[popo]

My other hobby is keeping fish, and I feel an urge to take more videos of them. Stills are easy, but video isn't an area I've done much before.

If they stay in the same place, I currently tend to use a Canon 600D + Zeiss 50mm macro manual focus stopped down a lot for depth of field. But of course this is no good if they move around.

I could switch to the 7D2 for better video AF. I've tried the Sigma 150mm macro, but the long focal length is too much here. It does need to be a macro but not necessarily 1:1. The Zeiss for example is up to 0.5x which is adequate. Not enough depth of field is often limiting also.

One option I have is to switch to a shorter focal length AF macro, but apart from the EF-S 60mm I'm not sure which might be good for video AF. As such I'm not seriously considering the 50mm macro. Extension tubes or close up filters are not viable here as they restrict the focus distance too much.

I also have a Sony HX9V which isn't bad at close focus, but keeping it on the subject can be tricky and there aren't many easily accessible settings.

That's when I thought, maybe I could look at a low cost other system. I'll leave that open for now, but it might include compacts or mirrorless. I'd really like a tilt screen, hence me using the 600D more than the 7D2. If it has touch AF even better. But as it will be a single use combo, I would be looking at low cost. So I'm wondering if lower end MFT or NEX bodies (used is ok) with a cheap short macro lens might be an option here?

[Kodachrome 25]

Did you consider the Sony a5100? Gordon Laing has a lot of AF tracking still/video samples: http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Sony_A...ndex.shtml

And the Sigma 60/2.8 looks decent compared to most of Sony's disappointing lens line-up:

http://www.opticallimits.com/sony_nex/841-sigma60f28nex

[Brightcolours]

The A5100:

https://vimeo.com/113196220

Not terribly fast, but smooth-ish.

 

The M3:

https://vimeo.com/125379762

Pretty quick, sometimes a slight hesitation before it starts.

 

EOS 100D:

https://vimeo.com/65311560

Smoooooth.

 

EOS 70D:

https://vimeo.com/73006700

 

The EOS M test by this guy is from before the firmware update. The updated one is pretty smooth, but sometimes can hunt a tad. Or miss focus even (only tested it a little bit). So pretty good, but not the best. Touch screen AF with small aperture works well still.

[popo]

By chance a guy at work had a NEX-5N and 30mm macro with him. Only had a quick play and there seems to be potential there. He said he had a spare 5N which he could lend me along with the lens to try out, so I'll await that before deciding.

 

I'm hesitant to buy any more Canon bodies since, apart from touch LCD, I have pretty much everything covered, and if push came to shove I'd make do with the 7D2 without tilty screen. Also sticking with Canon isn't the cheapest option for me, since I'd still need a new lens regardless. The 60mm macro new would cost about as much as a used 5N+30mm macro combined. Having said that, in a quick look there doesn't seem to be many 5Ns around for sale, only the plain 5 and the 5R. I need to figure out what difference there are between them.

 

On cost grounds I wouldn't spring for a new A5100 or M3 either.

[Brightcolours]

_{The NEX5 seems smooth but verrrry pedestrian with touch AF transitions in video.}

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDkASHk_rLo

 

After seeing all these videos I just had to try my EOS M with EF-M 18-55mm IS STM + 10mm extension tube from Fotga. Works quite a bit faster than in above NEX5 video, and smooth. The combination focusses between ~45cm and ~12cm. I must say, actually pretty impressive (I had not expected that).

 

So I recon the M2 and M might be a cheap candidate, depending on if those distances are alright for your aquarium set up.

[popo]

I guess my main need is to initiate focus on a subject, and keep focus on that subject when it moves. They don't move that much, so rapid focus changes with distances aren't necessary. If they do move that much, chances are they'll be out of shot quickly anyway.

 

The focus distances mentioned for the M seem ok, depending on the focal length. Is that applicable to the long end? What about mid range?

[Brightcolours]

Yeah, that was 55mm. A quick guestimate 20mm-12mm to the sensor at 35mm. I think 10mm is the smallest available tube length.

[popo]

Please can you clarify on your response as it doesn't make sense to me?

I've got the spare 5N and 30mm macro next to me now so I'll give it a go when I get home later.

[popo]

I had a quick play using both the 30mm macro and 18-55 OSS kit lens. Performance was a mixed bag. Touching the point I wanted was unreliable, often picking something next to what I wanted or just going straight for the background. Once locked on a subject it didn't react very quickly to movements. I didn't feel there was OSS going on with the latter lens and I just didn't get a very stable video. The 30mm macro was a bit shorter than I like in the end. The 18-55 was better but I had to be careful not to run into MFD.

 

For a quick comparison, I put the 15-85 IS USM on my 7D2, since that should have the best AF capability of my Canon bodies. The lens was chosen for USM and medium focal length range, since I don't have STM in that area other than the 40mm pancake. This tended to pick the closest item which was the subject. I haven't tested this in case of a foreground obstruction. AF is more confident feeling although it can still lose track in case of faster movements. IS was visibly working here.

 

So that considered, the NEX-5N isn't on my shopping list. The Canon DP video AF is just a lot better. Now, of course I don't know if more modern Sony models will be much better but as previously said, I don't want to spend a lot on a new body.

 

Right now I guess I could consider an IS STM lens for Canon... I still don't think I'll get another body though and will make do without touchscreen (didn't help much in the end) or tilt.

[Brightcolours]

Yeah, that was 55mm. A quick guestimate 20mm-12mm to the sensor at 35mm. I think 10mm is the smallest available tube length.

Yeah the 18-55mm was at the 55mm end when I tested it. Quick guestimate of the distance from subject to sensor at 35mm focal length is 20 to 12mm range. I think the smallest extension tube available for EF-M is 10mm, so you won't get a bigger range at 35mm than that.