DSLR Video Tips: Cameras & Lenses

Explore camera and lens options for digital video. Learn about the differences between prime vs. zoom lenses, shooting with a Canon, Blackmagic, and GoPro camera, and more.

Introduction

• Welcome

1. What’s the Difference between Cropped and Full Sensors?

• Comparing sensor sizes
• Why choose a cropped sensor
• Why choose a full sensor

2. What Speed Memory Card Do I Need?

• Understanding card speeds
• Shooting video
• Shooting time lapse

3. Why Should I Shoot with a Prime Lens?

• What are prime lenses?
• Exploring low-light performance
• Working with shallow depth of field
• Examining cost issues

4. How Can I Avoid Lens Flares?

• Avoiding lens flare
• Using a lens hood
• Using a matte box
• Exploring other strategies for avoiding lens flares

5. What Is a Cinema Camera?

• Blackmagic Cinema Camera
• Things to look out for
• Recording with the Blackmagic Cinema Camera
• Focusing with a Cinema Camera
• Evaluating the shots
• Cinema Camera RAW workflow

6. What Is a Mirrorless Camera?

• Benefits of mirrorless cameras
• Mirrorless workflow
• Things to look out for
• Evaluating the footage from a mirrorless camera

7. Why Does My Viewfinder Stop Working?

• How DSLR viewfinders react when recording video
• Understanding live view

8. Is the Canon 6D Right for Me?

• Is the Canon 6D right for me?
• Beneficial features of the Canon 6D
• Drawbacks of the Canon 6D
• Menu options of the Canon 6D

9. Why Is My Footage Out of Focus?

• The dangers of tiny screens
• How to set focus before recording

10. Why Are There Record Time Limits?

• DSLR recording time limits
• Legal limits for video recording

11. How Do I Rack Focus?

• How do I rack focus?
• Using a prime lens
• Using a zoom Lens
• Using a follow focus

12. How Do I Clean My Camera?

• How do I clean my camera?
• Keeping the lens clean
• Cleaning the sensor
• Performing a wet sensor cleaning

13. How Do I Shoot with an iPhone 5s?

• Shooting with an iPhone 5s
• Shooting slow motion
• Accessing footage
• Assembling footage

14. How Do I Get Slow-Motion Footage?

• How do I get slow-motion footage?
• Setting up slow motion in camera settings
• Slow motion in Final Cut Pro X
• Slow motion in Premiere Pro
• Slow motion in After Effects

15. Is the Nikon D600 Right for Me?

• Is the Nikon D600 right for me?
• Beneficial features of the Nikon D600
• Drawbacks of the Nikon D600
• Menu options of the Nikon D600

16. How Many Batteries Do I Need?

• How many batteries do I need?
• Power or no power
• Other batteries to consider
• Strategies for lengthening battery life

17. Why Does My Exposure Change with a Zoom Lens?

• Why does my exposure change with a zoom lens?
• Understanding f-stop
• Strategies for dealing with exposure changes

18. What Is a Pocket Cinema Camera?

• The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera
• What to look out for
• Pocket Cinema Camera workflow
• Evaluating the shots

19. What Is a GoPro?

• What is a GoPro?
• The GoPro bodies
• Essential GoPro gear
• Powering the GoPro
• Accessing GoPro menus
• Essential menu commands

20. How Do I Shoot with a GoPro?

• Shooting with a GoPro mount
• Connecting a GoPro remote
• Viewing with a remote app
• Recording with a remote app
• Evaluating the shots

21. How Do I Shoot Time Lapse with a GoPro?

• Shooting time lapses with a GoPro
• Setting up the GoPro
• Accessing GoPro time-lapse footage
• Processing GoPro time-lapse footage

22. How Can I Get Smooth Tracking Shots?

• How can I get smooth tracking shots?
• Walking the camera
• Using sliders and dollies

23. How Do I Match Cameras?

• Matching cameras
• Variables
• Calibration
• Evaluating the shots
• Matching log footage
• Matching ProRes footage

24. How Do I Shoot in Small Places?

• Shooting in small places
• Using portable lights
• Compact lighting
• Lens choices for small places
• Mounting the camera
• Remote operation
• Evaluating the results

25. How Do I Shoot a Product Shot?

• Shooting a product shot
• Building the backdrop
• Using compact lighting
• Cleaning the object
• Using a macro lens
• Using a turntable

26. What Is Log Recording?

• What is log?
• Why should you shoot log?
• Using a LUT with Dynamic Link
• Creating a LUT in Adobe SpeedGrade