Notes On Video

If you’re a Final Cut Pro user, there’s a lot of online tutorials, as well as forums that act as great resources. One source I had missed for information: Apple. They have some interesting stuff on their Final Cut Studio Resource page. If nothing else, it’s worth going to get the Alpha Transitions , Color Looks and Compressor Droplets that are available for free. The Alpha Transitions are very cool. After downloading them, they have to be "installed" and used in a particular way; this tutorial explains how to install and use an alpha transition: Using the New Alpha Transitions in Final Cut Pro 7 . Even if you don't like the examples Apple has provided, they show you how to use Alpha Transitions, and might get you wanting to create your own using Motion.

Amazon now has the VholdR ContourHD1080p available for pre-order. Expected delivery is November 16th, and they are quoting $329.99 Links the-gadgeteer.com: Capture extreme HD footage with the VholdR ContourHD Helmet Cam (includes press release) Helmetcameracentral: VholdR ContourHD 1080p Review: Delicious Full 1080p Wearable Video (includes more details specs) One interesting thing: ContourHD1080p has five video resolutions, the two highest are: Full HD - 1080p (1920x1280) Tall HD - 960p (1280x960) But 1080 is 1920 x 1080. Clearly the Full HD could be cropped down, but 1280 x 960 is closer to 720p, which is 1280 x 720.

It’s the end of the week, and with no Canon 7D in site, I thought I’d put together a little summary of interesting bits and pieces (about the 7D.) Blogs Dan Chung has a blog DSLR News Shooter that’s worth following and has some nice video examples: " Another Night in Beijing " is all evening shots, and includes information about how it was shoot too. His latest post is about Shooting China’s 60th anniversary parade with the 7D and 5DmkII and some other camera. Note that he reported some problems with overheating, but he was shooting in 720p. The video includes some interesting use of tilt/shift lens, slow motion, and time lapse. Another Dan is blogging about his experiences shooting an independent feature with two 7D’s at 7dcinema.blogspot.com . Disassembling You can see photos someone took disassembling a 7D (Why???!) at a Japanese site. Can't read the descriptions unfortunately!. And also a video of the carnage . Video out If you want to connect the camera to your t...

Is the overheating problem caused - or more frequent - when capturing at 720p and 480p? That's one of the things that seems to be common about the users that have had problems . In fact, two of them seem to have subsequently found that recording at 1080p in 24 and 30fps does not have the same problem. If that is the case, it could be due to the extra processing scaling the image down to the smaller sizes, or because of the higher frames rates (50 and 60fps) used in those two modes. Or it could be something else.

The Canon 7D has only just started arriving in the hands of users, and already there's a bit of a panic about an overheating issue. Three users on dvinfo.net report encountering the temperature warning (a red flashing indicator) during shooting. It appears that the camera initially keeps shooting with the warning, but may shut off. Canon's manual notes: * If you continue to shoot movies for a prolonged period, the camera's internal temperature will increase. This can degrade the image quality. While not shooting, turn off the power. * If you shoot under direct sunlight or high-temperature conditions, the (high internal temperature warning) may appear on the screen. If you keep shooting a movie with the warning icon displayed, the image quality might degrade. * If the icon is displayed and you keep shooting movies until the camera's internal temperature increases further, the movie shooting will stop automatically. Now it appears that these users were using the camera f...

If you’re looking for a helmet cam or a car-mountable camera, you’ve probably encountered the VholdR Contour camera. There’s already been a couple of versions of the camera; the original VholdR wearable camera costs about $200 and shoots in standard resolution video, and the ContourHD is selling for about $280, and shoots in 720p. Now they have announced a new version, the ContourHD 1080 , which shoots 1080p video, and will cost about $50 more than the ContourHD. It’s certainly an interesting camera, with it’s small size and laser aided focusing. On the down side, it has a fixed field of view (though on a helmet cam it’s not like you are going to be zooming in and out.) Users note the following: solid construction, seems robust simple, light and easy to use for outdoors, it produces good quality images poor low-light capabilities adapting to other camera mounts can be difficult poor sound and no video out If you’re looking to do active shooting, it’s certainly worth considering. I’m ...

There's a rumor that Canon will be increasing it's prices by 10% on October 1. As with all rumors, the details are somewhat elusive. Number’s between 2% and 25% have been mentioned (I’m pretty sure the 25% is wrong) and people in different countries have reported different numbers. It’s also been said that it applies to lenses, but not cameras. Finally, some posters have suggested that retailers have already put their prices up over the past few months. So who knows? But if you're planning on ordering any Canon gear in the next month, maybe you should do it tomorrow? Link Photorumors : 10% Canon price increase on October 1st?

