camcorders compared

Transcription

camcorders compared

Smartphone Cinematography page 37
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YOUR GUIDE TO CREATING AND PUBLISHING GREAT VIDEO DECEMBER 2011
+
HOORAY!
HOORAY!
WE’RE
CAMCORDERS
COMPARED
TODAY
All Camcorders
Buyer’s Guide
You are invited to celebrate iStock video’s 5th birthday.
He sure is big for a kindergartener and, not to brag
or anything, but we also think he’s the best.
iStock video has 400,000 of the highest quality stock
footage files in the industry, plus another 3,000
stunning Vetta files to spark your imagination.
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Just come by
www.iStockphoto.com
to celebrate.
+
Tips for Placing Your Actors in your Scene
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* And please, no presents. He’s really got
everything a five-year-old could need.
THE TRICKIEST LIGHTING SETUPS - DEMYSTIFIED! videomaker.com/SeeTheLight
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Contents
Volume 26 • Number 06
DECEMBER 2011
www.videomaker.com
Features
publisher/editor
associate publisher
19 All Camcorders Buyer’s Guide
Video camcorders are available in all price ranges and for all
types of people – regardless of age or occupation. Knowing
the type of camcorder that best suits your needs will result
in one happy camper.
by Marshal M. Rosenthal
37 Smartphone Cinematography
43 Annual Article Index 2011
A compilation of all the stories that appeared in
Videomaker magazine in 2011.
31 Stock Media Buyer’s Guide
Stocking up on Pictures and Sound
by Teresa Echazabal
Columns
On the Cover
• JVC GZHM960
• Sony NEX-VG20
• Panasonic HDC-TM40
• Canon XA10
• DXG 5B8V
54
48
37
• Contour Contour Plus
• Canon XF300
• Panasonic AG-HMC80
• JVC GS-TD1
• Samsung HMX-W200
Smartphone Cinematography page 37
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YOUR GUIDE TO CREATING AND PUBLISHING GREAT VIDEO DECEMBER 2011
+
3 Viewfinder
Unscripted
by Matthew York
48 Basic Training
Blocking People
by Kyle Cassidy
54 Lighting
Get Real with Practicals
by Terry O’Rourke
59 Audio
CAMCORDERS
COMPARED
Sync Sound
by Hal Robertson
64 Take 5
All Camcorders
Buyer’s Guide
Handheld Shooting Tips
by Jennifer O'Rourke
+
Tips for Placing Your Actors in your Scene
295 December cover 11.indd 1
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Videomaker’s Annual Best Products of the Year
All Things 3D
HDSLR Workflow
On Sale December 25, 2011
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59
8
Departments
4 New Gear Hot Off the Presses
6 Reader Profile Behind the Lens
56 Ad Index
Reviews
8 Panasonic HDC-TM80
HD Camcorder
by Dan Bruns
10 Samsung HMX-304BN
HD Camcorder
by Evan Burt
12 Litepanels Sola ENG
LED Fresnel Light
by Mark Holder
14 RØDE VideoMic Pro
Mini Shotgun Mic
by Luke Scherba
17 Contour, Inc. Contour+
THE TRICKIEST LIGHTING SETUPS - DEMYSTIFIED! videomaker.com/SeeTheLight
Next Month
executive editor
managing editor
associate editor
associate editor
In your front pocket sits a more sophisticated filmmaking
tool than all of Hollywood had for the first half of last century.
by Jay Montana
Sport Cam
by Mark Holder
10/26/2011 2:25:12 PM
DVD
NEW! TRAINING
The Trickiest Lighting Setups - Demystified!
See page 30 for details
VIEWFINDER
Videomaker empowers people to make video in a
way that inspires, encourages and equips for success. We do this by building a community of readers,
web visitors, viewers, attendees and marketers.
Matthew York
Patrice York
by M atthew Y ork
Unscripted
Richard Ober
Jennifer O’Rourke
Dan Bruns
Julie Babcock
I have to confess that my first video
project (Super 8mm film) was poorly
planned. Actually, it was unscripted.
To be honest, we didn’t have a precontributing editors Kyle Cassidy
production phase. A few 15-yearMark Montgomery
old friends and I just bought some
Hal Robertson
film and borrowed a father’s movie
Mark Holder
camera and we just started shooting. I suppose that, technically, the
pre-production happened immediproduction director Melissa Hageman
art director/photographer Susan Schmierer
ately before the shooting. Someone
came up with an idea, shared it as a
advertising director Terra York
spoken suggestion, we deliberated
advertising representatives
and then pressed the record button.
telephone (530) 891-8410
While this was not necessarily the
senior account executive Isaac York
best video I ever made, it certainly
account executive Tyler Kohfeld
was one of the most rewarding.
marketing director Dawn Branthaver
The video was produced for the
marketing coordinator Joseph Ayres
pleasure of the video makers as opmarketing coordinator Mike Rosen-Molina
posed to some unknown audience,
so this explains why pre-production
manager of Andy Clark
information systems
was unnecessary. We were the inweb developer Tai Travis
tended audience (and perhaps some
IT assistant Garry Freemyer
other friends). Creating video for the
pleasure of creation is an underdirector of finance Stephen Awe
accounting assistant Sandra Wells
rated activity. It can be therapeutic,
customer service Tammy Lynn Hettrick recreational or entertaining, and
fulfillment assistant Bree Day
is usually all three. Perhaps a good
name for this is making video to
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Some of you have experience with
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person arising out of the completeness, accuracy or utility of any information or opinion
making video to make video. You
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have probably thought about it, but
standards or recommendations.
were reluctant to execute it because
it seemed too silly. Many of you have
indeed made one of these videos, but
are reluctant to admit it. However,
for most of you hobbyists, this is
perhaps the only type of video that
you make. Pre-production may not
be skipped altogether, it is just highly
compressed. In order to make a video
with no trace of pre-production;
you’d have to shoot extemporaneously, which to some may seem to be
almost random shooting.
You could use automatic video
editing software. Muvee, Pinnacle’s
Smartmovie or ACD VideoMagic
are software packages which make
edit decisions for you based upon
the tempo of a music track (among
other variables). These unscripted,
unplanned videos can be a joy to
make, but they may be painful to
watch later. Years later (or even a
few days later), you may feel really
silly because the video may not be
screen-worthy. You should not let
this stop you. It is a great experience
and is as meaningful as taking a
walk in the park.
Matthew York is Videomaker's Publisher/Editor.
contents
For comments, email: editor@videomaker.com,
use article #15164 in the subject line. You can
comment and rate this article by going online:
www.videomaker.com/article/15164
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PRINTED IN USA
2
V IDEOMAKER >>> DECEMBER 2011
VI D EO MA K ER >>> DE cEMbER 20 11
3
NEW GEAR
hot off the presses
by Jul i e Babc oc k
K-Tek
Whether you prefer to shoot handheld or with a tripod, K-Tek's Norbert Camera Mounting System adds flexibility to your HDSLR and compact HD camcorder set-ups. Made
from machined aluminum, the Norbert frame includes up to 23 standard shoe mounts
and a handful of 1/4×20 and 3/8×16 threaded holes, ensuring a place for all of your
shoe-mountable accessories including field monitors, lights, audio recorders and microphones. The Norbert is customizable, making it adjustable to your shooting needs.
www.norbertusa.com | MSRP: $199 frame only
GenArts' Sapphire Edge allows editors to create customizable visual effects
GenArts
with a few clicks of a button. It includes over 350 preset looks generated from
18 effects and transitions, and allows editors to browse different looks, apply and
customize effects with a set of controls. FX Central is a subscription-based online
library of preset looks and tutorials. New looks are added each month to keep subscribers' libraries relevant and up-to-date with current motion graphics trends.
www.genarts.com | MSRP: Starting at $299
Sony
Sony hits two birds with one stone with the release of the DEV-5 digital recording
binoculars. The device combines the magnification of binoculars with the recording
capabilities of a camcorder, allowing users to not only capture nature in their sights, but
to record those sightings in 3D or 2D Full HD (1920x1080) video as well. Other features
include: 20x magnification (10x optical, 10x digital), geotagging with a built-in GPS
receiver, a built in 2-channel stereo mic, a mic/headphone jack and still image capture.
http://store.sony.com | MSRP: $2,000
The Sanho HyperThin Ultra Portable HDMI Cable might be small, but it is no lightweight in terms of performance. Capable of Full HD 1080p (up to 8K) resolution, it
supports the latest HDMI 1.4, 3DTV and 7.1 channel digital surround audio specifications. It also supports more than 15.8Gps HD bandwidth, 240Hz video refresh
rate and 48-bit color. The HyperThin's ultra-light weight, compact size and flexibility
makes the HDMI cable a convenient solution for video producers on the go.
Sanho Corporation
www.hypershop.com | MSRP: $20 and up
Audio-Technica
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The Audio-Technica AT2022 is designed for field sound capture and
stereo audio recording. The X/Y configured microphone contains two
unidirectional condenser capsules that are easily adjustable for a narrow
(90-degree) or wide (120-degree) pick-up pattern, adding to the spatial
realism of the scene. The mic is powered by a single AA battery, which
makes it operational with most recording devices.
www.audio-technica.com | MSRP: $439
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4
V IDEOMAKER >>> DEc EMb ER 2011
READER PROFILE
Behind the Lens - Dwight Douglas
Video creation is sometimes a singular business, but video producers
are a social lot who work and play in many areas of video production
and love to share their stories. This column introduces you to your fellow
video producers.
Name: Dwight Douglas
Cameras: Canon VIXIA HF10, SONY HDR-FX1000
Editing System: HP Dual Core, 8GB RAM
Editing Platform: Adobe CS5
Microphone: Azden wireless, Audio-Technica AT2020
Support Gear: Lowel V-Lights, Targus Tripods
One morning I woke up to the
sounds of thousands of crows outside my window. The next thing I
knew, I was grabbing my $99 Kodak
camera and walking down the street.
In a “Ron Burgundy-esque” delivery,
I made my first YouTube video called
CROWFEST 2007.
After a suggestion from a coworker, I took a couple of videos
and created a web site called
WHACKO-TV. The site is a take-off
WITH 240 VIDEOS TO DATE,
I MUST SAY, I LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERYDAY.
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on a small town TV station website.
I worked in radio and in TV, forty
years ago on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, so I’ve met a lot of “whackos” who have inspired the various
characters I’ve created.
I decided to get serious about my
video comedy and update my equipment. My first real digital camera
was the Canon HF10 and I was able
to do some pretty good HD work
with that little baby. It fits right in my
pocket, so I’m always ready to shoot;
like the time I was in Times Square
and found a PETA protest in front of
the M&M store. To date, it’s become
our most watched video.
6
When my girl
friend asked me
what I wanted
for my birthday, I told her a
green screen. She
looked at me like
I was crazy. Now
I own two green
screens and two
blue screens.
HD cameras handle light
much differently
than those old cameras back in the
70s. When I first started, I pointed
the lights at everything; BAD IDEA. I
found that aiming all the lights away
and bouncing the light off the white
walls worked better. I picked up a
couple of Lowel V-Lights which get a
bit hot, but give a good blast of light.
I use a few smaller lamps to fill in.
I love the way the Audio-Technica
AT2020 sounds for voice-overs. Plus,
its USB interface allows me to plug
it directly into my laptop. I also have
two wireless Azden lavaliere systems
that work well and didn’t cost an arm
and a leg.
I also made the deep-pocket
investment in Adobe Premiere Pro
CS5 with absolutely the best keying
software: Ultra Key. And some tips:
keep your YouTube files in the H.264
codec at the size 1280 x 720 resolution, always use progressive rather
than interlaced, keep the audio AAC
Introducing HyperDeck Shuttle, the perfect
uncompressed SSD recorder for SDI and HDMI
at 192K to avoid nasty sync problems
and keep the files small.
I recently added a second camera,
the Sony HDR-FX1000 which shoots
better in low light than any camera
I've tested. I am not in love with the
Mini DV tape system, but I generally
use FireWire out directly into my
laptop using Adobe OnLocation.
With over 240 videos to date, I
must say I learn something new
every day and I am quite motivated
to push the envelope because of
Videomaker magazine. Your ads
and reviews make me want to be a
millionaire. The best part is the fact
some of the characters have become
mainstays of WHACKO-TV. I am still
amazed that Tony Facovia, a sleazy
imaginary back-alley attorney, has
become a real person. Google him,
you’ll see.
Dwight Douglas – WHACKO-TV
Now you can get incredible quality uncompressed SDI and HDMI video
capture and playback using removable solid state disks! HyperDeck
Shuttle is the perfect quality broadcast deck you can hold in your
hand. HyperDeck Shuttle lets you bypass camera compression for the
highest quality on set recording, and is perfect for digital signage or
instant replay and program recording with live production switchers.
Video is recorded to QuickTime™ files, so you can mount and edit directly
from the SSD eliminating time wasting file copying!
Solid State Disk (SSD) Recording
Simply plug in a fast 2.5” solid state disk into
HyperDeck Shuttle and start recording! SSD’s
are used in desktop and laptop computers so
prices are constantly falling while sizes are getting
bigger! Plug the SSD into your computer and the disk will mount right on
your computer’s desktop! Files are stored in standard QuickTime™ 10 bit
format so you can use the media in Mac™ and Windows™ video software!
Use Cameras, Switchers and Monitors
Absolute Perfect Quality
HyperDeck Shuttle lets you bypass all video camera
compression for perfect uncompressed 10-bit
SD/HD video. Get deep color dynamic range for
color correction and perfectly clean keying. Only
uncompressed gives you a mathematically perfect “clone” recording
between capture and playback. Only uncompressed lets you trust your
recording and there is absolutely no higher quality possible!
With SDI and HDMI inputs and outputs,
HyperDeck Shuttle works with virtually every
camera, switcher or monitor! Plug into televisions
or video projectors for instant on set preview or
get exciting live action replay with ATEM production switchers. Even use it
for digital signage. Just press play twice for loop playback! Imagine using
pristine uncompressed recording on your next live event!
Record and Play Back Anywhere!
HyperDeck Shuttle is machined out of a solid block
of aircraft-grade aluminum for incredible strength!
Take your HyperDeck Shuttle into the field, on set
and to live events. With an internal battery, just recharge and go! Only
HyperDeck Shuttle gives you recording and playback in a compact
solution that fits in your hand!
HyperDeck Shuttle
345
$
Learn more today at www.blackmagic-design.com/hyperdeckshuttle
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reviews
reviews
Panasonic HDC-TM80
Panasonic
HDC-TM80
HD Camcorder
Conveniently
Compact
b y D a n Br uns
F
rom fast food to mobile phones,
things are designed with convenience in mind nowadays. This steadfast commitment to convenience is
precisely what Panasonic had in mind
when designing its newest HDC-TM80
camcorder. Though its build and video
quality won't blow away professional
videographers, its size and price make
it perfect for those looking for a good
camcorder that can go anywhere.
The Design
In an age where compact still cameras
are increasingly able to shoot video,
design has become an important factor
when choosing a camcorder. The big-
Panasonic Consumer
electronics Company
www.panasonic.com
strengths
• Can be controlled through VIERA Link
televisions
• Has relay recording
• Can record to internal or external
memory
• Still pictures can be taken while
recording video
weaknesses
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• Uneven overall video quality
• Low storage capacity
• Lack of HD cable accessories
$450
8
gest advantages camcorders have over
still cameras are an easy to hold body,
better audio functionality, and more
recording options. In this, the Panasonic
HDC-TM80 does not disappoint.
The body of the camcorder couldn't
be easier to hold due to its excellent
form factor and incredibly miniscule dimensions of 2 inches wide by 2.3 inches long by 4.29 inches deep. In fact, the
body is so small that we found a large
hand can easily wrap itself fully around
the body of the camcorder, making it
perfect for stealth shooting for documentaries and family events. Unfortunately, one of the side effects of a body
this small is image shakiness. Panasonic
got one step ahead of this problem by
including a very accurate optical image
stabilizer (OIS). We found this feature to
work very well for a camcorder of this
size, even when zoomed in. Speaking of
zoom, the TM80 included a very useful
and surprisingly accurate zoom lever
on the top of the unit that allowed us to
zoom in up to 34x optically.
By far one of the best features of
the camcorder was the sheer lightness. Weighing in at less than half a
pound, we found the TM80 to be the
perfect companion to a purse, backpack or suitcase. In fact, at .43 pounds,
the HDC-TM80 is lighter than most
cell phones, giving you fewer reasons
to leave the camcorder at home.
The camcorder included an HDMI
mini connector for hooking the camera
directly to an HD television and an
AV Multi connector that allowed for
V IDEOMAKER >>> DEc EMbER 2011
both component and composite video.
Unfortunately, we found the placement of the HDMI mini jack to be too
close to the LCD screen on the camera.
Any cable plugged into this jack would
inevitably end up covering part of the
image on the LCD panel, making re-
mote monitoring using the HDMI cable
the only way to see a proper image.
The camcorder we reviewed came with
a convenient 16GB of internal flash
memory allowing us to get plenty of
shots without having to remember to
bring an SD card. However, for those
not quite willing to give up on writing
to a physical medium, the TM80 also
allowed video to be written to an SDXC,
SDHC, or SD memory card. Since the
card slot is inconveniently located at
the bottom of the unit, we won't be
blaming anyone for wanting to stick
with the internal memory option for
most recording situations.
The Video
Of course, the most important part
about any camcorder is the quality
of the video. The Panasonic TM80
includes a 1/5.8 inch MOS sensor. As
a result of the smaller sensor size, we
did notice some video artifacts during
heavy movement in our video clips.
Nonetheless, even though the image
quality was different than what we'd
expect from one of Panasonic's pro
cameras, it was still rather good for
the price of the unit.
The TM80 also uses an MPEG-4AVC/H.264 format which can record
video with a resolution of 1080 x 1920
at 60 interlaced frames per second.
This is one of the biggest problems
we found with the camcorder since
there was no option for recording at
the popular frame rate of 24fps or for
the improved quality of progressive
style recording. It's always helpful to
remember that there are trade-offs in
order to keep a low price, but it would
have been a nice feature to have all
the same.
The Bottom Line
For video enthusiasts looking for a
small and lightweight camcorder at
a good price, the TM80 may be what
you need. Though it admittedly lacks
some useful features and has a small
sensor size, it more than makes up for
them with a convenient form factor
and an easy to swallow price.
sUMMArY
For the price you pay and the features you get, the TM80 is a solid
investment for anyone looking for a
convenient video recording option.
