Manual Focus Only For Movie Cameras. Who Knew?

[Brian Moore]

Heard this story this morning on NPR. Found it interesting and thought some of you might also. I suspect small apertures come into play a lot.

http://www.npr.org/2014/02/28/283461599/keen-eyes-uncanny-instincts-keep-films-in-sharp-focus

 

[Pete Askew]

Not as much as you'd think though! If you look at a follow focus control wheel they have stops and a large ring on which you can mark focus points ready for the scene. An actor will move from one set point to another and the focus puller will adjust (by eye or by following the marks) during that scene.

Second image down.

http://www.realphotographersforum.com/forum/threads/zeiss-compact-primes.4984/#post-45769

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Excellent stuff Brian - I always knew AF was for wussies!

 

[Brian Moore]

Not as much as you'd think though! If you look at a follow focus control wheel they have stops and a large ring on which you can mark focus points ready for the scene. An actor will move from one set point to another and the focus puller will adjust (by eye or by following the marks) during that scene.

Second image down.

http://www.realphotographersforum.com/forum/threads/zeiss-compact-primes.4984/#post-45769

I don't remember this post of yours at all, Pete. Very cool stuff!

Anyway, thank you for the response, Pedro. The article on NPR leads you to believe the focus pullers have this uncanny ability to judge distance to the Nth Degree by eye. Perhaps they do. Perhaps its a learned thing...fine tuned through years of experience. However, I was thinking that some of the mystery might be relieved by the notion that small apertures would help the process. All due respect to these fellows, though. (Especially to whoever the focus puller on Barry Lyndon might have been!)

 

[Brian Moore]

Excellent stuff Brian - I always knew AF was for wussies!

It is for Candy Asses, Chris.