EOS R6 Video keeps changing positioning

[joegahona]

My Gear and Software:

• Canon EOS R6
• Canon EOS Utility
• Macbook Pro 2022
• Camtasia Video-Editing Software

I create videos for work in a home studio (i.e., the camera is on a tripod and never moves), and it’s just me talking while looking at the camera. I create tons of footage and then pull video files into Camtasia for editing, eventually resulting in a 3- or 4-minute final product. 

Even though my camera’s positioning isn’t changing, I’m finding that the frame getting recorded is changing slightly from take to take. I’m definitely not moving the camera, so I’m thinking I have some “auto positioning” or “centering” feature that needs to be adjusted.

Can anyone help me troubleshoot? 

[rs-eos]

What lens are you using?  I'm imagining that you have your setup to keep you in focus and that even though the camera is in a fixed location, you may be slightly forward or back from take to take.   And, since the lens you're using most likely has focus breathing, that will affect the frame.

[joegahona]

Thanks, Ricky — this is the lens I’m using: Canon RF 24mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM Lens

What you speculate is exactly what I’m thinking — it’s like the recording is trying to be helpful and keep me in focused (or “centered,” or whatever), but it results in slightly different shots, which is really disruptive when I cobble together multiple shots in one finished product. Is “focus breathing” something that can be adjusted?

[rs-eos]

As 5DIV mentions, if the lens is indeed focus breathing, it's not something that can be fixed.  There are lenses that have either no or minimal focus breathing, but they are typically cinema lenses.

Agree that using a wider depth of field (narrower aperture) and manual focus will allow you to keep the frame exactly as you want.  There are online calcuators for depth of field that you can input the distance from you to the camera, the sensor size (full frame in your case) as well as the focal length and aperture.

[Anonymous]

Focus Breathing is a characteristic of the lens and can't be adjusted for. Perhaps using manual focus with a smaller aperture for greater depth of field would keep you in focus as you slightly change distance to the camera and would eliminate the effect.