Dan Bruns is an Associate Multimedia Editor at Videomaker.
teCh sPeCs
Storage Media: SD/SDHC/SDXC, 16GB
Built-In Memory
Sensor: MOS
Sensor Size: 1/5.8"
Effective Pixels: 1.3 million
HD Modes: 1080/60i, 540/30p
File Format: JPEG, MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
Focus: Auto/Manual
Iris: F1.8-4.0
Shutter Speed Range: 1/30 – 1/8,000
Optical Zoom: 34x
White Balance: Auto/Manual/Presets
LCD Monitor Dimensions: 2.7"
Video In: Yes
Video Out: Yes
Internal Microphone: Yes
Microphone In: Yes
Headphone Jack: Yes
Speaker: Yes
Battery Type: Li-On (1,790mAh)
Accessory Shoe: No
Dimensions: 2.02" x 2.32" x 4.29"
Weight: .43 lbs (without battery)
COVER
COVER THE
THE SPECTRUM
SPECTRUM OF
OF
LIGHT
With
WithCanon’s
Canon’shigh-performance
high-performancelenses,
lenses,1920
1920xx1080
1080
CMOS
CMOS image
image sensors
sensors and
and DIGIC
DIGIC DV
DV III
III digital
digital
RGB
RGBvideo
videoprocessing
processingall
allworking
workingtogether,
together,the
the
XA
XA && XF
XF Series
Series digital
digital camcorders
camcorders facilitate
facilitate
superb
superb HD
HD imaging
imaging over
over an
an extensive
extensive range
range of
of
scene
scenelight
lightintensities.
intensities.usa.canon.com/spectrum
usa.canon.com/spectrum
contents
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©©2011
2011Canon
CanonU.S.A.,
U.S.A.,Inc.
Inc.All
Allrights
rightsreserved.
reserved.Canon,
Canon,XF,
XF,and
andXA
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areregistered
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trademarksof
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CanonInc.
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trademarkof
ofCanon.
Canon.
reviews
reviews
Samsung HMX-H304BN
Samsung
HMX-H304BN
HD Camcorder
TeCH sPeCs
High by Definition
b y E v a n B urt
I
f you’re in the market for an
upgrade, Samsung’s new offering
may just whet your digital appetite
for the holiday season. The Samsung
HMX-H304BN camcorder, priced at
$500 and offering 1920 x 1080 video,
makes a decent splash in the mid-tier
HD market.
There are just eight buttons on the
camcorder — three on top, five on the
sides. Most of the major features, such
as quality modes and playback, are accessed via the 3-inch LCD touchscreen.
Just tap the screen to play shot footage,
switch to 720p, apply image filters, etc.
Establishing Shot
Viewing footage is also easy. Connect the camcorder to a computer or
television via the supplied USB cable
or analog cables and you can start
watching. Playback was very quick,
with about 20 short HD clips downloaded to our test computer in less
than five minutes. Editing was also
brisk and efficient with the Samsung’s software suite.
One issue with the HMX-H304 is the
lack of an HDMI cable and if you’re not
watching high definition footage on a
quality LCD monitor, playback on an
HDTV is not going to look very good
with composite cables. It’s like buying
an expensive surround sound system
and then watching an action movie
through the TV speakers; you’re simply
not getting the full experience.
It should be known right from the getgo that this camcorder is very nimble
and easy on the hands. At 0.5 pounds
and measuring 4.7-by-2.2-by-1.9
inches (WxHxD), it isn’t much larger,
or heavier than a typical smartphone.
Yet it handles extremely well and was
very comfortable to use during our
field tests.
samsung electronics America
www.samsung.com
strengths
• Great outdoor video quality
• Impressive optical zoom
• Nice handling
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weAknesses
• Uneven overall video quality
• Lack of HD cable accessories
$500
10
Simplicity by Design
Gauging Quality
Ultimately, the most important question to ask about this camcorder is
"Does it shoot good video?" Well, the
answer is yes … and no. In three separate outdoor tests of 1080i, 720p and
480p (standard definition), we found
the unit shot consistently great video
during daylight hours. Close-up shots
were especially impressive in color,
raw detail, flesh tones and sharpness.
Detail at medium-to-long range was
also clear and mostly free of noise.
Nighttime shooting was respectable.
Objects in low light were reasonably
well-defined, and the level of noise
was tolerable. With a low light sensitivity rating of 3 LUX, you can expect
to pick up detail around twilight under
a clear night sky.
Shooting at range is another
strength of the HMX-H304. It enables
the user to zoom to 30x magnification, which is a good deal better than
other HD camcorders offering 10-20x
zoom. Using this feature requires a
steady hand or tripod, but is reliable
and a real treat to employ.
Indoor shooting, however, is where
the HMX-H304 starts to falter. Welllit office environments tend to shoot
well, but in locations like dim houses
and moderately-lit apartments, the
quality staggers quite a bit. Softness
becomes evident in all but extreme
close-up shots, and while the camera
boasts a 5-megapixel sensor, still photos suffer the same fate.
Recording Media: 16GB built-in SSD,
SD/SDHC
Video Format: H.264
Video Resolution: 1080/60i, 720/60p,
480/60p
Audio Format: AAC
Image Sensor: 1/4" BSI CMOS
Optical Zoom: 30x
Digital Zoom: 300x
Focus: Auto/manual (menu)
Image Stabilization: Optical DUO/digital
Shutter Speed Control: Manual/automatic
White Balance: Auto/manual
Viewfinder: No
LCD: 3" (230,000 pixels) Touchscreen
Speaker: Yes
Headphone Jack: No
Output: HDMI (C Type), mini USB (B
Type), Composite
Battery Type: Lithium ion
Quality Options: Super fine/fine/normal
Low Light Sensitivity: 3 LUX
Interchangeable Lenses: No
Wireless Remote: No
Filming people at range indoors has
the unfortunate tendency to create a
kind of poor-quality depth of field effect, wherein the subject is in focus but
the background is littered with noise.
Occasionally, the opposite is true, mak-
ing indoor filming erratic at best and
frustrating at worst.
Playing it by Ear
This little camcorder supplies the
basics when it comes to audio. Pickup
COVER THE SPECTRUM OF
COLOR
is solid at most distances, and the
device’s built-in mic and wind-cut
feature help mitigate most challenges. What you hear is what you get,
though. There's no variety of options
for enhancing the audio capabilities.
Overall, the HMX-H304 hits its
intended target well. It provides a
higher-end alternative to the low-end
HMX-Q10, and is relatively cheap for
what it offers.
sUMMArY
Delivers about what you’d expect
from a medium-end HD camcorder.
It’s affordable and reliable. Video
quality is uneven.
Evan Burt is a journalist and published author in
Northern California.
Originate extraordinary color clarity and detail
with Canon’s high-performance optics, CMOS
image sensors and DIGIC DV III digital component
processing. The XF Series with digital recording
of 50 Mbps 4:2:2 component video, and the XA10
with an AVCHD Codec, capture a wide color gamut
with high accuracy. usa.canon.com/spectrum
©
© 2011
2011 Canon
Canon U.S.A.,
U.S.A., Inc.
Inc. All
All rights
rights reserved.
reserved. Canon,
Canon, XF,
XF, and
and XA
XA are
are registered
registered trademarks
trademarks of
of Canon
Canon Inc.
Inc. in
in the
the United
United States.
States. IMAGEANYWARE
IMAGEANYWARE is
is aa trademark
trademark of
of Canon.
Canon.
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reviews
Litepanels Sola ENG
Litepanels
Sola ENG
LED Fresnel
Size: 4" x 4" x 5"
Weight: 10oz
Fresnel Lens: 3"
Power: 30W draw
Light Output: 250W tungsten equivalent
Power Requirements: 10-20VDC (traditional ENG batteries) via 2-pin D-Tap
power cable or included AC power adapter
Cooling Fan: Ultra low decibel
Portable Lighting Packs
Plenty of Punch
b y M a rk H ol der
L
itepanels’ new camera-mounted
LED Fresnel brings greater versatility and control to portable lighting.
Traveling Light
At less than a pound in weight and the
approximate size of a coffee cup, the
Sola ENG is certainly well suited for
travel. It comes with a simple-to-install two-leaf barn door. Snap its wire
frame into the groove around the front
lens and it’s ready to go. A set of three
gels that are installed by slipping their
corners into the barn door wire frame
are included and easily removed when
they're not needed. The set consists of
one diffusion gel, one 1/4 Correction
Color Temperature Orange (CTO) gel
and one Full Correction CTO gel.
Litepanels, inc.
www.litepanels.com
strengths
• High output
• Low power consumption; low heat
• Dimmable
• Focusable
contents
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weaknesses
• Fan noise may be picked up by
microphone
$675
12
Rear view showing Dimmer Dial rubberized grips
TeCH sPeCs
A ball-head shoe mount is included
for on-camera mounting. A locking
lever releases the ball to allow for
swivel room and then locks it securely
in place at the desired angle. Opposite
the locking lever a slot in the mount
allows the light to be pointed up or
down making for a maximum number
of positioning options. A light stand
adapter bracket is also included to allow for off-camera mounting.
The Sola ENG is powered via a
detachable 2-Pin D-tap DC power
cable plugged directly into a camera’s
12-24VDC-output port, or any number
of portable power sources such as
those by Frezzi or Anton/Bauer.
Everything fits nicely into a
thoughtfully provided soft carrying
case (except the AC power adapter).
A separately purchased protective
hard case would be a good investment
though; at this price you wouldn’t
want to trust soft padding to keep
your valuable equipment from harm.
Light ‘em Up
A Dimmer Dial, and a large rotary dial
with rubberized grips sit in the back
of the body. Rotate it right to turn it on
and you’ll hear a click and the faint
sound of the cooling fan starting up. A
green LED will appear indicating that
the Sola ENG is on. Though the sound
from the cooling fan is faint, it may still
be picked up by sensitive mics placed
in close proximity. As you slowly rotate
the dial to the right the light intensity
will gradually increase from 0% to
100% with no noticeable color shift.
Located immediately in front of the
Dimmer Dial is the Focus Dial. Controlling the throw of the light is reminiscent of focusing a lens on a camera.
Rotating the Focus Dial right narrows
the beam while rotating left broadens
the beam. In this manner the beam
may be focused from 10 degrees to 70
degrees. According to Litepanels’ photometric data, the Sola ENG illuminates
to the tune of 161.2 foot-candles (1735
lux) at 6 feet and 40.3 foot-candles
(434 lux) at 12 feet in spot mode (10
degrees). Broadening the beam to 70
degrees (flood) reduces output to 34.2
foot-candles (368 lux) at 6 feet and 8.6
foot-candles (92 lux) at 12 feet.
Now all that foot-candles and lux
type stuff is great for comparison
purposes, but what does it really
mean? For fun, the light was tested as
the sole light source in a homemade
karaoke lounge. The venue was a
rather large living room with enough
space to easily accommodate 12 to
15 people, perhaps more.
The Sola ENG was placed on a light
stand and raised to an appropriate
height. At first we were concerned as
to whether this small LED light would
produce enough illumination for the
task at hand. When we switched it on,
however, we found to our considerable amazement that the amount of
light was much more than adequate.
In fact, to achieve the sort of mood
lighting we were after we had to dim
it quite a bit. We were able to easily switch between soft-lighting our
performers, to fully-lighting the entire
room, with a simple twist of the dial.
Use of the barn doors, diffusion gel
and swivel mount positioning greatly
needed with conventional lights.
The Sola ENG is great for use outdoors as well. It’s daylight-balanced
and packs enough punch to add some
nice fill to your subjects while out in
the sun light. An extremely versatile
lighting source, the Sola ENG is suitable
for a number of situations and will be
a welcome addition to most any video
producer’s production toolkit.
sUMMArY
increased our creative options.
Even with output equivalent to that
of a 250W tungsten light, the Sola
ENG only draws about 30W which results in much cooler operation. After
about three hours of continuous use
the light was cool to the touch and
packed up and carried away immediately, without the usual cooling time
WORKFLOW
Priced for the enthusiast or professional the Litepanels Sola ENG
camera-mountable LED Fresnel light
delivers serious performance in a
lightweight package.
Mark Holder is a video producer and trainer.
The XF Series’ universal CF Card captures 50 Mbps
MPEG-2 4:2:2 or 35/25 Mbps 4:2:0 component
video. MXF file wrapping streamlines the integration
of video, audio, and metadata into networked
infrastructures and ensures high-compatibility
with leading NLE systems. The XA10 records AVCHD
files to internal 64GB memory or to 2 SDXC
memory cards. usa.canon.com/spectrum
©
© 2011
2011 Canon
Canon U.S.A.,
U.S.A., Inc.
Inc. All
All rights
rights reserved.
reserved. Canon,
Canon, XF,
XF, and
and XA
XA are
are registered
registered trademarks
trademarks of
of Canon
Canon Inc.
Inc. in
in the
the United
United States.
States. IMAGEANYWARE
IMAGEANYWARE is
is aa trademark
trademark of
of Canon.
Canon.
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reviews
RØDE
VideoMic Pro
Mini Shotgun Mic
Sound Investment
b y L u k e Sc herba
R
ØDE set out to create a small,
compact microphone that
wouldn’t break your bank while providing the quality to match good high
definition video. RØDE succeeded.
Though this little RØDE VideoMic Pro
is not limited to use with only HDSLR
cameras, due to its 1/8-inch mini jack
plug, it is the ideal mate for the Canon
7D, 5D or any other still camera that
produces high quality video. One huge
challenge in the new emerging field
of HDSLR cameras is audio capture.
Built-in microphones don’t match the
high resolution and high quality these
cameras are producing. Simply put,
RØDE Microphones LLC (USA)
www.rodemic.com
strengths
• 1/8 inch mini-jack
• Tight and compact
• Simplicity
• High Pass Filter
• 70+ hours of battery life
contents
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weaknesses
• Limited volume control
• Picks up sound from behind the camera
$229
14
the RØDE VideoMic Pro is great for
cameras lacking good audio quality.
Simple To Use
Simplicity, at times, can be invaluable. Straight out of the box this
microphone is easy to use, with
no confusing parts or complicated
assembly. Pull it out, slide it onto
the cold shoe mount of your camera, connect one tiny cord with an
1/8-inch plug and flip on the power.
A nine-volt battery is required,
which is simple enough. An amazing
expected battery life of 70+hours
makes for instant positive reviews.
When setup speed is important, this
microphone comes in handy. With
only two switches on the entire
microphone there is little room for
confusion. The first switch has three
positions, Off – On – High Pass Filter. The only other option on the microphone is its second switch giving
you three volume control selections.
Variable Level Control
The RØDE VideoMic Pro’s three
volume setting switch lets you chose
between -10dB, 0dB, +20dB options.
Don’t be confused by the decibel
quantities, you don’t have to be an
audio expert to understand this conV IDEOMAKER >>> D Ec EMbER 2011
cept; -10dB reduces the volume a bit
in order to keep your volume from
clipping, 0dB records volume at a
constant “normal” level, and +20dB
boosts the volume when your subject
is quiet. The simplicity of this microphone makes it perfect for a number
of uses, however its simplicity can also
be limiting. Having only three volume
selection options on a switch instead
of a variable dial or knob hinders your
ability to ride the levels. If your subject
changes volume or your camera is in
SIMPLE TO USE, IT PRODUCES PROFESSIONAL
QUALITY AUDIO RECORDINGS.
motion, then volume adjustment is
necessary. With just a switch to work
with, you are unable to make smooth
transitions between audio level selections. If your main intent is to capture
content largely based on monologue
or dialogue, additional sound recording gear may be necessary.
High Pass Filter
The High Pass Filter is a nice little
feature that reduces low frequency
noise. High Pass implies all High
PRODUCTION
When we set out to produce a family of high quality, durable, easy-to-use digital camcorders,
we sought to cover all aspects of video production. Starting with the distinct size, weight and
ergonomics of each model and their individual system interfaces, we produced a camcorder for
most types of portable shooting. We knew what the industry needed was a new level of flexibility
in digital motion image capture that anticipated the varied needs of high-performance handhelds
and tripod mounts. So from high-mobility shooting to precision image capture in confined
spaces and even infrared capture, the XA & XF Series pro camcorders handle everything you’d
ever expect in a handheld and more. usa.canon.com/spectrum
contents
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© 2011 Canon U.S.A., Inc. All rights reserved. Canon, XF, and XA are registered trademarks of Canon Inc. in the United States. IMAGEANYWARE is a trademark of Canon.
print
REviEwS
reviews
RØDE VideoMic Pro
TECH SPECS
Acoustic Principle: Line Gradient
Polar Pattern: Supercardioid
Frequency Range (Flat): 40Hz ~ 20kHz
Frequency Range (High Pass Filter):
Selectable HPF @ 80Hz 12dB/octave
Variable Level: 3 position switch (-10dB,
0dB, +20dB)
Output impedance: 200 Ω
Signal to Noise Ratio: 74dB
Equivalent Noise: 20dB SPL (Aweighted as per IEC651)
Maximum SPL: 134dB
Maximum Output: +6.9dBu (@ 1% THD
into 1k Ω load)
Sensitivity: 38dB re 1V/Pa (12.6mV @
94dB SPL) +- 2dB @ 1kHz
Dynamic Range: 114dB (as per IEC651)
Power Requirements: 9V alkaline
battery (Current: 7.8mA)
Output Connection: 1/8" mini-jack plug
Battery Life: >70 hours
Weight (No Battery): 0.3 ounces
Dimensions (HxWxD): 1.69" x 5.91" x
3.74"
frequencies Pass and are recorded,
while low frequencies don’t pass and
are, therefore, significantly reduced.
In testing, this feature came in
handy and performed nicely.
Shockingly Impressive
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An immediate challenge with high
quality microphones is the vibration
the microphone picks up. A nice selling point of this RØDE VideoMic Pro
is the built-in shock mount. The sleek
and compact shock mount doesn't get
in the way of performance, nor does
it dominate the top of the camera.
The shock mount does, however, do
a great job of protecting the microphone from vibration that can cause
audio blips, such as when the tripod is
bumped accidentally.
16
Video Sync
Contour, Inc.
Contour+
Sport Cam
High Pass filter and volume control switches
A definite advantage this RØDE
VideoMic Pro has over a standalone
recorder is video-to-audio sync. Since
this microphone plugs directly into
the camera, both audio and video are
paired up automatically and recorded
at the same time to an SD card or other preferred medium. While there are
other higher quality audio recorders
on the market, having a microphone
that plugs directly into the camera
can save immeasurable time in post
production.
Extreme POV
b y Ma r k Holder
Take this Mic on the Road
There are numerous audio options
for HDSLR or small camcorders, such
as using lapel microphones, shotgun
microphones, standalone hand-held
recorders, all of various types. Lapel
microphones are specific in use and
can be difficult due to requiring the
participation of the interviewee.
Most shotgun microphones are
either XLR output, (and cameras
needing extra audio help don’t typically have XLR inputs,) or the shotgun
microphone has a mini-jack that is not
amplified by the microphone. This
results in low signal output, causing
extra noise when the camera amplifies
and records the sound.
