Focusing When Creating Movies

Focusing when you’re making video is a different experience from focusing when you’re making still images. However, there are plenty of options for you to try out – explore and practice to find out which works best for you.

The way we focus when making video is slightly different to how we focus for a still photo. This is because, while still photos frame a single moment in time, videos record the passage of time. This means we may need to adjust focus during a video clip – as a subject moves in and around the frame, for instance.

The way in which we set up our X Series cameras for video mode focusing reflects this difference, and there a few ways in which to go about it.

Continuous Autofocus

The simplest and most straightforward approach to video AF is to use the camera’s continuous AF mode to adjust the point of focus constantly as you film. Use the Focus Mode selector on the front of the camera to access AF-C mode; denoted with the letter C.

A key difference here is the speed with which focusing takes place. When making still photos, the focusing system’s priority is to find focus as quickly as possible, so that you can make an image. But with video, the priority is to focus more smoothly, so transitions from one place to another don’t appear sudden or jerky. Professional movie crews actually use highly-trained “focus puller” camera assistants to ensure smoothness and accuracy.

You can set how slowly your camera shifts focus, and how quickly it recognizes a new subject, in the camera’s menu system:

• Press MENU OK and scroll to the MOVIE SETTING menu tab.
• Scroll down to the AF-C CUSTOM SETTING option.
• Adjust the AF SPEED to between -2 and -5, depending on how slowly you want your focus pull to look.
• Adjust TRACKING SENSITIVITY to change how quickly the camera locks on to a new subject.

Being Selective

Video AF can operate in one of two ways, each with its own advantages.

• In Multi mode, the camera uses all of its focus points and selects which to use automatically, based on where it thinks the subject is. This is excellent for impromptu filming, when you need to record what’s going on without paying too much attention to camera settings. Multi is also good for subjects that are likely to move around the frame without the camera following them. Multi mode will usually focus on whatever subject is closest to the camera.
• In Area mode, the camera lets you set an AF area where the camera will focus – rather like using a Single Point or Zone AF mode when making still photos. This is great when you have a bit more time to be creative and can have some input into exactly where you want the camera to focus.

Single Autofocus

Put the camera into AF-S mode and it will act like it does when you’re making stills: a half press of the shutter release button will focus the camera (on the active AF area in Area mode; or where the camera thinks the main subject lies in Multi mode); and a following full press will start recording. Focus won’t be adjusted at any point during filming, which means your subject will go out of focus if it moves towards or away from you.

Single AF is useful less often than Continuous AF, but has its uses: when you want a person to get up and walk away while simultaneously falling out of focus, for example, or for simple interview situations where the subject stays in one place.

Manual Focus

In the same way that Single AF mode lets you be more specific with focusing, Manual mode lets you be super precise, and also allows you to control exactly how fast or slow the rate of change is. In Manual focus mode (accessed via the Focus Mode selector on the front of the camera), you can be specific about where the camera will focus and be certain that there won’t be any changes to that position.

It’s obviously harder to focus manually, so we’ve built in a few features to make this easier. You can use whichever ones you find easiest. You’ll find these in your camera’s AF/MF Setting menu (they also work in still photo mode).

To make this feel more cinematic, many X Series cameras have a menu item under Button/Dial Settings called Focus Ring Operation, where you can select Linear mode for the most predictable behavior.

FOCUS CHECK

This setting zooms in the display the moment you touch the manual focus ring on the lens, so you can see detail more clearly and focus more accurately. Access this from the AF/MF SETTING > FOCUS CHECK menu. But it might be preferable to zoom in manually using a short press on the rear command wheel on most X Series cameras.

FOCUS PEAK HIGHLIGHT

This setting outlines areas of the scene that are in focus, using a color of your choosing.  Access this (and specify your color) from the AF/MF SETTING > MF ASSIST menu. Choosing one of the (LOW) options is more selective.

DIGITAL SPLIT IMAGE/DIGITAL MICROPRISM

These digital versions of traditional focusing aids are available from the AF/MF SETTING>MF ASSIST menu.

There is no right or wrong way to focus when shooting video, but there are plenty of options available to you. Explore and practice to find out which works best for you.

Your Next Steps

•  CHALLENGE Pick a scene with movement in it and use manual focus mode to focus selectively on a single object. Record video as the subject moves about, but leave the camera still and see what happens – does your subject go out of focus? Does something else come in to replace it? Post your clips to social media with the hashtags #MyFujifilmLegacy and #focusing. You can also submit your work here for a chance to be featured on our social media channels. 

Header image © Jonathan Irish