Who wants peaking brought to m43?

[Ned]

BTW does Sony has this "peaking" thing patented?

I doubt it. It's in use with many different video cameras already, and all Sony is doing is bringing it into a still camera. Sony, Panasonic, JVC, and Canon all have high-end video cameras which do peaking.

 

[RT_Panther]

From what I understand, it works on edge detection, which means it can be fooled. The other problem is it hides what you are seeing. Kind of a heisenberg uncertainty principle, you can see the subject or you can see what is in focus, but not both at the same time. This might be OK for static subjects, but I would not want it for things like portraits or documentary work.

But then I have only seen video demonstrations of the feature...

It took me less than 2 seconds to focus & shoot this shot with "Peak Focus"...

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Vampiress! by RedTail_Panther, on Flickr

 

[KVG]

Sounds awesome! Something like that would make me even more tempted to purchase a new body.

Sent from my iPhone using Mu-43 App

 

[G1 User]

So why not in the G3/GF3?
Does it add bulk to the guts?
It seems this a software feature, that uses existing LCD over/under warnings for a different purpose.

 

[Ned]

So why not in the G3/GF3?
Does it add bulk to the guts?
It seems this a software feature, that uses existing LCD over/under warnings for a different purpose.

Sony implemented it through a firmware update... but then, Sony software systems are usually really good about that. It seems that Sony can almost build a new camera just through firmware updates, lol. That's one of the un-marketed advantages of buying a Sony camera.

 

[brutto]

Of Oly doesn't bring it, I will be sorely tempted to switch to Nex. Easier manual focusing would be a huge plus for me. I've been thinking of swapping to an M8 so Nex would save me a bundle.

 

[thearne3]

Already have a version of this...

As has been noted elsewhere, turning the Contrast to high on the Oly cams creates a 'shimmering' effect in the plane of focus (which doesn't affect RAW).

It would seem that this effect could be amplified/refined in software. In the meantime, a useful focussing aid for manual lenses in certain conditions!

 

[LovinTheEP2]

If only the team that hacked the G series camera firmware could take on the Olympus PEN one as well. Considering the contrast trick, probably easy thing to do ;-)

 

[John M Flores]

Would be great for video!

my iPhone sent this

 

[Armanius]

Finally upgraded to firmware 4 on my NEX3. Peaking works great!!! It almost makes MF assist/magnify unnecessary. Emphasis on the word "almost." For critical focusing, an user can use both peaking and MF assist.

I hope Pany/Oly bring this feature to m4/3.

 

[duke]

Now with the E-pl3's waistlevel screen I think peaking would really motivate people to move away from the NEX! Let's try to get the word out on this and maybe panaoly will actually do something!

 

[RT_Panther]

µ4/3 better move quick then...
Zeiss & Sigma are coming out with native E-Mount NEX lenses

 

[Luckypenguin]

Do they need peaking, then? Will they not have autofocus?

 

[RT_Panther]

Do they need peaking, then? Will they not have autofocus?

NO...:smile:
They will be native (E-Mount) NEX lenses with autofocus capability.....
There's also Sony made 30mm MACRO & 55-210 coming to play catch-up with µ4/3...

 

[Superlemmon]

Looks great. Would definitely be nice in situations where there is no time to turn on magnification. Suppose this could be added as a firmware update even to existing models.
The question is, if the manual focus brigade is big enough, to make the developers bother.

 

[RT_Panther]

No, the real issue is Olympus would rather you buy their new lenses rather than give you a software solution for old lenses

 

[robertro]

Peaking is a game changer

I often use my E-PL1 with manual focus lenses, and the magnification feature is a good but awkward solution for nailing focus. Recently, I acquired a used NEX-5 "to try it out". I'm still working my way through awkward controls and other quirks. Frankly, I didn't expect much, but when I used peaking for manual focus, all I could say was ... WOW:smile:!

Peaking is fast, intuitive, and addictive, to the point where it has me questioning the need for AF in some of my lenses. It is allowing me to use my manual focus Takumar 35/2 and Zeiss 85/1.4 rapidly for the first time.

I've struggled with slow/awkward manual focus on Canon EF, Olympus 4/3 and M4/3 bodies, trying split-screens, AF-confirmation chips, the VF-2, and various pre-focus strategies. With peaking, after a minute or two of learning, I was able to get focusing speeds similar to a 35mm manual focus SLR. I'll be testing accuracy of focus in the next few days, but my first shots suggest that it will be more accurate than any 35mm SLR was.

For now, I would recommend that anyone using manual focus lenses try the NEX with peaking, at least until the M4/3 vendors put this feature in their cameras. I had planned to upgrade to an E-PL3 from my E-PL1 for the tilt screen and faster AF. With this experience, I'll probably keep the NEX for manual focus and tilt screen and hang onto my E-PL1 until Oly offers a similar manual-focus-aid feature. Maybe E-PL4?

 

[robertro]

That would be unfortunate...

That would be unfortunate...and shortsighted of Olympus and Panasonic.

Speaking of shortsighted, my old labrador retriever and I took the camera out for a sunrise walk and something new caught my attention. This is probably obvious to those who have used the feature for a while - peaking allows me to see what is in focus in an entire frame simultaneously and in "real time", thus providing clear depth of field feedback.

This feature is useful not only for manual focus lenses, but for AF lenses. The highlighting makes depth of field decisions faster and easier than relying on the appearance of the image on a tiny screen. This is a dramatic enhancement to even AF lenses.

Sorry for the hyperbole, I don't usually get too excited about such features, but this one's a winner, and I think that Oly/Panny should just implement it....maybe give it a less obscure name, like Enhanced Focus Feedback.

No, the real issue is Olympus would rather you buy their new lenses rather than give you a software solution for old lenses

 

[Nico Foto]

+1 on peaking. And its something that can be implemented in software, so hopefully it is a matter of time before we have it as well. What a strange animal sony. Some things they do are really clever and forward thinking. Others just don't seem to make sense (like nex lens lineup or ergonomics).

 

[JohnMetsn]

I would love that, but I don't see it coming as firmware update. Would be nice if someone would add it as a hack, but I don't see it coming from Vitaliy...