Getting better quality/focus or should I switch? at DVinfo.net

Willie Behlings · September 7th, 2011, 08:02 PM

Hello all,

We are currently shooting video at a local dirt track. We are using 2 XL2's with 20x lens through a tricaster burned to DVD live.

I have had some issues that I have not 100% been able to deal with.

1. It gets dark, there is REALLY bright lights on the tracks, and following a car on the track that goes from lighter to darker over and over and shooting through or past a really bright light makes the camera focus suck. The only way I have been able to somewhat combat this is by setting manual focus and aperture priority. Most of the image is then in good focus but sometimes it gets a little soft....

2. Again, it gets dark. And to have a decent brightness I have to use the little + dial set to +6. So the image quality isn't the best due to that either.

Any recommendations on what I could do with settings or extra accessories?
Should we look at getting something different, more high end maybe?

June 3rd 2011 Highlights - Black Hills Speedway - YouTube
This video will give you an idea of what I am battling.

Thanks for any help!

Peter Manojlovic · September 7th, 2011, 10:30 PM

Welcome to the forums.

Use manual focus only. Zoom in to one of your tighter shots, focus, zoom out, and live with it..Unless you're zooming back into a tighter shot, your focus should be fine.
Open up the aperture as much as possible..
Shut off any OIS.

Anything else is a limitation of the camera..

Good luck..

Jace Ross · September 22nd, 2011, 08:51 AM

Bright lights are a pain as they remove illumination around them. It would be very hard to solve this without maybe a very high power light on/near the camera.

Drop your shutter speed to that of the framerate you are shooting, open your iris and manual focus.

Marco Leavitt · October 20th, 2011, 01:39 PM

As far as the exposure I agree that using one of the auto modes and the exposure bias dial (which you appear to be using) is the best bet, although for action shots like you're doing I'd use shutter priority. For the focus, in situations like this people usually set the focus on the farthest place on the track. The theory is that the depth of field extends farther in front of the critical focus point than behind it. In practice I usually focus somewhere in the middle. For you this may be in the middle of the track. It will probably depend on how close the camera is to the nearest section of the track. You may want to move the camera as far back as you can get and still zoom in tight enough.

September 7th, 2011, 08:02 PM	#1
Willie Behlings Tourist Join Date: May 2011 Location: Rapid City SD Posts: 1	Getting better quality/focus or should I switch? Hello all, We are currently shooting video at a local dirt track. We are using 2 XL2's with 20x lens through a tricaster burned to DVD live. I have had some issues that I have not 100% been able to deal with. 1. It gets dark, there is REALLY bright lights on the tracks, and following a car on the track that goes from lighter to darker over and over and shooting through or past a really bright light makes the camera focus suck. The only way I have been able to somewhat combat this is by setting manual focus and aperture priority. Most of the image is then in good focus but sometimes it gets a little soft.... 2. Again, it gets dark. And to have a decent brightness I have to use the little + dial set to +6. So the image quality isn't the best due to that either. Any recommendations on what I could do with settings or extra accessories? Should we look at getting something different, more high end maybe? June 3rd 2011 Highlights - Black Hills Speedway - YouTube This video will give you an idea of what I am battling. Thanks for any help!

September 7th, 2011, 10:30 PM	#2
Peter Manojlovic Major Player Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Hamilton Ontario Posts: 769	Re: Getting better quality/focus or should I switch? Welcome to the forums. Use manual focus only. Zoom in to one of your tighter shots, focus, zoom out, and live with it..Unless you're zooming back into a tighter shot, your focus should be fine. Open up the aperture as much as possible.. Shut off any OIS. Anything else is a limitation of the camera.. Good luck..

September 22nd, 2011, 08:51 AM	#3
Jace Ross Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 35	Re: Getting better quality/focus or should I switch? Bright lights are a pain as they remove illumination around them. It would be very hard to solve this without maybe a very high power light on/near the camera. Drop your shutter speed to that of the framerate you are shooting, open your iris and manual focus. __________________ Panasonic GF2 \| BlackMagic Pocket Cinema (waiting): Rode VideoMic \|

October 20th, 2011, 01:39 PM	#4
Marco Leavitt Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Albany, NY 12210 Posts: 2,652	Re: Getting better quality/focus or should I switch? As far as the exposure I agree that using one of the auto modes and the exposure bias dial (which you appear to be using) is the best bet, although for action shots like you're doing I'd use shutter priority. For the focus, in situations like this people usually set the focus on the farthest place on the track. The theory is that the depth of field extends farther in front of the critical focus point than behind it. In practice I usually focus somewhere in the middle. For you this may be in the middle of the track. It will probably depend on how close the camera is to the nearest section of the track. You may want to move the camera as far back as you can get and still zoom in tight enough.