The RØDE VideoMic Pro tackles
this conundrum in this area with its
1/8-inch mini-jack connector. The
microphone's high quality amplified signal sent over an 1/8-inch jack
makes this microphone a nice option
for those whose camcorders only
have 1/8-inch audio options, and they
don't have or want to add XLR attachments. Higher-end mics and XLR
connections are going to give you
better audio overall, but the RØDE
VideoMic Pro also eliminates the
need for bulky, and costly, audio converters. Shotgun microphones tend to
pick up vibration and require an additional and sometimes costly shock
mount (which comes built-in with
this RØDE VideoMic Pro). Standalone
audio recorders are cumbersome and
require extra work with audio/video
V IDEOMAKER >>> D Ec EMbER 2011
W
syncing in post production. Taking
all the above into consideration, the
RØDE VideoMic Pro would be a good
choice when taking your production
on the road.
Summary
In comparison with other similar
microphones the RØDE VideoMic Pro
met our expectations and performed
very well. Simple to use, small and
out of the way, it produces professional quality audio recordings.
The only real downside, the volume
control switch could be seen as a
limitation. With that said, this RØDE
VideoMic Pro is at the top of its class
and is a great purchase.
SUMMARY
On the road or on the go the RØDE
VideoMic Pro has all the makings
of a real hit with video producers of
every skill level.
Luke Scherba is a video producer and production studio
owner.
hether you like to cycle, ski,
hang glide or bungee jump;
if you’re looking for great extreme
video-on-the-go then you’ve got to
check out the Contour+.
The Box
Usually in this section we talk about the
box contents, but this time we have to
also talk about the box itself. Most products arrive in your typical cardboard
and shrink-wrap container. If you want
something to pack your new toy around
in that has a little style, as well as offering a fair degree of protection, you have
to go out and buy a bag, case or other
protective container separately.
Contour, on the other hand, impressed us right out of the gate by
wrapping its little treasure in a very
stylish, heavily padded, dust sealed,
aluminum case. Sporting its name in
large black letters across the top, the
case measures approximately 16 1/2
inches long by 9 inches wide by 4
3/4 inches deep. A piano-style hinge
almost the entire length of the case
holds the two halves together while
two large latches on the front keep the
contents securely inside. A nice large
handle completes the exterior.
The case’s top and bottom are lined
with rubberized material to keep dust
out when closed. Both top and bottom
are filled with protective foam. The
bottom is compartmentalized to keep
all of the individual components safely
in their respective places. And oh yeah,
those compartments hold a pretty nifty
little camera with lens cover, 2GB MicroSD card, Connect View card for Bluetooth pairing and rechargeable battery.
Cables included are USB, mini HDMI
and an external microphone cable. Two
rotating flat surface mounts, one profile
mount, a leash for securing camera to
mount and a user’s manual round out
the box contents. The inclusion of a
media card and HDMI cable is much appreciated, making this camera ready to
go, literally, “right out of the box.”
Protective Carrying Case with Compartments
The Features
The main body of the Contour+ is
a water-resistant (not water-proof)
aluminum cylinder approximately
3 7/8 inches long and 1 3/8 inches
across with a slide switch on top for
record and GPS status functionality. In
the not-recording position the switch
reveals a button used for pairing the
camera with another Bluetooth enabled device.
Underneath the cylinder is the
mounting block. The Contour+ has
no place for a tripod mounting screw;
instead it uses a T-rail mounting
system. Adhesive backed mounting
plates may be adhered to any number
Contour, inc.
www.contour.com
strengths
• Protective aluminum carrying case
included
• HDMI cable included
• 2GB MicroSD card included
• Wide angle lens captures all the action
• Rich, HD quality
contents
weaknesses
full screen
• Excessive video noise in low light
$500
VI D EO MA K ER >>> D Ec EMb ER 20 11
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17
All
reviews
Contour, Inc. Contour+
is available on the Android Market.
TeCH sPeCs
Video: 5MP sensor; H.264 codec; .mov file type; configurable white balance
Video Format: Full HD – 1080p/30fps (1920x1080); Tall HD – 960p/30fps (1280x960);
Action HD – 720p/60fps (1280x720); Original HD – 720p/30fps (1280x720)
Stills: 5MP; 1 photo per 3, 5, 10, 30 and 60 seconds (2592x1944)
Wide Angle Lens: F2.8; 170 degrees at 960p, 720p, Photo; 125 degrees at 1080p;
lens rotates -90 to 180 degrees to allow sideways and inverted mounting
Audio: Internal microphone, external mono microphone jack; AAC audio compression
GPS: Built-in GPS receiver
Bluetooth: v2.1
Memory: 2GB MicroSD card included; capacity up to 32GB
Battery: Removable Li-ion; charge via USB to computer or Contour charger
(sold separately); battery life – 2 to 2.5 hours
Body: Water-resistant aluminum shell; TRail Mount System; rear door pass-through
for USB and HDMI ports
Dimensions (LxHxW): 3.86" x 2.28" x 1.34"
Weight: 5.3oz (150g)
of surfaces; a motocross helmet for
example. The mount’s T-shaped rails
slide into the camera’s correspondingly shaped grooves creating a solid
mount. Flat mounting plates may be
rotated to the desired position and
locked in place.
The bottom of the mounting block
is home to a 2.5mm external microphone jack. A 2.5mm to 3.5mm
adapter cable is included for use with
mini-jack equipped microphones.
The lens barrel is marked in 15-degree increments and may be rotated
to compensate for inverted mounting.
This keeps your image upright even
Contour+, Lens Cover and Mounting Plates
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18
though the camera may not be.
On the rear of the cylinder is a
spring-loaded door that pops back
when lifted, to reveal the USB and
HDMI ports, power switch, video format selector switch, MicroSD card slot,
Connect View card slot and battery.
The power switch may be operated
with the compartment door in the
closed position while the two ports
may be accessed via pass-through port
covers on the back.
For the sake of compactness and
durability the Contour+ has no built-in
video display. If you have an iPhone 4,
iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS or iPod touch,
you can download the
Contour Mobile App at
Apple's App Store. Via
Bluetooth, the app allows
you to use your mobile device as a preview screen as
well as adjust settings such
as video mode, mic volume, lighting conditions
and more, in real time.
Recently, Contour added
support for Android OS v
2.2.1 and up with updated
camera firmware. The app
The Payoff
Strap the Contour+ onto a vehicle,
helmet or hang glider and the result
is some very gritty, extreme, in-yourface, quality HD footage. There’s no
image stabilization here. Your viewers
are going to feel the tension at every
bump in the road, the thrill of every
victory and the pain of every bone
crunching crash.
The super-wide 170-degree field of
view captures pretty much everything
and while there is some distortion, it’s
typical of this sort of video. The camera’s low-light capability is, well, low.
In other words, lots of noise. In well-lit
situations, however, image quality is
very high with clear, rich colors.
Speaking of noise, audio is of the
typical onboard sort. Not studio quality by any means, but well suited for
the genre. And wind noise is just part
of the game. If you want better audio
for conducting interviews, you can
take advantage of the microphone
port and plug in a quality, wind
shielded, external microphone.
Combined with flexible mounting
options, manually configurable white
balance and exposure, Bluetooth capability for live monitoring and software
access and GPS for tracking your location, speed and altitude, the Contour+
may very well be the current king of
hands free, POV cameras.
To check out the Contour Community and see some cool shots other
folks have done with their Contour,
go to: www.videomaker.com/r/534
sUMMArY
If you’re a thrill seeker who wants
to take your audience along for the
ride, the Contour+ is one great way
to get them there.
Contributing editor Mark Holder is a video producer and
trainer.
Camcorders
buyer’s guide
By Marshal M. rosenthal
Video camcorders are available in all price
ranges and for all types of people - regardless
of age or occupation. Knowing the type of camcorder that best suits your needs will result in
one happy camper.
T
he use of video camcorders
has exploded and, thanks to
digital, the features have multiplied as well. Camcorders are
as likely to be used by a grandparent as by a grade schooler,
although it’s in the use that the
two will differ.
A real difference is the price
that comes into play when it’s
time to bridge the level of sophistication between the casual
user, enthusiast and professional. Not that technology can’t
be had at all price ranges —
who’d have ever imagined you
could get HD resolution for less
than $200? However, there are
significant aspects of a camera’s specifications that affect
the way it performs. Such as in
whether there’s optical zoom
versus digital only. Or, the physical size of the image sensor that
is capturing the visuals, which
may limit image quality. Or the
amount of storage capacity; be
that internal, external or a mix
of both. Or the added functionality that is brought over from a
digital camera or other technology (example: face detection,
fast auto focus, 3D). Continued on page 22
VI D EO MA K ER >>> D EcEMbER 20 11
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19
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Price
Recording Media
Data Format
HD Resolution
Size of Sensor(s)
LCD Monitor (inches)
LCD Aspect Ratio
Optical Zoom Power
F-Stop
Image Stabilization
Gain Control/Iris/ ALC
Zebra Stripes
Internal ND Filter
Standard Mic Input
Headphone Jack
Audio Level Controls
Speaker
USB I/O
HDMI Out
FireWire I/O
SDI Out
HD-SDI Out
Accessory Shoe(s)
Wireless Remote
Form Factor
GO-HD
$300
SD/SDHC
H.264
1280x720 1 CMOS
np
2.4
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3x
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www.2fidelity.com
Action-HD GVS
$220
SD/SDHC
H.264
1920x1080 1 CMOS
np
3.0
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n
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y
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3D-HD
$200
SD/SDHC
MP4
1280x720 2 CMOS
np
2.4
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AHD-Z7
$180
SD/SDHC
H.264
1920x1080 1 CMOS
np
3.0
np
5x
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y
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SeeMeeHD
$130
SD/SDHC
H.264
1920x1080 1 CMOS
np
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4x
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Hi-Speed HD
$120
2GB Int, SD/SDHC
H.264
1280x720 1 CMOS
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Canon Consumer
VIXIA HF G10
$1,500 SD/SDHC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/3
3.5
16:9 40x
1.8 o
y
y
n
y
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st
www.usa.canon.com
VIXIA HF S30
$1,100
SD/SDHC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/3
3.5
16:9 10x
1.8 o
y
y
n
y
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y
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n n n y y
st
VIXIA HF S21
$1,300 SD/SDHC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/3
3.5
16:9 10x
1.8 o
y
y
n
y
y
y
y
y y
n n n y y
st
VIXIA HF S20
$1,000
SD/SDHC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/3
3.5
16:9 10x
1.8 o
y
y
n
y
y
y
y
y y
n n n y y
st
VIXIA HF S200
$900
SD/SDHC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/3
3.5
16:9 10x
1.8 o
y
y
n
y
y
y
y
y y
n n n y y
st
VIXIA HF M41
$800
SD/SDHC/SDXC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/3
3.0
16:9 10x
1.8 o
y
n n
y
y
y
y
y y
n n n y y
st
VIXIA HF M40
$700
SD/SDHC/SDXC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/3
3.0
16:9 10x
1.8 o
y
n n
y
y
y
y
y y
n n n y y
st
VIXIA HF M400
$650
SD/SDHC/SDXC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/3
3.0
16:9 10x
1.8 o
y
n n
y
y
y
y
y y
n n n y y
st
VIXIA HF M32
$1,000
SD/SDHC/SDXC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/4
2.7
16:9 15x
1.8 o
y
n n
y
y
y
y
y y
n n n y y
st
VIXIA HF M31
$700
SD/SDHC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/4
2.7
16:9 15x
1.8 o
y
n n
y
y
y
y
y y
n n n y y
st
VIXIA HF M30
$600
SD/SDHC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/4
2.7
16:9 15x
1.8 o
y
n n
y
y
y
y
y y
n n n y y
st
VIXIA HF M300
$550
SD/SDHC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/4
2.7
16:9 15x
1.8 o
y
n n
y
y
y
y
y y
n n n y y
st
VIXIA HF21
$600
SDHC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/4
2.7
16:9 15x
1.8 o
y
n n
y
y
y
y
y y
n n n y y
st
VIXIA HF R21
$500
SD/SDHC/SDXC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/4
3.0
16:9 20x
1.8 e
y
n n
y
y
y
y
y y
n n n n n
st
VIXIA HV40
$1,000
HDV/DV
MPEG-2
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/3
2.7
16:9 10x
1.8 o
np y
n
y
y
y
y
y y
n n n n y
st
Canon Professional
XF305
$8,000 SD, CF
MPEG-2
1920x1080 3 CMOS
1/3
4.0
16:9 18x
1.6 o
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y y
n y y y y
st
www.usa.canon.com
XF300
$6,800 SD, CF
MPEG-2
1920x1080 3 CMOS
1/3
4.0
16:9 18x
1.6 o
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y y
n np np y y
st
XF105
$4,300 SD, CF
MPEG-2
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/3
3.5
16:9 10x
1.8 o
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y y
n np np y y
st
XF100
$3,300 SD, CF
MPEG-2
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/3
3.5
16:9 10x
1.8 o
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y y
n np np y y
st
XH G1S
$7,000
MiniDV
HDV, DV
1440x1080 3 CMOS
1/3
2.8
16:9 20x
1.6 o
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
n n y
y y y y
st
XH A1S
$3,999 MiniDV
HDV, DV
1440x1080 3 CMOS
1/3
2.8
16:9 20x
1.6 o
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
n n y
np np y y
st
n np np y y
st
Number of Sensors
Sensor Type
Model
Aiptek
XA10
$2,000 SD/SDHC/SDXC
MPEG-4, H.264
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/3
3.5
16:9 10x
1.8 o
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y y
Cisco Flip
SlideHD
$160
16GB Int
H.264
1280x720 1 CMOS
1/4.5
3.0
np
np
2.4 n
n
n n
n
n n
y
y n y
n n n n
u
www.theflip.com
UltraHD
$130
8GB Int
H.264
1280x720 1 CMOS
1/4.5
2.0
np
np
2.4 e
n
n n
n
n n
y
y n y
n n n n
u
MinoHD
$100
4GB Int
H.264
1280x720 1 CMOS
1/4.5
2.0
np
np
2.4 e
n
n n
n
n n
y
y n y
n n n n
u
GRID TeRMS DeFINeD
contents
Manufacturer
Consumer Camcorder Buyer’s Guide
20
Format
Recording Media: The physical media type(s)
that video can be recorded to.
Data Format: The data type that the camcorder
uses to encode the recorded video.
HD Resolution: The highest resolution the
camera is capable of recording.
Image Sensor
Number of Sensors: The number of image
sensors used by the camcorder.
Sensor Type: CMOS = Complimentary Metal
Oxide Semiconductor; CCD = Charged Cou-
pled Device.
Size of Sensor: The size of the camcorder’s
image sensor(s), cited in inches.
Lens
F-Stop: The lowest f-stop number for the lens.
A smaller number in this field represents a lens
that can let in more light.
Optical Zoom Power: The maximum optical
zoom power of the camcorder’s lens.
Image Stabilization: e = electronic; o = optical; n = none listed.
Internal ND Filter: Whether the camcorder
includes a built-in neutral density filter.
Video Features
Gain Control/Iris/ALC: Whether the camcorder provides explicit control over the gain,
iris, or Automatic Level Control.
Zebra Stripes: Whether the camcorder includes
“zebra stripe” overexposure indicators.
LCD Monitor (inches): The size of the camcorder’s LCD monitor, measured in diagonal
inches.
LCD Aspect Ratio: 16:9 = wide screen;
4:3 = standard definition.
Audio Features
Standard Mic Input: Whether an external
microphone can be plugged into the camcorder.
Headphone Jack: Whether a pair of headphones can be attached to the camcorder for
audio monitoring.
Audio Level Controls: Whether the audio level
of the attached audio source can be adjusted.
Speaker: Whether the camcorder includes
built-in speakers.
Video I/O
USB I/O: Whether the camcorder includes a
USB port that is capable of transferring video.
HDMI Out: Whether the camcorder includes
an HDMI port that is capable of transferring
video.
FireWire I/O: Whether the camcorder includes
a FireWire (IEEE 1394 or i.LINK) connection for
transferring video.
SDI Out / HD-SDI Out: Whether the camcorder includes other digital video connections.
Wireless remote: Whether the camcorder
includes a wireless remote control.
Form Factor: st = standard (hold like a football); u = upright (hold like a beverage container); sh = sits on shoulder; mt = mountable /
sports camera.
