X-T2 Motion Tracking Test -- Take 2

Jerry-astro · Sep 9, 2016

So, after yesterday's trial by fire, and a steep learning curve, I think I might be getting the hang of this amazing camera -- or at least seeing better results anyway. I decided to go out and take some photos of Portland's most plentiful moving objects: bicyclists using my 100-400 w/1.4TC. Light was really challenging as this was pretty late in the day. Also, I'm still on a learning curve as far as steady tracking, so you'll see some jumping around and less than steady tracking. My fault, not the camera's. First, here's the link to the collection in my Smugmug site, since the images are too plentiful to garbage up a thread here:

X-T2 tracking tests

The images should be viewable at full resolution and should also be downloadable, if desired. A few observations and notes:

Tracking was set to option 2. There were a couple of cases where the tracking was interrupted by cars or other objects and the camera never lost focus.
There has been zero post processing on these. They are LR created JPGs with no adjustments, sharpening, or anything else. The lighting caused some exposure issues here and there, which would be totally expected.
The sequences were taken with the grip attached in CL mode. As such, there was no VF delay or lag. Any issues in tracking accuracy cannot be attributed to those sorts of issues (as they most certainly were when doing a similar test with the X-T1).

Please dive in with any questions and I'd love people's thoughts on this. For my purposes anyway, I'm very encouraged by this and feel that I will no longer need to hesitate when taking on a project that involves tracking, as I did with the X-T1.

Troubleshooter · Sep 9, 2016

Interresting, that you used mode2! But if it works...

Did you use a single AF Point, or an area?

dadaoftwo · Sep 9, 2016

Nice results - I got similar pics with cars - and I don't even have the grip!

The best thing I can say about this camera is that I feel confident in knowing what it's going to focus on - I feel like I have actual control over this thing - and yes, I also used Mode2 (the one that ignores obstacles) - could that be the magic sauce?

alexne · Sep 9, 2016

Thanks Jerry for following up!

alexne · Sep 9, 2016

Jerry,

a few questions.

X-T1 had feature called pre-focus which started doing PD samples and focusing before you pressed the shutter button. Was this type of feature enabled on your X-T2?

I think you said optional grip was on. I assume boost mode was on?

shutter release set to lock focus priority or release priority?

any comments on CH mode and how useable it is for tracking unpredictable movement?

did you take any from further away?

did you take any with the 100-400?

did you try randomly jumping around to different distances quickly to see how fast it can lock focus without pre-focus opportunity?

thats all for now.

Thanks for doing this and have a good weekend.

Alex

Jerry-astro · Sep 9, 2016

alexne said:
Jerry,

a few questions.

X-T1 had feature called pre-focus which started doing PD samples and focusing before you pressed the shutter button. Was this type of feature enabled on your X-T2?

Nope

alexne said:
I think you said optional grip was on. I assume boost mode was on?

Correct

alexne said:
shutter release set to lock focus priority or release priority?

Focus

alexne said:
any comments on CH mode and how useable it is for tracking unpredictable movement?

did you take any from further away?

I did vary the distance somewhat, some starting from more distance, some from closer in. I did most from close in since it tends to narrow the DOF at magnification, which IMHO makes for a better test of AF accuracy.

alexne said:
did you take any with the 100-400?

All of them. Varied the FL a bit. At least one set is full 560mm.

alexne said:
did you try randomly jumping around to different distances quickly to see how fast it can lock focus without pre-focus opportunity?

Yeah. AF is wicked quick in all cases. This is a case where the early reviewers really didn't overstate this.

alexne said:
thats all for now.

Cool, hope this helps. Should have time to try other stuff as well over the next few days if you have any specific things you'd like to see tested.

alexne said:
Thanks for doing this and have a good weekend.

U2, bud.

alexne said:
Alex

alexne · Sep 9, 2016

Jerry,

upon further inspection. So there are three riders. After the 5th frame of each rider sequence, there appears to be a time gap. I notice this by looking at the cars in then background and watching the rate of approach. There is a jump after the 5th frame. The middle riddle sequence, I though was fine but under inspection the back car with headlights just disappeared without any indication of turning. Based on the rate of approach and previous sequence, I was expecting a least a clue that it was turning. The other sets show cars making a hug progress between frame 5 and 6. wonder if this correlates to the 5/fps rate somehow.

Was there in fact a time gap, or are there frame that were not posted? Sorry, I am not sure how to lookup EXIF date values on those via the website easy.

