topic Re: Powershot G5X mark ii: Cannot see the focal length in PSAM in Point & Shoot Digital Cameras

Powershot G5X mark ii: Cannot see the focal length in PSAM

pocus — Sun, 13 Sep 2020 17:59:36 GMT

In Auto mode moving the zoom lever shows the focal distance (24 - 120 mm). However in PSAM and C mode the display shows values like 5, 10, 15 and 20 cm to infinity. How can I see the focal length or convert these values to focal lengths in PSAM modes? This is necessary to calculate things like Depth of Field.

Re: Powershot G5X mark ii: Cannot see the focal length in PSAM

kvbarkley — Sun, 13 Sep 2020 19:02:08 GMT

Those are the focal lengths that you use to calculate depth of field. Your lens is an 8.8 to 44 mm lens, which is what you use for calculations. The 35 mm equivalent is 24mm to 120mm, which is there for your convenience.

Re: Powershot G5X mark ii: Cannot see the focal length in PSAM

pocus — Mon, 14 Sep 2020 14:17:37 GMT

@kvbarkley wrote:
Those are the focal lengths that you use to calculate depth of field. Your lens is an 8.8 to 44 mm lens, which is what you use for calculations. The 35 mm equivalent is 24mm to 120mm, which is there for your convenience.

Thank you for your reply. But I still do not understand what is the focal length of "15cm - infinity". How do I translate 15 cm to focal distance, when I'm shooting a subject at 5 m distance? What is the depth of field then? The lens is 24 to 120 mm, so where am I when I read 15 cm in PSAM mode?

Re: Powershot G5X mark ii: Cannot see the focal length in PSAM

Waddizzle — Mon, 14 Sep 2020 17:03:27 GMT

@pocus wrote:
@kvbarkley wrote:
Those are the focal lengths that you use to calculate depth of field. Your lens is an 8.8 to 44 mm lens, which is what you use for calculations. The 35 mm equivalent is 24mm to 120mm, which is there for your convenience.
Thank you for your reply. But I still do not understand what is the focal length of "15cm - infinity". How do I translate 15 cm to focal distance, when I'm shooting a subject at 5 m distance? What is the depth of field then? The lens is 24 to 120 mm, so where am I when I read 15 cm in PSAM mode?

FYI, focal length of the lens is completely independent of the focus distance between the camera and the subject. Both pieces of info are needed to estimate the DoF. However, you also need to know information about the sensor size before you have ALL of the information most apps need to estimate DoF.

Re: Powershot G5X mark ii: Cannot see the focal length in PSAM

pocus — Tue, 15 Sep 2020 08:46:51 GMT

@Waddizzle wrote:
@pocus wrote:
@kvbarkley wrote:
Those are the focal lengths that you use to calculate depth of field. Your lens is an 8.8 to 44 mm lens, which is what you use for calculations. The 35 mm equivalent is 24mm to 120mm, which is there for your convenience.
Thank you for your reply. But I still do not understand what is the focal length of "15cm - infinity". How do I translate 15 cm to focal distance, when I'm shooting a subject at 5 m distance? What is the depth of field then? The lens is 24 to 120 mm, so where am I when I read 15 cm in PSAM mode?
FYI, focal length of the lens is completely independent of the focus distance between the camera and the subject. Both pieces of info are needed to estimate the DoF. However, you also need to know information about the sensor size before you have ALL of the information most apps need to estimate DoF.

OK. I'm not using any app. I just need to know the focal distance of the reading "15 cm to infinity". That's all I need to know.

Re: Powershot G5X mark ii: Cannot see the focal length in PSAM

Waddizzle — Tue, 15 Sep 2020 12:13:16 GMT

"OK. I'm not using any app. I just need to know the focal distance of the reading "15 cm to infinity". That's all I need to know."

Final attempt. The camera does not tell you focus distances, only the focal length in use.

Re: Powershot G5X mark ii: Cannot see the focal length in PSAM

kvbarkley — Tue, 15 Sep 2020 21:26:41 GMT

I am not sure about that. "15 cm to infinity" does sound more like a focus distance or range, "Infinity" makes no sense as a focal length.

Pocus:

You can look at the EXIF info in your images and see what the focal length is. Are you in some sort of macro mode?

Re: Powershot G5X mark ii: Cannot see the focal length in PSAM

kvbarkley — Wed, 16 Sep 2020 14:57:05 GMT

The only display that I found that comes close to what Pocus is describing is the macro focus screen:

Re: Powershot G5X mark ii: Cannot see the focal length in PSAM

pocus — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 14:11:55 GMT

This is the screen in PSAM and C mode. Please, experts, tell me what is the focal distance in this case. I cannot use the EXIF at the moment of taking a picture. I need to know the focal distance at the moment of taking the picture.

