Recommended lens: use the Super EBC Fujinon 18mm f/2 lens for most Sunday backup recording. At 10-12 feet it gives a wider, more forgiving frame for the speaker and the room. Use the other Fuji lens only when you want a tighter speaker-only shot and the camera is centered.
1. Position Place the tripod 10-12 feet from the teaching position. Keep it level, slightly above seated eye level, and far enough back to include the speaker's hands and some room context.
2. Frame Use 18mm. Compose a medium-wide shot: headroom at the top, speaker centered, no bright windows dominating the frame, and no music stands blocking the face.
3. Video settings Use 1080p/30 if reliability matters most. If the card and battery have plenty of room, 4K/30 is fine. Set shutter near 1/60 for 30fps.
4. Exposure Start at f/4 for safer focus. In a darker room, open to f/2.8 or f/2 and raise ISO only as needed. Avoid changing exposure during the message.
5. Focus Use manual focus when possible. Magnify the teaching spot, focus on the face or microphone stand, turn on focus peaking, and do not touch focus after recording begins.
6. White balance Set a fixed white balance instead of Auto. Use the room lighting as the guide, then leave it locked so color does not shift during the message.
7. Audio check If using camera audio, record a 15-second test and play it back. If using a line or external mic, keep peaks around -12 dB and listen for hum, clipping, or loose cables.
8. Final check Before the message starts: battery charged, card has space, red record dot is visible, timer is running, frame is clean, and nobody is likely to bump the tripod.
Quick default: 18mm lens, tripod at 10-12 feet, 1080p/30, 1/60 shutter, f/4 if the room is bright enough, manual focus on the teaching spot, fixed white balance, test audio, then record early.
