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From: heneghan@ihu1m.UUCP (Joe Heneghan)
Newsgroups: net.video
Subject: Re: Auto Focus?
Message-ID: <558@ihu1m.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 26-Jul-85 12:32:56 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihu1m.558
Posted: Fri Jul 26 12:32:56 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 28-Jul-85 13:49:31 EDT
References: <3351@drutx.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 25

> 
> I have decided to jump on the band wagon and buy a video camera.  I have
> pretty much decided on a camcorder (all in one camera/recorder).  I anticipate
> using it the way my father used his old movie camera, i.e. recording family
> events, the kids and my own sports etc. and not making theatrical productions.
> 
> I have compared 8mm and VHSMovie camcorders and the VHS ones seem very bulky
> and heavy.  I am not considering Beta.  The 8mm ones seem pretty much the same
> except the new Sony CCD-V8.  The picture and sound are great but, it doesn't
> have auto focus.  I have this nagging feeling that I would like auto focus.  So,
> the question is, for those of you that have video cameras with and without auto
> focus:  How valuable, useful, convienient, etc. is auto focus?  Could you live
> without it?  Should I hold out for it?  Do you consider the picture and sound
> differences between 8mm camcorders (including the Sony) close enough that a
> coin toss is in order?
> 
> John Leon  AT&T ISL Denver  ihnp4!drutx!jml

I have found that auto focus is more of a gimick than a useful
feature. There are shortcomings too, like the auto focus mechanism
not knowing what to focus on. Say you're at a park and you're
trying to focus on a bird in a tree about 100 ft. away. You have
to aim through a tree to get to the tree you want and the auto focus
focuses on the nearer tree. So, you switch to manual and use your
eye instead.