Mark for Measuring?

[Nick Centera]

Hey, I was wondering if there was a mark on the body where to put the end of a tapemeasure for focusing? Or if there is none, where should the mark be theoretically? Thank you

[Garrett Shannon]

Hey, I was wondering if there was a mark on the body where to put the end of a tapemeasure for focusing? Or if there is none, where should the mark be theoretically? Thank you

 

If by body you mean body of the camera then you are looking for the universal symbol for the film plane. It is a circle with a vertical line drawn through the center, which extends past the edges of the circle on both ends. If you can't find such a symbol you want to measure from the film plane. The spot your are looking for has nothing to do with the lens, rather you are trying to measure from the sensor on a digital camera or where the film passes through the gate on a film camera so your measurement will need to start somewhere on the side of the camera.

 

If by body you mean a human body (the subject of your shot which you presumably you want to be in focus) the general practice is to focus to their eyes. BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL!! Usually the tape will be run to one side or the other of the actor's face to a point even with their eyes. In an extremely tight shot where the subject's eyes are not on the same plane as the camera and DOF is so shallow that only one eye will be in focus at a time usually the close eye is put in focus. Of course that is a personal choice and not a hard and fast rule.

 

Happy focusing.

Edited May 21, 2010 by Garrett Shannon