Can't get my camera to focus

[Mghnickell]

Hi y'all,. I'm new to photoboothing and I can't figure out what setting I put my Canon Rebel T5 on so that everyone stays in focus and don't come out blurry. Can someone please give me some pointers ?

[diverhank]

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@Mghnickell wrote:
The lens is a Canon EFS 18-55 mm and it was set on an auto mode for landscape. Im going to try a manual setting and see if I can clear up my issue. I noticed there is an image stabilizer on the lens. Will that help?

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Image stabilizer only helps if you're handholding the camera and you shake a lot.  In this case, since it sits on a cabinet, IS is doing nothing for you.

The Minimum Focus Distance for this lens is about 11 inches so try to block people from coming closer than that.  I'd set the lens FL to 18mm to maximize the Depth of Field.  I'd try focusing on a spot roughly 24 inches from the lens and set aperture Av to f/8 or f/11.  That should do it.  Tweak it so everything can be in focus.

I'll be glad to offer more help if you need it.

[jrhoffman75]

If you can control how close people can get to the camera you could set lens to MF, manually focus lens on location where people are and set camera to Av mode, set lens to f/11. That would give you some depth of field, focus acquisition wouldn't be an issue, and it sounds like your flash has plentiful power to handle f/11.

[ScottyP]

Image stabilization won't help here. All IS does is to counter the effect of your hands shaking as you hold the camera. Since your camera is hard mounted there is no camera shake and you should in fact turn IS off or it may actually cause blur by operating in a firmly mounted camera. 

The blur you are worried about is subject movement blur. The only cure against that is a shutter speed fast enough to freeze that action.  1/200 probably covers it but if not try 1/320 or 1/400. 

[Mghnickell]

Thank you

[Mghnickell]

Ok I'll try that

[Waddizzle]

I seem to recall the old fashioned photo booths having a white line on the floor, which you had to stay behind, otherwise your photos would be out of focus.

I would definitely look to upgrade a faster lens.  The T5 does not have good low light performance.  I try not use ISO settings higher than 400, due to noise.  But, for a photo booth, ISO 800 will probably work, and work well.  

If the booth is function unattended, then using a low end DSLR and lens is the way to go.

[kvbarkley]

Actually, using a small sensor P&S would work better because of the DOF. I used to pretty good portraits with my A400.

[Mghnickell]

Dumb question, What is P and S?

[ScottyP]

Point and shoot. 

[Mghnickell]

Ok . Thank you