How do I monitor video outside?

[johnneumann]

I'm watching some tutorial videos that talk about using skrims and bounceboards and reflectors outside.

The narrator said it's important to make use of manual focus. He also talked about depth of field and f-stops for certain results.

Only question ... being outdoors in a park, how on earth is he clearly seeing what effect on his image he's having as he's making changes? Folks don't carry a big TV with them to watch as they shoot. And camcorders, especially my older PD150, just have those tiny monitors that don't give perfect certainty as to manual focus and what-all-else. Heck, my PD-150, which was probably state of the art when this video was made, only has the B/W viewfinder and the small color flip-out monitor (which is almost useless in the sun). I wouldn't trust either of those to tell me if I'm perfectly focused or if my lighting was just right if I was doing it manually.

How are these pro guys who know how to do all the tricks outdoors see what they're doing?

-JOHN

ps. (I have witnessed high-end pro shoots and I've seen the TV sets with the enclosed dark viewing shade-box around them ... but I don't think that's very common with most regular videographers. I certainly don't see that in these instructional videos anywhere.)

[LouBruno]

Here is a little hint. Purchase the largest DVD player with RCA inputs with good extended battery life. Then, Google video for a sun shade for the DVD player's size. Cheapest and most inexpensive

[BobFoster]

Like Lou said. Also, some "Pros" may also be using external LCD monitors specifically made for outdoor viewing. They generally are color 4 - 5 inch battery powered units that attach to the camera hot shoe. Most use a hood. Even so, they are not great. A poor mans substitute is to purchase a HoodMan hood to attach to the camera flip out viewer.

[johnneumann]

Thank you, Lou. Great suggestion.

Excuse me being so naive about video ... all I've done for years is keep my focus and exposure on "auto".

I remember owning a Canon AE-1, a 35mm photo camera back in the 80's. It has this cool little split screen that would separate and come together as an image went in and out of focus. You wouldn't have actually judged the focus when taking a photo. You would stack the two halves of the image in the viewfinder until they came together in line and you knew the picture was in focus.

I can't imaging how on earth anyone can get perfect manual focus using either a viewfinder on a camcorder or even the side flipout monitor. What would look fine on such a tiny screen is bound to be 5% out of focus once displayed on a large HD monitor.

What do I know, though ... I'm just a goob who keeps everything on auto and shoots for fun.

Now for the first time I'm learning about manual exposure and lighting tricks, though. I really want some of these great images I'm seeing on the video training DVDs.

Maybe it's easier than it sounds ... or maybe, Lou, a small DVD player is enough resolution to judge perfect focus.

-JOHN

[BobFoster]

The usual procedure for "fine manual" focusing on a video camera is to zoom all the way in on the center of attention, adjust the focus and then zoom out to establish the shot. On older cameras this required having the "back focus" properly adjusted to maintain focus throughout the zoom range once the lens had been attached to the camera. Some newer cameras have a Focus assist button that enlarges the image in the viewfinder during focusing to aid in seeing the variation.

[johnneumann]

Thank you, Bob. I've never heard that before ... zooming in and setting the focus. I've had my camera for twelve years and have never manually focused before, so that's new information to me.

If that works for me, that simple advice might be the breakthrough I'm looking for.

-JOHN

[johnneumann]

By the way, if I understand focusing correctly, the further away my camera is from the subject ... the deeper the depth of field is, correct?

ie, the further away the camera is, the more forgiving and inclusive the focus is. Is that right?

-JOHN

[BobFoster]

Depth of field and focus are a little more complicated than that. In general terms, in a wide angle shot, almost everything is in focus and very little can be done with depth of field. On a medium to full zoom, depth of field/focus is much more critical, hence the trick of zooming in to accurately focus. Depth of field is a product of aperture opening size and focus. A very small aperture in bright light makes just about everything thing in focus. A large aperture in low light limits depth of field and in-focus . This subject can be an entire seminar. For an example, if you wear glasses, take them off, punch a tiny hole (aperture) in a piece of paper and look thru it. Everything you see is in focus even without your glasses. Googling the subject will give you hours of reading material.

[LouBruno]

Most recent HD cameras have a PEAKING feature. I use this all the time. There are three types of PEAKING. A regular peaking which defines edges. A red peaking which displaces the regular peaking and is easy to observe and lastly blue edge peaking-just another color I guess. When engaged, even the smallest LCD will function. Note Regular peaking is usually a good way to use a B&W EVF.

[yennyb]

John,
Here's a tip for accurate manual focusing outdoors.
First set your focusing and exposure to manual.
With your camcorder on a tripod (I hope you're using a tripod), zoom out to the max. focal length, and set your focus to infinity.
If your camcorder has a built-in ND (Neutral Density) filter, with markings such as 1/8 and 1/64, set it to 1/64 which gives max. filtration, and your screen will probably go black.
Open up the lens aperture to it's widest f-stop, usually f-1.8 or thereabouts, and your image will appear bright again.
If it appears overexposed, manually adjust the aperture till the exposure looks right.
Focus on a distant subject, a face, or whatever is your main subject, and the background will appear greatly out of focus. This is your depth of field at it's shallowist, and the easist way to manually focus, and be spot on with your subject.
Then you can zoom back to the focal length you want, and your subject will stay in focus.
Sounds complicated but it's really quite simple once you get used to it.