Do you use automatic or manual focus when shooting something with lots of movement?

H

hellboy80

Well-known member
When you shoot documentaries, interviews or news do you use automatic or manual focus? I know automatic focus is unpredictable and unreliable, but I allways wondered how can camera operators (doing this kind of stuff - Discovery channel for example) keep things in focus (without focus puller and marks) when there is a lots of movement in front of the camera (host/anchorman is in wild motion) and they also move with the camera wildly in some cases. I never noticed on a TV any out of focus shots. How they do that? :) Do they use automatic or manual focus?
Sorry for my english.
 
Manual is the pro way for sure, but there are times when having a good autofocus lens can be handy. It really depends on the shot, your shooting style, and whether or not you have access to help--though I'm sure some would argue that if you don't have access to a dedicated and experienced focus puller, you're not working at a 'pro' level anyway. I'll pull out the auto when I'm steadicamming a complicated scene on my own or if there's rough terrain and I'm somewhat distracted by not wanting to fall on my a@$. There aren't many times I'll want to rely on it, but it can be a shot saver for sure.

EDIT: Though I readily admit that I can be accused of sometimes relying on lazy practices, I feel that if a shot works in playback, it works period. So know what the pros use, but don't be afraid to apply whatever techniques and tools work for you.
 
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Always try to go manual if you can. I find that whenever I even attempt auto focus it has a tendency to focus on what ever it wants and you really do notice it on play back. It does work great if you want to get that documentary or home footage feel.
 
When I was shooting ENG with Betacams, I never had a camera that had auto focus. Manual all the way, camera balanced on the shoulder and both hands on the lens.
 
Manual focus isn't rocket science and understanding how DOF works to your advantage under a range of circumstances is dirt simple as well.
 
On the news when there is a lot of fast paced action the camera is usually zoomed out. When the camera is zoomed that far out the lens will almost always be in focus, you really got to wind the ring to get it out of focus. The smaller ccd chips on the camera also give the camera a deep dof. Usually when you see the news zoom in is when the cameraman is planted on solid ground composing his shot, but in the heat of action (ie him running) the camera is usually zoomed out.
 
When you shooting ENG (anchorman, interviews etc.) how do you set your white balance? Do you use white or grey card? Do you use presets? Or do you adjust it by eye?
 
hellboy80 said:
When you shooting ENG (anchorman, interviews etc.) how do you set your white balance? Do you use white or grey card? Do you use presets? Or do you adjust it by eye?
Click to expand...

Not an ENG moving pictures photographer, but when I shot weddings, I'd usually balance on 'something white', hey, liked the bride's dress... or use presets, and refine color in postprocessing with Photoshop. I have however
used 'greyish carpet', or even 'grayish walls'. That may not lead to the best, but it may factor out a significant amount of the color cast.

As far as manual vs. autofocus. I did rely heavily on autofocus. The problem that I've had with the viewfinder of the Fujifilm S series, based on a Nikon frame was that the viewfinder
did not have anything like a 'split' screen focusing, and so, I found it easier to identify areas of sharp contrast in a subject, auotfocus with the half press on the shutter release, compose subject, then shoot.

The GH1 has a focus assist feature that I've not tried, where during manual focusing one can get a 'enlarged view' to get better focusing.

For scenes with high motion, almost no light, setting the focus, then using DoF or physically 'tracking' subjects to maintain focus distance, would be the way I'd think about it.

Oh, yeah, during fast paced action, run around with both eyes open, the camera at eye level with one eye on the viewfinder, and the other one whatever the hell is in front of you...
 
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