Video Autofocus on Canon 6D?

[raffael3d]

I keep trying to find out if the new 6D has video autofocus?
if not, any new canon camera that finally has it? if not I am seriously shocked how much they lag behind in this.

[Axilrod]

No and no.  The cinema industry has been using manual focus since it's inception and continues to, it's a feature that I wouldn't use even if I had it available.  I just can't trust a computer to decide where you want to focus and at what point.

[asmundma]

??  Trust ... ?  The C100 will have it in a firmware upgrade.... 6D , probably not.

[MK5GTI]

The T4i has some kind of continuous video AF, but its half decent. don't even come close to m4/3, NEX, Nikon 1, etc when it comes to video AF.

but the T4i is more for soccer mom, the 6D is not..... but i don't mind shooting my toddler sport activities with a FF A99 that do continuous video AF 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

The T4i has some kind of continuous video AF, but its half decent. don't even come close to m4/3, NEX, Nikon 1, etc when it comes to video AF.

but the T4i is more for soccer mom, the 6D is not..... but i don't mind shooting my toddler sport activities with a FF A99 that do continuous video AF 

Can you post some of your videos with that A99?  Not too many people have them yet.

[verysimplejason]

no video AF on 6D.  If you want one, you can get 650D.

[MK5GTI]

Can you post some of your videos with that A99?  Not too many people have them yet.

Sorry, i didn't make it clear, i don't have the A99, but i think the SLT technology is the best if you want continuous AF in video mode, the A99 add a focus limiter so your focus wont jump during your clips, and the additional 100+ phase detection AF points embedded in the sensor, it tracks moving subject really well.

some complain i see is that AVCHD file size is smaller compare to Canon's newest, which is like broadcast quality if i am not mistaken

[hkazmi]

AFAIK, its a choice Canon made as a company on higher end cameras

Video auto focus works using contrast detection, this is an inferior way of focusing compared to Phase detection.

Canon choose phase detection at the cost of not having auto focus on video, so focusing is better and faster with still pictures. Its a still camera, hence its upto you as a user... do you want inferior contrast detect focusing with video focusing or superior phase detect focusing on stills and no focus on video.

[neuroanatomist]

AFAIK, its a choice Canon made as a company on higher end cameras

Video auto focus works using contrast detection, this is an inferior way of focusing compared to Phase detection.

Canon choose phase detection at the cost of not having auto focus on video, so focusing is better and faster with still pictures. Its a still camera, hence its upto you as a user... do you want inferior contrast detect focusing with video focusing or superior phase detect focusing on stills and no focus on video.

While it's true that Canon made the choice not to include video AF on the higher end models, on the T4i/650D ,video AF is implemented using dedicated sensor elements on the CMOS image sensor for phase detect AF. 

[paul13walnut5]

Video AF is generally a waste of time.

I know its not for everybody but hyperfocal and zone focusing are a better idea, which requires a lens with markings and an awareness of the effect of focal length and aperture on depth of field.

Video af is lousy enough on 1/8th type consumer cameras, add in much larger sensors with the effect that has on Af and its a miracle some systems work as 'well' as they do.

Then the there is the issue of what to actually focus on, and to be able to track that when the subject and possibly the camera is moving.

In comparison, stills af only has to be in focus at moment you take the picture, a usable video af system would need to be fast intelligent adaptive and contiguous.

If you want video without having to focus then get a fixed lens canera like a flip, or a consumer cam with a tiny sensor.
If you want to shoot in focus video on a large sensor camera you need to do it yourself.  And believe me, it isn't easy.

[Axilrod]

??  Trust ... ?  The C100 will have it in a firmware upgrade.... 6D , probably not.

Yes, trust, I would not trust a camera (at this point anyways) to focus on what I wanted it to and when I wanted it to. 

[Mantanuska]

I own a T4i and I just checked out the 6D at my local store, and it seems like AF during live view is just as fast if not faster than with my T4i. I couldn't figure out how to do AF while recording (probably some custom function for that ), but I was pretty impressed.

I know it doesn't have a hybrid CMOS sensor but I thought it was pretty damn good.