8mm Forum: Camcorder not focusing ?

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Posted by Bill Walsh (Member # 1203) on November 17, 2009, 07:03 AM:

Hi all

I am attempting to transfer a bunch of old 8mm films to DVD and I am having problems with my camcorder. I am using a Sony Handycam DVD 610 to record the images. What is happening is that the Sony seems to be having a problem focusing on the image on the screen.

Is this due to the flicker I am always hearing about ? A frame rate thing ? Unfortunately the projector I have(Kodak Moviedeck) does not have adjustable speed.

I'm curious what your thoughts are.

Thanks

Bill

Posted by John Skujins (Member # 1515) on November 17, 2009, 08:01 AM:

Put some kind of image/picture/poster at the screen's position and do a manual focus. Leave the camera at that focus setting for your movie.

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on November 17, 2009, 08:04 AM:

Is it possible you are at less than the minimum focusing distance?

When I do a video transfer I am usually out 3 or 4 feet from the screen.

Posted by Bill Walsh (Member # 1203) on November 17, 2009, 08:14 AM:

I have tried it up close shooting onto a 6 x 8 white board and from a distance of about 8 feet with the same problem. I will try manual focus, thanks for the idea ! Do you think it has anything to do with flicker ?

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on November 17, 2009, 09:44 AM:

I did mine with a Sony camcorder in autofocus mode and I didn't have focus issues even when it was flickering.

How you will experience flickering is a pulsating in the brightness of the picture on screen. As the camcorder capture speed and the projector shutter speed get closer and closer the flicker slows down and then stops when one is an even multiple of the other. Unfortunately since you don't have a variable speed projector you probably won't be able to do anything about this.

If I remember right, the flip-out screen on the side of the camcorder doesn't show flicker, but is useful for getting everything aligned. Once you are there you need to use the viewfinder. Then you will see it.

Posted by Christian Bjorgen (Member # 1780) on November 17, 2009, 09:57 AM:

Hi!

This problem has nothing to do with flicker, it is a matter of variation between light/dark. For those who have seen pirated films that were recorded with a camera in a cinema, they will see the same focusing issue.

Use a manual focus camera or a different light setting.

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