*np = information was not provided.
contents
full screen
Miscellaneous
Accessory Shoe: Whether the camcorder
includes a shoe for attaching accessories.
print
21
Model
Price
Recording Media
Data Format
HD Resolution
Size of Sensor(s)
LCD Aspect Ratio
Optical Zoom Power
F-Stop
Contour+
$500
MicroSD
H.264 (MOV)
1920x1080 np np
np
n
n
n
2.8 np n
n n
y
n n
n
y y
http://contour.com
ContourGPS
$300
MicroSD
H.264 (MOV)
1920x1080 np np
np
n
n
n
np
np n
n n
n
n n
n
y n n n n n np mt
ContourHD
$250
MicroSD
H.264 (MOV)
1920x1080 np np
np
n
n
n
np
np n
n n
n
n n
n
y n n n n n n
DXG
DXG-A85V
$320
128MB Int, SD/SDHC
H.264 (MOV)
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/2
3.0
16:9 12x
1.85 np n
n y
np np n
np y y
n n n n n
st
www.dxgusa.com
DXG-A80V
DXG-5B7V
$300
$170
128MB Int, SD/SDHC
128MB Int, SD/SDHC
H.264 (MOV)
H.264 (AVI)
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/2
1/3
3.0
3.0
16:9 5x
np n
3.5 e n
3.2 np n
n y
n n
np np n np y y
np np np np y y
n n n n n
n n n n n
st
u
GoPro
HD Hero Naked
$200
SD/SDHC
H.264/MPEG4
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/2.5
n
n
n
2.8 np y
n n
n
n n
n
y n n n n n n
mt
http://gopro.com
HD Hero 960
$150
SD/SDHC
H.264/MPEG4
1280x960 1 CMOS
1/2.5
n
n
n
2.8 np n
n n
n
n n
n
y n n n n n n
mt
JVC Consumer
GS-TD1
$1,700
64GB Int, SDXC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/4
3.5
16:9 10x
1.2 o
np n np y
y
np y
y y
n n n y np st
www.jvc.com
GZ-HM1S
$1,200 64GB Int, SDHC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/2
2.7
16:9 10x
2.8 o
np n np y
y
np y
y y
n n n n np st
GZ-HM400
$1,000
32GB Int, SDHC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/2
2.8
16:9 10x
2.8 o
y
y
np y
y y
n n n y y
GZ-HM960
$950
16GB Int, SDXC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/2
3.5
16:9 10x
1.8 o
np n np y
np np y
y y
n n n n np st
GZ-HM550
$800
32GB Int, SDHC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/2
2.7
16:9 10x
2.8 o
np n np n
n np y
y y
n n n n np st
GZ-HM860
$650
16GB Int, SDXC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/2
3.5
16:9 10x
1.2 o
np n np y
np np y
y y
n n n n np st
GZ-HM690
$650
64GB Int, SDXC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/4
2.7
16:9 40x
1.8 o
np n np n
n np y
n y
n n n n np st
GZ-HM670
$500
32GB Int, SDXC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/4
2.7
16:9 40x
1.8 o
np n np n
n np y
n y
n n n n np st
GZ-HD620
$650
SDHC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/4
2.7
16:9 30x
1.8 o
np n np n
n np y
y y
n n n n np st
SD/SDHC
n n n n n
print
y
np y
n n n n np mt
mt
st
GC-FM1BUS
$200
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/3
2.0
16:9 n
np
e
n
n n
n
n n
y
y y
JVC Professional
GY-HM790U
$9,995 SD/SDHC
MPEG-2/.mov/XDCAM EX
1920x1080 3 CCD
1/3
4.3
16:9 14x
1.6 o
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y n y
y y y n
sh
http://pro.jvc.com
GY-HM750U
$7,450 SD/SDHC
1920x1080 3 CCD
1/3
4.3
16:9 14x
1.6 o
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y n y
y y y n
sh
GY-HM710U
$6,950 SD/SDHC
1920x1080 3 CCD
1/3
4.3
16:9 14x
1.6 o
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y n y
y y y n
sh
GY-HM100U
$2,995 SD/SDHC
1920x1080 3 CCD
1/4
2.8
16:9 10x
1.8 o
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y y
n n n y y
st
u
y
GY-HMZ1U
$2,500 64GB Int, SD/SDHC/SDXC
MPEG-4 MVC/H.264
1920x1080 2 CMOS
1/4
3.5
16:9 5x/10x
1.2 e
y
np y
y
y
n
y y
n n n y y
st
Kodak
PLAYSPORT Zx5
$180
128MB Int, SD/SDHC
MPEG-4
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/3
2.0
4.3 n
np
e
np n np n
y
n
y
y y
n n n n n
u
www.kodak.com
PLAYSPORT Zx3
$150
128MB Int, SD/SDHC
H.264 (MOV)
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/2.5
2.0
4.3 n
np
e
np n np n
y
n
y
y y
n n n n n
u
PLAYTOUCH
$180
128MB Int, SD/SDHC
MPEG-4
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/3
3.0
4.3 n
np
e
np n np n
y
n
y
y y
n n n n n
u
PLAYFULL
$130
128MB Int, SD/SDHC
MPEG-4
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/3
1.5
4.3 n
np
e
np n np n
y
n
y
y y
n n n n n
u
Mini HD
$130
128MB Int, SD/SDHC
MJPEG
1280x720 1 CMOS
1/4
1.8
4.3 n
2.8 n
np n np n
n n
y
y n n n n n n
u
Beginner
full screen
Number of Sensors
Sensor Type
Manufacturer
Contour
Continued from page 19
For better or worse, these choices
are segmented into categories that are
dictated by price. Knowing what to
look for in the categories can aid you
in deciding just what kind of video
camcorder you want, and more importantly, truly need.
contents
Image Stabilization
Zebra Stripes
Internal ND Filter
Standard Mic Input
Headphone Jack
Speaker
USB I/O
HDMI Out
FireWire I/O
SDI Out
HD-SDI Out
Accessory Shoe(s)
Wireless Remote
Form Factor
Beginners can now use video camcorders that are not only compact in size
but in price as well. Most compact
cams keep their content on memory
hard-wired inside, which means that
you will have to off-load the video
22
to your computer. Since USB is the
usual means to do this, that’s a simple
enough affair, even as some of the
camcorders employ a built-in USB
plug, rather than a slot for attaching to the PC or Mac. Some compact
camcorders provide memory slots for
added storage. Resolution varies, but
unlike just a few years ago, a moderate
to high resolution is more the standard.
Of course, price does dictate some
compromises, for example, how long
the rechargeable battery lasts (if disposable batteries aren’t used) as well
as having to accept a digital in lieu of
optical zoom. Still camera capabiliV IDEOMAKER >>> D EcEMb ER 2011
ties are often tossed in as well. So call
these camcorders the basic buildingblock models. They’re not stripped of
features so much as they don’t have
some of them to begin with. What
they give you is the means to view
and shoot (with sound) at a moment’s
notice. That can be a pretty good thing
when a fast start up is the issue, for
example when a toddler or pet is about
to do something cute. Here are some
examples of this kind of camera.
JVC PICSIO GC-FM1/$200
This $200 portable gives you HD
video, although some might complain
about the lack of any optical zoom
— there’s a 4X digital zoom only. An
SDHC card slot (up to 32GBs) requires
an added purchase of a memory card
since onboard memory is unavailable. Macro-capability is another
added benefit, as is the built-in HDMI
output. The 1/3.2 inch CMOS optical
sensor does its thing and presents
it on a 2-inch color screen, which
is more than enough real estate
for viewing during shooting. It also
includes an 8-megapixel still camera,
electronic stabilization and a built-in
flash as well.
Sony 3D Bloggie HD Camera/$250
This rechargeable Bloggie is similar
Samsung
www.samsung.com
Toshiba
http://us.toshiba.com
contents
Kodak
www.kodak.com
full screen
DXG
www.dxgusa.com
print
23
contents
full screen
print
HD Resolution
Size of Sensor(s)
LCD Aspect Ratio
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 3 MOS
1/4
3.5
16:9 12x
1.5 o
y
y
np y
y
np y
y y
n n n y np st
$1,100
32GB Int, SD/SDHC/SDXC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 3 MOS
1/4
3.5
16:9 12x
1.5 o
y
y
np y
y
np y
y y
n n n y np st
HDC-SDT750
$1,000
SD/SDHC/SDXC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 3 MOS
1/4
3.0
16:9 12x
1.5 o
np y
np y
y
np y
y y
n n n y np st
HDC-SD800
$850
SD/SDHC/SDXC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 3 MOS
1/4
3.5
16:9 12x
1.5 o
y
n np n
n np y
y y
n n n n np st
HDC-TM90
$600
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 1 MOS
1/4
3.0
16:9 21x
1.8 o
y
n np y
n np y
y y
n n n y np st
HDC-HS80
$600
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 1 MOS
1/6
2.7
16:9 37x
1.8 o
y
n np n
n np y
y y
n n n n np st
HDC-SD90
$550
SD/SDHC/SDXC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 1 MOS
1/4
3.0
16:9 21x
1.8 o
y
n np y
n np y
y y
n n n y np st
HDC-SD80
$550
SD/SDHC/SDXC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 1 MOS
1/6
2.7
16:9 34x
1.8 o
y
n np n
n np y
y y
n n n n np st
HDC-TM10
$550
8GB Int, SD/SDHC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 1 MOS
1/6
2.7
16:9 16x
1.8 o
y
n np n
n np y
y y
n n n n np st
HDC-TM80
$500
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 1 MOS
1/6
2.7
16:9 34x
1.8 o
y
n np n
n np y
y y
n n n n np st
HDC-TM40
HX-WA10
$400
$350
SD/SDHC/SDXC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 1 MOS
1920x1080 1 BSI MOS
1/6
1/2
2.7
2.6
16:9 16.8x
16:9 5x
1.8 o
3.5 e
y
y
n np n
n n n
n np y
n n y
y y
y y
n n n n np st
n n n n n u
HX-DC10
$280
SD/SDHC/SDXC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 1 BSI MOS
1/2
3.0
16:9 5x
3.5 e
y
n n
n
n n
y
y y
n n n n n
u
HX-DC1
$200
SD/SDHC/SDXC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 1 MOS
1/2
3.0
16:9 5x
3.5 e
n
n n
n
n n
y
y y
n n n n n
u
HM-TA1
$160
SD/SDHC/SDXC
2
np
MP4
1920x1080 1 MOS
1/4
2.8 e
n
n n
np np n
y
y n n n n n n
u
Panasonic Professional AG-AF100
$4,995 SD, SDHC, SDXC
MPEG4-AVC / H.264
1920x1080 3 MOS
Four Thirds 3.5
16:9 np
np
o
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y y
st
www.panasonic.com
AG-HVX200A
$4,295 P2 Cards
DVCPRO HD
1080x720 3 CCD
1/3
3.5
16:9 13x
1.6 o
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y n y
n n y y
st
AG-HPX170
$3,795 P2 Cards
DVCPRO HD
1080x720 3 CCD
1/3
3.5
16:9 13x
1.6 o
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y n y
y y y y
st
AG-HMC150
$3,495 SD/SDHC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 3 CCD
1/3
3.5
16:9 13x
1.6 o
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y y
n y y y y
st
AG-DVX100B
$3,175
SD/SDHC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 3 CCD
1/3
3.5
16:9 np
1.6 o
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
n n y
n n y y
st
AG-HMC80
$2,550 SD/SDHC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 3 MOS
1/4
2.7
16:9 12x
1.8 o
y
y
n
y
y
y
y
y y
y
n n y y
sh
AG-HMC40
$1,995 SD/SDHC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 3 MOS
1/4
2.7
16:9 12x
1.8 o
y
y
n
y
y
y
y
y y
n n n y y
st
AG-HCK10G*
$1,800 SD/SDHC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 3 MOS
1/4
3.5
16:9 12x
1.8 o
y
y
n
y
y
n
y
y y
n y y y n
mt
AG-AC7
$1,300 SD/SDHC/SDXC
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
1920x1080 3 MOS
1/4
2.7
16:9 16.8x
1.8 o
n
y
n
y
np n
y
y y
n n n np n
sh
Samsung
HMX-H304
$500
SD/SDHC
H.264
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/4
3.0
16:9 30x
1.8 o
n
n n
n
n n
y
y y
y
n n n n
st
www.samsung.com
HMX-H300
$400
SD/SDHC
H.264
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/4
3.0
16:9 30x
1.8 o
n
n n
n
n n
y
y y
y
n n n n
st
HMX-Q10
$300
SD/SDHC
H.264
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/4
2.7
16:9 20x
1.8 o
n
n n
n
n n
y
y y
n n n n n
st
in many ways to its 2-hour HD recording sibling - for example it employs
a USB connector, has digital zoom,
a 1/4-inch sensor and still shooting
capabilities. But unlike the other Bloggies, this model records in 3D at full
1920x1080p high-resolution. Upping
the internal memory (8GBs) means
four hours of recording (in 2D) before
it’s quitting time. And look Ma... no
glasses! You can review the 3D view
on the 2.4-inch LCD color screen with
just your eyeballs working.
Intermediate
For those who want to stretch their
video “muscles,” but not give up ease
24
or convenience, there’s the intermediate video camcorder. These are priced
a bit higher than beginner models,
but the additional cost translates
into valuable features, for example,
optical zoom (working with a more
expensive, better resolution glass lens)
and in-camera editing capabilities.
Intermediate camcorders require a
bit more effort to use correctly - like
manual focus and manual iris compared to that of lower priced cam. A
faster startup is common as well, as is
a design that makes for longer video
sessions, due to more comfortable
grips and ergonomic design. These
camcorders will still make the grade
V IDEOMAKER >>> D EcEMb ER 2011
when it comes to “impulse” shooting,
but the results will be more professional. Here are some examples of this
kind of camera.
Samsung HMX-H304 16GB Long
Zoom Full HD Camcorder/$500
While the name carries most of the
description, it doesn’t point out that the
3-inch LCD color panel is touch-sensitive, or that the 16GBs of solid state
memory is good for three hours of full
high-definition video. “Long Zoom” refers to 30X for the optical-grade glass as
it transfers what it sees to the 1/4-inch
BSI, or Backside Illuminated CMOS sensor whose sensitivity makes it a good
choice for low-light imaging.
Canon VIXIA HF M31/$700
This Canon features 32GBs of internal flash memory that can be used
for recording. SD card storage is also
available. There’s a 15X optical glass
lens (F-stop 1.8-3.2) for light gathering
power, and a 1/4-inch CMOS sensor
to process the light. Full 1080p HD
resolution, no surprise, and variable
recording speeds, automatic exposure
and auto white balance (with manual
override) will suit your needs at any
given time. This camera also has image stabilization, a widescreen touchscreen 2.7-inch LCD color panel for
observing and accessing controls, film
(24p) and video (30p) frame modes
n
F-Stop
Data Format
$1,400 220GB Int, SD/SDHC/SDXC
HDC-TM900
Optical Zoom Power
Price
HDC-HS900
www.panasonic.com
Number of Sensors
Sensor Type
Model
Panasonic Consumer
Recording Media
Manufacturer
Image Stabilization
Zebra Stripes
Internal ND Filter
Standard Mic Input
Headphone Jack
Speaker
USB I/O
HDMI Out
FireWire I/O
SDI Out
HD-SDI Out
Accessory Shoe(s)
Wireless Remote
Form Factor
n y y y y
JVC Consumer
www.jvc.com
Contour
http://contour.com
contents
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Panasonic Consumer
www.panasonic.com
print
25
Size of Sensor(s)
LCD Aspect Ratio
Optical Zoom Power
F-Stop
Image Stabilization
Zebra Stripes
Internal ND Filter
Standard Mic Input
Headphone Jack
Speaker
USB I/O
HDMI Out
FireWire I/O
SDI Out
HD-SDI Out
Accessory Shoe(s)
Wireless Remote
Form Factor
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
y
n
n
n
y
n
n
n
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
y
n
n
n
y
st
st
u
st
1920x1080 2 Exmor R CMOS 1/4
1920x1080 1 Exmor R CMOS 1/3
1920x1080 1 Exmor R CMOS 1/3
1920x1080 1 Exmor R CMOS 1/4
3.5
3.0
16:9 10x - 3D; 12x - 2D 1.8
16:9 10x
1.8
1.8
16:9 10x
16:9 12x
1.8
o
o
y
y
n
y
n
n
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
n
n
y
y
st
st
o
o
y
n
n
n
n
n
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
n
n
n n y
n n y
n n y
y
y
st
st
1920x1080 1 Exmor R CMOS 1/4
1920x1080 1 Exmor R CMOS 1/4
1920x1080 1 Exmor R CMOS 1/4
1920x1080 1 Exmor R CMOS 1/4
3.0
3.0
16:9 30x
16:9 12x
16:9 12x
1.8
1.8
o
o
n
y
n
n
n
n
y
y
n
y
n
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
n
n
n
y
st
st
o
o
y
n
n
n
n
n
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
n
n
y
y
st
st
1920x1080 1 Exmor R CMOS
1920x1080 1 Exmor R CMOS
1920x1080
Exmor CMOS
1/4
1/5
3.0
2.7
16:9 30x
16:9 30x
16:9 10x
1.8
1.8
1.8
1.8
o
e
n
n
n
n
n
n
y
n
n
n
n
n
y
y
y
y
y
y
n
n
st
u
1/4
1/4
2.4
2.7
16:9 n
16:9 n
2.8 e
2.8 e
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
y
y
y
y
y
y
n
n
n
n n n n
n n n n
n n n n
Number of Sensors
Sensor Type
n
n
n
y
HD Resolution
n
n
n
y
Data Format
e
e
e
o
H.264
H.264
H.264
AVCHD 2.0
np
np
1920x1080
1920x1080
1
1
1
1
HDR-TD10
HDR-CX700V
$1,500
$1,300
64GB Int, SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick PRO Duo
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
HDR-CX560V
HDR-CX360V
$1,100
$800
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
HDR-CX160
HDR-PJ50V
$500
$1,000
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
HDR-PJ30V
HDR-PJ10
$950
$700
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
HDR-XR160
HDR-TG5
$600
$600
16GB Int, Memory Stick PRO Duo
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
8GB Int
4GB Int
MP4, MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
MP4, MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
Panasonic Professional
www.panasonic.com
Those wanting a more professional
video camcorder will turn to the
advanced models - also called “prosumer” by some. These models don’t
forsake features for convenience. They
build on solid performance by increasing the capabilities from one end
to the other, for example, the lightgathering capacity of the lens and the
stability of the image as it’s captured.
These camcorders play real nice with
computer video editing programs, yet
while you may be looking at a higher
cost than an intermediate model,
most are in the $1500 and up price
range. Of course the sensor capturing
Canon Professional
www.usa.canon.com
JVC Professional
http://pro.jvc.com
26
1.8
1.8
2.2
n/a
SD/SDHC
SD/SDHC
SD/SDHC
SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick PRO Duo
Advanced Consumer Cams
print
52x
52x
3x
n/a
$280
$180
$160
$1,600
and multiple built-in mics for processing 5.1 surround sound.
full screen
16:9
16:9
16:9
16:9
SMX-F53
SMX-F50
HMX-W200
NEX-VG20
3D Bloggie MHS-FS3 $250
$150
Bloggie MHS-FS2
contents
2.7
2.7
2.3
3.0
Recording Media
Sony Consumer
http://store.sony.com
1/4
1/4
1/4
APS-C
Price
Samsung
www.samsung.com
Model
Manufacturer
CMOS
CMOS
CMOS
Exmor R CMOS
1920x1080 1 Exmor CMOS
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
n
n
n
n
n n y
n n n
n n y
n n y
n n n
n n np
u
u
the video is much “beefier” than intermediate models, resulting in a vibrant
and highly detailed image, not to mention the camera has more options for
audio capturing as well as the ability
to add accessories. One thing that will
always stand out with a camera in this
price range is that you’re in control,
because manual overrides are present.
Here are some examples.
Sony NEX-VG20 Interchangeable
Lens Handycam/$1600
Of all the advanced-style camcorders, the Sony NEX-VG20 stands out
from the rest. The reason? It has interchangeable lenses - a feature often
only found on DSLRs and professional
camcorders. Combine this with the
camcorder’s large APS-C style sensor
and the VG20 can capture shallower
depth of field than you typically see
at this price range. Besides the image,
the camcorder includes a quad-capsule spatial array microphone, which
supports surround sound recording.
In still mode, the camera also captures
RAW images which look crisp on the
3-inch LCD screen.
