IAC DISCUSSION FORUMS

When using optimum zoom on my Lumix FZ72 bridge camera, the it will not focus. It's OK on normal to mid zoom but anything more and the camera cannot cope. A particular problem with a 60x manual zoom capability that is useless if cannot focus. Does anyone know how I can get over this? Or is it a faulty camera?

Hello Stephen.

Firstly, I don't own an FZ72 and I'm unfamiliar with this camera, but if you are referring to 'focus hunting' and then locking onto something random or giving up altogether, this is an issue with most cameras at extreme focal lengths. Of course it's very dependent on subject matter, contrast, movement, handheld or tripod mount etc.

I use a GH3 and attaching my 300mm (600mm equivalent) lens to it is almost always problematic in any autofocus mode, with the camera constantly hunting for focus until in maybe 1 out of 10 attempts it will actually lock on to what I want it to. The FZ72 has a 1200mm equivalent lens, double that of my most extreme, so I can't even imagine what it's like!

However, the FZ72 does appear to have a manual focus option. You should have a manual with it, but below is a link to an online version which explains how to engage manual focus (page 103) although it does not appear to be very user-friendly. The following page 104 appears to explain a couple of techniques of utilising prefocus and autofocus whilst in manual mode, presumably to get the focus roughly where it needs to be before fine-tuning with the rear dial and cursor buttons.

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/75140 ... 103#manual

Hope this helps, but maybe someone with an FZ72 or similar model might be able to help you better

All bridge cameras are CSCs, or mirrorless. They usually employ fairly long, ramping zooms, ie zooms that lose speed the longer the focal length. As such, when you use a longer focal length in bright light the chip (and by default the autofocusing mechanism) is peering through an aperture that could well be f/22, so it struggles to autofocus.

You could try forcing the camera to shoot at maximum aperture while at the same time upping the ISO so that the shutter speed chosen isn't beyond your handholding and the camera's IS capabilities.

Thanks for the advice and will give it a go.