ZS200 Autofocus Unreliable

Thank you. I have tried pinpoint, or custom single, as small as possible. It’s utterly disappointing

Yes, it’s disappointing. I took it out again today, and found if I let the autofocus do it’s thing, it’s off. A slight tweak via manual focus will make it razor sharp and detailed. My ZS100 & FZ1000 nail it consistently. Even my HX80 is better. Tried diff focus modes down to pinpoint, and custom single area. No real improvement.

I knew you would personally have the best advice, based on you other forum posts and reputation. It saddens me this may be faulty, and I can’t really do anything about it. Out of the return window from an eBay purchase. Probably not worth sending into Panasonic. I’m quite gutted over this.

alcelc wrote:

JBN2337C wrote:

Thank you. I have tried pinpoint, or custom single, as small as possible. It’s utterly disappointing

Do you pre focus? If yes, would you fire only when the Green AF confirmation box covered your aimed focus point. If yes but you still miss focus ( front, back or no focus at all), then your camera should be faulty.

It would be helpful if you could post a sample which worried you with full EXIF and in full resolution enabling us a chance to look at it. Very often we might guess where the problem would be upon a sample.

I'll try to get a pic or two up ASAP. Yes, I do pre focus. I have it set up identical to my ZS100 & FZ1000, which both reliably hit the mark. I find I almost always need a 1/8 turn of the control ring to lock in focus on the ZS200 at any focal length.

It's not like I get a wildly blurry photo. However, details resolve with minor adjustment. (Example: Rivets or panel lines on a vehicle, veins on a leaf, feathers, or just proper edges or small text on anything.)

If I didn't have the other two Lumix cameras, I'd chalk it up to "Don't be lazy, this is what you need to do." Yet, a compact travel camera is meant to be used on the fly, otherwise I'd carry something else. Bugs me that it's capable of doing better, and I can't quite trust it to do better on it's own compared to it's older siblings.

I also wonder if this works into common misconceptions of a "soft" lens. It isn't. It's let down somewhere else in the chain...

OK... Stuck head out front door & fired these off quickly as a rough example. Used the garage door "98A" as the target point. Also included the same image from the ZS100. This is pretty indicative of the norm here... Better sharpness after focus peaking, but the ZS100 gets it right without tweaking. (All other settings NR/Shrp/Con/Sat) identical on both.

ZS 200 Auto f/6.4 1/640 ISO125 360mm Center Meter, 1 Point focus (Center)

ZS 200 Manual f/6.4 1/640 ISO125 360mm Center Meter, 1 Point focus (Center)

ZS 100 Auto f/5.9 1/800 ISO125 250mm Center Meter, 1 Point focus (Center)

These were fired off next, same as above. I didn't bother w/ manual focus on the ZS200, and this is indicative of a "snapshot" scenario when running and gunning.

ZS200

ZS100

I appreciate your comment, and taking a moment to view everything. The lack of sharpness takes away all the advantages of the reach, better colors, and handling of the '200, which would be epic good if not for all this, and I'm stuck.

I have followed your tips & threads since I got my 1st Lumix. It has been so helpful. My settings mirror yours.

You’ve been correct that the lenses are let down by the software. In this case, it may be that, coupled with something just out of alignment. The newer processor than the 100/1000 may affect some stuff. I’m going to try later to see if high ISO tricks the sensor. Something I suspected on some test shots earlier, but I can’t produce a reliable pattern. Still, that’s not a desirable solution.

For fun, I took my ZS100 out while driving, randomly blasting away out the window. Sharp sharp sharp.

saudidave wrote:

JBN2337C wrote:

Recent ZS200 owner, and experienced FZ1000 & ZS100 owner. I find that at telephoto, the ZS200 misses focus pretty much 100% of the time, and I have to use manual focus. I get tack sharp images this way, and I know the lens isn’t the problem. I have also ruled out camera shake, and low contrast, as I’ve just been out again in bright sun photographing various test subjects at length. It simply doesn’t nail focus at all.

I’ve no such trouble on the other two cameras. I wanted a lighter “FZ1000” to use, and thought the upgrade from the ZS100 would be nice. If I can’t rely on it in a snapshot situation, then it’s not useful. Has anyone a suggestion?

(It’s configured identical to my other two, so I’ve ruled out settings. I’ve also shot identical subjects in identical conditions… Firmware is on the latest I found online. This is simply baffling. Never had an issue with sharp focus with my older and slower HX80 at 720mm in even poor light.)

Having had three copies of the ZS200 I suspect that yours has a fault.

My first copy was fantastic initially, sharp all the time in any circumstances, but after a year it lost it's sharpness and it was repaired under warranty. I'd say the issue became apparent when it was about 10months old but it got worse as time progressed. Panasonic replaced a module in the lens under warranty and it was improved, but it was never as good as it was initially. Both pre and post repair it displayed the symptoms that you describe. Sometimes it was very sharp, on other occasions it just didn't focus properly

I replaced it with a Sony RX100M6, but was never happy with the size, handling and lack of focal range and took a chance on another TZ200 from the Panasonic refurb store but the lens on that just wasn't sharp at all and I returned that and bought another new copy with a 2 year warranty from John Lewis in the UK who have fantastic after sales service. I've had this one for some time now and it's very sharp under all conditions.

I think the issue here is that it's a very complex lens at the limits of design and technology, but built to a budget. The Q.C. and/or construction methods and materials are at their outer limits, so it is subject to issues if perfection isn't achieved when they manufacture it. If you get a good copy it's an absolute gem and there is nothing else quite like it out there!

Dave

Oops .....

The wife just bought one of these and she is defiantly not happy with the focus.

Subsequently I am now task with "Fixing" the issue.

Your findings are food for thought.

Many thanks

Steven