EOS M50 Settings for filming a yoga class video?

[LisaJones]

Hi there! I am new to figuring out my M50 and I can't seem to get my settings right for filming a yoga video. One of the problems seems to be that when I am facing away or toward the camera, the camera adjusts and changes the video's lighting dramatically. I'm also not sure what is the best focus setting, since the camera is static but I am moving. I am filming inside with a lighting setup. 

Any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated. I've filmed way too many videos that end up being unusable because I can't figure out my settings!

Thanks in advance for your patience with newbie questions.

[Waddizzle]

Without actually being there, no one can tell you what exposure settings to use.  The Green [A+] mode should always work, but not always very well.

[rs-eos]

I would either use P (Program) mode or even M (Manual).  Manual would not change any exposure values at all.

Having said that, you'd need to experiment with what settings would be best.  I would start with an aperture of f/4, a shutter speed of 1/60 second (see below) and then adjust ISO as needed.  I would start around ISO 800 and then go higher (or lower).

For the most natural looking movement in video, the shutter speed should be 1 over twice the frame rate.  I'm assuming you're recording at 30 frames per second, so that is why a good shutter would then be 1/60 second.   Note that you may see values such as 29.97 instead of 30 as you view certain settings.

[LisaJones]

Thank you, Ricky! Yes, I've had it set at 30 frames, with 1/60. My lighting all looks right, I'm just not sure why it seems to be changing during the filming. I thought I did have it in manual, but I'll keep trying things. I appreciate your response! 

[shadowsports]

Hi Lisajones,

By chance are you filming with a large amount of back lighting where you are moving around allowing the camera to receive different lighting?

During filming [+A] auto mode, the camera will attempt to meter (read) ambient lighting, and adjust exposure accordingly.  You can see how this works like this.

Stand is a room and point the camera towards a window with bright outdoor light.  Press the shutter halfway to perform AF and metering.  Now have a subject walk or move between the camera and the window.  Watch what happens to the exposure.  The camera adjusts based on the light the lens is receiving.  This might explain what is happening with your video? Just guessing based on the description your provided.

[LisaJones]

Hi Rick, 

Thanks for the response. Nope, I'm shooting against a wall with standing lights that are constant. But I am moving around (filming a yoga video) and when I turn to face towards or away from the camera, that's when the camera seems to adjust the exposure. I guess I'm really just trying to have it not adjust automatically! But even having it in manual mode, it still seems to happen. Thanks for the thoughtful response!

[rs-eos]

The only thing I can think of is this is possibly due to lens breathing as focus changes.   For example, if the camera is focused on something close to it vs further away, the amount of the scene (field of view) may be changing.  And if some of the lighting is just at the edge of the frame, this could lead to that lighting (bright areas) being included/excluded as focus changes.

[smormardko]

It's best to set the camera statically if you want a sunset shot. Or buy an additional device that allows you to keep the stabilization effect. This is regardless of the camera company . You can buy this kind of equipment at specialty stores. I also had one when I was a student. There are special schools where they teach you everything. So if you are interested, you can use something like praguefilminstitute.cz. I also think it makes sense to shoot in different conditions all the time. This will also allow you to quickly adapt to your surroundings. This is important when shooting film or science broadcasts.