Attempting to focus on two people talking across a table to each other

Question

Im not sure if this the right place for this but I run a small youtube channel, there's two of us and we often record by facing each other across a table about a meter apart, with the camera to the side and we talk to each other and look to the camera as we talk.

We have a panasonic DMC-GX80K that sits about 1.5 meters back and is hooked into a black magic box to stream to the PC to capture in obs but I can't work out how to get the thing to stay focused on our faces and our videos keep coming out slightly fuzzy/blurry.

What is the best way to ensure we both remain in focus throughout the video, or is that nearly impossible given the setup and we're better off just sitting next to each other when we record?

Answer 1

It looks like you're trying to achieve a wide depth of field. This is done with your camera's aperture. A smaller/more closed aperture (higher f-number) lets less light in, but gives you a wider DoF.

Try closing your aperture as much as possible. This may require you to light your subjects more and/or boost your ISO. Bear in mind that a boosted ISO can add grain to your video.

Also, it's possible that your lens is dirty. You can clean the front and back of your lens with a microfiber cloth and lens cleaner.

Lastly, I know it's not your question but I want to throw out there that a phone camera may be what you need. Modern phones can capture exceptionally high quality video, and typically have a very wide depth of field. May be worth looking at!