Getting focused, and staying focused

You know the importance of getting a sharply focused image, and you also understand what depth of field means to your imaging set up, but have you given any thought to how these problems might be simplified?

“Like I have time for that,” you’re muttering under your breath. So let me save you time by pointing you towards a couple of interesting articles on the subject of focus.

First up is, “Circle of Isolation…shooting good stereoscopic 3D for Live sports,” published on the RealVision blog July 25th, 2010. (I though the term was “circle of confusion,” but that which we call a rose …) This covers the role of depth of field in film and TV and briefly explores how 3D systems will need to address these cinematographer’s tricks.

The second link is to “In focus near and far – at the same time” by Charles T. Troy and published in Photonics Spectra July 2010. This covers the results of work underway at the University of Toronto to develop a camera that can keep both foreground and distant objects in focus at the same time. This might spoil your reading, but I think their idea – using two cameras – is cheating just a little. But read the article and make up your own mind.

Stay sharp!