Focus Error

ROCKMORE

ROCKMORE

Veteran
I had an interview shoot in very bright sunlight. I didn't have an ND with me and was shooting at f22. Tamron 17-50mm @50mm. I was using a view loop on a 60D and focusing manually. Everything looked in focus on the camera view screen, but unfortunately my subject was soft and my background was sharp on a lot of takes. In this case it would have been better to use auto focus to lock in my talent between takes as apposed to focusing manually on the fly. Lucky for me the interview is mostly for VO for other footage so it's not a total disaster and we can easily work around it.
I'm only posting this observation because it never happened to me before and it was a real shock to see how deceiving the image may appear on the small monitor when stopped down all the way. When you don't think anything can go wrong, be careful.
 
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ive lived a similar "supposed focus" issue recently as well. again, fortunately not a money shot.

measure twice. measure again, cut once.
 
This might be because you mounted something on your LCD (for you view finder maybe), plus your eye strain during shooting.
 
henryqiu said:
This might be because you mounted something on your LCD (for you view finder maybe), plus your eye strain during shooting.
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Don't think so. Never had the problem in a year using that loupe. I think it was the f22 issue, not sure, but will be more careful from now on.
 
I had a similar problem with a new vintage lens recently: looking at the viewfinder, or at the screen, everything seems in focus; hit x10 focus assist (or look at the footage), and it's pretty clear that this baby can't focus to infinity (it's on its way to the seller right now)
 
J Davis said:
was this when the LCD showed normal or with focus assist x5 or focus assist x10?
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Good point, but If I'm focusing on the fly while rolling I need to see my whole frame anyway.
The instant auto focus is very quick between takes and very accurate specially in bright light. Since my talent is sitting and not moving much I think that's the safest way to shoot this scenario along with a review on set with a laptop. I've also used the method of switching to a photo mode and focusing optically through the lens to check as well.

I have a series 9 ND filter ordered which is what I should have had in the first place.
 
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