DSLR Video (Beginner)
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- HijoDMaite
Have any of you with nice DSLR cameras made the move from stills to full video? I would be interested in seeing some examples. I;m going to make the jump and take advantage of some of the video capabilities of my gear.
Here is what I have:
Canon 70D
Canon 24-105mm f/4.0L IS with Circular Polarizer & UV Filter
Canon 50mm f/1.4 with 2-Stop ND, UV & Circular Polarizer Filters
Nice Tripod with pan headI assume I will have to invest in a steady cam but I don't want to use a follow focus on my shoulder. I think I can get away with the new follow focus technology on my camera and the ability to focus with the touch screen.
This is about what I think I might need:
As far as audio, initially I will just have a music soundtrack to the video. Part of the allure of doing this is the ability to dig in to my music collection and use it for videos. If I do record any sound it will be pre-recorded and edited in to the video later.
Here are some examples of the style I am going for:
From this guy's site: http://shaunfenn.com/
Thanks in advance for any tips, links or opinions. Cheers!
- HijoDMaite0
Can you guys tell me if the slow motion in the beginning of this video is feasible with my DSLR?
- BTW I use Adobe Premiere CS5HijoDMaite
- either i need to clear my browser cache or that whole vid was shot in 30fps and slightly slowed downmoldero
- but yeahmoldero
- feel0
those look like 120fps slows, but maybe you can get a good result filming in 720p resolution and at 60fps (that Canon 70D is capable of)
- formed0
The iPhone 5s has a pretty nice slow mo (120fps, 720p, I think). I bought a steadicam for my iPhone (and one for my D800). My arm didn't last long with the D800 and I fear it'll just collect dust (the steadicam, not the camera!).
Honestly, you could shoot almost anything with a phone, steadicam-ish, tripod, etc.
- imho, that's the ONLY attractive thing about the 5s...but its a pretty nice featureformed
- So you like malware?ArmandoEstrada
- I also like updates.ArmandoEstrada
- huh?formed
- HijoDMaite0
Ok. So from what I'm hearing and reading, it looks like I will not be able to record in full HD if I want footage to convert to slow motion. And I will have to invest in Slow Motion Software?
- formed0
I've not tried much software, so take my reply with a grain of salt...but whenever you 'add' frames, as in taking a 30fps video and making it 120fps, via software, you are asking the software to interpolate those extra 90fps. That's a lot.
Kinda like taking a 1000px image and making it a 4000px image. Software can do an ok job sometimes, but it'll never be as good as starting with the real deal.
Personally, I've been going back and forth about getting a 5s just for those slo-mo closeups. The biggest problem I see is there is no expansion slot, so if you are at a shoot and fill the phone, you are screwed (thanks Apple).
But read around, maybe software is better than what I've tried in the past.
- HijoDMaite0
Paging Moldero?
- HijoDMaite0
I hope I don't have to buy one of these to create nice slo-mo.
- nikdaum0
I bet if you contacted those guys on vimeo, they'd tell you what equipment they used. Just tell them you are a student so it doesn't seem like they are giving help to the competition.
- autoflavour0
my feedback is as follows.
- a good lens with IS is help a lot.
- hand held stedicam without the vest is drunken video stylee.. but is doable. i have a Glidecam 4000, but with a 5D Mk III and a 16-35mm L lens its a heavy combo.
- slow motion on a DSLR is really just 60fps.. anything else is just using something like Twixtor.. which depending on what it is you are doing, can work really well or fail completely.honestly, my advice is leave the proper slow motion to hiring something like a FS700 .. otherwise 60fps at half speed is good..but only 720p.
- autoflavour0
also follow focus on a stedicam is a bit of a waste. the whole point of the stedicam is you are touching it so lightly, you are barely touching it.. but holding onto a follow focus would be a bit of a waste.
- autoflavour0
here is my show reel, a bunch of these have been shot with the stedicam without arm, a couple with a hired stedicam with arm.. and a couple using a shoulder mount kit..
- HijoDMaite0
auto those vids are dope! Much Crushed! Such Blacks!!
Have you used slow motion much in your work? if so what did you use?
- yep, i am a big fan of crushed black..autoflavour
- i have used the 60fps on the 5D/7D a lot.. both for effect but also it helps smooth out the drunken stedicamautoflavour
- thanks for the props tho..autoflavour
- HijoDMaite0
this is why I don't think I will need a follow focus on my 70D
- this is not exactly why you would want/need a follow focus.. this is just autofocusing.autoflavour
- there is no speed control, no subtly.. just standard focus changeautoflavour
- great. shows how much I know..HijoDMaite
- xcreonx0
You wouldn't want a follow focus if you're on a steadicam as you don't want to touch the camera/sled past the gimbal at all. Your hands need to be in a certain position to operate it effectively without knocking it around.
What you would need is a wireless focus system like a Bartech unit and have your AC operate the remote. I use one on my Red Epic/Steadicam Zephyr and it's brilliant. You set your marks using a measuring tape, the AC turns the dial and the lens motor snaps right where you need it.
The issue is, they are multiple times more expensive than your camera, so that's something you need to decide.
The other option is to use a relatively wide lens (which you should use on a steadicam anyways) stopped down enough so you have decent depth of field (get a DoF calculator like PCam for iPhone) and stay within that distance range of your subject. It's tricky but can be learned quickly if you practice.
As far as using a DSLR for video in general, Im not impressed with any of them. The codecs/compressions are all terrible. The frame rates above 24fps are limited and the wobbly rolling shutter effect is atrocious!
But, admittedly, some great stuff has been shot using them so learn the limitations and don't expect miracles with things like slow motion, green screening or color grading.
- formed0
I tried using my 24-70 w/ my D800 and Merlin 2 Steadicam (B&H had a super sale recently) and it just killed my arm. Really, it was not worth it.
I hope to get a nice prime, like their 28mm, keep it simple and light. You can't focus anyway and even small changes in the focal length will require adjusting the balance (which is a super pain in the ass).
A friend has an arm/vest on his steadicam and man, that looks nice! But the price is just insane.
- moldero0
these counterweight stabs work great but require a lot of practice to get them down and after some time like full day shoots my arms get so tired they get the shakes.
im seeing more and more stabilizers coming out with gimbal systems and their getting cheaper.
as for the slow mo stuff, you can shoot in a decent high shutter, get that crisp look then use twixtor plugin for AE, works great, but depending on the motion you have on the screen, that high shutter will make your shots look really jittery, but twixtor needs those clean frames to work properly, you have to find the right balance depending on the motion in your shot.
then after you get that down you can use warp motion stabilizer (both in premier and AE to steady your shot a bit.
- moldero0
i have a the u-fly-cam i hardly ever used, come down here brada, you can has it
- uan0
- uan0