Using DSLR for Video

Using DSLR for Video

Is your DSLR the right tool? Shooting objects moving towards or away from the camera is not well suited for DSLR use, and would be best shot with video camera. This is because Auto focus on most DSLRs is slow, jerky, often hunts and is noisy. The audible noise from the focusing motor in your camera body and/or lens will transmit readily onto your microphone. DSLR s are more suited when videoing subjects where Clear separation from the background is desired. Shooting static scenes or scenes where the focal plane of the subject is not changing significantly Where wide, rapid panning movements with a camera are not required.

Choosing a frame rate At 24 fps or 30 fps allows the capture of video at a high level of detail. If you plan on integrating any kind of camera movement (e.g. panning) shoot at 30 fps as it will help the motion look smoother. Obviously if your camera can shoot 60 fps that s even

Matching shutter speed and frame rate For smooth looking video you need to match up the shutter speed and frame rate. As a rule of thumb double the frame rate for regular shooting. Ie 1/50 th sec. if shooting at 24 fps 1/60th when shooting at 30 fps 1/125th when shooting at 60 fps (sports and action). Use the shutter setting to achieve different creative effects. Slower shutter speeds will add more blur to your footage and can make it look more subdued or dreamy. Faster shutter speeds can give it a sharper, sometimes even choppy or hectic feel. Good for high speed action e.g. a racing car, but for regular action it will have a staccato effect and look unnatural. Panning or moving your camera while using these slower/faster shutter speeds will tend to amplify the effects.

Camera settings Shoot video in Manual mode as otherwise the exposure in your scene can change due a shift in lighting. When shooting at high ISOs turn on the noise reduction. In bright natural light set the ISO low to avoid unwanted grain. In low light only push the ISO to what looks acceptable. White Balance is best set manually indoors approx 3200K daylight approx 5600K

Moiré and how to deal with it Moiré is most likely to happen when you are shooting highly patterned objects e.g. brick walls etc. It shows up more when shooting with a wide angle lens. Moiré in your footage can t be corrected in post-production. Reframing your scene by moving the angle of your camera slightly. Moving closer or further away from the subject can eliminate moiré. The likelihood of moiré appearing varies from camera to camera

Rolling shutter and the Jello Effect Sensors can come with either a global shutter (e.g. Professional video cameras) or a rolling shutter (most DSLRs). The slight time lag with a rolling shutter can cause subjects to appear to wobble in video if pans are made too quickly. To counter the jello effect when shooting with a DSLR, slow down the speed of panning.

Manual focusing Shoot using manual focus. Using autofocus your camera may recompose the focus in your scene part way through a clip. In autofocus the camera may continuously hunt for focus, especially in low light.

Using zoom lenses Always make sure to shoot at an aperture that will cover the long end of your zoom range to avoid any changes in exposure. Constant aperture zooms avoid this issue

ISO and lighting considerations Noise is a factor in video just as it is with still photography Always shoot at the lowest ISO possible. As you ll be matching shutter speeds to your frame rate this restricts achieving the right exposure. Aperture is the primary tool for controlling the look of the video i.e. exposure, depth of field and sharpness of your footage. ISO is going to be the primary tool for controlling exposure. Noise can be very distracting in video, more so than in photography.

ISO and lighting considerations Shooting video outdoors in bright light is a challenge as you won t have the option of using fast shutter speeds. Avoid overexposed videos by using a variable Neutral Density Filter For the best video results shoot at ISO 800 or lower. When in low light situations try and use a prime lens with a wide aperture e.g. f/1.8 or f/1.2.

Achieving a film look Most movie scenes are composed of very short clips that change rapidly without any transition effect. Action scenes are often composed of a number of very short static clips. Camera movements tend to be slow and measured. Overly long video clips taken from a single perspective are boring for an audience to watch.

Achieving a film look When shooting action start 4 to 5 secs before the action starts and cut 4 to 5 secs after the action has finished. If panning across a landscape shoot 5 secs of the static frame before panning and then 5 secs after panning has stopped. Set to manual so that as you pan from light to dark the exposure won t change. Reasons not to continuously record an event with a DSLR Long continuous recording could cause the camera to overheat. Long, static shots can be dull to watch. Make clips a minimum of 10 seconds

Sound considerations The built-in microphone on a DSLR is poor. A better option is a decent shotgun microphone ( 50) Outdoor shooting - buy a wind buster or dead cat wind muff to block out wind noise. Handheld recorders e.g. Tascam DR-05 ( 75) omnidirectional T There are also wireless lapel mic options.

Make a tripod your best friend Stabilization is more important in video than photography. A good, solid tripod and a decent quality fluid video head for smooth movement. To be more mobile, a monopod or a Gorilla Pod can be a handy alternative.

Memory cards For smooth video capture invest in the fastest cards recommended for your camera. Avoid buying cards larger than 32GB (approx 90mins at 30fps). If you have a camera with dual memory card slots set the second slot to act as an automatic back-up.

Batteries Always carry plenty of fully charged back-up batteries. And a cigarette lighter adapter for charging drained ones.

Always work from a storyboard Use a storyboard Plan approximate time estimate on all voice over segments

Leave trim room at the front and back of each video clip Always leave a couple of extra seconds at the front and back of each video clip. It will make doing edits and assemblies with your software much easier.

Clean your equipment before every video shoot!

And finally Practice, experiment, and practice some more Don't wait until an important event to test out your skills. The more you shoot, the easier it will become. It doesn't cost you anything except your time. As with stills try shooting video from diffrenet positions. Find different angles to make it more interesting. Don't be afraid to allow your subject to move out of frame, rather than trying to follow them with your camera.

Tutorials How To Shoot Video With a DSLR For Beginners PT 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgz4yhhi9qw How To Shoot DSLR VIDEO DSLR VIDEO Tutorial for Photographershttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ue3GLZ1z2Lk