Thanks

Alex

Jerry-astro · Sep 9, 2016

alexne said:
Jerry,

upon further inspection. So there are three riders. After the 5th frame of each rider sequence, there appears to be a time gap. I notice this by looking at the cars in then background and watching the rate of approach. There is a jump after the 5th frame. The middle riddle sequence, I though was fine but under inspection the back car with headlights just disappeared without any indication of turning. Based on the rate of approach and previous sequence, I was expecting a least a clue that it was turning. The other sets show cars making a hug progress between frame 5 and 6. wonder if this correlates to the 5/fps rate somehow.

Was there in fact a time gap, or are there frame that were not posted? Sorry, I am not sure how to lookup EXIF date values on those via the website easy.

Thanks

Alex

Ahh, crud, I knew I forgot to mention something (and nice catch). I did interrupt one or two of the sequences if my tracking wandered off, then restarted it. Simply let loose of the shutter button, reaimed, then continued the sequence. Nothing magical or any thrown away frames, just a photographer who could use a little more practice in motion tracking.

alexne · Sep 9, 2016

Jerry-astro said:
Focus

Jerry-astro said:

any comments on CH mode and how useable it is for tracking unpredictable movement?

Click to expand...

I think you missed this question. Did you try?

Jerry-astro said:
Jerry-astro said:

did you take any from further away?

Click to expand...

I did vary the distance somewhat, some starting from more distance, some from closer in. I did most from close in since it tends to narrow the DOF at magnification, which IMHO makes for a better test of AF accuracy.

Thanks again.

alexne · Sep 9, 2016

Jerry-astro said:
alexne said:

Jerry,

upon further inspection. So there are three riders. After the 5th frame of each rider sequence, there appears to be a time gap. I notice this by looking at the cars in then background and watching the rate of approach. There is a jump after the 5th frame. The middle riddle sequence, I though was fine but under inspection the back car with headlights just disappeared without any indication of turning. Based on the rate of approach and previous sequence, I was expecting a least a clue that it was turning. The other sets show cars making a hug progress between frame 5 and 6. wonder if this correlates to the 5/fps rate somehow.

Was there in fact a time gap, or are there frame that were not posted? Sorry, I am not sure how to lookup EXIF date values on those via the website easy.

Thanks

Alex

Click to expand...

Ahh, crud, I knew I forgot to mention something (and nice catch). I did interrupt one or two of the sequences if my tracking wandered off, then restarted it. Simply let loose of the shutter button, reaimed, then continued the sequence. Nothing magical or any thrown away frames, just a photographer who could use a little more practice in motion tracking.

bummer.. kind of funny that they ALL happen after the 5th frame.

oh well. thanks for clearing that up.

Jerry-astro · Sep 9, 2016

alexne said:
Jerry-astro said:

Focus

alexne said:

any comments on CH mode and how useable it is for tracking unpredictable movement?

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Sorry. I stuck with CL mode for this test. Next time around I'll try CH. I was cognizant of the fact that CL with the grip meant no EVF lag, so was anxious to see how well that actually works (pretty darn well, near as I can tell). I suspect CH will be a bit tougher because of the lag, but absolutely worth a try. As I understand it, it's pretty manageable from the reviews I read early on.

alexne · Sep 9, 2016

Jerry-astro said:
alexne said:

Jerry-astro said:

Focus

Jerry-astro said:

any comments on CH mode and how useable it is for tracking unpredictable movement?

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Sorry. I stuck with CL mode for this test. Next time around I'll try CH. I was cognizant of the fact that CL with the grip meant no EVF lag, so was anxious to see how well that actually works (pretty darn well, near as I can tell). I suspect CH will be a bit tougher because of the lag, but absolutely worth a try. As I understand it, it's pretty manageable from the reviews I read early on.

Thanks, would love to hear your actual experience. Don't need frames posted. Just look through EVF in the morning with a long lens, set to CH and pan diagonally from top left corner to bottom right corner while firing away. Would appreciate it..

have a good night and thank you

Alex

Phil1 · Sep 10, 2016

Thanks - this is very encouraging (& most welcome news) for someone who, like you, has just stumped up for an X-T2!

Could there possibly be another factor also in causing the slight time‘ gaps’ you mentioned? I imagine (no more than that) that, as when set to focus priority the camera waits until focus is achieved before firing, if the focussing is still catching up with the movement it might well show up as a very small time gap? Just a thought! So I wonder if you’d have seen the gaps if you’d used shutter priority? (But then some might have been OoF!)

Not that it would make any real difference to the shots as any differences would be academic, but if I’m right, it would help me understand the camera a little better.

Thanks again for cheering me up on a miserable Saturday morning in the UK!

Phil

57LowRider · Sep 10, 2016

Phil1 said:
Thanks again for cheering me up on a miserable Saturday morning in the UK!

