D7100 video problem: Tired the video for the first time last night, trying to shoot a local brush fire and get helicopter water drops. Videos are darker than the actual scene was to MY...

kb6kgx Loc: Simi Valley, CA

Tired the video for the first time last night, trying to shoot a local brush fire and get helicopter water drops.

Videos are darker than the actual scene was to MY eyes, and focus wasn’t always sharp. What am I doing wrong? What should the basic settings be?

Any suggestions are helpful because we have a few big fires going on right now and I don’t want to limit myself to day shooting. Thanks in advance

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

I would try shooting video at 60fps, shutter speed 1/120 sec, auto iso, and aperture as wide as you can get it (lowest available f-stop with your lens). Since you are shooting water drops and fires from a distance of several hundred feet or more I don't think you need to worry about depth of field. The faster shutter speed may help with the blurriness. Hopefully you will use a tripod as well for smoother panning and stability. If you are on a tripod you can try to turn off the VR on the lens. Good luck. Provide a link if you post them on youtube or vimeo.

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

kb6kgx wrote:

Tired the video for the first time last night, trying to shoot a local brush fire and get helicopter water drops.

Videos are darker than the actual scene was to MY eyes, and focus wasn’t always sharp. What am I doing wrong? What should the basic settings be?

Any suggestions are helpful because we have a few big fires going on right now and I don’t want to limit myself to day shooting. Thanks in advance

I suggest you post video questions in the video section: https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/s-110-1.html

kb6kgx Loc: Simi Valley, CA

Thanks. Yes, I know I should do this on the “Video” section, but I don’t have time right now to start a new one, have to head out to the fire. I was told just to put the “mode” dial on “Auto” and let it do it’s thing.

One last question and then I’ll go away :)

Can I make one continuous video without creating separate files each time I stop and start the video function? I don’t know how to “splice” the separate files together.

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

With a viddeo editing program. Even something as basic as the free microsoft Movie Maker will splice segments together.

kb6kgx wrote:

Thanks. Yes, I know I should do this on the “Video” section, but I don’t have time right now to start a new one, have to head out to the fire. I was told just to put the “mode” dial on “Auto” and let it do it’s thing.

One last question and then I’ll go away :)

Can I make one continuous video without creating separate files each time I stop and start the video function? I don’t know how to “splice” the separate files together.

kb6kgx Loc: Simi Valley, CA

Bobspez wrote:

I would try shooting video at 60fps, shutter speed... (show quote)

When I get some time, later today, hopefully, I’ll put one of those videos up on YouTube (unless I can post it HERE, directly?) and you can see what it looks like.

But in the meantime, I am confused about one other thing. Some told me to set the main dial to “P”, and some told me to set it to “Auto” (the green camera symbol). I’ve done both ways and both seem to work. But, which is the RIGHT way or the BEST way?

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

I believe in auto mode the camera controls everything, you just snap the shutter or start the video. In P-Mode the camera sets the exposure and shutter speed for the best exposure but you still have control over some parameters like iso (unless your iso is set to auto) metering and white balance. There's no right or wrong, just what works best for you. On my Coolpix B700, 4K video is full auto only, the camera sets everything for the best exposure and I find that convenient.
There's a 20mb file limit for attaching a file to a post here, so I don't think a video of that file size will look very good. Compressing it down to that size will probably degrade the image compared to HD on Youtube.

kb6kgx wrote:

When I get some time, later today, hopefully, I’ll put one of those videos up on YouTube (unless I can post it HERE, directly?) and you can see what it looks like.

But in the meantime, I am confused about one other thing. Some told me to set the main dial to “P”, and some told me to set it to “Auto” (the green camera symbol). I’ve done both ways and both seem to work. But, which is the RIGHT way or the BEST way?

kb6kgx Loc: Simi Valley, CA

Bobspez wrote:

I believe in auto mode the camera controls everyth... (show quote)

So, if I understand you correctly, if one uses “Auto” or if one uses “P” mode but has the ISO set to “Auto ISO”, they are, essentially, the same thing?

I also noticed that the size of the video file, even if only 15 or 30 seconds, is HUGE!!!

kb6kgx Loc: Simi Valley, CA

Bobspez wrote:

Provide a link if you post them on youtube or vimeo.

Here are two videos that I just uploaded to YouTube:

Clip #1:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpQL2PSdXB4

The reddish “splash” at the end is me getting drenched by the spray from the drop. It was VERY windy that night (hence the wind noise on the video).
File size: 38.8 MB

Clip #2:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoJLBH8wMGA
File size: 33.4 MB

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

Cool videos, especially viewed full screen on Youtube.

kb6kgx wrote:

Here are two videos that I just uploaded to YouTube:

Clip #1:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpQL2PSdXB4

The reddish “splash” at the end is me getting drenched by the spray from the drop. It was VERY windy that night (hence the wind noise on the video).
File size: 38.8 MB

Clip #2:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoJLBH8wMGA
File size: 33.4 MB

kb6kgx Loc: Simi Valley, CA

Bobspez wrote:

Cool videos, especially viewed full screen on Youtube.

Well, I thought they were darker than they should be. That maybe I had the settings wrong. I'm sure it was in "A", certainly "P" or "Auto". There were other video clips I made showing the flames on the hillside and the firefighters working, but those were fuzzy and shaky (as I explained, it was VERY windy and hard to hold the camera steady -- I'll be getting a tripod soon!). I've since done other "night" videos in both "P" and "Auto" and they look fine.

Should I be worried about fungus growing inside the lens elements? I know the body is weather-resistant but the lenses are NOT. I got "rained on" two days later shooting our local fires, from spray from the fire hoses (it was still very windy!). I generally don't shoot in the rain, but this was pretty close to that!

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

It was difficult for the scenes not to be dark because the camera was responing to the light on the helicopter so it shut down the lens. Night shooting is where manual settings can make the scene lighter if you set it that way.
I don't know about fungus on the lens. I've never had it, but I think it takes years to develop.

kb6kgx wrote:

Well, I thought they were darker than they should ... (show quote)

kb6kgx Loc: Simi Valley, CA

Bobspez wrote:

It was difficult for the scenes not to be dark because the camera was responing to the light on the helicopter so it shut down the lens. Night shooting is where manual settings can make the scene lighter if you set it that way.
I don't know about fungus on the lens. I've never had it, but I think it takes years to develop.

That makes sense, the camera responding to the light from the airship. Hopefully I won't get fungus in that lens. But that was more than just a mist that I experienced. It was like standing out in the rain.

Appreciate the advice.