JVC Everio GZ-HD6/$2300
Let’s focus on what makes this
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27
Price
Data Format
HD Resolution
Size of Sensor(s)
LCD Aspect Ratio
Optical Zoom Power
F-Stop
Image Stabilization
Zebra Stripes
Internal ND Filter
Standard Mic Input
Headphone Jack
Speaker
USB I/O
HDMI Out
FireWire I/O
SDI Out
HD-SDI Out
Accessory Shoe(s)
Wireless Remote
Form Factor
HVR-S270U
$8,700 MiniHDV, DVCAM, MiniDV
MPEG-2
1440x1080 3 CMOS
1/3
3.2
16:9 12x
1.6
o
y
np y
y
y
y
y
n n
y
y
pro.sony.com
HVR-Z7U
$6,850 MiniHDV, DVCAM, MiniDV
MPEG-2
1440x1080 3 CMOS
1/3
3.2
16:9 12x
1.6
o
y
np y
y
y
y
y
n n
y
n n y
y
st
NEX-FS100U
$5,850 FMU, SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick PRO Duo
HD MPEG-4 AVCHD, MPEG-2
1920x1080 1 CMOS
Super35
3.5
16:9 np
np
o
y
np n
y
y
y
y
y
y
n
n n y
y
st
HVR-Z5U
$4,950 MiniDV
MPEG-2
1440x1080 3 CMOS
1/3
3.2
16:9 30x
1.6
o
y
np y
y
y
y
y
n y
y
n n y
y
st
HXR-NX5U
$4,950 SD/SDHC, Memory Stick PRO Duo
AVCHD / MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, MPEG-2
1920x1080 3 CMOS
1/3
3.2
16:9 20x
1.6
o
y
np np y
n
y
y
y
y
n
y
y
y
st
HXR-NX70U
$3,200 96GB Int, SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick PRO Duo
HD MPEG-4 AVCHD, MPEG-2
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/3
3.5
16:9 10x
1.8
o
np np np y
y
np np y
n
n
n n y
n
st
HVR-V1U
$4,230 MiniDV
MPEG-2
1920X1080 3 CMOS
1/4
3.5
16:9 20x
1.6
o
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
np np y
y
st
HXR-NX3D1U
$3,400 96GB Int, SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick PRO Duo
MVC (3D), MPEG4-AVC, MPEG2-PS
1920x1080 2 CMOS
1/4
3.5
16:9 10x
np
o
np np np y
y
y
np y
y
n
n n y
np st
HVR-A1U
$2,750 MiniDV
MPEG-2
1440x1080 1 CMOS
1/3
2.7
16:9 10x
1.6
np y
np y
y
y
y
y
n
n
np np y
y
st
HVR-HD1000U
$1,950
MiniDV, Memory Stick PRO Duo
MPEG-2
1440x1080 1 CMOS
1/3
2.7
16:9 10x
1.6
np np np np y
y
y
y
y
y
y
np np y
y
sh
HXR-MC2000U
$1,999
64GB Int, SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick PRO Duo
AVCHD
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/4
2.7
16:9 12x
1.8
o
np np np y
y
np np y
y
n
n n y
n
sh
HXR-MC50U
$1,695
HDD, SD/SDHC, Memory Stick PRO Duo
AVCHD, MPEG-2
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1/3
3.5
16:9 10x
1.8
np np np np y
y
y
y
y
n
np np y
y
st
Toshiba
CAMILEO X100
$350
4GB Int, SD/SDHC
H.264 / AVI
1920x1080 1 CMOS
np
3.0
np
10x
2
e
np np np np np n
np y
y
n
n n n y
st
http://us.toshiba.com
CAMILEO S30
$180
128MB Int, SD/SDHC/SDXC
H.264
1920x1080 1 CMOS
np
3.0
np
n
2.5 e
n
n
n
n
y
y
y
n
n n n n
u
CAMILEO P100
CAMILEO BW10
$180
$115
MP4 H.264
MP4 H.264
1920x1080 1 CMOS
1920x1080 1 CMOS
np
np
3.0
2.0
16:9 5x
np 10x
3.5 e
2.8 e
n
n
n
n
n
n
np np n
np np n
np y
np y
y
y
n
n
n n n n
n n n n
u
u
model stand out - first, a 120GB hard
drive working inside (MicroSD slot,
too). Add a Fujinon F1.8/1.9 10X
optical glass zoom (image stabilized
optically as well). Capturing 1080i HD
video, courtesy of a 3CCD imaging
system (1/5-inch sensor) - incorporating 16:9 progressive scans - it is much
smaller than the previous JVC model.
It has multiple recording speeds
for up to 24 hours of record time, a
focus assist to let you be the person
in charge and not the electronics,
and all the outputs you could ask for
(FireWire/iLink, USB, HDMI, etc.), 2.8inch color LCD screen and a built-in
stereo mic too.
Professional
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There’s a point where cost translates
into proven value. In this case, that
means a few thousand dollars will
translate into the best video image
you can get without renting high-end,
highly expensive gear. The professional-end camcorders are less about
“special” features than they are about
the quality of the components - this is
not where you go to cut costs. What
they’re all about is giving you greater
28
control over what you’re shooting.
Blending man and machine, you
might say, so that the video results are
top-notch. Here are some examples of
this kind of camera.
Canon XH A1S/$3999
Though this Canon camcorder
shoots in HDV (1440x1080), it still has
the ability to capture beautifully crisp
images using its series of three 1/3inch sensors and a F1.6-3.5 lens. The
camera has a host of external controls
for setting everything from your neutral density filters, to gain, zoom, focus,
white balance, audio levels, and exposure. The XH A1 also includes a handy
20x optical zoom, XLR inputs, and
optical image stabilization technology
for smoother shots. Like any good professional camera, it comes with a large
2.8-inch screen and a BNC-style port to
get video to another larger display.
Panasonic Professional AGHMC40/$1995
The Panasonic’s 12X optical
F1.8/2.8 Leica Dicomar lens (13 elements in 10 groups) includes a wideangle setting, an extremely smooth
zoom and optical image stabilizing.
The 3-megapixel, progressive 1/4V IDEOMAKER >>> D EcEMb ER 2011
inch 3MOS imagers provide for full
HD resolution that ranges from 720p
(24/30/60 frames per second) to 1080
(at 24/30 frames per second for 1080p,
or 60 frames per second for 1080i).
10.6-megapixel still images can also be
taken. There is a 2.7-inch 16:9 color
touchscreen LCD and shooting assist
functions, including a focus bar, face
detection and waveform monitor for
green screen work. A remote control
can also be used to control functions;
for example, zoom, focus and start and
stop. Video is stored on a high capacity
SD memory card.
POV
Point-Of-View camcorders are designed not just to shoot where ordinary camcorders fear to tread, but to
tough out the results when falling to
the ground, smacking into a tree or
otherwise taking a beating. POV camcorders don’t skimp on the features
though, some are even capable of
shooting underwater video. Here are
some examples.
Contour ContourGPS HD/$300
1080p HD recording at 30 frames
per second gets lightweight — 5.3
Number of Sensors
Sensor Type
Model
Sony Professional
Recording Media
Manufacturer
ounces to be precise — in a barrellike design that begs for gripping.
There’s still enough space, though,
to include an omnidirectional
mic and a 135-degree wide-angle
lens operating at three resolutions
(1080p/960p/720p) and two frame
rates (30/60). The camera is capable
of shooting stills, too. But it’s the
extras that rate a bow here: besides
being able to shoot PAL (European
standard) as well as NTSC, there’s
built-in GPS to track location, speed
and altitude. Bluetooth, meanwhile,
turns your iPhone into a remote
viewfinder in real-time. The camera
is MicroSD card capable, but there’s
USB out as well, all in one tough aluminum, water-resistant body.
Drift Innovation HD170 Stealth Action Camera/$350
You wouldn’t expect a helmet
cam-type camcorder to have an LCD
screen (1.5 inch) or a 300-degree
rotating lens, but the HD170 has that
as well as 1080p HD operating at 30
frames a second. You can even turn it
into “stealth” with hands-off control,
courtesy of an RF remote. Add features like built in memory (32 mega-
y
y
bytes) and an SD card slot, 5 megapixel still photos, a night-mode and
narrow or wide views – 170-degrees
versus 127-degrees depending on
whether you choose 1080p or 720p
- to find this camcorder becomes useful for almost any situation.
GoPro HD Helmet HERO/$240
The first and foremost feature of
the HERO is that it is wearable. Once
you get past the fact that the camera
is your third eye, you’re good to go
with a 1080p, 960p or 720p resolution covering everything you see
- your choice of 30 or 60 frames a
second (60 only at 720p). The HERO
can also snap five megapixel still
photos. The SD card slot takes care
of the storage needs, while the fixed
focus glass lens (F-stop/2.8 - 1/2.5
inch HD CMOS sensor) covers a
170-degree wide-angle view (127 in
1080p). Auto white balance and auto
exposure control work their magic in
conjunction with low-light sensitivity to capture the moment. Connections include an 1/8-inch mic input
(though one is built-in) and outputs
for high-definition video. The camera
is waterproof (with the appropriate
y
n
n
y
y
y
y
np sh
housing) and shockproof, too.
The Choice Is Yours
What shouldn’t be lost in the discussion of which video camcorder best
suits your needs is the elephant in the
room: the smartphone that records
video. Certainly this has made video
more intimate, as many people now
have their phones grafted to their
bodies for all practical purposes, but
a multi-purpose device can never
perform as well as one that is devoted to a single task. Besides, there’s
something visceral about pulling out a
video camcorder that screams out its
purpose - certainly it’s not about making a phone call! As long as there are
folks looking to capture events, make
memories or tell stories, there’ll be the
need for a video camcorder to be an
active participant.
Marshal M. Rosenthal is a technology and
consumer electronics freelance writer.
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• •
www.615music.com
•
Adobe
www.adobe.com
Air Power Stock Library
www.airpowerstock.com
AirCraft Music Library
www.aircraftmusiclibrary.com •
A Luna Blue
www.alunablue.com
ActionBacks
www.actionbacks.com
AlwaysHD
www.alwayshd.com
•
America By Air
www.americabyair.com
•
Animation Factory
www.animationfactory.com
AniStock
www.anistock.com
Apple
www.apple.com
Artbeats
www.artbeats.com
Arturia
www.arturia.com
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FootageBank HD
www.footagebank.com
•
Fish Films Footage World
www.footageworld.com
•
•
•
www.flyinghands.com
•
www.footagefirm.com
• •
FootageHouse
www.footagehouse.com
•
Footage Search
www.footagesearch.com
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FootageLand
www.footageland.com
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Fotosearch
www.fotosearch.com
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Framepool
www.framepool.com
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Free Stock Footage
www.freestockfootage.com
Freeplay Music
www.freeplaymusic.com
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www.bbcmotiongallery.com
Flying Hands
Footage Firm
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Associated Production Music www.apmmusic.com
BBC Motion Gallery
•
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•
Music Libraries
Sound FX Libraries
Music Creation Software
Stock Video / Photos
Stock Animations
www.2b-royaltyfree.com
615 Music
Website
2b Royalty Free
Company
www.12inchdesign.com
Stock Animations
Website
Music Libraries
Sound FX Libraries
Company
12 Inch Design
•
What is Stock Footage?
Fresh Music Library
www.freshmusic.com
•
Gary Lamb International
www.royaltyfree.com
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Gene Michael Productions
www.gmpmusic.com
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Getty Images
www.gettyimages.com
•
Global Cuts
www.globalcuts.com
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•
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Global ImageWorks
www.globalimageworks.com
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•
Greenscreen Animals
www.greenscreenanimals.com
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Best Shot
www.bestshotfootage.com
•
Historic Films
www.historicfilms.com
•
Blastwave FX
www.blastwavefx.com
The Hollywood Edge
www.hollywoodedge.com
Buyout Footage
www.buyoutfootage.com
Hypereye
www.hypereye.tv
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Cakewalk
www.cakewalk.com
Iamusic
www.iamusic.com
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www.capitaldvstudio.com
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IB Audio
www.ibaudio.com
•
CGPlanet
www.cgplanet.net
•
•
Image Line Software
www.image-line.com
•
Classic Video Products
www.classicvideoproducts.com
•
•
Instant Imagers
www.instantimagers.com
Creative Video Products
www.creativevideopro.com
•
iStockphoto
www.istockphoto.com
CSS Music
www.cssmusic.com
ITN Source
www.itnsource.com
Dakotalapse
http://dakotalapse.com
Jeco Music
www.jecomusic.com
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www.davenportmusic.com
Killer Tracks
www.killertracks.com
www.virtualset-designs.com
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Last Frontier Footage
www.lastfrontierfootage.com
Digital Hotcakes
TriLab Productions
www.animationsforvideo.com
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Lazertrax Music Library
www.lazertrax.com
•
LicenseMusic
www.licensemusic.com
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Digital Juice
www.digitaljuice.com
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MAGIX
www.magix.com
Downloops
www.downloops.com
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Mammoth HD
www.mammothhd.com
DJFX
www.djfx.com
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Manchester Music
Dvarchive
www.dvarchive.com
www.manchestermusiclibrary. •
com
Editableclips
www.editableclips.com
eFootage
www.efootage.com
Elite Video
www.elitevideo.com
•
Extreme Music
www.extrememusic.com
FirstCom Music
www.firstcom.com
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•
•
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Manhattan Production Music
www.mpmmusic.com
•
www.massivetracks.net
•
MediaMinistryStuff
www.mediaministrystuff.com
•
Megatrax
www.megatrax.com
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MotionElements
www.motionelements.com
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•
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Massivetracks
•
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Davenport Music Library
•
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Digital Associations
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Capital DV Studio
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Bennett-Watt HD Productions www.bennett-watt.com
•
•
I
mages, videos, sound effects, and
music — they all add to the mood
and color of every good story. They
are like the spices that are added to a
gourmet dish, so subtle you can’t even
tell they’re there, yet without them the
meal would be dull and incomplete.
Unattractive images or even just
plain, ordinary ones can ruin any
video production, no matter how good
the script. Think of how much better
the story would be if you had a good
script and outstanding pictures and
sound. Those are the elements - the
“spice” one finds, in every successful,
award-winning production.
But, if your crew and resources are
limited, how do you get your hands
on eye-catching pictures and sound?
You use stock footage.
Stock footage is generic, royalty-free
film or video footage, photographs,
music and sound effects that assist in
the creation of video or film projects.
There are many agencies that own the
copyrights to collections of stock and,
for a fee, filmmakers can purchase the
stock footage they need in a matter of
minutes. Most stock companies do not
demand royalties. Their stock footage
comes from many different sources:
the artists themselves, movies and
television programs, news corporations
and custom-made generic footage.
One of the reasons stock is so popular among video creators and filmmakers is cost. It is often less expensive to
obtain stock footage than it is to hire a
crew to shoot new material. The use of
stock footage saves a director and producer time and money in the making of
a great video production. There are literally thousands, if not millions, of stock
footage photos, videos, diagrams and
illustrations from companies all over
the world to choose from, and they can
be downloaded to your computer desktop in a matter of minutes. Many stock
websites offer direct downloads of clips
in various formats, both compressed
and uncompressed, HD and SD.
The First Step
•
•
•
•
You start by registering on stock websites. There are quite a few reputable
ones out there where you can find
not only stock video and film, but
also stock photos, vectors, music and
sound effects. Some require a registration fee, but others do not. This
means that a person can review the
stock footage before downloading it to
their computer. Some stock sites will
even allow you to download the stock
you want to use so you can test it out
in your production before you buy it.
When you decide to buy, you pay for it
and immediately download it. Within
minutes you will have it in your video
editing program, ready to cut into your
project. There are many stock websites out there. Let’s look at a few of
the more popular sites such as Pond5,
Footage Firm, Shutterstock, Premiumbeat, and NEO Sounds.
Pond5.com
Pond5 is a virtual marketplace for
royalty-free stock video, sound effects and music. Its stock library
includes a large collection of royaltyfree video, as well as music tracks and
sound effects. It even has customizable After Effects projects that you
can import into your editing timeline.
Pond5’s high quality stock is within
everyone’s means, with prices starting
at just $1 for an audio clip and $5 for
a video clip. Pond5 is one of the most
affordable stock video companies in
the industry, because prices are set by
the contributing artists themselves.
Footagefirm.com
Footage Firm is a stock site which
provides HD and SD royalty-free stock
clips from just about anywhere in the
world. This alone is of tremendous value to video producers as it eliminates
travel expenses. It has a large selection
of US and international cities, sports,
animals and special effects. They are
one of the few footage agencies which
require no licensing fees, no research
fees, unlimited usage, no extra fees for
commercial or worldwide usage and a
satisfaction guarantee. A 30-60 minute
collection of SD stock clips is priced at
$149 while an HD collection is priced
at $249. Footage Firm also has a nice library of stock music and sound effects.
Shutterstock.com
Shutterstock is one of the largest stock
photo and video agencies in the world.
It is subscriber-based and its prices
vary depending on which plan you
choose. With a 25-A-Day Subscription
AZDEN SHOTGUN
MICROPHONES
A SOUND WAY TO
IMPROVE YOUR
AUDIO QUALITY
SGM-PDII
A small high performance replacement mic
for high performance camera's. The SGM-PDII
operates only on phantom power (11-52 VDC)
supplied by the camera. Great sound, directional pick-up, windscreen and shock mount
holder all included.
SGM-1000
Wide frequency response, low noise and
super directional, the SGM-1000 operates
on 12-48V phantom power or 1 "AAA"
battery. A windscreen and shock mount
holder are included.
SGM-2X
At just under 16" long the super directional
SGM-2X is great on boom poles or large body
cameras. A short barrel for omni operation,
2 windscreens and shock mount holder
are included.
SGM-1X
At under 12" long the SGM-1X offers all the
great performance of the SGM-1000, but
works on battery power only. The 1X comes
with a shock-mount holder and windscreen.
