Jason Jenkins
Forum Replies Created
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Keep in mind some things about switching over;
Focus. It is more challenging to focus a DSLR because of the large sensor and shallower depth of field. It’s also easier to achieve an nice out-of-focus background.Motion. The way the DSLR sensors capture images is different from traditional video cameras. You can easily get rolling shutter artifacts in your video if you move the camera too quickly. If you are shooting 1080i or 720p (60p), the artifacts are less obvious.
Record Time. Some DSLR’s have record time/file format limitations. If you need to shoot really long takes, make sure you get a camera that can do that.
Audio. DSlR’s have limited audio input’s and control. (See answer to question #2)
Light. A big benefit of the DSLR is a high sensitivity to light. They allow you to shoot with only available light in some cases. When you do use additional lighting to enhance the image, you can get away with using smaller, less expensive fixtures.
Portability. Another obvious benefit of the DSLR.
[Melina Kolb] “3. Editing – I use Final Cut Pro 5. What would be my workflow once I have shot everything?”
Here is a great tutorial by Shane Ross that will put you on the right track: https://library.creativecow.net/ross_shane/tapeless-workflow_fcp-7/1
It’s cheap to upgrade to Final Cut 7 and you gain access to the great ProRes codecs.
[Melina Kolb] “2. Audio recommendations – What’s the best way to record audio? What do I need to buy? (I currently own a shotgun mic that seems to be too large to fit on this small camera)”
You’ll need a dedicated audio recorder like the Tascam DR-100: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/599285-REG/Tascam_DR_100_DR_100_Professional_Portable_Digital.html
You can feed your shotgun mic right into the Tascam.
You can feed your audio from the Tascam to your DSLR with this: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/287412-REG/Remote_Audio_CAFPTPAD_Stereo_1_8_Mini_Output.html or sync your audio to your video in post.
[Melina Kolb] “1. Camera recommendations – I already own a Nikon so what would be a good Nikon camera to buy? (I was considering d7000)”
The Nikon might be a good choice. I don’t have one so I can’t comment on it. If you already have Nikon lenses, it would make it easy to use those for video.
Jason Jenkins
Flowmotion Media
Video production… with style! -
[clyde villegas] “When shooting video, can you get sharp focus by looking through the GH2’s electronic viewfinder?”
Yes, you can… but I’ve had my GH2 for about a month and I have yet to use the viewfinder because the articulating LCD screen is so nice.
Jason Jenkins
Flowmotion Media
Video production… with style! -
[Richard Harrington] “We’re going to record some new episodes next week….
Can’t make any promises, but requests are welcome.”
How about ‘Shooting techniques for minimizing rolling shutter artifacts’?
Jason Jenkins
Flowmotion Media
Video production… with style! -
Use ‘log & transfer’ in Final Cut to convert the files to something edit-friendly, like ProRes. Shane Ross has a nice tutorial on the process.
Jason Jenkins
Flowmotion Media
Video production… with style! -
[Frank Giardina] “What about sinking up the audio to the video without using additional software”
You don’t want to ‘sink’ your audio unless you are working on submarine footage. In every other case, just sync it.
[Frank Giardina] “I match them up in the time-line. The thing I dislike most about this is it’s difficult to make fine adjustments.”
Select the audio and use Alt+arrow keys to nudge the clip one frame at a time.
Jason Jenkins
Flowmotion Media
Video production… with style! -
[Victor Perez] “I have an Wacom Intous 4 medium tablet. I purchased it for use with Final Cut Studio, but often find myself reaching for the mouse. I have changed preferences and settings to help adjust myself to the tablet, but I can not get it set to a point that I want to use it.”
When I was first confronted with a Wacom tablet about 5 years ago, it took about two weeks of solid use to really become comfortable and proficient with it. I was partially motivated by the pain in my wrist from too much mouse use. Since then, I have no pain and have never gone back to a mouse. I love my Wacom tablet! Give yourself two weeks of consistent use and deny yourself the mouse. If it doesn’t feel right by that time, you should just resign yourself to a lifetime of mouse drudgery and carpal tunnel surgery.
Jason Jenkins
Flowmotion Media
Video production… with style! -
[Jon Downs] “does anyone know of a device that functions more like the jog wheel in the canvas or viewer (much faster and more precise)?”
J K L keys
Jason Jenkins
Flowmotion Media
Video production… with style! -
[Peter J. DeCrescenzo] “Do these GH2 & GH1 1080p24 videos look “jerky” to you?”
The images look very nice. I can see some jerkiness going on in some of the handheld shots, though. It matches with my experience shooting with the GH2. I assume that the rolling shutter is what exacerbates the jerkiness of handheld movement.
Jason Jenkins
Flowmotion Media
Video production… with style! -
Motion looks fine in those samples, Peter. In my experience with several weeks of shooting with the GH2, it’s not movement within the frame that is the problem, it’s movement of the camera that shows the weird jerkiness. Rolling shutter?
Jason Jenkins
Flowmotion Media
Video production… with style! -
[Casey Petersen] “for me, even things that are barely moving appear jerky.”
I think I know what you are seeing. I get the same thing with my GH2 when there is any amount of camera shake. It’s skew and jello doing its thing. It gives the footage a weird jittery look. If you go through the footage frame by frame, you will probably see how the image expands and contracts (jello) and vertical edges will warp (skew). Going handheld is not one of the strengths of a DSLR. It does help to have a lens with Optical Image Stabilization. When I shoot handheld with my GH2 and manual Nikon lens, I have to be very smooth and steady -otherwise it looks terrible. Maybe ‘House’ is using nice stabilization rigs and then running all their footage through software correction.
Jason Jenkins
Flowmotion Media
Video production… with style!