I don't seem to be able to focus at DVinfo.net

Adam Stanislav · November 1st, 2009, 04:59 PM

I have shot this test footage with my EX3. I seem to be getting the hang of proper exposure etc, but I still cannot focus properly.

I shot it with the default 1080-60i, using manual iris and focus. When I was looking into the viewfinder, I thought I was focusing at the leaves closest to me, but they do not seem sharp at all. And when I moved the camera to look at the road, I could not tell by looking in the viewfinder what was sharp and what was not at all.

I even turned the peeking dial up a bit, but that makes it even more confusing. I wear glasses for distance viewing, but since the viewfinder is not looking at the actual screen but at a nearby monitor, I should not need any glasses theoretically.

Then again, I have diabetes, so my vision is always blurred a bit no matter what I do.

Any suggestions?

Brooks Graham · November 1st, 2009, 05:15 PM

Have you tried to adjust the diopter adjustment? It's on the viewfinder near the rubber eye cup thingy.

Don Bloom · November 1st, 2009, 05:26 PM

if you wear glasses for reading then you probably want to wear them to operate the camera. As stated, adjust the eyepiece diopter on the VF but then make sure the lens is backfocused correctly.

Adam Stanislav · November 1st, 2009, 06:05 PM

Thanks, everyone. I do not wear glasses for reading.

I tried the diopter control when I first got the camera and could not see a difference. But now that you mentioned it, I have tried it again. This time I turned on the color bars. Of course, color bars are of little help with focusing, but my zebras were on in one of the color bars. And the zebras were really blurred. So, I played with the diopter control again, and found a position where the zebras were sharp.

I hope that solved it then. It is too dark now but I will test it tomorrow during the day again.

Thanks for your help, and I may just have found a good technique for finding the right position of the diopter ring. :)

Alister Chapman · November 2nd, 2009, 03:37 AM

Try changing the peaking from the default white to a color. I use blue and it's much easier to see. It's in the VF settings section of the menu.

Brian Barkley · November 2nd, 2009, 08:03 AM

Make sure you are using MANUAL focus ... auto focus will only cause you focus problems.

Adam Stanislav · November 2nd, 2009, 02:09 PM

Thanks again, everyone. Yes, I was using manual focus. The problem was not with the focusing per se but with me not seeing it clearly in the VF.

As I said, I adjusted the VF by making sure the zebras looked sharp. I have shot some test footage today and it looks just like what I saw in the VF. So, if anybody else needs to adjust the diopter of their viewfinder in the future, do what I did: Turn on the zebras and the color bars and adjust the diopter to the point where the zebras look the sharpest to your eye.

Now I need to learn how to hold the camera steady with one hand while trying to find and turn the focus ring with the other. :) I guess that will come with practice when I come to the point when I can just do it without having to think about it.

November 1st, 2009, 04:59 PM	#1
Adam Stanislav Trustee Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Rhinelander, WI Posts: 1,258	I don't seem to be able to focus I have shot this test footage with my EX3. I seem to be getting the hang of proper exposure etc, but I still cannot focus properly. I shot it with the default 1080-60i, using manual iris and focus. When I was looking into the viewfinder, I thought I was focusing at the leaves closest to me, but they do not seem sharp at all. And when I moved the camera to look at the road, I could not tell by looking in the viewfinder what was sharp and what was not at all. I even turned the peeking dial up a bit, but that makes it even more confusing. I wear glasses for distance viewing, but since the viewfinder is not looking at the actual screen but at a nearby monitor, I should not need any glasses theoretically. Then again, I have diabetes, so my vision is always blurred a bit no matter what I do. Any suggestions?

November 1st, 2009, 05:15 PM	#2
Brooks Graham Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 121	Have you tried to adjust the diopter adjustment? It's on the viewfinder near the rubber eye cup thingy. __________________ EX3, Z1U, FX1, D1X / NeXTstation Turbo Color / FCS3

November 1st, 2009, 05:26 PM	#3
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	if you wear glasses for reading then you probably want to wear them to operate the camera. As stated, adjust the eyepiece diopter on the VF but then make sure the lens is backfocused correctly. __________________ What do I know? I'm just a video-O-grafer. Don

November 2nd, 2009, 03:37 AM	#5
Alister Chapman Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bracknell, Berkshire, UK Posts: 4,957	Try changing the peaking from the default white to a color. I use blue and it's much easier to see. It's in the VF settings section of the menu. __________________ Alister Chapman, Film-Maker/Stormchaser http://www.xdcam-user.com/alisters-blog/ My XDCAM site and blog. http://www.hurricane-rig.com

November 1st, 2009, 06:05 PM	#4
Adam Stanislav Trustee Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Rhinelander, WI Posts: 1,258	Thanks, everyone. I do not wear glasses for reading. I tried the diopter control when I first got the camera and could not see a difference. But now that you mentioned it, I have tried it again. This time I turned on the color bars. Of course, color bars are of little help with focusing, but my zebras were on in one of the color bars. And the zebras were really blurred. So, I played with the diopter control again, and found a position where the zebras were sharp. I hope that solved it then. It is too dark now but I will test it tomorrow during the day again. Thanks for your help, and I may just have found a good technique for finding the right position of the diopter ring. :)

November 2nd, 2009, 08:03 AM	#6
Brian Barkley Major Player Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Overland Park, KS Posts: 233	Make sure you are using MANUAL focus ... auto focus will only cause you focus problems.

November 2nd, 2009, 02:09 PM	#7
Adam Stanislav Trustee Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Rhinelander, WI Posts: 1,258	Thanks again, everyone. Yes, I was using manual focus. The problem was not with the focusing per se but with me not seeing it clearly in the VF. As I said, I adjusted the VF by making sure the zebras looked sharp. I have shot some test footage today and it looks just like what I saw in the VF. So, if anybody else needs to adjust the diopter of their viewfinder in the future, do what I did: Turn on the zebras and the color bars and adjust the diopter to the point where the zebras look the sharpest to your eye. Now I need to learn how to hold the camera steady with one hand while trying to find and turn the focus ring with the other. :) I guess that will come with practice when I come to the point when I can just do it without having to think about it.