I was explaining to someone today my thinking about the pros and cons of the 7D vs 5D Mark II. The big pro for the 5D is the bigger, full frame sensor. From the early reports, the bigger sensor on the 5D does slightly better in low light than the 7D’s sensor (which has smaller photosites.) Initial testers are suggesting that the 7D is about one stop noisier than the 5D. And if you like wide-angle lenses, then the full-frame sensor of the 5D is the one to get. And I do like to use wide-angle lenses. But it’s $1,000 more than the 7D. And if you are even partly serious about shooting video, then the 7D has it all over the 5D, with it’s 24, 25 and 30 fps (which is actually 29.97, rather than the 5D’s 30fps) as well as it’s 60fps 720p option. Another thing to consider is that next year, I’m pretty sure Canon will replace the 5D with a full-frame camera that can do the other frame rates. At one point it was thought that Canon might release a firmware update for the 5D MkII that would support...

I just bought a Sony HDR-XR500V (which is the same as the HDR-XR520V, but with a smaller hard drive.) I’ve been looking to replace a Sony HDR-HC1 (which is an HDV) camera, and this looked like an interesting option. I often shoot multiple camera events, and I’m constantly trying to improve the image quality (without busting the budget!) The HC1 is a good performer, but in lower light situations, it tends to produce a lot of noise and color is poor.   I also recently bought a Canon HF100 as a third camera, and it was really starting to show up the HC1.   A few notes about the XR500: As a semi-pro (by that I mean I’m not shooting holiday snapshots, but I’m not shooting professionally) this camera is not what I’d call a semi-pro camera. In particular, it’s lack of an audio input for using external mics, and manual audio gain control, mean that, as a primary or sole camera it won’t be good for many users. Documentary makers should probably skip it. Those looking for better audio options sh...

Just about as soon as it was released, people started complaining about the limitations of the video capabilities in the 5D Mk II. There’s two notable problems: • the lack of manual controls when recording video • no 24/25p recording The latter is a big problem for those in Europe, and those wanting to use this camera for content to be distributed on film, while the former is a problem for almost everyone. Now there’s some unconvincing rumors that there will be a firmware update in April that will “add a feature.” What is that feature? Who knows? But if they did add manual controls of some kind, I might be tempted to buy one of these beasts (at the moment I’m content to save my money figuring that the next camera will add those manual controls, and will be the better buy.)

First there was the Nikon D90 and the Canon 5D Mark II, and now here comes the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1, the third DSLR to arrive with HD video. You can read the announcement here. The GH1 is a Micro Four Thirds system camera; it has interchangeable lenses, but because it’s designed around a smaller sensor the body and lens are smaller than the SLRs from Canon and Nikon. On the video side of things, the camera supports: full HD (1920 x 1080) video at 24 fps or 720P HD video (1280 x 720) movie at 60 fps using the AVCHD format (MPEG-4/H.264). You can see some sample videos on Panasonic’s site (though not at full resolution.) More importantly, auto-focus will work while recording movies, and you can manually set aperture and shutter, a feature lacking on the 5D Mk II that’s driving some users mad. Unlike the D90 and 5D Mk II, this camera also has a swivel LCD screen on the back, which could be really useful when using it as a video camera. On the other hand, the camera has a video viewfind...

I’ve recently started moving from tape based recording to flash based, first purchasing a Panasonic AVCHD camcorder, and now a Canon HF-100. I’ll admit to being nervous; tape is a great archive medium, and - it turns out - much easier to transfer and deal with than AVCHD files. WHAT IS AVCHD? When the first consumer HD tape-based camcorders appeared on the market, most of them used the DV tape format, but used a different compressor (MPEG2) to get the video onto the tape (the tape actually records a digital file.) This format was called HDV. As manufacturers have moved away from tape towards hard drive and flash based cameras, they’ve adopted a new compressor that is much more efficient, and can handle higher resolutions. This compressor is called AVCHD. It takes advantage of more horsepower available, producing files that are much smaller than HDV. The downside is that it’s not a great compressor for online editing. CONVERTING AVCHD ON A MAC Turns out that it’s a little more complicat...

Happy New Year! And if you didn’t get what you wanted at – insert holiday here – then maybe uncle CES and aunty MacWorld have something for you… But first, Canon has released firmware that it says fixes – or mitigates – the “black dot problem” in the 5D Mark II. First reports are encouraging. The firmware update doesn’t add any features – like the ability to manually set aperture and ISO while recording video…a feature people using the 5D MkII for video capture would just love to have. Unfortunately, I think they are wasting their time waiting…they will have to wait for the Mk III or the 60D for new features. iMovie 09 Apple didn’t announce much at MacWorld, but they did roll out iMovie 09 . While perhaps not a serious editing tool, it can be useful for quick editing, and they added one exciting addition; image stabilization New video stabilization in iMovie ’09 analyzes how much your camera was moving while you were recording, then automatically reduces camera shake. Stabilize on a ...

DVinfo continues to be a good source of information for those playing with their new Canon 5D Mark II’s Josh Dahlberg notes issues with aliasing and the rolling shutter : …with the default settings, aliasing and moire patterns can be nasty (you don't need to hunt for artifacts, they pop out when complex geometric patterns or horizontal lines are in focus). However, after turning sharpness down a few notches, I didn't notice any problems at all with today's footage (shot in a variety of contexts) […] I shot using a monopod and lenses ranging from 24mm to 135mm […] Anything over 50mm IMHO requires a tripod or steadycam as rolling shutter bites hard with even the slightest jerk. Having said that, rolling shutter is not an issue with smooth, controlled movements. John Fairhurst offers these tips for managing rolling shutter : Pan the camera only one direction per cut. No back and fourths. Use wider lenses for faster moves. The skew will blend with the lens distortion, which pe...

