Achieving sharp focus manually

Dreadylocks

Dreadylocks

As the title suggests, I need some advice on getting a sharp focus with a manual focus lens. It's sort of a two parter.

All I have to work with for a visual cue is the flip LCD on the camera, which it seems pretty clear from folks on here that that alone will not be sufficient for being able to tell if something is really in focus.

I do not have money at the time to buy an external HD monitor, I would love to but it's not happening anytime soon. :grumpy:

So bearing that in mind, I've had a couple ideas. Am I crazy or are these acceptable (if not easy or fast) alternatives?

1. I have an old 13" tv. Not digital (I don't think, it's from the mid/late 90's), and I'm sure it's not HD. Even though it's not HD, do you think it will be clear enough to use as a reference for focus? The connection would be my camera's A/V out that goes to RCA. disadvantage: would not be efficient for location or run and gun

2. The lens itself has numbers indicating how many feet away is in focus. Are these completely trustworthy if I were to use a tape measurer to find my focus distance and set the lens by the readings, not by what I see on the LCD? :hmm:


Anyone? Bueller?
 
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Dreadylocks said:
advice on getting a sharp focus with a manual focus lens.
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Zoom in really really close to your subject, and focus using that eyepiece. Once you have your focus, pull back to wherever you need to frame to.

Dreadylocks said:
The lens itself has numbers indicating how many feet away is in focus. Are these completely trustworthy if I were to use a tape measurer to find my focus distance and set the lens by the readings, not by what I see on the LCD?
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There's a bit more to it than that, if you are looking for reliable accuracy. For starters, you should look up the difference between F-stops & T-stops - especially since you have a lens adapter now.

Most films with a budget that I have worked on (well, the ones with a "real" camera, at any rate) always use a tape-measure; even relying on multiple readings for a single shot, when focus-pulling is involved. I'm not an expert with a camera, by any means, but there's probably a reason so many AC's have a tape on their belt. ;)
 
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Whatever you do, don't try to focus an HD camera using an SD monitor! You can use it for framing shots or playback, etc. but you need an HD display - such as the camera's LCD - in order to be certain of focus. Use the technique Zensteve describes: zoom in all the way, focus, then pull out to frame the shot (then make sure your actors hit their marks). This technique has been used to focus zoom lenses since their inception.

Some HD cameras have focus assist features. For example, mine has a button that switches the viewfinder to black & white and digitally bumps the image closer so you can really get sharp focus. The function disengages when you roll tape so you can't accidentally record in that mode.

Also, make sure you focus on the actor's eyes. Even if everything else in the frame is soft, if the eyes are sharp the shot will look good.
 
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Zensteve said:
Zoom in really really close to your subject, and focus using that eyepiece. Once you have your focus, pull back to wherever you need to frame to.
Click to expand...
Thanks! That's a neat idea. I've only got primes at the moment but good to know.

There's a bit more to it than that, if you are looking for reliable accuracy. For starters, you should look up the difference between F-stops & T-stops - especially since you have a lens adapter now.
Click to expand...
I think I'm familiar with f-stops (kind of). That's the ring where you want it to be a lower number and then it gets takes in more light? Like how my 50mm is f/2? If so then what's a T-stop, is that just the focus ring?



2001 Productions said:
Whatever you do, don't try to focus an HD camera using an SD monitor! You can use it for framing shots or playback, etc. but you need an HD display - such as the camera's LCD - in order to be certain of focus. Use the technique Zensteve describes: zoom in all the way, focus, then pull out to frame the shot (then make sure your actors hit their marks). This technique has been used to focus zoom lenses since their inception.
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Sounds like tape measurer is my best bet. I can handle that :)
Some HD cameras have focus assist features. For example, mine has a button that switches the viewfinder to black & white and digitally bumps the image closer so you can really get sharp focus. The function disengages when you roll tape so you can't accidentally record in that mode.
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Hmm, I've read my camera manual a couple times and I don't remember seeing this feature, but I'm going to look hard for it now, that's a nice feature. This is only a zoom within the camera though, right? Because when I have my adapter I essentially don't have zoom since I don't have the appropriate lenses, only primes.
Also, make sure you focus on the actor's eyes. Even if everything else in the frame is soft, if the eyes are sharp the shot will look good.
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Great tip!! :D Makes perfect sense but I never thought about that.

Thanks again guys for answering my questions! :D :)

If anyone else has some more tips I'm still open to hearing them... :yes:
 
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Good info, thanks for asking Dreddy. Im getting very excited about the adapter thing. So this is going in the bin for latter.

That said, my research indicates that with adapters, focus STARTS with razor sharp focus on the CG screen of the adapter.
 
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wheatgrinder said:
Good info, thanks for asking Dreddy. Im getting very excited about the adapter thing. So this is going in the bin for latter.

That said, my research indicates that with adapters, focus STARTS with razor sharp focus on the CG screen of the adapter.
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True. I find it really really hard to tell if I'm focused on the screen or not, so what I do is autofocus with the camera when just the adapter is on, then switch it to manual so it doesn't change.

Oh and thanks again 2001, I checked my manual and I do have the focus assist feature, nice catch! I'll be using that for sure. :)
 
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From what I've heard the zoom in, focus, and then pull back method works the best if you can't afford pricey items such as HD moniters and the such.
Thanks to 2001 Productions for the tip to focus on the eyes... seems obvious but i have to keep this in mind for future films, thanks!
 
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You know what i do.... i have a 7 inch LCD TV/ flat panel that i picked up at Sammy's camera for 50$ and i love it, pics attached
photo.php




And Heres one more, you can keep clicking to view more of them

photo.php
 
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Basically what Zensteve has said covers the issue.
If you're dealing with primes you'll have to use the tape measure. I believe that most focus pullers swear never to focus visually on a monitor (for example during a pull focus). Mark your focus positions on the lens barrel itself with some chinagraph or tape.

Me and my bro made a video about some of the basics behind manual focus and exposure; i noticed you were asking about f stops and thought it might be useful :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbC5W_PVOhI

Hope this helps!
x
 
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Elliander Pictures said:
Me and my bro made a video about some of the basics behind manual focus and exposure; i noticed you were asking about f stops and thought it might be useful :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbC5W_PVOhI

Hope this helps!
x
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Hey nice video! Checked out your channel, too. I'll be back there, for sure.

So I gather that f-stops are for exposure and t-stops are for focus?

EDIT: PS: Are you the one who sits on a teddy bear? :P :lol:
 
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Dreadylocks said:
So I gather that f-stops are for exposure and t-stops are for focus?
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In a word: no. A T-stop is a measure of the actual (or absolute) amount of light being passed through the aperture diaphragm. They are different from F-stops because they indicate the aperture size relative to the focal length. Simply put, T-stops are absolute numbers whereas F-stops are relative.
 
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