SGM-X
The small 8.5" high-performance SGM-X is
a complete system. Includes windscreen,
shock-mount holder, battery and mini plug
output cable. Ideal for HD-SLR's and
smaller DV Cams.
contents
®
full screen
P.O. Box 10, Franklin Square, NY 11010
(516) 328-7500 • FAX: (516) 328-7506
Additional information at www.azdencorp.com
or your local Azden retailer.
print
33
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34
Company
Website
Music Libraries
Sound FX Libraries
Stock Animations
Music Libraries
Sound FX Libraries
Stock Animations
• • •
• •
Sonomic
www.sonomic.com
•
Sony Creative Software
www.sonycreativesoftware.com • • •
•
SoundFX
www.soundfx.com
• •
Sound Ideas
www.sound-ideas.com
• •
The Sound Effects Library
www.sound-effects-library.com • •
Website
full screen
www.smartsound.com
Company
buyers guide
Stock Media
contents
SmartSound
MotionLoops
www.motionloops.com
Music 2 Hues
www.music2hues.com
The Music Bakery
www.musicbakery.com
Music Loops
www.musicloops.com
MyFootage.com
www.myfootage.com
Narrator Tracks
www.ntracks.com
Nautilus Productions
www.nautilusproductions.com
Stock20
www.stock20.com
NEO Sounds
www.neosounds.com
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StockFootageForFree.com
www.stockfootageforfree.com
•
Nightingale Music
Productions
www.nightingalemusic.com
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Stock Footage Market
www.stockfootagemarket.com
•
StockMusic.com
www.stockmusic.com
Non-Stop Music
www.nonstopmusic.com
•
Stockr3d
http://stockr3d.com
OceanFootage
www.oceanfootage.com
•
Streamwerx
www.streamwerx.com
OddBall Film+Video
www.oddballfilm.com
•
Studio Productions
www.studioproductions.com
• •
OGM Music
www.ogmmusic.com
•
Studio Cutz
www.studiocutz.com
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Omnimusic
www.omnimusic.com
• •
Suite Imagery LLC
www.suiteimagery.com
Opus 1
www.opus1musiclibrary.com
•
Tele Music
www.telemusic.fr
•
Opuzz
www.opuzz.com
•
•
PG Music
www.pgmusic.com
Phoenix Clips
www.phoenixclips.com
• •
•
Pond5
www.pond5.com
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•
Premiumbeat
www.premiumbeat.com
•
Pro Aerial Video
www.proaerialvideo.com
Tunepresto
www.tunepresto.com
•
PBTM Music Library
www.pbtm.com
•
Twistedtracks.com
www.twistedtracks.com
• •
Production Garden Music
www.productiongarden.com
• •
U&I Software
www.uisoftware.com
Pump Audio
www.pumpaudio.com
•
UniqueTracks
www.uniquetracks.com
RAB-BYTE
www.rab-byte.com
Unlimted Stock Media
www.unlimitedstockmedia.com
Raven on the Mountain
www.seiurusvideo.com
Ultimate Chase
www.ultimatechase.com
RevoStock
www.revostock.com
Valentino Music
www.tvmusic.com
RioVista-Media
www.riovista-media.com
•
Video Blocks
www.videoblocks.com
Ribbit Films
www.ribbitfilms.com
•
Video Copilot
www.videocopilot.net
Rocketclips
www.rocketclips.com
•
Videometry
www.videometry.com
• •
Royalty Free HD
www.royaltyfreehd.com
•
VCE Films
www.vcefilms.com
• •
Royalty-Free Music
www.royaltyfreemusic.com
Wavebreak Media
www.wavebreakmedia.com
• •
Royalty Free Stock Footage
www.royaltyfreestockvideofootage.com
Webtones Music
www.instantroyaltyfreemusic. • •
com
Royalty-Free.TV
www.royalty-free.tv
Wilderness Video
www.wildernessvideo.com
•
Rue Wildlife Photos
www.ruevideo.com
WorldClips
www.worldclips.tv
•
Shockwave-Sound
www.shockwave-sound.com
WorshipFilms.com
www.worshipfilms.com
• •
ShowStoppersFX
www.showstoppersfx.com
WPA Film Library
www.wpafilmlibrary.com
•
Shutterstock
www.shutterstock.com
Signature Music Library
www.sigmusic.us
•
•
•
•
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•
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•
•
•
Thought Equity
www.thoughtequity.com
•
•
Time Image
www.timeimage.com
Triple Scoop Music
www.triplescoopmusic.com
•
•
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•
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www.third-coast-music.com
number of images any time within a
year. On Demand prices vary depending
on whether you purchase Standard or
HD footage, tiff, jpeg or vector images,
and the size of the image or footage.
Shutterstock.com has been listed as
among the top ten best Photoshop stock
photo sites on the web.
Premiumbeat.com
• •
www.thirdmillenniumfilms.net
•
•
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Third Coast Music
•
•
•
Third Millennium Films
•
• •
•
plan, you can download 25 images
a day from the collection for $249
a month. On the other end of the
spectrum is the $2,559 a year plan. It
also has an On Demand subscription
plan where you can download a fixed
Premiumbeat is a father and sonowned stock agency that provides
high quality royalty-free music only.
They claim to hand-pick their collection of stock music, preferring to work
with only a select few musicians and
composers. All music on Premiumbeat
is 100% Legal Copyright Clear music.
All music on the site is Exclusive
Music and you will not find this music
anywhere else. Additionally, they have
added Music Players to their product
line which are also available for download. Their prices range from $30 for
short clips, loops or full-tracks, to $50
for the entire collection.
NeoSounds.com
NEO Sounds has tons of creative music
and sound effects that are available
for instant licensing and downloading. They offer two types of licenses:
the Standard License and the Mass
Market License and you can use their
music and sound effects as many times
as you like, for as long as you like. You
can even download free Lo-Fi versions
of every single music track and try it
out on your project before you buy. If
you decide to buy, you receive the Hi-Fi
version along with an official certificate
that confirms your right to use the music in accordance with the purchased
license. Their prices range from $6 for
an ident to $30 for a full-track.
Standing Out Above the Rest
There is no question that a good script
is what makes a good film or video.
Many low budget productions with
good scripts and mediocre footage are
made every day. Some are even quite
good and go on to become successful,
gaining critical praise. But it is the ones
with the best images and sound that
stand out and become not only successful but also unforgettable, leaving
an audience moved and inspired. The
right combination of words, pictures
and sound can make the difference
between a good production and an outstanding production. No wonder stock
footage sites are so popular among
film and video producers everywhere.
They’re a simple and economical solution to getting high quality pictures and
sound to match a quality script, and
they often hold the key to the makings
of a great production, one that audiences will want to experience over and
over again.
Teresa Echazabal is a freelance video editor, writer,
and producer.
• •
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VI D EO MA K ER >>> D EcEMb ER 20 11
FullPageAD_NEWTemplate.indd 48
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3/3/2011 2:19:21 PM
Smartphone
Cinematography
Webinars
Learn From the Video Experts in the
Comfort of Your Home or Office.
Videomaker Webinars
provide the information you need
quickly and effectively. These one
hour classes explain and demonstrate
essential techniques with an
opportunity for our experts to address
your individual questions. With 12
classes to choose from, Videomaker
Webinars cover all aspects of video
production, providing you with the
perfect occasion to improve in the
areas where you need it the most!
In your front pocket sits
a more sophisticated
filmmaking tool than all
of Hollywood had for the
first half of last century.
It’s your smartphone,
and in addition to
games, maps and
email, it also sports
surprisingly robust
video capabilities. So,
pause Angry Birds for
a moment and start
shooting smartphone
video you’ll want to call
home about.
$29.95 per one hour session
All attendees receive a bonus report
crammed full of additional tips we
can't fit into the presentation!
Intermediate Editing Documentary
One of the best parts of editing
Production
video is getting to see the pieces
of your story come together in a
way that enhances the moment
you're trying to capture. This
overview introduces advanced
techniques such as time remapping, compositing, multi-camera
editing and more.
Considered an art form by many,
documentary video production has
its own special challenges and rewards. Obtain the knowledge you'll
need to produce a documentary
from start to finish. With the proper
techniques you can change the
impact of your documentary.
Advanced Shooting
Lighting for Video
Becoming more efficient in your
shooting abilities will allow you
to create professional-looking
video. Learn camera placement,
creative composition, shooting
techniques, dramatic angles and
framing.
Green Screen &
Special Effects
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Contrary to popular belief, most
special effects are affordable and
easy to duplicate. Learn how to
make the most of green screen
and illusion techniques - even on
a limited budget.
The key to successful lighting is
being knowledgeable about the
lights you are working with. Learn
the foundation to great lighting,
as well as explore more advanced
techniques on creative light
manipulation.
The Art of Titles
& Graphics
Great titles and graphics can add
a professional element to your
video production, poorly done they
are a tell-tale sign of an amateur.
Learn what to do and what to avoid
while creating great-looking titles
and graphics.
Webinars
Wedding & Event
Videography
DVD Authoring
There are no "do-overs" in wedding
and event videography. You have
one chance to get the shot before
the moment has passed forever.
Learn how to to capture the essence of those once-in-a-lifetime
moments with great results.
Authoring your own DVDs can save
you money and allow you to create
a marketable product. Learn the
technical requirements for DVD
authoring, basic authoring steps, as
well as how to incorporate basic and
advanced DVD features into your
next project.
Audio for Video
Basic Editing
Making Money
with Video
Basic Video
Production
Capturing great audio is invaluable
to the process of making a video.
Learn the types of mics and their
pick-up patterns, which mics are
the best fit for each situation, and
special tips on how to capture
quality audio every time.
As a video production hobbyist, you may have contemplated
starting your own video production
business. Designed to help you go
pro, this will help you examine your
skills, assess equipment needs,
master the market and learn to sell
your services.
There is much more to editing video
than just cutting and pasting. Effective editing requires a firm grasp of
basic editing techniques. Learn the
tools of the trade, such as pacing,
continuity, transitions, and titling,
as well as how to avoid common
mistakes.
By Jay Montana
A
runaway train speeds uncontrollably through a snowy, barren
mountain pass, halted only by a
devastating explosion. Its violent
shockwave hurls the train from the
track, careening over a cliff, and
tumbling into the chasm below. A few
feet away, the Director yells, “Cut!”
then huddles with the DP around a
Whether you're interested in video
production for new business ventures or simply picking it up as hobby,
this will teach you the techniques
needed to make better video. Learn
shot composition, camera moves,
lighting and audio.
New webinars are being added weekly. To see current updated schedules, visit our Webinars page often!
www.videomaker.com/webinar
37
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Though somewhat limited, today’s smartphones
provide users with robust video capabilities. Their
size and weight also make them ideal for shooting
on-the-go.
smartphone, their camera of choice,
and checks the shot.
OK. Next summer’s blockbusters
may not be filmed on smartphones
– yet – but that scenario isn’t nearly
as implausible as it once sounded. In
just the past two years, smartphone
cinematography evolved from novelty
to art form. Experimental shorts shot
entirely with cameraphones gave way
to award-winning titles and a new
category of video production.
Get Smart
To paraphrase an old adage, the best
camera is the one you have with you.
That makes the smartphone a winner
by default. With an iPhone, BlackBerry, or similar device, the ability to
shoot always lies within arm’s reach.
And for many future video producers,
their phone will be the
camera they learn on.
Sure, trade-offs remain.
The tiny sensor and modest lens, not to mention
the limited or nonexistent
optical zoom, demand
realistic expectations.
But for every trade-off,
there’s also an advantage.
Smartphones are small,
light, ubiquitous enablers
of spontaneity and experimentation. And if a shoot
runs over, you can even
use it to call the spouse.
Shake It Up (Actually… Don’t)
A cameraphone’s diminutive frame
makes it highly susceptible to movement; in the same way ocean waves
rock a rowboat more than a cruise
ship. Anything but the most basic
handheld shots risk sending your
project into Blair Witch territory.
That doesn’t mean this year’s family
Christmas video needs to look like you
filmed during an earthquake.
First, lock the phone down. No,
not with a tiny tripod; with a real
tripod, the same one you consider
indispensable on any other shoot.
A simple device like Gary Fong’s
Tripod Adapter ($20) enables you
to attach a phone to a tripod just
as you would any other camera. In
a pinch, resting your camera on a
steady surface improves stability.
Something as simple as a wine glass,
turned upside down with your hand
resting on the base, may save an
otherwise shaky situation.
If you insist on cinematic camera
moves, consider a unit like the Steadicam Smoothee ($200). The device
takes a time-honored Hollywood
camera balancing system and shrinks
it down to mobile size. The Smoothee
promises to absorb shakes, leaving
behind only silky tracking shots and
perfect pans. The same kind of shots
would be inconceivable to pull off if
you went entirely handheld.
The same tiny form factor that exaggerates movement can also work in
your favor. Try stashing a smartphone
in out-of-the-way places to capture
unique angles. For example, affix a
phone to the end of a broom pole and
hover it over a crowd scene, or hang it
outside a moving car to capture heartracing motion.
Sweat The Details
As you move down the camera pecking order, the ability to handle a wide
range of contrast gradually decreases.
In other words, smaller cameras generally struggle with scenes containing
both bright light and inky darkness.
Composing shots thoughtfully to minimize that contrast will help hide your
camera’s humble origins (assuming
you even care to hide it).
Many phones allow basic exposure
adjustment. If you expose for a dark
Smartphones Manufacturer Listing
Apple
iPhone 4
www.apple.com
BlackBerry
contents
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Bold 9900
Bold 9930
www.blackberry.com
HTC
Droid Incredible 2
EVO 4G
HD7S
Inspire
Merge
myTouch 4G Slide
Sensation 4G
ThunderBolt
Trophy
www.htc.com
LG
Revolution
Quantum C900
www.lg.com
Motorola
Nokia
Astound
C6-01
E6-00
E7-00
N8-00
www.nokia.com
ATRIX 4G
Droid 3
Droid X
Droid X2s
www.motorola.com
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38
Samsung
Captivate
Continuum
Droid Charge
Epic 4G
Fascinate
Galaxy S II
Infuse
Vibrant
www.samsung.com
Sony Ericsson
Xperia Arc
Xperia neo
Xperia X10
Vivaz
Vivaz pro
www.sonyericsson.com
mountain range, expect the sky to
render as a solid white mass. If you expose for the sky’s billowy white clouds,
expect your mountain range to come
out like a dark, featureless splotch.
Likewise, small sensors limit a camera’s
ability to handle low light. Plan your
scenes accordingly. That great shot you
envision of the detective apprehending
some creep under the faint street lamp
may not translate on a cameraphone.
Instead, have your detective confront
the perp in his car, where the cabin
light might emit just enough glow to
achieve the intended effect.
Glasses For Your Phone
Most smartphones have a fixed, relatively wide-angle lens. That means it
captures every image at the same focal
length, resulting in a ‘sameness’ from
shot to shot. Changing it up normally
requires employing digital zoom (in
other words, blowing up the image),
which then degrades picture quality.
But now, manufacturers are creating
supplemental lenses for the phone, a
sure sign they’re beginning to take the
smartphone videography market seriously. Instead of replacing a phone’s
optics, these supplemental lenses
attach to the body of the device, covering the built-in lens. Photojojo offers
a telephoto lens for the iPhone with
8x magnification ($35). There are also
apps available to simulate the effect of
a fish-eye lens without the lens itself.
Can You Hear Me Now?
Some of the first videos that made a
splash for being shot entirely with
smartphones were music videos. For
good reason. Smartphones haven’t
experienced the same renaissance
with audio capture as they have with
video. Music videos require only nice
visuals, with the audio laid in almost
exclusively in post. That doesn’t mean
you can’t get great audio when shooting with a smartphone, it just requires
a workaround.
If you’re shooting a professional or
semi-pro production, take the money
you’re saving on a camera rental and
Devices like the Steadicam Smoothee
can help eliminate shaky footage and
provide smooth tracking shots and
pans.
apply it towards a dedicated field
recorder. High quality audio paired
with the HD output from your phone
can combine for an exceptionally
high-quality end product. However,
even the most incredible moviemaking wizardry paired with subpar audio
will fail to dazzle.
If dedicated audio gear falls outside
your budget, and you’re left using
the camera’s built-in microphone, do
everything you can to create the ideal
sound recording environment. Stay
away from windows and air conditioners, and shoot in a room far from
the street to prevent traffic noise. If
your shot allows for it, keep your
subject relatively close to the phone.
Lastly, don’t let your fingers cover the
phone’s tiny mic! One errant finger
can muffle your audio beyond repair.
An Apt App
Smartphone productions present the
perfect opportunity to venture outside your comfort zone and explore
techniques you don’t ordinarily use.
Much of this can be done entirely
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39
Workshops
Get Real Experience
Behind the Camera
when you Attend a Videomaker Workshop
with apps, some of which mimic
traditional filmmaking techniques to
surprising effect.
One example is the TiltShift video
app ($2, iTunes App Store), which
treats your video with a filter that
makes everything look miniature.
Gimmicky, yes, but for a few bucks
you can pull off what used to require
an expensive, dedicated tilt-shift lens.
Trying different video apps may inspire new ideas and lead you to shoot
something in a way you never previously conceived.
CLASS SIZES ARE SMALL
SO SEATING IS LIMITED.
REGISTER TODAY!
Go Against The Grain
The Basics of Video Production Learn video production from the ground up,
Many phones enable you to edit
video right on the device. Or, you
can import your phone footage into
the non-linear editor of your choice,
just like any other video. If you have
this option, take advantage of it.
Even the basic color correction tools
built into most non-linear editors
can work wonders and lend style
to your source video. Rather than
fight to smooth over imperfections,
try embracing them - maybe even
accentuating them with a bold color
styling. Traditionalists can opt for a
simple vignette filter, which never
fails to draw the viewer’s eye into the
frame.
There’s a good chance your footage
is grainy. In times like this, black and
white can be your best friend. For
some reason, imperfections are more
easily forgiven in black and white.
Used carelessly, it can be cliché. Used
properly, black and white conveys
drama, mood and timelessness.
Back To Basics
Smartphone cameras are highly
capable, always-available tools that are
beginning to earn the respect of filmmakers for good reason. Sure, stunning images come easier to dedicated
cameras, with their better innards and
high quality optics. But more than that
goes into a great production.
If you’re shooting on a phone, focus
on getting all the other stuff right.
Good lighting. Good composition.
And, of course, good storytelling. If
you have that last one, even the smallest camera can make a video worthy
of the biggest screen. And, of course,
don’t forget to turn off your ringer.
Jay Montana runs Kerosene Studios, a New York–based
video production company.
getting to know the equipment like the back of your hand. Get hands-on experience in the field; from
planning and shooting to lighting, audio and editing using equipment the pros use.
December 2-4, 2011 • February 24-26, 2012 • May 4-6, 2012 • October 12-14, 2012
Intensive Lighting Master the nuances of lighting. Get hands-on experience with lighting for
interviews, green screen, product shots, outdoor exteriors and more for professional level videos. Classes
are small, so you set up the lights yourself!
May 4-6, 2012
Advanced Shooting Go beyond the basic point-and-shoot, developing sophisticated
techniques with hands-on experience using a wide variety of professional level equipment including dollies,
boom arms, car mounts and helmet mounts.
October 12-14, 2012
Intensive Editing Good editing can turn lackluster footage into riveting video. We provide
laptops and Adobe professional editing software to students with a good grasp of the editing basics & help
them hone their speed and skills to a fine point!
December 2-4, 2011 • February 24-26, 2012
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go to www.videomaker.com/workshops
or Call 800-284-3226
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TO $40
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WHEN YO RLY!
UP EA
Cancellations: Cancellations must be received in writing (faxes acceptable) to Videomaker Customer Service. Notification must be received at least 21 calendar days prior to the workshop start date to receive a full
refund (less $20 registration charge). A substitute workshop date may be requested in lieu of a refund. For cancellations received between 21 and 7 calendar days prior to the workshop start date, a 50% refund applies. No cancellations, refunds or substitution dates will be given after 7 calendar days prior to the workshop start date. Videomaker, Inc. reserves the right to cancel a workshop up to 1 month prior to the workshop
start date. Mail cancellation/refund requests to: Videomaker Customer Service (Workshop), P.O. Box 4591, Chico, CA 95927-4591. Fax: 530-891-8443, Attn Customer Service.
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Try A Trial Videomaker Plus
Membership, Risk-Free!
A compilation of all of the stories that appeared in Videomaker
magazine in 2011. The article # listed coincides with the reference
number on the Videomaker website. You can find the article by
adding the article # to the end of this URL: www.videomaker.com/
article/__________
What You Get:
BUYER’S GUIDES
Expert Hotline
Pocket & Minicams
January p. 31 Article #14909
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answer all video-related questions submitted by
members.
