Re: [Debconf-video] MiniDebConf Prishtina video

[Daniel Pocock <daniel@pocock.pro>]

On 08/10/17 22:31, Wouter Verhelst wrote:
>
>> One other issue: I notice the DSLR doesn't always keep the speaker in
>> focus when autofocus is enabled.  It is a Nikon D800.  Can anybody with
>> more experience comment on this?  Is there anything I can do to get the
>> autofocus working well?
> "flawless autofocus" is a utopia. I have a friend who is a professional
> cameraman; he tells me pros never use it, they use manual focus instead.
> It's the only way to reliably keep things properly in focus.

The challenge with manual focus on a DSLR is that the screen on the back
of the camera doesn't give a sharp image even when it is in focus

If I connect an external display (using HDMI or a USB OTG cable+tablet)
then it is easier to see if it is in focus, but I don't always have such
equipment.

>
>> Do I need to have the camera closer to the speaker for good
>> autofocus? Or should I just put it in manual focus mode in future? 
> Probably :-)
>
>> Are any other DSLR models better for this?
> DSLRs are not optimized for video, and therefore their autofocus may not
> be ideal for recording video. Nikon has 2 types of autofocus: the first
> is the mode with external autofocus engine which was created in the
> early 80s and is very slow; the second is the "SWM" mode, where the
> autofocus engine is integrated into the lens (you need "G" lenses for
> that) which is faster and less loud.
>
> It's still slower and makes more noise than most video cameras, though.
>
> If you stick with DSLRs, you could try different lenses, but beyond that...

Thanks for all this feedback.  I'll look more carefully at ways to
operate the manual focus effectively.

Regards,

Daniel