# Help adjusting video on Canon Rebel T3



## Mr-Jemhead93 (Feb 10, 2014)

So I've been trying to shoot some simple videos on my Canon Rebel T3 but for some reason I just cannot get the damn thing to focus clearly I've tried auto focus and manual and I'm just not getting the result I want. The lense I'm using is an EF-S 18-55mm II IS lense. I know this is a user problem and not something wrong with the camera right?


here's a sample of some video I took with it. ( I was also messing with the brightness settings when I took this footage) 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=277369802421507&set=vb.244666355691852&type=2&theater


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## Philligan (Feb 10, 2014)

Are you really close to them? IIRC that lens should be able to focus as close as 12 inches or so, so unless you're really close, I doubt that's an issue.

I'm kinda confused by this - I can't see why they'd be out of focus if you tried focusing manually. What settings are you using? (i.e. focal length and aperture specifically. Will the camera focus in front of them and past them, or are they never in focus?

Try shooting in manual (if the video mode can do that). Set the lens to manual focus, and zoom it out to 18mm (more of the room will be in focus at wider lengths). Set the camera up for the light in the zoom - keep the aperture as high as possible (high number = more is in focus). Once you've got the ISO and aperture set for the lighting in the room, put the camera on the table and manually focus it. As long as you're more than a foot back, at 18mm pretty much everything should be in focus regardless of what aperture you're at.

I've never shot video on my T3, and I have class and then work, but if no one else can chime in, I'll try it on my camera after work tonight.


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## Mr-Jemhead93 (Feb 10, 2014)

Philligan said:


> Are you really close to them? IIRC that lens should be able to focus as close as 12 inches or so, so unless you're really close, I doubt that's an issue.
> 
> I'm kinda confused by this - I can't see why they'd be out of focus if you tried focusing manually. What settings are you using? (i.e. focal length and aperture specifically. Will the camera focus in front of them and past them, or are they never in focus?
> 
> ...



cool ya its all still on the default settings theres another video I'll post a link to but i shot it outside and it looked much clearer than it did inside our practice space could it be the lighting? I'm also messing with the aperture right now and things are looking better. as for focal length I'm not sure where to locate it on the menu I'll do some more digging right now. Thanks for the help!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=274794459345708&set=vb.244666355691852&type=2&theater


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## Philligan (Feb 10, 2014)

Alright, man, I figured it out (I think). Sorry I said some wrong stuff there before (like shooting in manual mode) - I used the video mode for the first time and realized there is no manual mode haha.

My guess is you had it on auto-focus and it either had trouble in the dark, or was having trouble with all the movement - the video AF isn't that fast. Most guys who shoot video with DSLRs shoot with manual focus for that reason. Even the pro DSLRs don't have the quickest video AF.

Seeing how quickly everything got blurry in that first video you posted, I think you had the aperture set a little low (low number = wide aperture = equals shallow depth of field = the depth where things are in focus isn't very deep, so the blur happens quickly). Also, sorry if you know this stuff already haha.

You have to set the aperture before you start shooting. Next time you try that, if it's dark enough, try shooting at f/8 or f/11 for the aperture. If that doesn't let in enough light, turn the aperture as wide as you need to (i.e. lowest number). That'll let in more light.

Once you've set the aperture, it's time to start shooting video. Zoom the lens all the way out to 18mm, so it's at its widest - that'll make it so more of the scene is in focus. Put the lens in manual focus. Have someone stand close in front of the camera - basically as close as they plan on getting during the video. Manually focus so they're in focus, and the majority of the scene past them should be in focus. The higher aperture number the better, because that will give more depth of field and make more of the scene in focus. So go for as high a number as possible while still letting enough light in. Having enough light in the room will help a lot, because you can turn the aperture number way up.


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## Philligan (Feb 10, 2014)

Oh man, about the focal length. It's on the lens itself. 

Your lens will probably look a little different, but see the silver bar with the numbers on it on this lens? That's the focal length. Turn the big rubber ring in the middle of the lens to change the focal length, and the focus ring should be on the very end of your lens, right up by the glass.

Sorry, I couldn't save the picture so I've gotta link it to you.

Canon 18-55mm IS

And make sure you've got the switch on the lens set to MF for manual focusing - if not it can be hard on the AF motor.


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## Mr-Jemhead93 (Feb 11, 2014)

Wow big thanks man I tried out what you said here out home ( I won't be able to try this out at our practice space until Wednesday) but here just in my room the camera already looks waaaaaaay better! Ohh that's what the focal length means lol I'm a total noob


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## Philligan (Feb 11, 2014)

Awesome, glad I could help man.


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