Lighting
February p. 25 Article #14954
Bags & Cases
Exclusive Access
Storage
March p. 25 Article #15180
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training videos unavailable to non-members.
Camera Supports
Early Online Access
Lens Adapters & Filters
April p. 22 Article #14957
The complete content of each issue of Videomaker
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Software Filters & Plug-ins
Pro Camcorders
May p. 21 Article #14959
Free Downloads
Computers
Check the membership page for a link to the current free
download from our popular training eDoc collection.
Music Libraries
June p. 23 Article #14962
Exclusive Merchandise Discounts
Blank Media
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Storyboarding & Scriptwriting
Software
July p. 21 Article #14964
Training Event Discounts
DVD Authoring
August p. 22 Article #14899
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attend just three webinars a year, your membership has
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DVD Duplicators
DSLR/ HDSLRs
September p. 20 Article #14953
Priority Status
Audio Field Mixers & Recorders
Get royal carpet treatment at Videomaker events!
Animation & Motion Graphics
October p. 19 Article #14970
Editing Software
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Once you try it and love it, just
$24.95 gets you a full year of access!
Cloud-Based Editing Using
Tablets & Smartphones
Microphones
November p. 23 Article #14972
www.videomaker.com/plus2011
PLUS
Audio Software
All Camcorders
December p. 19 Article #14973
Stock Footage
FEATURES
ABOUT THE GEAR
Best Products of the Year
CES 2011 Wrap
2011 NAB Wrap - Checking
Out the Show
DIRECTING
Cinéma Vérité Documentary The Truth
Directing Animals and
Staying Sane
SHOOTING TECHNIQUES
As Seen on TV - Tips for
Making Professional Looking
Interviews
Make it Believable - Selling
your Green Screen Shots to
the Audience
Make Wedding Videos
That Wow!
Shooting with
Interchangeable Lenses
Article Index2011
15 Websites you Need
to Know
The Mechanics of
Interchangeable Lenses
3D TECHNOLOGY
Shooting 3D: Very Early Days
Shooting 3D - 3D is sexy. 3D
is now. 3D is everywhere.
New Technology - The Basics
of Making 3D Videos
3D Field Monitoring
MISCELLANEOUS
And the Survey Says…
Videomaker's Silver
Anniversary
Halloween Ghastly Effects
Real Video Horror Stories
From the Trenches
COLUMNS
VIEWFINDER
The Elusive Mic Jack
External Microphones
Are You Famous?
Amazing
Google Video
Persuasion
Shooting Ratios
Unscripted
AUDIO
10 Common Audio Mistakes
Sound Accessories
Using a Virtual Mixing Board
Audio Tips for Weddings
Music for Weddings
Music Licensing
Fixing Audio in Post
Out of this World Sound FX
Audio Tips for HDSLRs
The Art of the Voice Over
Digital Audio Sampling
Sync Sound
Using Video in Schools
Visual Networking
BASIC TRAINING
10 Common Video Mistakes
Smartphone Cinematography
Image Sensor
Teaching Video
TECHNICAL
Historical Showdown
25 Years
Creative Camcorder Mounting
Green Video Production
Family Histories
VI D EO MA K ER >>> D ECEMBER 20 11
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43
Article Index 2011
Special Videoguys Promotion!
Add Training to Your Order for $1
800-323-2325
Expand and Condense Time
How Do I Do This Stuff?
Marketing Your Video
The Art of Suggestion
An AVCHD Update
How to Price your Project
Getting Started
Getting into GPUs
Find your Next Job - Online!
Interviewing Your Parents
Editing Tips for Windows
Movie Maker
TAKE 5
Fun and Entertaining
Vacation Videos
Home Grown Video Gear
DIY Video Accessories
Blocking People
DIRECTING
Inspiring Directors
Green Screen Directing
Six Tips to Directing Talent
Essentials for New Directors
Pre-Production Planning
DISTRIBUTION
Tips to Promote Your
Video Online
Social Networking Business
Video on the Web
EDITING
Video Editing for N00bs
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LEGAL
Location Legalities
Wedding Legalities
Handheld Shooting Tips
Protecting an Idea
PRODUCER PROFILES
Commercial Producer Kevin Puotinen
You Might be a Video
Journalist
Their Video – Whose Copyright?
Substantial Similarity
Vloggers' Rights
Alex Nolen
LIGHTING
Lighting for 3D
Lighten Up with LEDs
Lighting on the Cheap Side
The Art of Low-Key Lighting
Color Temperature for Video
Titles: Simple but Elegant
MEDIA REVIEWS
Photo Editing Book Review
3 Ways to Edit Video Online
Optimizing Edit Organization
44
How He Did It - A Success Story
READER PROFILES
Thomas Kovach
First Look: Editing 3D Video
The Video Editing Log Jam
Interviewing Tips
3 Cinematography Books
PROJECTS THAT PAY
Profiting on the Video Market
Howard Silby
Robert Kotabish
Sonia Helman
Joshua Maxwell
Greg Anderson
Guy Bauer
Dwight Douglas
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Panasonic HDC-SDT750
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ViewSonic VX2268wm FuHzion
3D Display and Editing Monitor
CAMCORDERS
SANYO VPC-CS1 and VPC-SH1
Mini Cam
Canon XF300 Prosumer Cam
3M Shoot 'n Share CP40
Mini Cam with Pico Projector
Liquid Image Scuba Series
Sportcam
Panasonic AG-HMC80P
Prosumer Cam
GoPro HD Hero Sportcam
Canon XA10 Prosumer Cam
Panasonic HDC-TM40
Consumer Cam
Toshiba CAMILEO S30
Pocket/mini Cam
Canon XF105 HD Cam
Panasonic HDC-TM80
Consumer Cam
Samsung HMX-304BN
Consumer Camcorder
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Learn even more about video editing and production! Go to www.videoguys.com to check out these great new articles and guides...
Videoguys’ Guide to DSLR
Options for FCP Editors
Videoguys’ System Recommendations & DIY
System recommendations, tips
and tricks for editing highdefinition tapeless workflows from
popular new DSLR cameras
Are you a Final Cut editor looking to
upgrade? We’ve got some helpful
info to help you decide (and save)
on FCPX, Avid, Adobe and more
Our techs offer detailed system recommendations for PC &
Mac including graphic cards, RAM, hard drive storage and
more. The Videoguys’ DIY articles will even help you build
your own machine for the hardware & software we sell.
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Article Index 2011
HDSLRs
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40
Sony Alpha SLT-A33
Nikon D7000
Panasonic DMC-GH2
Nikon D5100
MICROPHONES
Countryman B6
Omnidirectional Lav Mic
Audio-Technica ATR2100
USB XLR Mic
MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 17 Plus
Intermediate Editing Software
Grass Valley EDIUS 6
Advanced Editing Software
Avid Studio Introductory
Editing Software
CyberLink PowerDirector 9
Ultra64 Introductory Editing
Software
Nikon ME-1Stereo
Shotgun Mic
Adobe CS5.5 Production
Premium – Overview
Advanced Video Editing
Software
RØDE VideoMic Pro
Mini Shotgun Mic
Corel VideoStudio Pro X4
Introductory Editing Software
AUDIO SUPPORT
Zoom H1 Handy Recorder
Field Recorder
Apple Final Cut Pro X
Shure X2u Audio Support
XLR-to-USB Signal Adapter
Datavideo DN-60
Field Recorder
VIDEO EDITING COMPUTERS
HP Elitebook 8740w – Laptop
DV Gear Apprentice – Desktop
ADK I7-DVC – Desktop
EDITING SOFTWARE
MONITORS
Adobe Premiere Elements 9
NEC MultiSync PA271W
Intermediate Editing Software
Color Correct LCD Display
Roxio Creator 2011 3D
Marshall Electronics
Introductory Editing
V-LCD50-HDMI Portable
3D Software
Field Monitor
Avid Media Composer 5
Wacom Cintiq 21UX
Interactive Pen Display Tablet
Sony Vegas Pro 10
HARDWARE & DUPLICATORS
Maxell iVDR VC102 & Nexto
NVS2500 Capture Device
46
subALERT.indd 1
Nero Multimedia Suite 10
Platinum HD Introductory
Editing Software
9/19/2011 8:24:27 AM
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External Hard Drive
Enhance Technology Proavio
EB400FR Disk Array
Drive/Storage/NAS
STABILIZING & SUPPORT
Manfrotto 504 HD Head
with 546B Two-stage
Aluminum Tripod System
Digital Juice LowRider
Mini Stabilizing Device
Orbit Dolly Support Dolly
Canon XA-10HD
w/64 GB Internal
Memory Camcorder
In Stock!
Canon HF-G10 32 GB
HD Camcorder
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Canon HF-S3D
32 GB HD Camcorder
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Canon HF-M41 Flash
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Canon HF-M40
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Sony
NEX-VG10
Interchangeable Lens
In Stock!
Sony HDR-TD10 Full HD
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Stabiliization
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Sony
HDR-CX160 16GB Flash
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JVC GZ-HM650
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VariZoom Aviator
MX-HD Stabilizer
Camtrol Quadpod
Stabilizer
Cinevate Atlas 10 FLT
Slider/Support
SUPPORT GEAR
Petrol Cambio CA002
Carrier/tripod
Kata ABS-HD Air Bag
System Camcorder Bag
Telestream Wirecast
4 and Wirecast Pro 4
Live Portable
Production System
Litepanels Sola ENG LED
Fresnel On-Camera Light
JVC GZ-HM960 Everio
16GB Flash Camcorder
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JVC GZ-HM450
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BASIC TRAINING
BASIC TRAINING
december 2011
11
b y Ky l e Ca ssi d y
Blocking People
and out of his element the police chief
is. As the scene progresses and they
begin to bond, Brody goes to sit down at
the table, importantly, not sitting across
from Hooper, in the obvious place
where you can clearly see his dinner
plate, but next to him. Quint remains
cheated out, rather than turning to face
the others. This gives us three actors
facing the camera, which Spielberg
can now cover with a single camera to
show us their individual reactions to the
shark attack that is about to occur. This
is very clever blocking which not only
solves the problem of capturing three
people at a table, but pushes the story
along too – the blocking follows the real
internal motivations of the characters.
Woody Allen deals with this in a
very clever manner in his new film
Midnight in Paris. He picks up the end
How do successful movie directors
get their actors to move and interact
so naturally? By blocking the scene
and giving the actors good direction
concerning where they need to be.
Writers spend most of their time worrying about the words that the characters on the screen will say; sound engineers worry about how to make sure
the words can be heard and how to
mix them with music and background
noises; lighting designers spend their
days figuring out how to make sure the
people, places and things can best be
seen; directors of photography figure
out what lens, camera angle and camera movement will make things look
most attractive. It’s up to the director
to figure out how to bring all of this together. In this overwhelming collection
of things that need to be overseen, one
thing that is often overlooked by beginning directors is blocking – the movement of actors from place to place in a
scene. This involves things like where
do characters sit or stand? Why do they
sit or stand there? How do they move
from one place to another? How to
track screen direction? Here the directors work closely with the director of
photography and the lighting designer.
Blocking
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Take the opening scene of Steven Spielberg’s 1981 adventure masterpiece
Raiders of the Lost Ark. Henchmen follow a shadowy adventurer through the
woods - his face obscured in darkness.
As the adventurer produces a treasure
map, one of the henchmen draws a
gun, the shadowy adventurer pulls out
a bullwhip and knocks the gun from
the assailant’s hand. The craven skulks
off while the adventurer takes three
steps forward and pauses as his face
hits a beam of light. In movie terms
48
this is called a reveal and it’s how we
first meet daring archaeologist Indiana
Jones, played by Harrison Ford. Without careful blocking, so that the beam
of light strikes “Indy’s” right eye, you
don’t have the shot.
This is blocking done right with
careful collaboration and forethought.
If you’re working alone, as many video directors do, you’ll need to think of
all these things yourself. Let’s look at
some common types of blocking difficulties and how to deal with them.
Cheating is Allowed!
When people sit around a table, or
meet in a group on the street, they
tend to sit or stand equidistant from
one another, like pizza wedges. Three
people will typically occupy 33% each
of a round table. This creates a problem for movie makers because they’ll
always have someone’s back in the
shot, which isn’t the best option. If you
have people line up or sit on the same
side of the table it can look false. Try
it – next time you go to a restaurant
sit next to your meal-mate rather than
across from one another. Feel weird?
It looks weird too. So directors will try
to think of ways to make it believable
that characters sit next to one another
of a dinner conversation between Inez
(Rachel McAdams) and her parents,
(Kurt Fuller and Mimi Kennedy). Inez
excuses herself after only a few moments, leaving her parents seated in a
single two shot. They finish the scene
on the same side of the table without
their positioning seeming strange.
People Moving
In real life when people sitting in the
same room have a conversation they
don’t move much. People tend to plop
down on a chair and stay there (It’s
Newton’s First Law of comfortable seating). In movies, that kind of stasis can
mire your pace and so directors will
very often have people move about to
keep the scene from getting stale – this
might involve one character who is
performing a task during a conversa-
12
10
2
8
4
7
6
Blocking may require “cheating”. Place your
subjects closer together and have them turn
out towards the camera. This will help create a
realistic scene and allow you to see each face.
tion. Instead of having two people sit
on the sofa, have one of them dusting,
or putting away dishes. The blocking
should always be telling us something
about the characters so be very careful
that each movement has a purpose
that’s believable for that character.
People don’t often rise from a chair
by doing things like having them sit at
a counter, or have people on the street
meet while traveling in the same direction, so they can walk side by side.
Often, when a director has to position people - say around a breakfast
table, they’ll have them sit in more
of a semi-circle opposite the camera.
This is called “cheating.” Instead of
placing the camera at 9:00, with the
characters sitting at 12:00, 3:00, and
6:00, they’ll have the camera at the 9
position on the clock with the characters at 1, 3 and 5, so they’re looking
enough at one another for it to be believable. The director may say “Tony,
cheat out a little”, meaning turn your
body more towards the camera or
“cheat in a little” meaning to turn your
body slightly away from the camera.
A great example of this is from another Steven Spielberg classic, the 1975
film JAWS. During the dinner scene
we have police chief Brody, played by
Roy Scheider, exiled to one corner of
the cabin on the boat while crusty old
sea captain Quint (Robert Shaw) and
the young ichthyologist Matt Hooper
(Richard Dreyfuss) sit at the table and
compare scars. Quint is able to cheat
out towards the camera by facing Brody
and these shots show us how isolated
contents
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49
1500
basic training
december 2011
In group scenes, use the spaces between the main characters to show your secondary characters are close behind. This way the viewer can clearly see the entire cast.
and look longingly out the window
during a conversation, but they do rise
from a chair and go to the window to
check on a child in the backyard, or
they may get up because they’re too
angry to stay seated next to someone,
or because a cat has jumped up on the
kitchen counter. One thing to consider
is not having characters automatically sit down to have conversations.
Someone who enters a room may
stand with their arms on the back of a
chair or they may lean against a wall.
From these positions it’s easier to get
them moving again. A character who’s
standing can more easily leave a room,
providing an incentive for seated characters to get up and follow.
Every Character has Its Spot
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The cowboys riding horses in movies
might enter the scene from different
angles, but they all end up riding sideby-side into the sunset. In the real
world, they’d either be single-file, or
spaced far enough apart not to bump
into each other or eat someone’s dust.
When large groups of people come
together during an event, they tend to
bunch. If you were shooting this at a
normal occasion, people in the front
would most likely block the face of
people behind. Watch how they overcome this in movies. Imagine a group
of 10 people walking together towards
the camera. The director will give
each main character a place in the
front of the crowd, but there will be a
space between those in front where
you’ll see the secondary characters
50
slightly behind them, sort of like a
bowling pin line-up.
In the last scene of the fifth installment of the Harry Potter series Harry
Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
we see Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and
his two companions, Ron and Hermione (Rupert Grint and Emma Watson) walking away from the famous
Hogwarts castle. The three main
characters are joined by a few of the
secondary characters, who are lined
up behind but between the main
characters, so you can clearly see the
entire cast equally.
Blocking and Lighting
I hope you’re not lighting your movie
by aiming two bright spot-lights at
45-degree angles at the set, or lighting
it using the existing overheads. Beautiful and realistic light can be made
from sources mimicking natural light
in conjunction with “practicals” giving
your set a rich playground of different
looks to work with your blocking.
Imagine a seedy detective’s apartment at night. From the front of the
room a neon sign flashes red lights
through the window. There’s a bumping sound, then a directional desk lamp
flips on creating a sharp, narrow pool
of light, revealing the detective, who
was asleep on his blotter, an empty
whiskey bottle next to him. He looks
wary. There’s a knock, he rises, his office door is frosted, we see the name of
his detective agency in reverse, and the
silhouette of a person standing in front
of it. The detective opens the door and
the light from the hallway continues to
back-light the mysterious figure. She
steps in, still shrouded in darkness. “I
may have been followed,” she says and
goes to the back window where beautiful soft moonlight illuminates her face.
The detective stands in the front of the
room, his chiseled face revealed then
hidden in the rhythm of the neon sign.
Here are four separate lights to work
with as you block the rest of the scene.
Think of the light and movement that
best works for the mood and information you need to get across. (See www.
videomaker.com/article/7980/ and
www.videomaker.com/article/14282/
for more about mood lighting.)
Baptisms and weddings are often
very heavily scripted and if there’s
not a rehearsal that you can attend,
you should try to spend a few minutes with the officiant before the
actual ceremony to assure you get the
footage you need. Ask questions like
“Where will you be standing? Where
will the parents be standing? Will the
audience be seated at this point? What
door will you enter and exit through?”
These questions will make sure that
you’re not taping a shot of Uncle
Murray’s comb-over while the event
unfolds out of your view.
Your Mission (Should you Choose
to Accept it)
While you’re watching movies and
television, pay particular attention to
blocking. Do characters get up and
move? Why do they move? What’s
their motivation? When do you see a
character’s back? What’s the longest
time a character stands still? How do
directors get people moving? How
do they get them from one place to
another? How do they seat people
around tables? How does this differ
from real life? The world is your classroom. Keep an eye open.
Contributing Editor Kyle Cassidy is a visual artist who
exhibits regularly and has written books on technology
and photographic art.
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Lighting
Lighting
december 2011
b y T e r r y O’ R o u r k e
Blazing a room with studio lights
without using the glow from
household lamps looks fake. Most
movie sets use ‘practicals’ in their
scenes to imply realism.
THESE TECHNIQUES WILL
SEPARATE YOU FROM THE
REST OF THE PACK.
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several lights and all the ancillary grip
equipment they require as well as the
computer, a note pad, my phone and
a place to put several cups of coffee.
