[exwintech]

> I've tried to Google-etc this all over - and I'm left confused...

> With a Bridge Camera - there's no Manual Focus for Video. So it takes the focusing a noticeable time to refocus if zoomed while video-ing - or if shooting past or through a near object.

> While looking at the Specs and Video samples for Pentax KX, while there's that Menu-Reset Exposure Lock - how does one lock the Focus? Or let the AF get the focus - then "hold" or "lock" that?

> It seems to do AE or AF lock on the button Menu selection... But how it would zoom then be holdable - so it doesn't re-focus onto something closer, isn't at all clear. Yes, I do have the Manual.

> Can the lens manual focus ring be used for Video? If so - how would a Zoom and Refocus be done?

> Also - some sample Videos show that the "Sensitivity" apparently isn't controllable, it's on Auto, so if panning from a lower light area to a higher light one, the video flares and loses colour/contrast until the Sensitivity catches up and reduces.

> The KX still images functions seem to be exceptionally good... It would be a shame if the Video functions - which some might see as an "add-on" to a DSLR - were not at least similarly good. The KX isn't aimed at Professionals, it's mainly for DSLR entry level users, and more experienced home-users who are moving up from P&S or Bridge... These people, myself included, do expect adequate Video functions.

> If there are fixes or explanations for the above, any would be greatly appreciated.

Regards, Dave.

[pxpaulx]

Good news, it is manual focus only! (I think that is good news based on what you wrote...?) The camera does not AF during video because it would be very loud with the built-in mic (and probably other reasons more technical that I dont know)

Regarding exposure, unfortunately there is not way to specifically set this prior to shooting. The work around is that you are able to lock the exposure with the AE lock button (i.e. point the camera at a light source you want to use to set exposure, press the lock, and then recompose the shooting position). The work around of course requires choosing a proper exposure based on what you are seeing on the rear display, which may not end up looking as you intended in the end.

[exwintech]

Pxpaulx - Thanks indeed for that. Being manual only clears up that confusion.

> As I don't own a DSLR and don't know anyone who has one, I'm trying to work out how one focuses "during" a zoom out-in with video? One would seem to need more left fingers to do both at once...

> So is the technique to do short clips at one zoom range - while keeping that in focus - then stop the video-ing, re-zoom and focus, video again, etc...?

> I have a Fuji S2000HD which does 1280 x 720 as MPEG4 - to which, as that camera does rather sad still images, I added a Canon SX10 IS, which is by comparison pretty good on the still images, but only has 640 x 480 video. That video, being trapped in the MOV container, makes files-sizes about the same size as the Fuji's 1280 x 720s.

> Both of those do zoom while video-ing - but the focus doesn't keep up (in the sense that a camcorder's does) - so I do as described above and sort out the results in the video editing.

> I suppose the real answer to this is - "Get the KX for the excellent stills and other functions - and buy a decent Camcorder for Videos, you fool...!"

> I would if I could! But I'm on a very limited income - disability pension - so the KX for me is a lot of saving and is a "big" purchase. So it'd be nice if it did better video than my old S2000HD, as a sort of bonus...

> In the sample videos on YouTube, I've seen complaints about the Shake Reduction "rattling" the sensor during video-ing, and appearing in the recorded Audio. Should this be "Off" while hand-held video-ing? Or is the KX video more suited to doing from a tripod with Shake Reduction Off? I do have a quite adequate tripod.

> The KX with the twin-lens kit (we don't get that nice 50-300mm Pentax kit offer here) - is over AUD$850.00 (US$765.00) - here. So in my situation I'm starting to wonder whether to stick with the Canon SX10 for a while until Pentax does a "KX-2" model - or start looking at things like the new Fuji HS10...

> Which wouldn't at all suit my dreams of a "real Pentax DSLR"...

Regards, Dave.

[netrex]

What does ">" mean? Feels like you've written this elsewhere, and just pasted it here.

You get used to manual focusing. It's not hard at all. If you think the rattling sound of the shake reduction is bothersome, I think you'd go nuts with the focus motor working while you're recording :P

If you chose to not buy a K-x because of that you're really missing out, cause it's a none-issue IMO. The benefits of filming with a DSLR are IMO. You get to use all the old cheap lenses out there and get all the effects of photography for video.

[prayforsnow]

Yes the technique you described is pretty much what you have to do. If you want to zoom depending on the range you will most likely have to refocus afterwards, so it is better to compose your shot and record then stop and recompose etc. (Personally i think this looks better than typical camcorder footage that keeps zooming in and out)

It is true that the shake reduction noise can be heard but generally for me anyway it is only when you have a large zoom lens set to its max that its at its worst and the chances are that when you are filming something like that (eg bird in a tree) you are not that bothered about the sound or should be using a tripod anyway! This does not bother me to much as I put music over most of my vids anyway.

As for having to get a KX for stills and then a "better" video camera afterwards, take a look at the examples of videos on this page of the K-X samples thread.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-video-forum/77199-k-x-video-samples-9.html

The quality of videos like these convinced me that I could overlook its shortcomings and get a k-x as my first DSLR (mainly for video) and I love it

[exwintech]

Netrex - Sorry about the itemising ">" - I'm used to doing it in a local newsletter I help with.

Shall avoid it here in future. Thanks for the heads-up.

Yes - it was partly the ability to use the older second-hand, but very good quality lenses, that attracted me to Pentax initially - and then the in-body stabilisation, avoiding the in-lens style of stabilising, that also goes with that. Both aspects of that are advantages on a limited income.


Prayforsnow - Thanks for explaining that. Yes - I hardly seem to use the distracting zoom-in-out, anyway. I rather learned to "work it out backwards", from what I was doing in the editing. That is, having shorter lengths of video, properly in focus, were working better with the crossovers, fades and transitions, than trying to work out where the few "zoomed" parts fitted in the sequences.

As I'm just doing hobby videos of places I go - scenery, harbours, bays, coastal, animals, birds, so on, the background audio isn't highly critical. That is, I don't do interviews, talking-heads, etc, where the audio has to be exact and in perfect sync.

At present, I have the old Fuji S2000HD that does passable 1280 x 720 in *.mp4, but only has mono audio. The Canon SX10 can do good "audio-only" so I've tried using that to do the "background sounds", then adding-back in editing. One could also mix music with that, but I'm not experienced enough to try that yet, though music-only seems quite easy to do.

I was making the point that I won't be able to afford two "good" cameras, but the KX video quality itself seems to be pretty good from the samples I've seen.

Those include Netrex's Snowmobile one - it's excellent! The clarity and definition in that low light are surprising indeed, and the audio is just-fine! I've watched it several times - it's a very neat piece of work...!

Thanks to you both - you've cleared up what I was a bit worried about.

Regards, Dave.

[netrex]

I hope I didn't sound mean writing that I can sometimes..

The K-x performes very well, and I'm not at all bothered by the grains it has while filming in low light. Grain in video is something completely different than still images IMO. I'm more often bothered by it in still images than in video, but even in still images it has its place, or just isn't bothersome.

Glad my fotage helped you, and that you enjoyed it =)