Is it true that you have to tap the screen to focus on the Phantom 4 Pro? With my Phantom 4 I never have to check focus, it is focus on infinity and I like it this way.

So how many times do Phantom 4 Pro owners tap on the screen when flying? I would like to know that.

Yes you tap to focus. The aperture is no longer fixed, so the focus is no longer set to infinity.

It's the same with the Mavic, and we've been trying to suggest they default it to infinity focus on start up since so many people forget to Tap the screen and end up with out of focus images.

Maybe this video will help you understand better

how is it reacting in the activ tracking modes, lets say spotlight mode?

since this mode allows to constantly change distance to the object, is the the camera autofocusing what is being tracked automatically or must the user permanently adjust focus while flying and changing distance to the object?

same question goes for eg poi mode when continously changing the flightradius around the poi.

airspace_media Posted at 2016-12-10 14:55
Maybe this video will help you understand better
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2cIMvE0RP4&t=561s

Thanks for the tips :-)

Woodwanger Posted at 2016-12-11 16:36
Thanks for the tips :-)

You're welcome !

airspace_media Posted at 2016-12-10 09:55
Maybe this video will help you understand better
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2cIMvE0RP4&t=561s

I do not have these options in my settings, is there something I am doing wrong?

the peak focus is currently not available on android devices. so if that is what your missing, thats why

For the P4P+ you only tap to focus if you need to focus on a very close object a few feet away from the camera. If you don't tap to focus, everything will focus in automatically except objects a few feet away from the camera. If you tap to focus on a close object, that object will then be in focus and when you leave that close object everything will focus in automatically. I found this out by conducting focus tests. Try it, put one soda can a foot away from the camera and one soda can 10 feet away from the camera and tap the far can then tap the close can and then note the back ground if it is focused or not. Do this test with the phantom on the ground without props spinning so you can place objects at different distances while recording and watch the video for the results.

The focus system on this camera is horrible.
First of all, in 99% if your flights youre so far away from the object that its no point of trying to move the focal area.
When you try manual, focal point doesnt move forward or backwards, but just gets the whole picture out of focus.
I say, use manual focus and set to infinity, and you cant go wrong. This is a plastic wide angle lens, and gives you nowhere close to any high quality prime lens result.

This feature cannot been developed by a pro photographer.
I say ditch the tap feature and use auto as default, but then again, i wouldnt trust this cheap lens AF capabilities, as it would probably chase all around.

The tap to focus is kludgy because my test today showed that once I tap to focus on a close object, then remove that object, the camera did not auto focus on the further object. The best thing is to not use tap to focus.

Is tap to focus a gimmick? I don't see the use for manual focus on a drone. Unless you want that tree branch that you are going to crash into in focus.

I only use tap to focus once to bring the green square to the center of screen and then half-press the shutter to focus the subsequent pictures.

The smaller the camera sensor is, then the more of you photograph will be in focus, automatically.  That is why DSLRs have much larger sensors than phones.  The photographer decides what he will focus on and how much of the scene will be in or out of focus.  The phone user will find just about everything is in focus.
The P4P has a relatively large sensor, and therefore cannot show everything in a scene in acceptable focus at f2,8 i.e. wide open, unless you are at 400 feet high and everything is 400 feet or more away from you.  Then if you focus on any part of the image it will be acceptably sharp.  But P4P lens has an adjustable iris that allows variable aperture of f2,8 to f11.  This now gives the aerial photographer the power to adjust how much of his photograph is rendered in focus.  
Remember the larger the f number then the more will be in focus, and the smaller the hole (aperture) in the lens will be.  This is called depth of focus or depth of field.
It is most noticeable in photographs that contain both near and far objects, and you, as the photographer, must decide which part of the photograph will be in focus.  Is the background more important then the foreground or vice versa.  
When you have decided this, then select your aperture because this controls how much depth will be in focus, then tap on that part of the image.  
Focus peaking will guide you to what is going to be in focus, as it outlines sharp objects in red.

Thanks for the explanation Liningiv! Yes, I now remembered the usage of f stops from my photography classes in high school.

I find the aperture control and the auto focus option renders remarkable shoots when using tripod mode. Amazing the advances in these DJI flying camera platforms.   donnie

Maxi3D Posted at 2017-2-1 07:00
Is tap to focus a gimmick? I don't see the use for manual focus on a drone. Unless you want that tree branch that you are going to crash into in focus.

Haha. That's awesome. Must clearly see what I crashed into.

liningiv Posted at 2017-2-1 08:24
The smaller the camera sensor is, then the more of you photograph will be in focus, automatically.  That is why DSLRs have much larger sensors than phones.  The photographer decides what he will focus on and how much of the scene will be in or out of focus.  The phone user will find just about everything is in focus.
The P4P has a relatively large sensor, and therefore cannot show everything in a scene in acceptable focus at f2,8 i.e. wide open, unless you are at 400 feet high and everything is 400 feet or more away from you.  Then if you focus on any part of the image it will be acceptably sharp.  But P4P lens has an adjustable iris that allows variable aperture of f2,8 to f11.  This now gives the aerial photographer the power to adjust how much of his photograph is rendered in focus.  
Remember the larger the f number then the more will be in focus, and the smaller the hole (aperture) in the lens will be.  This is called depth of focus or depth of field.

This is a great, simple explanation. I believe those who don't see how useful variable aperture is on a drone possibly don't realize even at longer distances how much depth of field can affect an image. It's kind of like when people say, "My cell phone pics look just as good as the pics from an expensive SLR/DSLR, so why bother having anything other than a cell phone for pics?". Those images might look just as "good" to some, but they don't look really the same, and some people have a greater appreciation for one look over the other, regardless of what they perceive of as quality.

Jkeller84 Posted at 2016-12-10 04:57
Yes you tap to focus. The aperture is no longer fixed, so the focus is no longer set to infinity.

Is this for the Phantom 4 Advanced also?

Yes - same camera. Same quad, just minus a couple of collision sensors

Maxi3D Posted at 2017-2-1 07:00
Is tap to focus a gimmick? I don't see the use for manual focus on a drone. Unless you want that tree branch that you are going to crash into in focus.

Hahahahahaha

You don't need to tap. You can also trigger the photo button on the remote and it's getting the focus as long as you are not on manual focus settings.
That even works when JPG+RAW has been selected in photo settings and you can't take a photo while filming:
Still the system is focussing...