UK weekend weather is why Fuji had to go WR.

photofisher · Sep 10, 2016

Jerry-astro said:
alexne said:

Jerry-astro said:

Focus

Jerry-astro said:

any comments on CH mode and how useable it is for tracking unpredictable movement?

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Sorry. I stuck with CL mode for this test. Next time around I'll try CH. I was cognizant of the fact that CL with the grip meant no EVF lag, so was anxious to see how well that actually works (pretty darn well, near as I can tell). I suspect CH will be a bit tougher because of the lag, but absolutely worth a try. As I understand it, it's pretty manageable from the reviews I read early on.

Jerry-astro · Sep 10, 2016

Phil1 said:
Thanks - this is very encouraging (& most welcome news) for someone who, like you, has just stumped up for an X-T2!

Could there possibly be another factor also in causing the slight time‘ gaps’ you mentioned? I imagine (no more than that) that, as when set to focus priority the camera waits until focus is achieved before firing, if the focussing is still catching up with the movement it might well show up as a very small time gap? Just a thought! So I wonder if you’d have seen the gaps if you’d used shutter priority? (But then some might have been OoF!)

Not that it would make any real difference to the shots as any differences would be academic, but if I’m right, it would help me understand the camera a little better.

Thanks again for cheering me up on a miserable Saturday morning in the UK!

Phil

Phil, you're most welcome. I'm pretty sure what Alex saw was simply a brief pause or two in my shooting. There were a couple of cases (due to my inexperience) where I felt I was wandering off my subject. So, I very briefly interrupted shooting, then restarted. I'm pretty sure that's what he's referring to. However, you're quite right about the impact of using focus priority and it's most certainly possible that the camera would pause a bit while shooting continuously to achieve focus.

I will try to do a couple or three CH sequences today or tomorrow and see how the VF lag affects one's ability to keep up. Also keep in mind that -- unlike MANY others who frequent this site -- I am not the most experienced continuous shooter. It requires a fair amount of practice and experience, and since the X-T1 was pretty bad at it, I never really made an effort to do build my tracking skills. This camera is a very different beast, so the learning curve begins now.

Thanks much for weighing in and I'll try to send some nice weather vibes your way. Portland looks a lot like the UK as we get deeper into Fall and Winter, so we'll enjoy the nice weather while we have it.

Jerry-astro · Sep 10, 2016

photofisher said:
Jerry-astro said:

alexne said:

Jerry-astro said:

Focus

photofisher said:

any comments on CH mode and how useable it is for tracking unpredictable movement?

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Sorry. I stuck with CL mode for this test. Next time around I'll try CH. I was cognizant of the fact that CL with the grip meant no EVF lag, so was anxious to see how well that actually works (pretty darn well, near as I can tell). I suspect CH will be a bit tougher because of the lag, but absolutely worth a try. As I understand it, it's pretty manageable from the reviews I read early on.

Click to expand...

chile7236 · Sep 10, 2016

can you try some sports shots? i'd be interested to see how it does...as i'm sure others would as well.

sai1 · Sep 10, 2016

Looking good so far.

Pixel boy · Sep 10, 2016

Jerry-astro said:
So, after yesterday's trial by fire, and a steep learning curve, I think I might be getting the hang of this amazing camera -- or at least seeing better results anyway. I decided to go out and take some photos of Portland's most plentiful moving objects: bicyclists using my 100-400 w/1.4TC. Light was really challenging as this was pretty late in the day. Also, I'm still on a learning curve as far as steady tracking, so you'll see some jumping around and less than steady tracking. My fault, not the camera's. First, here's the link to the collection in my Smugmug site, since the images are too plentiful to garbage up a thread here:

X-T2 tracking tests

The images should be viewable at full resolution and should also be downloadable, if desired. A few observations and notes:

Tracking was set to option 2. There were a couple of cases where the tracking was interrupted by cars or other objects and the camera never lost focus.

There has been zero post processing on these. They are LR created JPGs with no adjustments, sharpening, or anything else. The lighting caused some exposure issues here and there, which would be totally expected.

The sequences were taken with the grip attached in CL mode. As such, there was no VF delay or lag. Any issues in tracking accuracy cannot be attributed to those sorts of issues (as they most certainly were when doing a similar test with the X-T1).

Please dive in with any questions and I'd love people's thoughts on this. For my purposes anyway, I'm very encouraged by this and feel that I will no longer need to hesitate when taking on a project that involves tracking, as I did with the X-T1.

Jerry

The link doesn't appear to work?

X-T2 Motion Tracking Test -- Take 2

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