Pull-focus effects are commonplace on film sets. They can be used to huge creative effect to add a new dimension to your filmmaking projects. Here’s how to achieve the effect with your FUJIFILM X Series camera.
The practice of adjusting the point of focus while capturing video is often known as pulling focus or racking focus – names that come from the movie industry where the technique has been used to tremendous creative effect by big-name directors. Digital video has made pull focus much easier to do, and now you’ll see it in everything from TV news reports to cutting-edge box-set dramas. And it’s also easy to do with your X Series camera.
Before we start talking about the ins and outs of focusing, we need to consider that a pull-focus effect is only going to work if we have shallow depth-of-field. This means opening up the aperture, which can be problematic if you still want to use a shutter speed that’s half the duration of the frame rate. Set ISO as low as possible and look at using an ND filter if the scene still looks overexposed.
With your exposure settings made, set the camera to Continuous AF and make sure the MOVIE AF MODE is set to AREA (you can find this option in your camera’s MOVIE SETTING menu). This gives you control over the position of the AF point in the frame.
We’re going to be pulling focus by (very gently) tapping the camera’s touchscreen to move the focus point from a foreground object to a background object, or vice versa. For this reason, it’s good to have the camera on a sturdy tripod or, if you are using it handheld, have Image Stabilization switched on and practice being able to tap the screen without causing a wobble.
Have a go at creating a pull-focus effect with the camera’s default settings. (Note that you must be recording video, not just previewing the scene in movie mode, to see smooth focusing transitions.)
- Tap the screen to allow the camera to focus at point A.
- Press the shutter release button to start recording.
- When you’re ready to pull focus, tap the screen to shift to point B.
Now review the footage. What do you think? It’s common for the shift of focus from A to B to look too fast with the camera’s default settings, but this can be changed from the AF-C CUSTOM SETTING menu (located in the camera’s MOVIE SETTING menu). Simply adjust the AF SPEED option to a lower setting.
In this menu, you’ll also see a TRACKING SENSITIVITY option. This determines how quickly the camera will refocus when the focus point is moved. You may want to set this to be faster if you find the camera’s response to your focus pull tap to be too slow. A setting of +4 works well, but be sure to return this to a more regular setting (0) when you’re shooting normally, or your camera will try to refocus every time something passes between you and your subject – not a professional look!
Here are some tips to consider when you are putting your pull-focus shot together.
- Always rehearse the pull before you commit to a take. Many times!
- There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ speed for focus pulls – it depends entirely on the mood and emotion you’re trying to convey. A fast pull can add to a sense of tension or surprise; a slower pull feels more relaxing.
- To avoid the focus pull grabbing too much attention from what is actually happening in front of the camera, try to combine it with some subject movement.
Ultimately, smooth focus pulls do take some work and practice to get looking right, but the effort is well worth it for the superb results that can be produced.
Of course, pull focus can be done manually, but XF lenses aren’t really designed for this purpose. Instead, if you’re serious about your videography, take a look at our MK lens range, which feature a large focus rotation angle and geared rings on the lens barrel to attach a focus puller.
Your Next Steps
- CHALLENGE Set up a creative focus-pull shot and show us what you can do. Post your favorite clip to social media with the hashtag #MyFujifilmLegacy and #focuspull. You can also submit your work here for a chance to be featured on our social media channels.
Header image © Dan Westergren
