Stoopid question(s) ...DX-1G vid mode

I'm gonna be buying the DX-1G and Im curious about the vid feature and have some questions...

1. Can you utilize 1 arm for the strobe, and another arm for a vid light?? Manually shutting down the vid light when doing stills? And vice versa with the strobe while filming vid?

2. Has anyone done much with the vid mode on this cam?? Results?

3. Also... is a Vid light totally ineffective for stills???

Thanks!!!

Greg

I would think it work just fine using a vid light & strobe, I've thought about doing the same thing for night dive photography. The alternative is buying a focus light, but I always wonder how much it changes your exposure. The only thing you need to check is to make sure strobe and the vid light both have a similar color temp. Otherwise you will be stuck with managing two temps in the same photo.

I sent some of these vids in a PM already, but figured some others on the board might want to take a look.

These were taken free diving:

http://chrisnelson.ca/gallery/2007/11/02/M0010531.FLV.html

http://chrisnelson.ca/gallery/2007/11/02/M0010528.FLV.html

These were taken scuba diving:

http://chrisnelson.ca/gallery/2007/11/24_s...010653.FLV.html

http://chrisnelson.ca/gallery/2007/11/24_s...010593.FLV.html

I would think it work just fine using a vid light & strobe, I've thought about doing the same thing for night dive photography. The alternative is buying a focus light, but I always wonder how much it changes your exposure. The only thing you need to check is to make sure strobe and the vid light both have a similar color temp. Otherwise you will be stuck with managing two temps in the same photo.

 

I sent some of these vids in a PM already, but figured some others on the board might want to take a look.

 

These were taken free diving:

http://chrisnelson.ca/gallery/2007/11/02/M0010531.FLV.html

http://chrisnelson.ca/gallery/2007/11/02/M0010528.FLV.html

 

These were taken scuba diving:

http://chrisnelson.ca/gallery/2007/11/24_s...010653.FLV.html

http://chrisnelson.ca/gallery/2007/11/24_s...010593.FLV.html

Well I was thinking of just having the vid light on the other arm to be used as either it's intended purpose, a general dive light, or like you mention...as a focus light, to be turned off before the shot. I didn't start to really think about utilizing it as actual lighting for stills until I saw the shots you're getting with just a light and no strobe.

Being a novice...I know it's going to be a learning experience to see what works and what doesn't. By the way...I'll mention it again, your pics in ambient light really impress me!! As do the vid clips!! Thanks again for all the great advice and input Chris!

Greg

Greg,

I have a very small play with the video mode on the DX1G using basically ambient light only. Seems to work pretty well but the resolution isn't massive (640x480 I think?), plenty good enough to record general habitat overviews and show friends + family but It'll not be featuring on any David Attemborough documentaries. I think (though haven't tried) that the manual white balance function should work for video ie take a slate and adjust to the ambient light before shooting.

Hope this is of help,

TDD

Greg,

I have a very small play with the video mode on the DX1G using basically ambient light only. Seems to work pretty well but the resolution isn't massive (640x480 I think?), plenty good enough to record general habitat overviews and show friends + family but It'll not be featuring on any David Attemborough documentaries. I think (though haven't tried) that the manual white balance function should work for video ie take a slate and adjust to the ambient light before shooting.

Hope this is of help,

TDD

I don't see on the spec sheet, but whats the limit of the vid clips? 30 seconds or so?

Greg,

Video seems to be limited only by the size of card / storage. I have an 8gb card and it shows about 30mins as available on full quality. Not sure if buffering etc becomes a factor after a while? I have only shot 10-15 sec clips as I was having battery problems (Due to breaking my charger by dropping it down a staircase - try to avoid this)

TDD

Greg,

Video seems to be limited only by the size of card / storage. I have an 8gb card and it shows about 30mins as available on full quality. Not sure if buffering etc becomes a factor after a while? I have only shot 10-15 sec clips as I was having battery problems (Due to breaking my charger by dropping it down a staircase - try to avoid this)

TDD

Good suggestion... Why I was curious, is when I was looking at the Canon G9, it could only do pretty short clips...think that set at the lowest res and framrate it was about a minute.

Just to confirm, I set the camera running last night and it happily recorded a 20 min continuous clip at 640*480, 30 fps so it looks like the card / battery would be the only limiting factor. When filming it only seems to "zoom" digitally not optically, but it can be zoomed then set filming again happily enough.

Good suggestion... Why I was curious, is when I was looking at the Canon G9, it could only do pretty short clips...think that set at the lowest res and framrate it was about a minute.

Just to confirm, I set the camera running last night and it happily recorded a 20 min continuous clip at 640*480, 30 fps so it looks like the card / battery would be the only limiting factor. When filming it only seems to "zoom" digitally not optically, but it can be zoomed then set filming again happily enough.

Thanks DD!!!! I got the Cam last week and kinda did the same test...LOL. Well, went out on my inagural dive last night at Vets in Redondo Beach, sandy bottom, have to search for subjects a bit. I'm not totally displeased with my efforts. As the dive progressed, the Pics got better...(as I stopped fumbling so much and settled down )

Overall..... I like the Set up so far Last night was standard Auto, with the ys-110 in slave TTL. Lessons I learned right off the bat?? Almost all the time I was positioned wrong (shooting down) I can work on that . Also being patient enough to wait for the focus. Love the lil green light for focusing in the dark...LOL, I just have to learn to position it properly. Overall...so far I have no complaints with the DX and YS-110 (keeps fingers crossed) OH!! DeepDweller.... I took your tip for the tape over the flash shutter...seemed to work well not a lot of backscatter, some, but thats probably because of my strobe positioning..

Oh well...cut me some slack...I'm an eager rookie, hell, that was my 8th dive, and first with the set up...LOL

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn85/si...7777/shell1.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn85/si...77/redweed1.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn85/si...77777/nudi2.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn85/si...77777/star1.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn85/si...77/anenome1.jpg

Cheers,

Greg

Nice shots, looks like nice clean water! I still remember my first few dives and don't think I'd have been able to cope with handling a camera on top of everything else.

Were you using the setup in macro mode? Looks like the subjects were quite close, you do have to wait a little for the camera to focus in macro mode though which I find somewhat frustrating at times. I find getting the subject well lit with the strobe focus light helps speed things up.

Dive safe,

TDD

Nice shots, looks like nice clean water! I still remember my first few dives and don't think I'd have been able to cope with handling a camera on top of everything else.

Were you using the setup in macro mode? Looks like the subjects were quite close, you do have to wait a little for the camera to focus in macro mode though which I find somewhat frustrating at times. I find getting the subject well lit with the strobe focus light helps speed things up. Dive safe,

TDD

Hey DD! Yes, I've been using the focus/aiming light on the 110, it helps immensely. My first 2 outings I was off target a lot on my subjects . My last dives this weekend I found myself a bit more comfortable with the rig. Settings are getting easier as I memorize them..LOL. Most all my shots so far are in Macro with the WA lens. Here are some shots from 8/1. I think next time out....I'm going to start playing with manual settings....**gulp

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn85/si...77777/cat41.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn85/si...77777/cat38.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn85/si...77777/cat37.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn85/si...77777/cat35.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn85/si...77777/cat36.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn85/si...77777/cat34.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn85/si...77777/cat31.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn85/si...77777/cat24.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn85/si...77777/cat42.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn85/si...77777/cat17.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn85/si...77777/cat20.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn85/si...77777/cat12.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn85/si...77777/cat23.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn85/si...77777/cat21.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn85/si...77777/cat18.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn85/si...77777/cat15.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn85/si...77777/cat11.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn85/si...77777/cat41.jpg