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  • Welcome to the new site. Here's a thread about the update where you can post your feedback, ask questions or spot those nasty bugs!

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Anthony Reilly

New member
Hi everyone, Just curious as to find out abit about this camera, I would lie to know if you can zoom while your videoing and if not is there a camera that can actually do that ?

Thanks Ant
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Hi everyone, Just curious as to find out abit about this camera, I would lie to know if you can zoom while your videoing and if not is there a camera that can actually do that ?

Thanks Ant


Anthony,

Sorry for the late reply, you can zoom with any dedicated consumer or prosumer camera, as they all have zoom lenses built in. Most often they will hold their focus as you zoom. For critical work, many photographers use DSLR's with fixed focus and pull focus for that lens as the rig is moved closer to the subject.

More expensive options will allow attachment of many zoom lenses. Agains the focus has to be right when zoomed and it might need adjusting.

I'd not consider using any zoom for a video unless I tried it in the store and brought the SD or CF card home and looked at the results. Choosing a small camera for video means that you actually want to do better than your iPhone and that is already great! So I'd skip the digicam if you can and go to any small DSLR with image stabilization. All will zoom and retain reasonable focus.

Asher
 

Michael Nagel

Well-known member
Anthony,

what you need is a camera with a parfocal lens to keep the focus while zooming.
I doubt that there are many compact cameras now with that feature.
I doubt even that there are many actual DSLR lenses that are parfocal.

-> Asher: Pulling focus is about maintaining correct focus of e.g. a moving actor, not about changing focal length of the lens used.

Best regards,
Michael
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
-> Asher: Pulling focus is about maintaining correct focus of e.g. a moving actor, not about changing focal length of the lens used.

Thanks michael,

Although I shoot movies, (with up to six cameras for shooting the opera, "Crescent city), I have merely transposed my still camera experience to organize the multiple angles. I have much to learn and beyond having one dedicated pro video camera assistant with one pro camera as a master, I just want to keep focus with the other cameras and not zoom, if at all possible. I am happy to learn whatever I can! So thanks!

Asher
 

Michael Nagel

Well-known member
Hi Asher,

Sorry if it sounded a bit harsh, I just wanted to avoid that words and meanings get mixed up.

Parfocal lenses are useful beyond filming. For sports photography you would prefer a lens that does not change focus while zooming for e.g.soccer, football and the only thing that is changing focus is the player moving. For me this means making the job easier.

Best regards,
Michael
 

Anthony Reilly

New member
Anthony,

Sorry for the late reply, you can zoom with any dedicated consumer or prosumer camera, as they all have zoom lenses built in. Most often they will hold their focus as you zoom. For critical work, many photographers use DSLR's with fixed focus and pull focus for that lens as the rig is moved closer to the subject.

More expensive options will allow attachment of many zoom lenses. Agains the focus has to be right when zoomed and it might need adjusting.

I'd not consider using any zoom for a video unless I tried it in the store and brought the SD or CF card home and looked at the results. Choosing a small camera for video means that you actually want to do better than your iPhone and that is already great! So I'd skip the digicam if you can and go to any small DSLR with image stabilization. All will zoom and retain reasonable focus.

Asher

Hi asher i already have a DSLR but if i video record i have to turn it to camera mode, focus it then change to video mode but once its in video mode if i zoom in you can't focus it
 

Michael Nagel

Well-known member
Hi asher i already have a DSLR but if i video record i have to turn it to camera mode, focus it then change to video mode but once its in video mode if i zoom in you can't focus it
This is why manual focus lenses are used when shooting video with DSLRs (focus pulling again) and when you have to zoom, a parfocal zoom lens stays focused when you zoom and the object does not move.

Still, apart from the zooming question you haven't been very specific on the desired application. More information would possibly have a positive impact on the quality of the answers for you :)

Best regards,
Michael
 

Anthony Reilly

New member
This is why manual focus lenses are used when shooting video with DSLRs (focus pulling again) and when you have to zoom, a parfocal zoom lens stays focused when you zoom and the object does not move.

Still, apart from the zooming question you haven't been very specific on the desired application. More information would possibly have a positive impact on the quality of the answers for you :)

Best regards,
Michael

With my DSLR you can't manual focus once in video mode, and all I am after is something that will stay in focus as I am videoing something moving like flying birds ect ect..
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
With my DSLR you can't manual focus once in video mode, and all I am after is something that will stay in focus as I am videoing something moving like flying birds ect ect..
So you want the camera to lock on focus on the birds and even if they move closer or further away, you want them tracked and kept in focus, is that right? Are you really talking birds or a bird? With a group of birds that could be dicey.

...and you wish to be able to zoom in if that so happen to be your creative urge?

Asher
 

Anthony Reilly

New member
So you want the camera to lock on focus on the birds and even if they move closer or further away, you want them tracked and kept in focus, is that right? Are you really talking birds or a bird? With a group of birds that could be dicey.

...and you wish to be able to zoom in if that so happen to be your creative urge?

Asher

Just 1 bird not a flock haha, an yes i wish it to zoom
 
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