I wish they'd up the length of clip you can upload (still limited to 10 minutes) but it's cool that they are YouTube is now supporting HD: YouTube pushes HD video, new landing pages They have a page with details on optimizing video . Resolution Recommended: 1290 x 720 (16x9 HD) and 640 x 480 (4:3 SD) Bit rate: No recommended or minimum value Frame rate: The frame rate of the original video should be maintained without re-sampling. Pulldown and other frame rate re-sampling techniques are strongly discouraged. Codec: H.264, MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 preferred. Audio Codec: MP3 or AAC preferred Sampling rate: 44.1kHz Channels 2: Stereo

Canon has announced that they are looking into the black spot issue on the new Canon 5D Mark II. We have learned that some users of the Canon EOS 5D Mark II digital SLR camera have identified two types of image quality phenomena that appear under certain shooting conditions. * “Black dot” phenomenon (the right side of point light sources becomes black) * Vertical banding noise We are currently investigating and analysing the causes, and examining measures to reduce or eliminate these phenomena by providing correction firmware. An announcement will be made on www.canon-europe.com as soon as measures have been determined. A solution for the banding problem found on Northlight Images site: Vertical banding noise If the recording format is set to sRAW1, vertical banding noise may become visible depending on the camera settings, subject, and background. The following camera settings can reduce the phenomenon. Set the recording format to RAW or JPEG. Set C.Fn II-3: Highlight tone priority ...

...I don't mean their prices are in free fall.. If you’re planning on using a harddrive based camcorder in free fall situations, you might want to reconsider it; seems that the hard drive parks the heads when it thinks it’s falling, and the camcorder won’t work. That’s what Matt Harding found when he tried to use the Sony SR-1 in a zero-g plane. New York Time , Pogue: The Perils of Zero-Gravity Videography 17 million watch a guy doing a gig? Jessh, I'm in the wrong business. Even more on the wireless microphone/spectrum issue can be found here: Spectrum Talk: Wireless Mics are a Legitimate Use of Spectrum and Wireless Microphone Update: The Twisted Logic of NAB and MSTV - Now Locked in Conflict with APCO and CTIA I particularly like his use of the term " criminal spectrum squatting ."

I’ve been following the DTV transition with mild disinterest. I thought I sort-of knew what was going on, but one thing I had completely missed is that the shuffle around of spectrum impacts the users of wireless mics. Previous generations (i.e. the one I bought two years ago) use part of the television spectrum (698-806 MHz: referred to as the 700 MHz band) to transmit. But with the DTV transition, things have gotten moved about, and parts of that spectrum will soon be allocated to emergency services and other parts were sold off to AT&T and friends. So, in theory, those wireless mic systems are illegal after February 2009. Now, it’s not clear what that really means in the short term. Manufacturers have brought out new systems. Your existing systems will continue to work; though it’s possible you’ll start experiencing more interference. A friend who works at a broadcast station says they just went through all their gear, identifying equipment that they wouldn’t be able to use afte...

The cameras are slowly arriving in peoples hands, and more reports and sample images and clips are appearing. Phil Holland has put up a review of the Canon 5D Mark II . He’s generally happy about it, noting that the image quality compares very favorably with his 1Ds Mark III. He finds the low light capabilities impressive and he's included some sample images and video. He notes the problems with adjusting and setting exposure settings in video mode, and suggests getting Nikon AI-s lenses and a lens adapter so that you can at least manually set the aperture! Or, perhaps Canon will let you set things in a future upgrade. Or maybe we should just wait for the next camera? There’s whispers of a “Black spot” issue that seems to occur in some cases when shooting bright highlights. Reportedly Canon is looking into it. DVInfo has created a dedicated forum for the 5D Mk II , suggesting that this camera is really popular with video freaks (and I mean that in a nice way.) And Charles Wu has...

Christopher Witz got hold of a Canon 5D Mark II and seems happy with it [ My 5DM2 opinions.... ]. As a still camera he felt the resolution and noise levels were as good as his Canon 1Ds Mark III. In fact, the only advantage of the 1Ds III he feels is in frames per second and the buffer transfer. He also noted that the LCD of the 5D II is much better than the 1Ds III. But it’s the video that he’s most excited by: The video quality is "Oh my god" the 1st time you see it play back on a 1080p screen.... blacks are crushed a bit ( picture style fixable ) but that's ok.... Very little noise.... this thing practically sees in the dark. On the other hand, he bemoans the inability to lock settings, suggesting that if you’re doing multiple takes and want to keep the settings identical, your best bet will be to leave the camera running between takes! A little more troubling: If you're planning on smoothing out your shaky footage with "smoothcam" or any other post stab...