. Now if the footage is blur even during the day time this is due to an error somewhere in the settings or software. in this case you need to reset the camera or if needed reset the mavic to factory default. Otherwise, try the Litchi app so you can change camera's focus to infinity through C1 or C2 options and in this case Mavic's camera will be like the Spark's, no need for focusing.

gnirtS Posted at 2018-8-22 09:27
DSLR "features" means nothing.  The MP has some basic manual options for the camera.  Just like every camera cellphone and upwards has had for the last several years.

What you're describing sounds more like a manufacturer tolerance issue than anything else.

Put this way, MP can do shots the Spark and Air cannot given it's tap to focus options.

Ahmed Hussain Posted at 2018-8-22 10:02
Mavic pro auto focusing needs enough light, therefore, it's perfect during the day time but not at night. Now if the footage is blur even during the day time this is due to an error somewhere in the settings or software. in this case you need to reset the camera or if needed reset the mavic to factory default. Otherwise, try the Litchi app so you can change camera's focus to infinity through C1 or C2 options and in this case Mavic's camera will be like the Spark's, no need for focusing.

is the litchi app incorporated with the go4 app? or i will use the Litchi app iso go 4 app?

miketmtpro Posted at 2018-8-22 12:13
Put this way, MP can do shots the Spark and Air cannot given it's tap to focus options.

Thanks for comprehensive knowledge you are sharing.

gnirtS Posted at 2018-8-22 01:48
No it won't change.
On the mavic hyperfocal distance is roughly 5m and everything over about 7 is infinity.  I did the maths on another thread.
Unless you're flying closer than that the focus is not going to change.

In this case, the highly suggested to do is to do manual focus. even i am going away or going towards a certain subject it wont change?

gnirtS Posted at 2018-8-22 01:48
No it won't change.
On the mavic hyperfocal distance is roughly 5m and everything over about 7 is infinity.  I did the maths on another thread.
Unless you're flying closer than that the focus is not going to change.

In this case, the highly suggested to do is to do manual focus. even i am going away or going towards a certain subject it wont change?

Mavic~Spark~yeL Posted at 2018-8-22 16:19
is the litchi app incorporated with the go4 app? or i will use the Litchi app iso go 4 app?

Litchi app is a third party app. It does unlock some options that Dji go4 doesn't show.

Ask Google about Litchi app for more details.

Mavic~Spark~yeL Posted at 2018-8-22 16:22
In this case, the highly suggested to do is to do manual focus. even i am going away or going towards a certain subject it wont change?

Test it yourself. Set up various items in a yard, and focus on them. Take the pics and see how it works. Smaller items will have to be closer as suggested, and larger items like cars, boats, buildings in the foreground will have some focus variation in the background. Depends on the scene. Don't expect a ton of difference, but it won't be as point and shoot as the Spark or Air.

Auto focus is fine, Auto modes are fine if set up per scene. IOW shooting video or images of one side of a house or any subject that is shaded vs another side lit up by sunlight.  I typically shoot manual mode with AF unless there is something in frame I really want to focus myself.

For me, it's better than full auto everything when the camera decides the settings for the scenes. Initially, the auto modes may be great, but in varied lighting you will want more control. Aperture is fixed, so in manual you have 2 options of ISO and shutter speed.  

Start with auto modes, but explore the manual options. I bet you find the manual methods more friendly to creative control.

These devices can store a lot of images and video on 64G+ sd cards, so plenty of space to practice, look at the meta data on each, and evaluate what works best.