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Focus pulling in documentary

Yousuf Abbasi

Yousuf Abbasi

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What is the best way to ensure good focus in unscripted scenes with various movement? Obviously you could just shoot at a very wide DoF, but what I'm more interested in is if you were shooting with a shallow DoF in this scenario.

How helpful would electronic tape measurers be, or are there better ways to get reliable focus results?

Thanks
 
Last edited:
Liam Hall said:
Nothing beats your eyes and good monitor. Sadly, shooting documentary rarely means you'll have an AC, let alone a good one.

Also, narrow DoF and shallow DoF are the same thing.
Click to expand...

Corrected the typo, thx :blush2:. Yes your point is true about not having a AC on the shoot, which is why I asked the question. But can you really judge accurate focus from the monitor? Are there some monitors better than others in this regard, that are not too bulky but can be a good tool for focusing?
 
Practice, Practice, Practice, You really have to trust your eyes. Its not easy but you can get good at it. I shoot alot of verite style work with a 50mm 1.2 at times wide open, and I am suprised at how sharp it can be. The focus ring is always moving and you have to accept that some will be out of focus. It is as difficult to learn as playng the guitar, but in time youre making music. The RED LCD is sharp enough to do the job.
 
Owen James said:
Practice, Practice, Practice, You really have to trust your eyes. Its not easy but you can get good at it. I shoot alot of verite style work with a 50mm 1.2 at times wide open, and I am suprised at how sharp it can be. The focus ring is always moving and you have to accept that some will be out of focus. It is as difficult to learn as playng the guitar, but in time youre making music. The RED LCD is sharp enough to do the job.
Click to expand...

Are you referring to the 5.6" or the 7.0" LCD? I'm guessing the larger screen size would be better for judging focus.
 
I use the 5.6 LCD and have no problem with it. I mounted it with a light weight aluminum bracket bolted directly to the body of the cam and bent in such a way to allow access to the lens and keep the LCD out in front of my face. I use the red arm also bolted directly to the body to support the shock mount and mic. I added a cloth handle, also in efforts to keep the weight down, and use a battery belt clip. This is about as light as it gets. I rest the camera on my shoulder with my right hand around the lens mount base, and with my left hand pull focus.
 
Owen, that's a pretty cool setup. I like what you did with the shock mount/mic.

How reliable is a cloth handle, though? And do you feel like holding from the lens base is okay (balanced center of gravity)?

Thanks for the pics
 
Focus On RED.....
 
Wrapping my hand around the mount base allows me to point the camera quickly and accurately, it feels more like pointing a lens than pointing a camera, its very stable as the camera is front heavy anyway, and is versatile enough to move between rooms, stoop, crouch, or kneel. The handle is actually a nylon strap attached with 1/8in steel cable to the upper threaded holes on the camera and is very strong.

Hi Martin, The baseplate is from an earlier style Manfrotto 116 fluid head.
 
Owen, I wonder if you could add in your configuration an additional strap that serves as a failsafe incase you miss a step or you lose the grip of the lens mount... The strap could go around your neck, but given the camera is still fairly heavy, its possible to get a neck injury if it does fall. Any ideas for this?
 
Noah Kadner said:
Nothing beats a good AC.
Click to expand...

Ditto.

On a doc, good focus is all about anticipating movement, looking for opportunities to find marks, and being confident.

If you are ever totally lost, wait until something is happening that you are pretty sure won't be used and check your focus then. It's much better to have a 5 second focus blip than to have the most important 5 minutes of the doc slightly soft!
 
Yousuf Abbasi said:
Yes your point is true about not having a AC on the shoot, which is why I asked the question.
Click to expand...

I agree. An AC in the shoot is hardly a keeper. (unless the flick is about him)
 
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