Manual focusing & zoom on a DSLR

jack.robert

jack.robert

Hey,

There's been a question bouncing around in my head for a couple of days now...

Is there a right way to manual focus while zooming with a DSLR (Canon 550D)?

I mean... surely it must be uncomfortable and quite tricky to do this maneuver...

Are there accesories to add to the camera or is it just practice?

Cheers!
 
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First, zooming is "unusual". Some people do it, a lot of people people don't. It's a somewhat "controversial" technique. Either you like it, or you hate it. I never use it myself.

It takes either a very good operator who can do both perfectly in unison, which some can, or you have one person zoom, and the other pull focus.
 
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I don't think it's controversial at all. I think it's fucking stupid. Sorry if I offended anybody. Don't zoom.

I know that "whip-zooms" have become all the rage, as of late (even my beloved James Cameron used one), but I suspect that's not what you're talking about. Fuck zooms. It pulls the audience out of their element. It's because the human eye doesn't work that way. The human eye doesn't have a zoom. The human eye can pan, and tilt, and dolly, but it can't zoom, so it just has an unnatural aesthetic.

To answer your question, yes, it can be done. Focus pulling is a skill that requires a great deal of practice (and even a little math). But why would you want to do it?
 
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Yeah, I didn't give it much thought, at first, cuz, well, read my response above. I don't like zooms.

Anyway, Indiebudget is right. You don't need to pull focus for a zoom. Focus first. Then zoom. Done.

Before the shot, zoom in as tight as you can. Focus. When you zoom out, you're still focused. When you zoom back in, your still focused. No adjustments necessary.
 
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It's unnatural, it breaks down the wall because it's a big fat:
"HEY AUDIENCE.. YOU'RE WATCHING A MOVIE!"
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Which can be useful, too. Two of my favorites uses are the sniper reveal in Full Metal Jacket and Chief's reticence to reveal his awareness on the basketball court in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. Beautiful uses of zooming, both.
 
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It's like hand held. There are TOTALLY legimate reasons for using handheld (more than there are for zooming for sure), but it now gets used as a crutch by filmmakersa too lazy or cheap to figure out how to shoot/edit coverage and/or create camera movement with dollys, sliders, jibs. Most uses of zoom are either ignorance or laziness.
 
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Gonzo_Entertainment said:
It's like hand held. There are TOTALLY legimate reasons for using handheld (more than there are for zooming for sure), but it now gets used as a crutch by filmmakersa too lazy or cheap to figure out how to shoot/edit coverage and/or create camera movement with dollys, sliders, jibs. Most uses of zoom are either ignorance or laziness.
Click to expand...

Very true. I suspect the three of us are probably all in agreement, however. As a general rule, I do not like zooms, but as Uranium mentions, sure, there are times when any rule can justifiably be broken.
 
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Gonzo_Entertainment said:
Focus can be off between wide and tight depending on the lens.

That being said, I'm with you. It's unnatural, it breaks down the wall because it's a big fat:
"HEY AUDIENCE.. YOU'RE WATCHING A MOVIE!"
Click to expand...

Yup those cheapo 18 - 300 zooms can do strange things from one end to the other huh ? Even a decent zoom will shift some. I want to have the time to always check focus

AND sometimes you do want to shout " we are in a movie" but it must be used correctly and work in the statement you are making. One thing I see too much of from some is the focus shift in shots that are not working. Rules are made to be broken... sometimes
 
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Zooms do have their place, just usually not in movies.

Television and live events they work ok, and shows like "The Office" and "Modern Family" use them on purpose to make it feel more realistic in a lot of ways, like you're the person holding the camera.

But on a big screen, zooms are a no no.
 
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There's a whole Russian (actually Soviet) school of cinema (can't remember what it's called) built around the concept of constantly reminding the audience they are watching a movie. The intent is that the filmmakers didn't want the audience to identify with the characters, they wanted them to be an objective observer of what happens.

"We don't want you to identify on any level with the evil landowner, we just want you to see how he exploits the peasants, and realize why our system is better."

That kind of thing.
 
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