Scoutman Loc: Orlando, FL

RLKurth wrote:
I guess I'm showing my age,(38) I thought that like the old film movie cameras a shutter would have to be involved. But seeing as I have no interest in ever shooting videos, I wasn't all that worried about it.


Now another thought if no shutter is involved in video then why even have one on the DSLR camera body, when it's obviously not really mneeded? And isn't the shutter the weak point of the camera?

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Dear Kurthwoman - your thirty-eight is the new twenty-four and a half. You won't even hit your stride toward true beauty (in many senses of that term) until you hit fifty. Just don't get kicked or thrown from a horse to set back that process.

I just attended a short workshop on DSLR Video at my local camera store given by a Canon representative for the North Florida area. As I have a keen interest in that area, I was impressed with the demo that covered the basic capabilities of video with a still camera. Lots of people are into this. I'll post another link to demonstrate that interest.

I loved your question regarding shutter count. That aspect was not mentioned. Too bad you were not present to raise the issue. I'll attempt to get back to him for the Canon POV. I shudder to think about harmful aspects, if that's the case.

With the consent of the UHH admin, I've begun a specialty forum here which I hope attracts those with an interest in the topic. Some links posted at other sites may be of interest to you.

As I the group moves along - not much participation to date - folks would be posting their movies to YouTube, as UHH cannot accomodate the large file sizes. You will find many examples of DSLR Video on YouTube. Tutorials are just one example. How could they have been done in a cost-effective manner, w.o. that capability in a still camera? You could have three cameras going at once, with stuff you already have. To me, at least, amazing. (Just gave myself a new idea to explore)

GET interested. Imagine yourself capturing horses on video from your own personal perspective. Or, on horseback with a camera mounted on your helmut (whoops, spelling, but I let it stand in honor of Helmut Newton). My mind, at least, boggles a little. Even boogies. And I'm old enough to be your father.

I'll re-edit this when I have some info on how the idea of inlcuding video capes on still cameras originated. But I think I may already have.

Ride into the dawning of DSLR Video

jimmya Loc: Phoenix

I just discovered this part of UHH and it's very interesting to me since I shoot quite a bit of video all with my Canon dslr.

Shutter count in any dslr is measured by the number of times the mirror moves up and down and the shutter opens. When shooting video the mirror pops up once for a video regardless of how long it is and the shutter only opens and closes once regardless of how it is. You're correct about film, there is no comparison to the way film cameras worked.

With mine, for example, I get two readings. My camera tells me one number. However I also use a dslr shutter count program to give me the real number.

I have my camera set on continuous count. That means that each photo / video is counted as one in the count. So my total is about 6,500 currently.

However the camera apparently doesn't keep track of the shutter count for video so my program shows only about
4,500.

I'm keep track of the total count because it's very important to the overall camera condition, as in millage on a used car, when you go to sell it... which I'm about to do.

Good question. The above is what I've observed. I hope I'm not responding too late to be of help but since I just found this part of the forum I thought I'd answer in any case.

Jim

ToTellIt Loc: Sacramento, Ca

I think there is interest in this as a forum, also. We're slowly discovering it and with exposure I think it will grow. I've recently started shooting video with my D3100, where before I used camcorders. The big difference for me is the ability to change lenses. Hang in there. We'll make this stick....

jimmya Loc: Phoenix

Hi ToTellIt... neat handle or hash or what ever you call it.

I find lenses are not a big deal with video. I shoot with only one lens, my 18-55, and I have reasons for that.

First things first. With video it's important to be as close as you can, especially if you're producing. Detail in your shots is important so your audience gets what you're showing them the first time. Not like stills, they can't go back and look and look again so detail is very important.

Given that my 18-55 gives me a wide enough lens that it helps to hide hand movement which we all have. Shooting from a tripod in anything but an interview situation is completely useless if you plan to cover your subject at all.
So a steady hand is very important. Very little is more distracting to your audience than a shaky camera.

Second, don't zoom. Very poor shooting technique. Watch some of the folks and their camcorders shooting the kids at what ever event - in and out, in and out. It makes me ill and want to leave the room. Very poor. To get closer, walk to your subject shoot and walk out again.

Another item I find very useful is my external view finder.
Perhaps you've seen them. They allow a great view of the screen which is now your view finder. It also gives you an excellent way to tell about focus. Always focus manually, do not rely on auto focus even if your camera has it. It doesn't work and is always hunting and that makes for very ugly video indeed.

There's other things but I won't go into them now. Just let me say that if you're serious about video then always think of your editor and your viewer. Good Luck

I thought I might throw this in... it's the kind of work I did for a career in broadcast television that I'm doing now as a hobby and for giving back.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpYo2TL-Af8

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

Hi Jim,

That's a great video. Very well done and you have a great narrator's voice. Wish Art had told us how he lost all that weight!

