Focusing on ET Board w/video camera?

[Beyond]

Just wondering if one of you pro's had any tips on how to get your video camera to focus on the ET Boards at night? Zooming in doesn't seem to work well, they are just a blur most of the time. When following the car down track I usually zoom in (filmed from the starting line). But dang thing don't want to focus good on the scoreboard.

Sony DCR-TV22 is what I'm using...

[DragRacingTV.com]

you have to use the camcorder in manual focus mode while shooting, don't use autofocus mode... zoom all the way in ahead of time to the scoreboard, set the focus once, and leave it there.

the problem with these little camcorders is that the lcd/viewfinder doesn't have enough resolution to tell when you have the focus set perfectly, so you have to use autofocus just long enough to set the focus, then switch it to manual focus mode, and start shooting.

if you can't achieve that momentary autofocus accurately, try zooming in on something that is about the same distance away as the scoreboard, but with enough light on it to set your momentary autofocus.

be sure and turn off digital zoom on the camcorder, it'll ruin the picture quality.

[powertvmark]

manual focus or just zoom to the point and which it begins to blur and then back it off a little.

[Beyond]

I'll have to try that and see how it works... Thanks.

[dpm90iroc]

x2, thanks, have had same problem.