If you’re like me – you’re a one-man or woman show when making online videos. And there’s nothing worse than going to edit your video and realizing that it was recorded slightly out of focus.
Today, I’ll show you my set up for getting the perfect focus every time.
Of course, there are multiple ways of solving this problem, but the most efficient way for me to do this is by using a focus card. These can be really expensive, but I’ve created a simple version that works great for me. You can download and print this version for free. There’s also a free iPad focus card app.
- Put the focus card onto a piece of cardboard and tape it onto a light stand. I’ve looked long and hard for the best option for holding the focus card and the light stand won out. They extend really high so that the card can be at face level no matter how tall your are.
I found a great $15 light stand on Amazon. - Place the light stand on the place where you’re going to stand when filming. I use a piece of masking tape on the floor to set my “mark.”
- Zoom in your camera and manually focus on the focus card. I usually zoom in all the way, then I use the ‘focus assist zoom’ on my camera to get really tight.
- Once you’re set, zoom back out and go stand with your toes on the mark and start recording.
That’s it! Now you’re all set for a more crystal-clear video and future. Have fun filming!