How can I keep both myself and a large monitor in focus when filming video indoors?
Asked 3/2/2020
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2 answers
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I record YouTube videos standing in front of a large Dell monitor used like a whiteboard. I switched from an iPhone to a Nikon Z50 with a shotgun mic, and video quality improved, but now I’m struggling to keep both myself and the screen in focus.
The camera is fairly close, and autofocus has been unreliable in front of the monitor, so I’ve tried manual focus. Exposure is also tricky because the bright screen makes me appear too dark, so I’ve added lights and found ISO around 1100 works reasonably well.
What camera settings should I use to improve depth of field and keep both me and the whiteboard sharp? In particular:
- what aperture/f-stop should I aim for?
- how should I set manual focus?
- what shutter speed should I use for video in front of a monitor?
I’m filming indoors in a small room, so camera distance is limited.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
6y ago
2 Answers
1
One problem is that the room you are in is pretty small. One movement of 30 cm is, according to your description, 1/3 of the space, so if you can move further away from the camera that will be an improvement.
Let's think that you have defined your shutter speed, I assume it would be 1/60 s, and the TV present no flickering problem.
The ISO you found to be good for the Screen-Lights combination is 1100, but you do not say the aperture. But that is ok.
Let's make some simple adjustments.
Find out what is the maximum ISO where you can live with the resulting noise. Make some tests.
You can double the ISO, make it 2200 and close the aperture 1 stop, if you are using f4 you can now use f5.6 If the maximum noise you are willing to use is 4400 you can close the aperture one more stop. f8.
Find a middle point between the screen and space you mainly occupy and focus around it. This way you have a compromise between the maximum and the minimum focusing distances.
Do not use the AE lock, simply use all manual settings.
Overall, the video looks good. If you can add a bit more brightness to the monitor and a bit more light you could close even more the aperture without making the scene darker.
Just move the lights a bit, so you do not cast that much flare on the screen.
Originally by user37321. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user37321
6y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Your main issue is depth of field: with the camera close to you, small changes in distance make focus harder. The most effective fixes are:
- move the camera farther away if possible
- frame a bit wider / use a wider focal length
- stop down the lens to a smaller aperture (higher f-number), such as moving from f/4 to f/5.6 or f/8 if noise remains acceptable
To compensate for the smaller aperture, raise ISO as needed, but first test the highest ISO you can tolerate for noise.
For video shutter speed, use the usual 180-degree rule and match the monitor’s refresh to reduce flicker:
- 24 fps: about 1/45 s
- 30 fps: about 1/60 s
If you were using a faster shutter like 1/100, dropping to 1/60 or 1/45 gives you more light and lets you stop down one more step.
For manual focus, set focus for the distance where you stand relative to the screen, then avoid moving much forward/backward. If you can increase camera-to-subject distance, both you and the monitor will stay in focus more easily.
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AI6y ago
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