Fuji X-pro2, what is the AF sensor sensitivity?

[ciro]

Hello, Rico, thank you so much for your article about X-pro2.
I was wondering what is the AF (PDAF) sensor sensitivity.
I mean, how many EV?
That's very important since the PDAF pixels allow predictive AF tracking.

I red on fuji announcement about the new firmware on X-e2:
"The built-in phase detection pixels have the detection range of 0.5EV, an improvement from the previous 2.5EV, delivering phase detection AF performance that enables fast focusing in low-light conditions and on low-contrast subjects"

So a very big improuvements on X-E2, what about X-pro2?
thank you so much

 

[flysurfer]

I have no information. Probably the same as in the other cameras. It's mostly firmware related.

 

[ciro]

Hello Ric.
Thank you for your reply.
So the Xpro2 PDAF sensitivity should be 0,5 EV, like The best xe2 with new firmware.
I hope it could be better... competitor have -4EV 🙁

 

[flysurfer]

Hello Ric.
Thank you for your reply.
So the Xpro2 PDAF sensitivity should be 0,5 EV, like The best xe2 with new firmware.
I hope it could be better... competitor have -4EV 🙁

What MILC has -4 EV PDAF sensitivity? -4 EV is basically the maximum for CDAF.

 

[ciro]

Well,
About mirrorless the a7rII has -2ev, the same sensitiviyy of 5dmkIII.
Speaking about reflex:
D5 has -4ev in the central point and -3ev in all The others sensors.
D750 and many others have -3ev like standard.
For this reason I'm afraid that only +0,5ev on Xpro2 couldn't be enought to fast focus in Low light...

 

[flysurfer]

DSLRs don't count, totally different thing. You'll also get nice back/front focus.

Btw, since DSLRs always measure at higher aperture numbers, they can't take advantage of bright lenses. MILCs can.

For MILC comparisons it's important that EV measurements are based on CIPA standards. Otherwise, every brand can just say what they want. Is the Sony measurement a CIPA number?

 

[flysurfer]

With yesterday's new firmware, I can now literally focus in darkness w/o an AF assist light using a f/2 lens. Can't do that with a DSLR, because I wouldn't see a thing in the OVF.
Only darkness. Just black. Nothing to focus on.
If my bare eyes can't see a thing, neither can the large OVF of the affordable Nikon D5.

So even if the miracle-PDAF of latest DSLRs could somehow still focus on something, I wouldn't be able to point out the target. Beats the purpose.

Luckily, good MILCs are now almost like night vision goggles, and the latest hybrid AF works very well.

 

[ciro]

No Rico, I've got even a Canon 5d mk3 and can confirm that it works very fine with 50mm 1,2 @ 1,2, thanks to the fine af tuning.
About sony I don't know how they measure that parameter but I can confirm that works as well as 5d mk3 @ low light.
I wonder why fuji doesn't write nothing about af pdaf sensitivity on the official presentation.
I'd like to know officialky what is the xpro2 pdaf sensitivity before to buy it.
Thank ypu

 

[flysurfer]

No Rico, I've got even a Canon 5d mk3 and can confirm that it works very fine with 50mm 1,2 @ 1,2, thanks to the fine af tuning.

Tell this to 1000s of users suffering from back/front focus and other issues. And again, a 50mmF2.8 wouldn't focus any better than a 1.2. That's the difference to MILCs.

If you want to know something official, why don't you write a mail to Fuji? They should know. It would be interesting to know their answer.

In any case, PDAF is only part of hybrid AF. Sony is always using the CDAF in concert with PDAF. Helps fine-tune the focussing.

 

[ciro]

Ok I will ask to fuji but I dubt they will spend time for a single cutomer ;-)

About dslr back/front focus I can say that the problem can be totally fix thanks to the fine af tuning feature. The problem was in the old dlsr without this feature.
Thank you for your point.

 

[flysurfer]

About dslr back/front focus I can say that the problem can be totally fix thanks to the fine af tuning feature. The problem was in the old dlsr without this feature.

Sure, if you have time to do it for every lens, every focal length and different temperatures. But I still don't understand what DSLRs have to do with MILCs in general or Fuji in particular.

Cameras will work with global shutters as soon as 2018 (basically X-T3 and later), so Canikon have limited time to finally join the mirrorless train. I'm glad that I use mirrorless, so no transition for me. Just steady improvements.

 

[ciro]

But I still don't understand what DSLRs have to do with MILCs in general or Fuji in particular.

Simple, I use both systems to produce images... this is my target. 🙂

 

[ciro]

In any case, PDAF is only part of hybrid AF. Sony is always using the CDAF in concert with PDAF. Helps fine-tune the focussing

Of course, but pdaf ebable the predictive af for burst shot and afc, for this reason is so important the sensitivity, about my opinion.

 

[flysurfer]

CDAF also works with prediction. In Wide Tracking mode, the Fujis use CDAF only and it works very well.

 

[ciro]

CDAF also works with prediction. In Wide Tracking mode, the Fujis use CDAF only and it works very well

Of course but not fast.
Here what fuji say about xe2:
"The built-in phase detection pixels have the detection range of 0.5EV, an improvement from the previous 2.5EV, delivering phase detection AF performance that enables fast focusing in low-light conditions and on low-contrast subjects"

 

[flysurfer]

Yep. Just like the X-T1, X-T10, X-E2S or X70. And the X-Pro2 is even better.

 

[flysurfer]

Of course but not fast.

Fast enough to track girls on scooters, running kids, riders etc.

In my workshops we found that Wide/Tracking often results in more keepers than shooting with a PDAF zone.

 

[John Spirou]

i have XT10 and 35mm f/2 lens and some times i have af confirmation when clearly the image is out of focus... why is that ?
Bad lens or something else ?

 

[flysurfer]

It might indeed be an issue with the lens firmware if all your other lenses work better with the same camera. I also remember having instances of clear misfocus with my 35mmF2 on my X-Pro2.