Steve Crow
Forum Replies Created
-
Check out this new piece of kit on Kickstarter – Hipjib
https://planet5d.tumblr.com/post/58789153252/hipjib-new-diy-style-jib-for-filmmaking-convert
Steve Crow
Crow Digital Media
http://www.CrowDigitalMedia.com -
I know there are software packages that let you do this kind of thing …the camera is connected by firewire or USB cable to a computer where you can see the composited effect live. Years and years ago there was one called Visual Communicator but I’d be very surprised if that oldy is still around. So I would look at software “switching” applications designed to allow you to connect multiple cameras and switch between them to produce a live feed. Often those had elements you could key such as lower thirds and backgrounds….also google virtual sets and see what you come up with.
Steve Crow
Crow Digital Media
http://www.CrowDigitalMedia.com -
The first thing I would check out is your shutter speed – are you keep it at 2x your frames per second or about 1/50th (1/48th in most cases) per second? You mentioned daylight shooting which made me wonder if you are trying to use the high shutter speed to cut down the light.
Steve Crow
Crow Digital Media
http://www.CrowDigitalMedia.com -
I would suggest looking into a Sescom cable like the one I use with my Zoom H4N which is similar in concept to your DR-40. It does two different things: 1) Provide a headphone jack for monitoring and 2) reduce the level of the audio coming out of the Zoom so that it is better suited for the input levels expected by the camera
https://www.amazon.com/Sescom-LN2MIC-ZMH4-MON-Attenuation-Headphone-Monitoring/dp/B004VIOZSK
The second part of your question is interesting and I don’t 100% know but what I strongly suspect is that what is being output is a merging of all the channels/sources you’re recording into one stream. For that reason alone, it’s far better to do the syncing in post.
Steve Crow
Crow Digital Media
http://www.CrowDigitalMedia.com -
You shouldn’t have to use magic lantern at all for the shallows dof- just set your camera to full manual control for video and adjust your aperture to 1.4, 1.8 or thereabouts. So any fast wide angle lens that can open up to those same apertures will also get you shallow dof
Steve Crow
Crow Digital Media
http://www.CrowDigitalMedia.com -
The standard answer to all such rig pricing question is that:
1) It is a limited market (they aren’t going to sell anything close to ipod numbers)
2) Quality components (in some cases)
3) R&D costs (in some cases)
4) Because they can (in all cases)
🙂
Steve Crow
Crow Digital Media
http://www.CrowDigitalMedia.com -
Like Guy mentioned, getting a Canon 5DMIII would be a great option, but I would also add that I assume you would still keep your JVC. I currently only shoot on HD DSLRs but I also recognize that there are jobs for which a standard camcorder is a better choice and so I think it would be smart, if you have the option, to keep the JVC, or something like it, around for awhile.
Steve Crow
Crow Digital Media
http://www.CrowDigitalMedia.com -
Yes that’s a good brand, I know they recently updated their models so make sure you are getting the new version (it’s mentioned in the reviewers comments on Amazon as I recall)
Steve Crow
Crow Digital Media
http://www.CrowDigitalMedia.com -
I would suggest buying a battery grip for your Nikon that allows you to use AA batteries OR your standard Nikon batteries usually two at a time
Also check into the Energizer Ultimate Lithium AA batteries sold in a pack of 8 (blue and black packaging) around $20 in stores like Best Buy – maybe $18 or so online. They are lasting for me SOOOOO much longer than traditional AA battery.
I counted up the number of batteries I use in a typical DSLR shoot with 2 wireless lavs, external shotgun mic and a Zoom H4N and it comes out to 20 batteries:
Seventeen AA
Two Canon E-8
One 9 Volt
I also suggest you look into purchasing one of those chargers that let you charge your standard Nikon camera batteries at least two at a time. It’s not super fast BUT you could have an extra set of batteries charging while you are filming that wedding. Problem with that solution is that those camera batteries are pretty darn expensive.
Ultimately, rechargeable AA batteries seem like the best option to use in combination with the standard camera battery that works with your camera.
Steve Crow
Crow Digital Media
http://www.CrowDigitalMedia.com -
I own a T2i and I don’t think what you have planned will be very effective. MAYBE if you had 2 or 4 of those cameras with individual operators spread around the field it might work.
First of all HD DSLRs are not great cameras for documenting extended events – as in capture everything that happens over the next hour – that’s not what they are designed to do. I would worry about overheating and the SD card running into buffering issues – not to mention every 12 minutes at the minimum you have to start a new clip.
A T3i would be great for a sports team profile, interviews, certainly some shots of the action taken relatively close. From the press box you are going to get a rather boring shot with not a lot of variety (all your shots will be from above and from relatively the same angle) whereas if you are down on the field you can get more interesting shots closer up but not see the overview of the game. A better camera choice would be a camcorder with a long lens and extended zoom, a very stable tripod and some way to feed in the play by play although that can be recorded separately.
Steve Crow
Crow Digital Media
http://www.CrowDigitalMedia.com