Can the Canon 600D/Rebel T3i autofocus continuously during video?
Asked 1/10/2013
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I’m new to video on the Canon 600D / Rebel T3i. I enabled autofocus in the menu and found that I can trigger focus by half-pressing the shutter button while recording. Is that the only autofocus option in video mode, or can the camera autofocus automatically and continuously on its own while filming, for example as the subject distance changes?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
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This isn't possible on the 600D; you have to half-press the shutter to get autofocus. As you'll discover, this still isn't an ideal solution as you'll tend to get a lot of "focus hunting" as the contrast-detect autofocus looks for the best lock, and (if you're using the kit lenses) a lot of noise as the autofocus motor drives.
I'd recommend trying to learn how to use manual focus in video if you're interested in video with an SLR, or perhaps just buying a camcorder :-)
Originally by user11371. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user11371
13y ago
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No. On the Canon 600D/Rebel T3i, video autofocus is not fully automatic/continuous in the way a camcorder works. In movie mode you must manually trigger autofocus, typically with a half-press of the shutter button.
Even then, DSLR video AF is usually not ideal: it uses contrast-detect focusing from the imaging sensor, which can “hunt” back and forth before locking, and kit-lens focus motors may be audible in the recorded sound.
A key reason is that during video the mirror is raised, so the camera’s normal phase-detect AF system isn’t available. That’s why continuous AF in video was generally limited on DSLRs of this generation.
If you want smoother results, manual focus is usually the better approach for video on this camera. If continuous AF during filming is important, a camcorder or a camera system designed for that feature may suit you better.
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