I can do most shoots with just this
cart. Another cart is designed to carry
more lights and stands, booms, sand
bags and lots of “other stuff.” When I
have both of these carts out I have a
feeling of control, or you might even
say “power,” because there’s nothing I can’t do with all this stuff, given
enough muscle, time and room to put
it all out.
As a videographer, I usually look at
54
Open photo by Terry O'Rourke
I’m kind of a control freak when it
comes to production. I don’t like to
be late and I don’t usually allow the
existing lighting in any environment
control how I will shoot. I arrive at all
of my assignments early and with lots
of equipment. It’s nice to be early so I
can scope out the situation and decide
how I want things to look. This strategy gives me plenty of time to plan for
compromises because it’s inevitable
that something or someone will not
work out. It also allows for time to lay
out all my gear: the lights and stands,
the extension cords, the sandbags,
the tripods and so on. I have several
production carts, each of which is designed to compliment each other. One
cart is self-contained and can carry
a room and try to figure out the easiest way to light the set while maintaining a natural look. That usually
means working with the ambient light
and supplementing it with lights from
a kit.
Cart-full of Goodies
Sometimes things don’t work out as
you would hope. Perhaps a room you
are working in has a nice big northfacing window and your vision is to
use that window as your key light and
fill in the shadows with your light.
Your director, however, has this wonderful vintage table lamp and decides
to go with an evening living-room
look with the table lamp as your key
light and as a focal point of the set.
Welcome to the world of practicals
and the art of integrating existing light
fixtures and windows into your set.
This is where all that equipment
comes in handy, because frequently
what looks great to a director looks
hideous to your camcorder. The only
way to correct this discrepancy is to
match the ambient light of your set,
plus the light output of practicals, to
the dynamic range of your camera
while making everything look like the
practicals are doing all the work!
Shade It
Roscosun Cinegel line that correct daylight to
3200K, which are perfect for integrating tungsten
practicals such as the previously mentioned table
lamp into your production. This is by far the best
way to handle any window lighting situation and
gives the most predictable results.
There are alternatives to plastic gels that include fabrics such as Rosco Black Scrim, which
is also available in wide rolls. This fabric material has a 2-stop value. The material is easier to
handle, but isn’t always invisible and can move
in the wind as you record, which will show up in
your video as blurry motion. Unlike plastic gels,
which can be stacked for more neutral density
value, fabrics can not be stacked or they will create moiré, which will also show up in your video.
Lighting the Light
Now that we have the window brought down to
a reasonable level, we can light the room. We
have decided that the lamp is an integral part of
our set, so it must look properly exposed and the
A wide variety of gels,
neutral density filters
and fabrics are available for controlling
light from outside
windows. Gels may
be preferred because
once applied, they are
invisible, plus they
can be stacked for
increased ND value.
set must appear as though this lamp is the only
light in the room.
The next step would be to light the room with
the correct exposure to match the exposure in
the window, which in this case would be dark,
blue evening exposure. What you are doing is
setting the camcorder to a proper setting that
will allow the window to be exposed for a dark,
blue window and bringing up the light in the
In the scenario described, we have a
large window providing lots of light, a
small table lamp providing very little
light and a cart full of goodies. The director wants the room to appear as an
evening scene with your subject sitting
at the table and the lamp is part of the
scene. That window can become your
master if you allow it to, so the first
thing to do is knock that light down to
match the output of the table lamp. If
your director is agreeable, the easiest
way to do this is to close the drapes,
shutters, shades or whatever window
covering the room may have.
If your director is determined to
leave the window exposed for a dark
blue early evening look, or if you're
really ambitious, you can place a
neutral density window filter on the
glass. You can get 60-inch wide rolls of
plastic filter material in daylight balance or 3200K balance. It’s available
in several densities, so you can choose
which one is best for your lighting
situation. Rosco supplies products
called Cinegel. The Cinegel Rosco N.3
material is daylight balanced and has
a 1-stop value. The N.6 has a 2-stop
value and the N.9 has a 3-stop value.
They also have similar products in the
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VI D EO MA K ER >>> DE cEMb ER 20 11
55
advertising index
Lighting
LIGHTING
december 2011
DECEMBER 2011
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Canon |____________________________ 9
Canon |___________________________ 11
Canon |___________________________ 13
Canon |___________________________ 15
GlideCam Industries Inc. |__________ 35
GlideCam Industries Inc. |__________ 55
iStock |__________________________ C4
Kino Flo |_________________________ 27
Kino Flo |_________________________ 49
LCD4Video |______________________ 39
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Publisher’s Statement |____________ 61
56
room to give you the correct overall
exposure. The reason we put the NDs
(neutral density) in is to reduce the
overall exposure of the window to
more closely match the output of the
lamp. But, if you put the lamp where
you want it without lighting the room,
the rest of your set will be under exposed because table lamps don’t have
enough light output to light a room
for video. Your subject might be properly exposed because they are close
to the lamp, but the light fall-off will
be too drastic to reach much beyond
your subject. We will get to the lamp
a bit later, but for right now it’s best to
forget the exposure of the lamp and
light the room so it looks properly
exposed relative to the window.
Bouncing off the Walls
Remember the room is an evening set
so it would be a bit dark, but not so
much that there are no details. There
are a lot of ways to do this, but the
easiest way is to put up several light
heads and bounce them off the walls
and ceiling. Be sure they are behind
your camcorder with no spill-over
LIGHT THE ROOM WITH THE
CORRECT EXPOSURE TO
MATCH THE WINDOW.
into your set, because if any direct
light from them is in your view it will
look staged. You can experiment by
moving them around and you can
try different power settings until you
get the look you want. This is where
barn-doors in your kit are absolutely
necessary.
You can also add other practicals
to your set if your bounce lights are
too harsh or bright. Try turning down
the bounce lights and turning up your
practicals. The best way to “turn up”
practicals is to bring several extra
light bulbs ranging from 25 watts to
250 watts. You can also use dimmer
switches on lamps that plug directly
into standard wall plugs. You plug the
Kick Light (placed over the head of talent)
Lamp
Gel
Key
Light
Gel
To bring up the overall light values in a room
try bouncing light off the walls and ceiling,
taking care to avoid spill onto the set.
dimmer into the wall and plug the
lamp into the dimmer. I find these at
the local hardware store and carry a
lot of them.
Now that the room matches the
window it’s time to bring in the star
of the show. . . that vintage table lamp
that needed all the attention! Put it
on the table and take a look. If it’s too
dark or too light use one of your extra
bulbs or adjust the output with your
wall dimmer to match the set and start
recording!
Setting Up the “Spill”
But wait! You didn’t think we were
really done did you? All we did was
light the set and that lamp. Unless
the real star is the lamp you still have
the subject to light. If you did everything right, that should be pretty easy,
because the room lighting has been set
up to closely match the level that your
kit provides. All you have to do is light
your subject the way you normally
would, but with a few subtle differences. Since the room set has an evening
look and the subject is near a dark blue
window you might try a blue rim light
just above and behind your subject.
And if you rely on the table lamp for
light on your subject, it might be a bit
harsh, so try a medium soft box with a
warming gel for a key light. Put it just
Fill
Light
behind the table lamp so it doesn’t show and it will
soften the light from the table lamp. This is where
dimmable lighting comes in handy because you
need to adjust all these lights to match each other.
Throw in a fill from just behind the camera and you
have a nice soft evening look that was created in
broad daylight.
The techniques discussed here will separate
you from the rest of the pack and once you truly
master these strategies there is no stopping you
or your creativity. Don’t be afraid to experiment,
fail and try again. Integrating practicals in your
production can be daunting, it takes practice and
experience, but it’s well worth the effort!
Terry O’Rourke specializes in retail advertising photography and
videography for clients worldwide.
Once the overall room exposure is correct, complete the illusion of a
nice soft evening look with a blue rim light overhead and warmly gelled
fill and key lights.
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syncing skills are a necessity.
We’ve always advocated the use of
external microphones, but not every
camera has a mic jack. Even those that
have one often have noisy inputs and
limited audio quality. Today, it’s very
easy to gather location audio the way
the professionals do - with a separate
recorder - and sync the sound in post.
The movie and television industries
have done it this way forever. In fact,
the reason we expect our cameras to
record audio comes from the news
world, where everything is included in
one package. Maybe the way to move
your production quality forward is to
take a step back.
Get The Gear
There is an incredible range of cameras
that record video today. DSLRs, point-nshoots, pocket cameras and even our
cell phones all shoot pretty nice HD
video. But they all share one problem:
the sound stinks. It’s the same problem
we’ve had in the video world for years;
a cheap, built-in microphone simply
can’t record professional audio. This is
no longer a problem. By recording the
sound separately - sometimes called
dual-system sound - you can build an
audio package that meets your specific
needs, whether in the studio or on
location.
The simplest way to get started is
with one of the new pocket audio
recorders. Several big manufacturers make these little recorders and
there are many models and features
to choose from. They all share two
common traits: they run on batteries
and they record to flash cards. From
there, choose a recorder based on
your production style and existing
equipment. Most have built-in stereo
microphones, an 1/8-inch input and
a headphone jack. Others add inputs
for line level and a few even have
professional, balanced XLR inputs
with phantom power. The good
news is that even the least expensive
models record excellent quality audio
with plenty of control, features and
battery life.
Another way to record is by using a
laptop or netbook and a simple USB
audio interface. There are several USBpowered audio interfaces available
for under $100. Most include balanced XLR inputs, headphone outputs
and even phantom power for your
condenser microphones. Attach one
of these to your laptop or netbook,
load your favorite audio software, and
hit the record button. This is a simple,
portable system that can easily produce professional recordings. Plus,
you can use the same interface back
in the edit suite for voice overs and
sound effects recording.
The Setup
Shooting with sync sound isn’t much
different than a normal shoot, but
Sound All Around
We tried to keep this article non brand-specific, simply because there are so many
options for recorders, audio interfaces and software. Each has its merits and any
given item might or might not be the perfect fit. However, there is one unique
recorder worth mentioning by name: The Zoom H2. This little pocket recorder has
one feature not included on any other model we know of - it records in surround
sound. With four built-in microphones, the Zoom H2 records two stereo pairs one facing forward, one facing back. Add a separate dialog track and you have a
nearly perfect surround recording solution. As for another recording device, the
Tascam DR-05 has similar features to the Zoom H1 and costs about the same. It
looks like a solid piece and the Tascam pedigree doesn’t hurt.
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59
audio
december 2011
Place the camcorder and portable recorder
audio on separate tracks in your timeline.
Zoom into the tracks and use the clapboard
spike from both to sync your audio.
there are some changes. Obviously, setting up
the video is the same regardless of how you
shoot, but there are some extra steps in the
audio setup. First, you’ll have to make sure your
audio recording device or software is set to the
proper recording mode. A good place to start
is the file format. Although most video editing
software will accept compressed audio formats
like MP3, resist the temptation and record in an
uncompressed format - usually WAV files. Set
the sampling rate to 48kHz and the bit depth to
16 bits. This setup replicates the audio system
for DV recording, is already DVD friendly, better
than CD quality and should give you an excellent recording. Many recorders and interfaces
can use higher sampling rates and bit depths,
but your file size increases dramatically and it’s
unlikely you’ll hear a significant improvement.
While you’re in the menu, synchronize the date
and time with your camera if possible. It will
save you headaches later.
Separating audio from video adds some challenges, but also creates some opportunities. For
instance, if you use one of the smaller pocket
contents
full screen
Attaching a boom mic
to a portable audio recorder is a great way to
get the mic as close as
possible to the sound
source, without having
to tether the mic to
the camera. Record the
"clap" from a clapper
with your camera mic
and the boom mic.
print
60
recorders with a lapel mic, it can function as a
virtual wireless microphone without any noise
or range problems. An audio person booming a
shotgun mic on a pole can monitor with his or
her own headphones, untethered from the camera and free to move around as needed.
After you hit the record button on both the
camera and the audio recorder, it’s important to
slate each take. The easy way to do this is with
a clapper board. With the clapper in clear view
of the camera or cameras, verbally state the
information about the take; like scene and take
number, and smack the clapper bars together.
This provides a simple visual and audible cue
that makes sync easy in the edit suite.
iPhone and iPad users have a digital alternative. Search for “DSLR Slate” in the app store.
For just a few bucks, you can have a thoroughly
professional slate that fits in your pocket or
backpack. Of course, you can do something similar by simply clapping your hands. How ever you
do it, slating every take is very important when
you’re recording audio and video separately.
You’ll learn to appreciate this extra step once you
start editing.
Post It Notes
Following the shoot, it’s time to re-combine your
audio and video elements. After you dump all the
files into a folder and load them into your editing
program, the fun begins. If you did your homework and followed a consistent workflow during
the shoot, you should have one audio clip for
every video clip you shot. If you did, congratulations! Your edit will be easy. For the rest of us, we
may have to do some digging. This is where the
date, time and slate information comes into play.
Essentially, you’re comparing each video clip to
its corresponding audio clip or slate information.
And you may have to split some audio clips into
smaller chunks if you recorded continuously
during the shoot. This can take some time, but
after you’ve done a few, it gets easier.
Once you’ve identified matching audio and
video clips, drop them on the timeline, zoom
in on the audio track and look for the clapper
spike. Simply slide the audio spike to match
the clapper in the video and link the two files
together. Make sure to delete or at least mute
the sound from the video clip and your sync
sound will become the primary audio. You
might have to play with this frame-by-frame
from here, until you get a perfect match. Now,
just edit as usual. Of course, you have to do
audio
market place
eNews
december 2011
this for every set of clips, so this
might take a while.
Oh, oh – The Sound doesn’t Match
But what do you do when your sync
sound doesn’t sync? You can sync up
the beginning but by the end of the
clip, it’s out of sync. Long-form projects are the most vulnerable here and
there are several possible causes. Video
frame rates vs. project frame rates, audio sampling rates and even hardware
issues could be the culprit. One repair
technique is cutting up the audio and
re-syncing every few minutes. This is
a serious pain, especially on a long
project, but it may be the only way.
Alternatively, try adjusting the speed
of the audio clip, adding or subtracting
small percentages as needed - a little
goes a long way here. To assist with
this, add a clapper to the end of each
clip, just before you stop recording.
This provides an additional sync reference point for audio stretching. To find
out more about some syncing issues
a number of our readers have been
discussing, check out this forums link:
www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/audio-sync-1
That Syncing Feeling
Your first sync-sound shoot and edit
will be a learning experience. It may
also be very frustrating, but make some
mental notes about what worked and
what didn’t. These will help when you
set up the next shoot. If possible, do a
test shoot before you start working on
something serious. You’ll become more
familiar with the procedures and get a
better feel for what it takes to edit this
type of project. This is the way big, expensive productions gather their audio,
and now just about anyone can own
and use similar tools. Try it. We think
you’ll like it.
Contributing Editor Hal Robertson is a digital media
producer and technology consultant.
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63
Take five
5 Tips for Handheld Shooting
by Jenni fer O ’Rour k e
Whether you’re out for a quick shoot, or are lugging your gear
a long distance, you can’t always take a tripod along. Here are
some tips for hand-held shooting when you don’t have your trusty
stable ‘pod around.
Let’s face it, as much as we tout the
use of tripods in Videomaker, we can’t
always use one every time. Sometimes
a tripod isn’t convenient, other times
the shoot is very casual. Then the economics get in the way: you might not
have the funds for a good one, so you
use your cheapo ‘pod, which is fine for
long non-moving shots, but the pan
and tilt on it isn’t exactly smooth when
you want to follow the action. Here are
a few quick tips for those times when
all you have is a camcorder… and you.
1. Steady as She Goes.
Think of yourself as the Human
Tripod except instead of three legs,
you have two. You have to keep your
balance and ballast just as a tripod
would. S-T-E-A-D-Y is the name of
the game. If you’re just going to stand
there for any length of time shooting medium to wide shots that don’t
include any movement on your part,
then you want to position yourself accordingly. Lean against a tree, a wall or
a pole, and relax your upper body. A
tense body will cause muscle shake if
you’re holding a camera too long.
2. Plan the End of the Shot First.
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Pan, tilt, boom and truck shots require
movement, and if you rely on just
your wrists to make the camera move,
you won’t have much muscle control
and won’t have a smooth shot.
For Pan shots: position your entire
body pointing directly at the point you
wish to end the shot, then twist your
upper torso to where you want to begin the shot. Why the contortion act?
Because you’re exerting energy by executing the move while also trying to
stay smooth and steady, so ending the
64
move in a relaxed position is better
then ending it contorted and breathing
heavily. Starting with your feet facing
the end of the shot and your upper
body facing the beginning of the shot,
unwind your upper body as you move
through the shot until you settle into a
comfortable position at the end.
For truck shots: spread your legs
about shoulder-width apart, and position one foot where your upper body
will end the shot, and the other foot
where it begins, so your upper body
has some leg foundation, and you
aren’t hanging unsupported.
For dolly shots: position one foot
slightly forward, the other behind you.
Start by leaning back over the back
foot and “dolly” in until your upper
body is over the front foot.
For boom, crane or tilt shots: Precheck the beginning of the shot in the
LCD monitor, then tilt the monitor to
the end position so you can see the
shot as the movement ends. This is
more important than where you begin
the shot.
3. Hug Yourself.
If you’re standing and holding the camcorder for any length of time, the worst
position to shoot is holding the camcorder away from your face - all the
support is done using just your wrists.
Ouch! So tuck your arms into your
body, and either hold the camcorder
with both hands, one on top and one
on the bottom of the cam, or wrap one
arm across your belly and cup the elbow of the other arm, the one holding
the camcorder, for added support.
4. Sit on It.
If you plan to spend a lot of time shoot-
ing in one spot, sit down in a chair,
or cross-legged on the ground, get
the camera away from your face and
support it in your lap, using the LCD
screen to watch your shot. You can also
execute some smooth tilts and pans
from this position. Or, get down on
both knees, not one, for added support,
and squat your rear on top of your
feet. Note – don’t squat on your heels
with only your toes on the ground
supporting you. Like your wrists, the
toes aren’t strong enough to support all
that weight. Lay those feet all the way
down. Also, don’t try to balance halfway, this will kill your calves and cause
you to have upper-body shake.
5. Be a Hipster.
Larger camcorders are heavy, and
holding them handheld can be cumbersome. Small cams are awkward
with no handles for support. Consider
how you’d hold a small child locked
into your waist above your hipbone,
and try to cradle the camcorder this
way. It makes for some nice low-angle
shots, is safely tucked in, and you
can twist your torso, as mentioned in
item number two, to get some smooth
pans. The real beauty of this shot and why I use it a lot- is your subjects
often don’t realize you’re actually
shooting; they think you’re relaxing so
they are more relaxed, spontaneous
and natural.
Jennifer O’Rourke is Videomaker’s managing editor
and shot handheld for news for 15 years using a
30-pound camera.
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camcorders compared

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