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ardo111

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 21, 2008
31
123
Calgary, AB
I was out filming some test footage with my iPhone X today and noticed when I locked the AF and then went to do a tilt up to the sky, the sky was blurry.

I Autofocused on some trees 20-30ft in front of me, tilted up, and the trees were blurry. Tilt back down, sharp.

I came home and tested it. In my test, 6" horizontal autofocus becomes about 18" when you look up, vertically.

Can anyone replicate this?

 

Jjayf

macrumors 6502
May 31, 2015
334
392
I'm no camera expert, but if you locked focus on the trees, i wouldn't expect the focus point to change when you move the view. When I lock focus on my 1000+ DSLR, that point stays fixed. Kinda the point of fixed focus.
 
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atton

macrumors regular
Dec 16, 2016
180
114
London, UK
I came home and tested it.

Off topic, but I couldn't not reply. Is the video of your "back yard"? That's stunning and I'm jealous. Wish I lived in a similar environment.

All the best from the overcrowded London.

=================

On topic, I've no useful data to add really. I've got an X but I haven't tested it in that way. What I can see is that the tree branches are not being recognized as objects to reset the focus point but I could very well be wrong here..
Definitely a bug if it happens to you repeatedly.
 

ardo111

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 21, 2008
31
123
Calgary, AB
I'm no camera expert, but if you locked focus on the trees, i wouldn't expect the focus point to change when you move the view. When I lock focus on my 1000+ DSLR, that point stays fixed. Kinda the point of fixed focus.

Yeah, I work in film and have worked with cameras from GoPros to 6K RED DRAGONs. Autofocus distance should be constant regardless of orientation. 2m down should be 2m across should be 2m up. For my iPhone, 2m down is a few kms across, for example.

Off topic, but I couldn't not reply. Is the video of your "back yard"? That's stunning and I'm jealous. Wish I lived in a similar environment.

All the best from the overcrowded London.

Mmmmm yes! That's a park down the street from my girlfriend's house. If you're curious, it's called "Babbling Brook Park"; a silly name but hey, it's got a stream and some little bridges and big trees so nobody's complaining. :)

I was in London when I was younger (2001), in awe of how busy the city was! It's fun to hear your perspective on the park! You should come to Canada some time - Babbling Brook Park is just the beginning!

On topic, I've no useful data to add really. I've got an X but I haven't tested it in that way. What I can see is that the tree branches are not being recognized as objects to reset the focus point but I could very well be wrong here..
Definitely a bug if it happens to you repeatedly.

So when I look up and tap the trees to release the AF lock (tap and hold to lock, tap anywhere else to release AF lock and refocus) it focuses just fine on them. They go nice and sharp. Then I look back down at the horizon and everything's blurry. Basically my phone lets me have one or the other, never both. :p
 
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