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View all Al's Morning Meeting feedback
How Still Photographers Turn to Video, Using a Single Camera
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still with a video camera
Posted by
Al Tompkins
11/5/2009 8:26:38 PM
yes they have been doing this for a long time but the still quality has not been as nice as the still quality you get...
yes they have been doing this for a long time but the still quality has not been as nice as the still quality you get with these D-SLRs because of the size of the sensor they are using.
The posters who call into question the audio settings are right on. And they are still bulky and hard to hold steady. Plus most of the d_SLRs still only shoot in 12 minute video bursts--which is fine most of the time unless you are shooting a speech or a spot news story and the file ends.
Also, until recently, they have been a huge pain to upload into some edit programs but that is working out now.
best
al tompkins
Why not stills with a video camera?
Posted by
Afi Scruggs
11/5/2009 3:30:31 PM
I'm a writer who is taking a video editing class at the community college. Just yesterday our teacher, a filmmaker, talked about using stills fro...
I'm a writer who is taking a video editing class at the community college. Just yesterday our teacher, a filmmaker, talked about using stills from a video camera. Apparently, Panasonic is coming out with a new model that gives great stills.
The advantage is the ability to control audio by setting level, adding better microphones, etc.
Don't know how heavy the gear would be, though.
It works, but...
Posted by
Jim Dean
11/5/2009 11:07:33 AM
I think a few other things are worth noting.
First of all, audio is extremely important. Still photographers have the skills to produce great...
I think a few other things are worth noting.
First of all, audio is extremely important. Still photographers have the skills to produce great video, but they may need to work on their audio skills.
When I teach someone about shooting, I probably devote 2/3rds to video, but 1/3rd of our time is spent on audio-everything from how to mic someone to how a shotgun mic works (and when one will KILL your interview)
Unfortunately, the audio capture ability of these cameras is extremely limited, without much manual control, no confidence monitoring, and only a basic mic jack. Sure, it's do-able, but it's a long way from being a professional tool.
Then there's the cost. As mentioned by others already, The five grand needed for a new camera just isn't there. I'm about to spend a grand on a new body, and that's all there is. Of course, since it's a Pentax K7, it will be have video, so we'll see how it goes with that one.
Personally, I would love to have a one box solution, but would prefer it if someone made a STILL camera out of a video camera-they already have the audio controls, etc, they just need the front end (shutter, etc) from the still gear.
Who pays?
Posted by
Jonas Hogg
11/5/2009 9:46:10 AM
And not a mention on how crippled financially photogs are becoming because of gear demands?
The Canon IDMK4 shoots in HD video and costs $5,00...
And not a mention on how crippled financially photogs are becoming because of gear demands?
The Canon IDMK4 shoots in HD video and costs $5,000. The Canon 5DMk2 shoots HD for about $3,000, but is not a rugged camera fit for the bumps and bruises of journalism. I realize Dennis did it, but is he not a Canon sponsored photographer? (More on that below.)
For most of the photogs I know, $5K is about 1/7 or 1/8 of their salary. Saying you need that money to buy a new camera will be a real fun sell to the spouse. "Sorry, hun, we'll catch up on bills later."
The other alternative is that newsrooms that haven't seen a raise in 4 years sinking $5K per photographer to update equipment. I think everyone know that's not going to happen.
It would be a magnificent world if we all were sponsored photographers and every time Canon or Nikon came out with a new lens or camera body we got a free copy to try out for awhile. Unfortunately, that's not the case.
still photogs to video
Posted by
Michael Rosenblum
11/5/2009 7:14:42 AM
We have trained many still photogs to do video. The 35mm cameras now are great for images but still have a way to go for...
We have trained many still photogs to do video. The 35mm cameras now are great for images but still have a way to go for audio. We are almost there.
As for story construction and shooting, the best source of video story-telling, either still or video, is to my mind a book called: W Eugene Smith and the Art of the Photoessay.
Smith was an early photographer for Life Magazine, and pretty much invented the photo essay for Henry Luce.
The book is interesting because it shows both Smith's well known photo work (Country Doctor, Spanish Village), but also shows his contact sheets - something you almost never get to see.
When you look at Smith's contact sheets you see how disciplined his approach to photojournalism was - and it was this discipline that later allowed him to create such stunning and linear photo essays.
Those linear stills essays are essentially video story telling captured in moments of time.
The ties between great photojournalism and great videography are very very close indeed. And nothing would serve the world of videography better than to approach the quality of Magnum photography - with sound added of course.
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