Bob

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

Hi ToTellIt,
I also have the D3100. I think it's a great camera for stills and video. Jim shoots what looks to me like real time interviews and human interest reports. I can see where the zoom lens would be essential for that type of video. It would break the momentum to stop the action and change lenses.
However if you are doing a video where you control the flow by yourself, stopping to change lenses might not be a problem. I think additional lenses may add something in that case. I've got 7 Nikkor manual film lenses and one Vivitar f-mount manual film lens. 7 are primes and one zoom. They are so cheaply priced on ebay that I bought a bunch. I think they averaged about $65 each. I've done videos with other cameras but haven't done one with the D3100 yet, just test scenes with each of the lenses. But I can see that the camera produces great video in High Def at 24fps. The only thing missing from the D3100 is that you can't control the shutter speed in video. But that hasn't seemed to produce a problem in any of the test scenes I took.
Also I have a separate recorder. The audio track from the D3100 is pretty much only good for syncing the video with your separately recorded audio in the editing process.

Bob

jimmya Loc: Phoenix

Because I was posting on You Tube I didn't want to appear to be advertising anything... You Tube isn't for commercials.

So we didn't mention it. It was actually Optifast, products from the Nestle company and a weight loss clinic in Scottsdale in the Phoenix area.

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

Thanks for the info. Art had a remarkable weight loss, quite inspiring.

Bob

jimmya Loc: Phoenix

That's true. It's because of his story that I became interested and asked about doing this piece. He was pleased with the outcome.

Thanks

ToTellIt Loc: Sacramento, Ca

Thanks Jimmy. I'm just starting to experiment with DSLR video. There are still a ton of things that I need to learn. I do know enough to not "zoom", but I'm about to invest in a slider because I don't always want a static shoot. I also use a separate recorder and sync the sound, as I also do the editing. I guess you could say I'm a one man crew. I had been using camcorders, as I said, but I'm very interested in DSLR video. The reason the ability to use various lenses stood out was I went to a bull riding event and was able to capture video with a 200mm lens that looked so much better than with the camcorder's fixed lens. Previously, I did some genealogy type interviews, but I now want to do more than the static type of filming. Here is a link to a documentary that I did. It's about 17 minutes long, so grab a cup of coffee 8-).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTHX8SBqsvA

Feel free to comment, as that is how I will get better. Once again, THANKS!

jimmya Loc: Phoenix

I'll watch that piece shortly. So what dslr are you using?
I'm shooting with a t3i and the onboard external audio actually is pretty good. I have a lav and a top mount shot gun from Shure. I've been experimenting to find the right settings from both mikes and I think I'm finally there.

Actually video is video is video regardless of the camera. The only real difference I've encountered is the size of the camera. I did a career in broadcast television video work and with the camera so much larger it was much easier to hold steady. These light cameras are different so I've added the extra gear I mentioned to help with that.

I'll let you know what I think about your piece.

jimmya Loc: Phoenix

Okay, about your piece. Here's some things I noticed.

Audio: The recorder is probably doing the best it can but there's lots of room echo. That tells me the mike was too far from the subjects when they were speaking. That would include your opening statement.

Are you using a table mike, a lav, shotgun, what? 0ne thing you might consider is some sort of mike stand for this situation and place the mike on the table between the two subjects and much closer to them. You'll get rid of some of the echo that way.

Video: There was a little too much camera movement in the beginning. You were apparently panning to reach proper framing but that should be done before you roll.
Always advise your subject that the shot is fairly tight so they can't move around too much. I didn't see much subject movement so perhaps you could have re-shot that portion of the opening interview to get around that framing movement.

During much of the two shot interviews the camera appeared to be tilted to the left so the entire set appears slanted to the right.

Editing: I found it choppy and difficult to watch. Particularly during the younger lady's portion... the gal who was speaking for her mother. Even if you had to show that photo of her "young" mother several times, that would have helped to cover up those cuts. I know the reason for the cuts but for me there were way too many of them.

One more thing about editing. If you have to make a cut during an interview for sound, try to do so smoothly with a one-second dissolve rather than a wipe or other transition.

Long interviews are difficult at best especially when you have compress for time.

One more: The gentleman who was showing his book. It would have worked much better to go back in later and dissolve in a still shot of his book rather than tilting down and back up again. You could even shoot video of his hands holding the book and dissolve that in rather than tilting.

Sorry if I sound too critical but I'm speaking from a professional point of view. If I'm expecting too much sorry.

Thanks for letting me look.

Jim

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

Re: moving the camera. Here is a video I did with just a single camera placed on a tripod in the corner of the room with a wide angle lens. All the close ups, change of lighting and camera angles were all done in the Adobe CS6 Pro editor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGtxpVLxCf4&list=UUSbokLY5DkTAy5movtXN5Dw

jimmya Loc: Phoenix

Smooth, clean, some of the shots look cropped but hey.
It's very easy to watch. Nice.

ToTellIt Loc: Sacramento, Ca

Thanks for the comments, guys. As I said, I'm new at this but the comments help for the future. One has to start somewhere and critiques help you get better.