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Focusing in the Dark

Lesson 6 from: FAST CLASS: Light Painting

Tim Cooper

Focusing in the Dark

Lesson 6 from: FAST CLASS: Light Painting

Tim Cooper

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Lesson Info

6. Focusing in the Dark

Lesson Info

Focusing in the Dark

It's dark at night and there is no light. How the heck do we How do we focus our cameras? Well, it's really not that hard. You guys, uh, at times you can use your auto focus and some other times that may not work, and we can use our manual focus. Um, if you're going to use your autofocus, though, here's my recommendation. Um, number one on most cameras. This doesn't hold true across the board. I think Fuji's they're pretty good at this. But across the board generally, uh, live you focusing is not as accurate as focusing through the viewfinder, Um, in that matter, because they're using two different type of focus systems. And one of the things about this focus except systems is something called across type sensor. And apparently I guess these air more expensive to build into the camera because camera manufacturers will brag about how many cross type sensors they have. So that being the case, they must be expensive. So typically, what's gonna happen is you're gonna find these better cros...

s type sensors generally grouped around the center of your focusing pattern. So what I try to dio whenever possible is because I'm not sure exactly which one of minor cross type senses. Of course, I could go in the manual and look this up, you know, and find out. Oh, you know, maybe it's that one. And is that one and this one who knows? I don't know. But what I do know is the center one definitely is. So when it comes to focusing using the auto focus, I always put my auto focus point right in the center. Then I know I'm using one of the best auto focus points there is. And when we're working under more dim light, like a night we want as accurate focusing as we can get. All right, So we're gonna use that auto, that cross type sensor in the center. Now, sometimes it may just get dim enough where you cannot auto focus. If there's not enough light, your camera will not autofocus. That's just the way of things. But what we have in our bag, we got a flashlight, right? So really easily. Guys, it's so simple. All you have to dio is find something with a little It's gotta have some tooth. It's gotta have some grip to it, right? you can't put your flashlight on a blank white wall on auto focus on it, cause that auto focus point needs something to grip into. So find something in your scene that's got a little bit of grip. Put your flashlight on it, and then put your center auto focus point right over that, an auto focus it's gonna be spot on. Now, if you're not using auto focus, which I gotta tell you, I do a lot of the time. Um, you can use manual focus. Of course. Right. You can use manual focus in live you, which means turning on your live you and you'll definitely see this when we go out into the field later. Uh, well, I'm sure I'll be showing you guys had a work on this, Uh, but the problem with the live you in really dim situations is the screen gets kind of grainy. Some screens get kind of grainy, and it could be difficult to do that, but again, you do have your flashlight, so you you know, if you put your flashlight on the scene, um, then turn on your live You you can actually manually focus in exactly where you need to be, and this is really beneficial

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