How to Use Focus Options on a Canon XH A1

Video Transcript

Now I'm going to talk all about Focus. You have to remember, if you're on one of those program modes that we talked about earlier, auto focus is turned on a number of those. Including the easy shooting mode, and even the auto mode, but it does give you the option to set it yourself. So, remember, if auto focus is on, you're going to be seeing that all the time. Basically, auto focus is the camera trying to find the best focus on its own, which is great because you don't have to worry about it, but can be bad because, sometimes, the camera doesn't know what you want to focus on. You might notice, sometimes, when you're really zoomed in or there's low light, the focus is constantly moving and changing and that's when auto focus is going crazy, it doesn't exactly know what to do. Luckily, the auto focus on the Canon XH A1 is a very, very good auto focus for a camcorder. Just like everything else on it, it's very high quality. Here's our little switch to switch it from auto focus and manual focus. If I was switched to auto focus then it would be on, just like I was just talking about what it does and everything. But, let me talk a little bit about manual focus. I always shoot in manual focus because it gives me more control of the picture and I don't have to worry about auto focus going crazy. One thing about manual is that, if you're in manual focus but you want to get a quick auto focus, you can just push this 'AF' button and you'll stay in manual but as long as you're pressing this button down, auto focus switches back on and gives you a quick focus and then you can pull your finger off, and you've got that focus but your quickly back in the manual mode. Let me show you where the manual focus is, it's our last ring on our lens, here. Basically, it's just like the other rings, move it back and forth to get that focus. I definitely recommend getting use to it. The thing about these rings is they're all real easy to go back and forth between because they're all right up here next to each other. Usually when you zoom in, you're going to need to get a new focus, but you're right there with your manual focus ring. Definitely try out manual focus and try to get using that because it will make you a better camera man and, basically, once you learn how to use it right, you're going to get much better videos. That's all about focus on the XH A1.

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