DSLR Video Resources

There are lots of posts on the Canon 5DMkII on this site and a few on the D90. I think it might be nice if the video gurus can post some good resources for learning video for us video-challenged still photographers.

Searching the web I have found the Vimeo D90 site to have a lot of interesting stuff but I cannot find an equivalent Canon site except for things like Vincent LaForet's blog etc.

http://www.vimeo.com/D90

Some really nice macro has just been posted there using the Nikon 200mm

Maybe this could be a pinned thread or even a new category on WP where all manner of resources are posted regarding technique, differences from traditional videocams, housing development, progress in development of new DSLR video cams etc.

Just a thought.

Great idea, something with an UW bent would be great! The couple of 5d threads we have contain all manner of stuff, and are pretty unwieldy.

In the meantime the dvinfo forum has some pretty good info out there already, that has helped me a lot:

Also Cinema5d has some handy links too.

There is this group on vimeo and also this Vimeo Channel

While in no way a video guru, I'll enjoy contributing what I've learned so far, and learning heaps more!

I dunno Jeff. I don't see a need for a new section or even a pinned thread. It's all under the same principle of keep steady and expose and focus properly. In this case, it's already going to be auto everything except focus. A lot of the experimentations that have been going on with the camera is topside only (Nikon lens with adapter, disconnecting the lens to lock ISO etc etc). Basically in the underwater environment, it's an auto camera for video. Ok so you can lock settings and use a fill light to compensate for shadows, but those are the same principles for stills and video.

Other than having a manual focus function and actually having access to liveview, there's nothing different housing manufacturers can do to the housing. Most DSLR housings don't have space for a hydrophone nor do I think housing manufacturers will think about it. The only major DSLR housing manufacturers with vast video knowledge is S&S. From what "Birdie" San told me, they are not concentrating on the video aspect like hydrophones etc. Instead they'll offer an LED focus light.

With various compacts and 2 DSLRs shooting HD in various shapes and codecs, it's excited the market because of the hype but the principles haven't changed much at all. The differences from a video cam are obvious; big sensor(DOF and better light sensitivity) with slow subsampling so there's plenty of CMOS skew, no continuous AF and very minimal control over how the camera captures the image (all of which has been mentioned in the threads). I don't think it's time to throw away the video cameras just yet... but that 1Dmark IV with manual controls and up to 120 fps would change my mind in a hurry.

OK, say no more. So it's all pretty simple really; so why have you video guys been making out like it's rocket science all these years.

OK, say no more. So it's all pretty simple really; so why have you video guys been making out like it's rocket science all these years.

It is rocket science, it is just that Drew is able to make it sound easy

OK, say no more. So it's all pretty simple really; so why have you video guys been making out like it's rocket science all these years.

It's all in application of the basics into the nitty gritty:)... We make it sound very complicated to impress the lay person on how smart we are. Sorta like how MBAs came up with flash acronyms and phrases to justify their increase in salaries and obfuscate facts. They exclaim the EBITDA or EBITAE has risen 25%! But whisper (shhh):" net profit is down 400%"

I believe it was Jacques Cousteau who told his new cameraman, put it in f5.6 and 1/48, focus for long shots and shoot it like a machine gun. That new cameraman, who'd never held a 16mm camera before then, did just that and signed on as the DP for Calypso and Halcyon. He credits his brief swimsuit for all his skills.

Basic physics (understanding light and how it works, displacement for buoyancy etc), basic math (DOF, buoyancy etc), basic knowledge of cameras (shutter/aperture, ISO, lens logic)... throw it all into the processor (the brain) and you have basic knowledge of how every camera (still or video) works. From there it's application based on lateral thinking. How hard can that be?