Can I mount a DSLR inside a photobooth box with only the lens exposed?
Asked 6/14/2017
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I’m building a DIY photobooth and using a Canon Rebel T3. I’d prefer to hide the camera inside the booth and cut only a hole for the lens so the setup looks cleaner. Will covering the camera body interfere with metering, autofocus, or exposure if the lens still has a clear view? I may disable the on-camera flash, and I’m wondering whether the camera measures light only through the lens or if blocking the body affects how it operates.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
9y ago
2 Answers
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Your DSLR (and most DSLRs, for that matter) performs light metering and autofocus detections through the lens. If your lens can see it, your camera will meter it and try to autofocus on it.
The only caveat is that if your DSLR has an autofocus assist illuminator/lamp (used under low light conditions to help the camera autofocus), it is not in the lens and will therefore be blocked, meaning that it won't be effective to provide some light to the autofocus work. The solution to that is simple, however: provide enough light in the scene (i.e., in the photo booth) that the measly AF-assist light won't be needed anyways.
Originally by user11924. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user11924
9y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes. On a DSLR like the Rebel T3, metering and autofocus are primarily done through the lens, so if the lens has a clear view, enclosing the camera body in a dark box generally won’t affect exposure or focus.
The main exception is any autofocus-assist lamp on the camera body: if it’s blocked, it can’t help the camera focus in low light. The practical fix is to make sure the photobooth is well lit, or set up the booth like a small studio and use manual exposure after testing.
If you use flash, the flash itself must not be blocked. An external or off-camera flash is usually a better choice than relying on an enclosed on-camera flash.
For a photobooth with fixed lighting and camera position, the most reliable approach is to test the setup, meter the scene, and lock in manual settings rather than letting the camera make decisions shot to shot.
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