[Rob Manning]

Best practice, use dual sourced audio. The cost of a preamp without a discrete DAR is cart before the horse.

The shoot, unless you (if) have a dedicated sound person, will be easier to manage in post but, solo? Be aware.

Is there a direct feed if it is a venue and does the board operator appreciate having one more set of meters to monitor?

Can you set up a decent shotgun out of frame on a boom for each speaker or actor?

Each take should have an audio test drive, slight head turning, moving across the frame (lavs) and so on….

Room echo, not isolated, the works, so a lot to consider and why? dual source or camera synch is industry practice everywhere.

The op amps on the newer Nikons and Canons are robust but on camera audio, even with a good mic is always going to have hurdles.

Here is a link to a jazz band concert done the first day out with a D800, the issue, static audio on camera, good but when walking across the room, easy to note the highs and lows differ. A board feed would have been more even but this was a donated shoot (fund raiser) so we got what we got. https://www.rainbowind-photoart.com/Professional/Reels/28095369_wn4dhL#!i=2490828623&k=WPrFPdC

The audio defaults to 100%, server, so hit the volume at 50%. There are a couple of other rough ‘live’ edits as well, from the D7000.

None of this footage is dual sourced because it was done without an expectation of commercial release.

We shot a four camera set up of a concert that went to DVD, that was synched through PluralEyes (now Red Giant) with the 48 track Pro Tools master, but even then, I went to my mastering engineer because the recordist ran 44.1 and we remixed the stereo master at 48k.

HTHs

Rob Manning

[Rob Manning]

Interesting video clip.

Try a fader ND when shooting the actual weld CU, treat the flame as a solar image shooting an eclipse. I’ve shot an eclipse with the filter and the sensor survived on the D800.

You could go the astro photography forum at Nikonian’s and ask Neil or some of the other pros there who shoot all things stellar.

A laser (technically) is not the same as an arc welder so a filter should be enough. If it is a acetylene torch, that should not be an issue. (To be cautious, call the ND manufacturer or a place like Abel-Cine)

The shots otherwise, track to an SSD (Ninja 2 etc.) for the sub sampling ability on the D800 (4.2.2) also consider using a profile for better contrast. https://www.similaar.com/foto/flaat-picture-controls/index.html

Long shots, should be fine.

Use the custom settings to turn off sharpening, or turn off sharpening for video then back on for photography (viewing on camera JPEG)

HTHs

Rob Manning

[Rob Manning]

I know, it is just a bit odd.

There was a time when the codec/wrapper for DSLR video, taxed the system when played as h.264 out of the camera.

There are varying opinions these days because the GPU and multi-core CPUs have changed that but, have you tried transcoding the footage using Premiere, or whichever NLE is the platform in your system?

I habitually transcode project (to be published) footage using CineForm (GoPro) which increases the file size, but is less taxing on my now three year old core-duo laptop during editing.

It would be interesting in your case to see if that makes a difference although the specs you have on the desktop should be fine without transcodeing.

[Rob Manning]

Is 6GB of RAM enough? General question for the thread.

[Rob Manning]

Hi Alberto,

I played the video back with WMP then loaded it into GoPro Studio, it plays fine in these.

Loading it with VLC did have the choppiness you are concerned about.

Technique-wise, the camera movment could be shot more slowly simply as a matter of good practices (for jello) but it did play back OK as noted.

Nikon (I don’t own Canon to verify) has a set shutter speed for frame capture which is only changed in the Movie Settings.

That means when one changes the shutter before shooting (D7K) or during (D4/D800/D7100 etc.) the exposure is adjusted, not the actual frame rate of the capture.

This is easy to find by changing the speed during or before record, then reading the file data (properties) of the clip in Premiere or another NLE.

This is your file:

File Size: 40.6 MB
Image Size: 1920 x 1080
Frame Rate: 29.97
Source Audio Format: 48000 Hz – 16 bit – Stereo
Project Audio Format: 48000 Hz – 32 bit floating point – Stereo
Total Duration: 00:00:14:24
Pixel Aspect Ratio: 1.0

Video playback (generally) would be best when playing (storing) the files from a secondary drive and not the ‘C’ drive even with the Nvidia and SSD although your clip is short and should not be at issue.

(Flickering) The D7000 should be shot in Manual with Device Control on in the HDMI settings otherwise contrast detection (used for focus in Video) will change if say someone walks through the shot with a dark shirt or light shirt. Footage will brighten or darken and can only be fixed in post frame by frame which is a nightmare.

This can be exacerbated when using a variable f/stop zoom lens.

The D4 is a stellar camera but best practice is shooting in manual on that as well.

I have the D800 (stills/video) and a D7000, plus the D3S for non flash venue shooting.

(note) I just moved the clip to a render/edit drive and it played fine with VLC then played from the C drive (desktop stored) and VLC is choppy.

TMI or HTHs,

Rob Manning

[Rob Manning]

I set up a new 2TB HD a few weeks ago, for the next phase of D800/D7000/D3S CineForm, NEF and Multi-track 48k archiving (the other 8TBs are full).

Enclosure was new and so was the cable (eSATA).

One trip to Fry’s later (swapped drive) I fell back on the first thing I ever learned as an underage roadie for the original all girls band (Daisy Chain), check the cable.

Same result.

Glad you got it fixed.

Rob Manning

[Rob Manning]

Hello Mike,

There are many choices as you noted.

The ND Fader filter from Genus is inexpensive: https://www.genustech.tv/collections/nd-fader-filter

They have an upgrade (laser cut) also now: https://www.genustech.tv/collections/genus-eclipse-nd-fader

There are others but so far, I have not had issues using the older version other folks may differ in opinion.

HTHs

Rob Manning

[Rob Manning]

Hi David,

Bottom line with the D7K is having spares even with the grip solution which is good advice.

Samy’s camera has 2700mAh rechargeable AAs in a 12 pack by Lenmar which hold their charge well, and are a value.

Typically most brands are made in a just a few places in China, with some exceptions.

I prefer using the stock Nikon battery for camera work and the Lenmars for the Zoom, the LED, or other outboard devices.

We have 2 D7ks and have a second charger plus the D800 uses the En-EL15 battery which works out well.

We shot extensive video and stills last month (wedding outdoors) from about 4 PM until 9 PM and drained only one battery on the D800.

Between the D3S a D7K and D800 we shot around 1200 files including a couple dozen videos of some length.

In 2012 we did a similar shoot with 2 D7Ks of a concert in Santa Barbara using the two chargers.

We have 7 En-EL15s but did not deplete them all from sound check through the show (5 hours) even with back up charging at the laptop and card reader table (1 D3S and 2 Canons also on site).

Spares, indeed.

Have fun,

Rob Manning

[Rob Manning]

That being said, the tag lines allude to acumen, now I know who to ask when I get stuck ;-).

Good to know then.

Thanks,

Rob

[Rob Manning]

I’m laughing, I had no idea you are Adobe staff, my apologies for the render-speak.

Flatt, neutral and SSD capture, I’ll stick to that.

Rob Manning