GH5 no manual focus during VFR with Oly 150 f2/MMF-3.

[Xx123456xX]

I just got the Olympus 150mm f2 lens and MMF-3 adapter for use on my Panasonic GH5. Currently I shoot 120fps, which I speed up to real-time in post. However, 120fps is only available in the GH5's VFR mode. While in VFR, but not recording, I am able to change the focus of this lens. As soon as I start recording I am no longer able to change focus. I remembered an issue where the GH5 would disable IS during VFR recording on some lenses, so I disabled VFR. Surely enough, there seems to be a similar issue here. I was able to manually focus while recording at the project frame rate.

I contacted both companies, with each one saying the other should be able to provide assistance.



My conversation with Panasonic:


Panasonic Support




Email conversation with Olympus:




-To Olympus
"I just got the 150 F2 and MMF-3 adapter, which I use on my Panasonic GH5. While recording at the project frame rate I am able to manually focus. When I switch to VFR (variable frame rate, which records a different frame rate for fast or slow motion), I am able to adjust focus while not recording. However, while recording, I am unable to change focus. I contacted Panasonic about this issue and was told to contact Olympus. Is it possible to fix this issue?"

-From Olympus
"Dear Jacob,

Thank you for contacting Olympus Technical Support.

It is sad to hear that Panasonic Technical support cannot or will not help you. Since you are using a Panasonic camera and the issue is within the camera settings they should be able to offer some assistance.
Unfortunately we do not support Panasonic cameras and do not have one to test. Most likely the lens adapter plays part in this issue.

If you require additional assistance please reply to this email leaving the complete history intact.

Regards,
Bob
Olympus Technical Support
Olympus America Inc."

 

[PakkyT]

No idea if this is any help, but I know on my Olympus E-M1 autofocus during video is only available with micro lenses. When using older four-thirds lenses, you can autofocus before your start recording, but once you start focus is locked. So the same may be true on Panasonic cameras.

Write back to Panasonic and tell them you are using a four-thirds Panasonic lens that won't focus while recording and see if they come back with an explanation. If there is one, then it probably applies to all 4/3rds lenses. If they came back and say it should, then maybe it really is an Oly lens issue.

 

[alex g]

Manual focus works while recording at 120fps with the 150/2 and MMF-3 on the GH5s, I just checked. As I mentioned in the other thread, I'm surprised that the GH5 differs from the GH5s in this regard. It would be good to get to the bottom of this mystery!

Edit — to clarify your original post, did you mean to say that manual focus works at 120fps in VFR mode when you disabled IBIS, not VFR?

 

[Xx123456xX]

Manual focus works while recording at 120fps with the 150/2 and MMF-3 on the GH5s, I just checked. As I mentioned in the other thread, I'm surprised that the GH5 differs from the GH5s in this regard. It would be good to get to the bottom of this mystery!

Edit — to clarify your original post, did you mean to say that manual focus works at 120fps in VFR mode when you disabled IBIS, not VFR?

I meant VFR. It doesn’t work in VFR recording, but does work in non-VFR recording.

 

[alex g]

I meant VFR. It doesn’t work in VFR recording, but does work in non-VFR recording.

Ah, okay, understood. Out of interest, what happens it you do disable IBIS in VFR?

 

[Xx123456xX]

Ah, okay, understood. Out of interest, what happens it you do disable IBIS in VFR?

I turned off IBIS and the problem still persists.

 

[alex g]

I turned off IBIS and the problem still persists.

I can't suggest anything else I'm afraid. Hopefully someone else on the forum will have some first-hand experience they can share.

 

[Xx123456xX]

No idea if this is any help, but I know on my Olympus E-M1 autofocus during video is only available with micro lenses. When using older four-thirds lenses, you can autofocus before your start recording, but once you start focus is locked. So the same may be true on Panasonic cameras.

Write back to Panasonic and tell them you are using a four-thirds Panasonic lens that won't focus while recording and see if they come back with an explanation. If there is one, then it probably applies to all 4/3rds lenses. If they came back and say it should, then maybe it really is an Oly lens issue.

Which Panasonic 4/3 lenses are focus by wire? I don't want to say the issue occurs when using a mechanical focus lens.

 

[Xx123456xX]

No idea if this is any help, but I know on my Olympus E-M1 autofocus during video is only available with micro lenses. When using older four-thirds lenses, you can autofocus before your start recording, but once you start focus is locked. So the same may be true on Panasonic cameras.

Write back to Panasonic and tell them you are using a four-thirds Panasonic lens that won't focus while recording and see if they come back with an explanation. If there is one, then it probably applies to all 4/3rds lenses. If they came back and say it should, then maybe it really is an Oly lens issue.

Manual focus works while recording at 120fps with the 150/2 and MMF-3 on the GH5s, I just checked. As I mentioned in the other thread, I'm surprised that the GH5 differs from the GH5s in this regard. It would be good to get to the bottom of this mystery!

Edit — to clarify your original post, did you mean to say that manual focus works at 120fps in VFR mode when you disabled IBIS, not VFR?

I told Panasonic that a friend, who has the GH5s, Pana adapter, and two Pana 4/3 lenses, let me test all possible combinations of the bodies, lenses, and adapters. All GH5 combos had the problem while no GH5s combos did.

I'll see if this story confirms my suspicions of there being a bug.