Re: Powershot G5X mark ii: Cannot see the focal length in PSAM

pocus — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 14:15:54 GMT

Thank you for your reply. However from the picture of the macro focus I can only see centimeters, too, i.e. distance to the object, not focal distance of the lens. The only modes which show the focal distance are Auto and SCN.

Re: Powershot G5X mark ii: Cannot see the focal length in PSAM

pocus — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 14:38:23 GMT

Shall we accept it as a solution that this wonderful compact camera Canon PowerShot G5X mark ii does shows the focal ditsnce of its 8.8-44 mm lens only in Auto mode, but not in PSQM and C modes?

Re: Powershot G5X mark ii: Cannot see the focal length in PSAM

kvbarkley — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 15:40:26 GMT

Why does the exposure mode in the lower part of the screen show multiple bars? Are you in some kind of bracketing mode?

Re: Powershot G5X mark ii: Cannot see the focal length in PSAM

pocus — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 19:55:04 GMT

Here is another picture without any bars. It's in P (Program mode). So, what is the focal distance at 15 cm?

Re: Powershot G5X mark ii: Cannot see the focal length in PSAM

pocus — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 20:18:29 GMT

Why does the exposure mode in the lower part of the screen show multiple bars? Are you in some kind of bracketing mode?

Here is another picture showing 10cm to infinity. Here are all distances you can get by moving the zoom from 8.8mm to 44mm focal distance: 5, 5, 5, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 15, 15, 15, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, all in cm to infinity. What do they mean? What is the DoF at the third 10cm, f/8 and subject at 4 m?

Re: Powershot G5X mark ii: Cannot see the focal length in PSAM

kvbarkley — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 22:35:31 GMT

I suspect these *are * the DOF.

Re: Powershot G5X mark ii: Cannot see the focal length in PSAM

requa — Sat, 26 Sep 2020 12:50:00 GMT

I think what you're seeing is the reported possible auto-focus range at a given zoom point. In this image, zoomed about two-thirds out, the camera is saying it is capable of focusing on objects between 15 cm and infinity. If you widen the lens to wide angle, it should change to 5 cm to infinity (I think -- mine is in inches ad shows 1.9 inches as the minimum focal distance). This is there as a reminder that when you zoom, the MFD is farther from the lens.

Re: Powershot G5X mark ii: Cannot see the focal length in PSAM

requa — Sat, 26 Sep 2020 13:05:53 GMT

Also, where and when are you seening the zoom distance (24 - 120)? I've been playing with mine in Auto and cannot find it.

Re: Powershot G5X mark ii: Cannot see the focal length in PSAM

mdb1111 — Thu, 27 Jan 2022 17:14:57 GMT

The only way I found is by using the Step Zoom feature in Auto mode (Auto mode, then use the ring to set the focal length), then leave the ring where it is and switch to a PSAM or C mode, then shoot -- it becomes easy to switch to A mode, change the focal length, then switch back to PSAM etc. The limitation is that with Step Zoom you're limited to just a few preset focal lengths. I can't find any other way to see the focal length in PSAM modes. -- this should be available!

Re: Powershot G5X mark ii: Cannot see the focal length in PSAM

martinjbaynes — Sat, 24 Dec 2022 00:20:21 GMT

Step Zoom is available in PSAM by using a custom function II, set the control ring to step zoom. This overrides the default control in those modes.

Now adjust zoom with control ring, not the lever, it will show the 35mm equivalent

Re: Powershot G5X mark ii: Cannot see the focal length in PSAM

martinjbaynes — Sat, 24 Dec 2022 01:27:39 GMT

The indicator at the top when the zoom lever is moved shows focusable range, eg on max telephoto it cannot focus closer than 20cm, whereas maximum wide angle it can focus as close as 5cm.

For DOF calculation also you need to measure focus distance, which the camera does not tell you and the f stop, plus information on the sensor etc. I use an app SetMyCamera (which includes G5X II), so sensor data is built in - for DoF set it to the G5X actual zoom setting, not the 35 mm equivalent (divide 35mm equivalent by 24/8.8, ie 2.73). eg at 50mm (35 mm equivalent), actual 18.3mm, at max aperture which is f2.5, focus at 10 ft, the app says 8' to 13.5' will be in focus.