Any extensive test of Panasonic's DFD (Depth from Defocus)?

Adrian Harris wrote:

brianric wrote:

Adrian Harris wrote:

Panasonic said that dfd works by spotting the difference between the out of focus bokeh (more likely distortion and CA) from in front of the subject to that from behind the subject!

So I would assume that a great Olympus lens would make that task more difficult?

Having said that the Olympus 40-150 f2.8 pro on my Panasonic GX8 is lightning fast - mind you it is just as keen to focus on the background as the foreground, possibly because it can't tell the difference !!!

Any thoughts ?

I don't know why you are experiencing problems with your GX-8 and 40-150/2.8. I don't have any problems with that setup.

I think you may have misunderstood me: The Olympus 40-150 f2.8 on my GX8 is probably as good as it gets, razor sharp and ultra fast focus. I love it. However it is just as keen to focus on the background as the foreground.

Two example situations (extreme subjects I know, but for me but frequent scenarios):

* When trying to photograph a flying dragonfly against a really busy background, the camera nearly always chooses to focus on the background. SLR's can suffer from this a bit, but Panasonic's Contrast Detect DFD Autofocus 'should' be able to tell that there is a subject in front, but possibly it hasn't been programmed to choose it in preference to the background. (This also happens with birds in flight against a contrasty hedge.)

* The second scenario: I often photograph Roller Derby, and many of the teams wear non contrasty fairly plain mid-toned outfits, They may be blue red and green, but they are often of the same brightness value. Wheras the referee's - many of which stand behind the players - wear Black and White stripes. Sadly contrast detect autofocus home's in on the black and white stripes. It is a bit of a nightmare. And in the dimly lit sportshall's if you select a very small focus square, it can then take to long to lock on at all if it can't find an 'edge' on the subject.

These are two areas that if the new Olympus EM1-Mk2 excells at (but I have my doubts) I may just have to save up for one!!!

What I use my GX-8 is entirely different than you use yours for. Having said that I'm coming close to pulling the trigger on the EM1-Mk2 to use along with my GX-8. I have three Olympus lenses (12-100/4.0, 40-150/2.8 and 75/1.8), one can set minimum shutter speed in auto ISO, and the ability to shoot flash in C-AF mode. The latter two are very important to me.