How easy is it to pull focus?

[AlanMorrison]

Hey guys,

Just wondering how easy it is to pull focus and the different ways to do it. Does it have to be done manually using the focus ring or are there other ways to do it? I usually shoot in 576/25p if that matters at all.

Thanks in advance !

 

[andy_starbuck]

I shot something a couple of weeks ago that used autofocus to pull focus in 24p handheld. The start of the shot was tight on an actor's face. Then I rotated backwards and away, keeping the actor on the frame edge, but revealing what he was looking at. In 24p the autofocus takes a while to adjust. So it made a nice continuous transition from the main actor to the actor who was approaching him. I also used this trick later by craning up over an actor's shoulder. The trick is to be careful with blocking and distances and to match actor movement and camera movement with framing that you know will change the autofocus.

If the scene is static and I want to pull focus, then I have a technique using autofocus as an assist. I'll frame and focus on each actor or object in turn. I start with the final focus position and remember the AF number. Then I frame up the start position and allow AF to settle, and then switch to manual, preserving the start position. Then I frame up the shot, lock it down, and then use the focus ring to pull during the scene, focusing to the numbers.

These techniques are with the native camera. If I want really tight DoF control, then I go to a cinema lens adapter and use a follow focus to turn the 35mm lens, and of course its all manual then.