Getting started with digital video

[WrenchHead]

Talenos is probably the hot source on this board...

I don't know jack about video, editing it, formatting it, or shooting it.

However, I'd like to start snagging clips and piecing them together to make little movies for the web or whatever.

I just bought a Kodak Zi6, so I can have it on me most of the time in case I see something. It shoots HD, but you have to hold it completely still since it has no shake reduction. I'm not sure if I like it yet, but it's convenient.

I'm looking for ideas on what sort of camera to get, or if I should just wait if technology is about to change thanks to cameras like the 5D cheapening the large sensor technology.

Next, I'm looking for advice on what video software is easiest/cheapest to use. I happen to have Adobe Premiere CS3 on my computer, but haven't figured out how to do much with it yet. I did manage to piece together a movie with a title, several clips, and smooth transitions, and custom audio. I guess that's most of what I need to know to get started.

However, I'm looking for any software that's better. I also want to have effects where I can adjust the white balance, tweak the colors (selective color too) and a good b&w conversion.

My CS3 is some hacked together package. It doesn't have some of the options I've seen in the youtube tutorials I've been watching. But I'm curious what is the best format to output for the web, where you have good quality, smaller file size, and all that. I've been trying various formats to send to Vimeo and youtube, but most of them look like crap, or the filesize is ridiculous. I was trying H.264 30FPS which looks OK, but the filesize is pretty insane.

Any pointers would be appreciated. My plan is to make amateurish documentary style footage.

[Talenos]

How much are you looking to spend on a camera. The Canon HV30 shoots some pretty amazing footage, and you can usually find one for about $550. The HV40 just came out, so maybe it'll see even further price cuts.

Premiere is what a lot of pro's use, maybe to a lesser extent than Final Cut Pro or Avid. Premiere has gotten a lot better recently though. They're all very similar, and it maybe took me 20 minutes to figure things out when I had to teach an editing class in Premiere after using exclusively Final Cut for several years. So I would stick with it if you can.

I know that it is quite intimidating to see that program open up for the first time but it will get better. If it is too much for you then Vegas Video stuff is really good and really easy to learn with.

[WrenchHead]

I'm trying to figure out if I should save money to buy a big camera, or get some sort of camcorder. The goal is to have clean looking video that's not jittery.

Something like the Panasonic AG-HSC1U can make good looking video, but in the hands of an amateur, it gets all shaky and seizure inducing.

Meanwhile something like the Panasonic AG-HMC150 looks like it makes the sort of quality I want. But it costs more than my car.

My criteria is either hard drive or memory card though. I don't like dinking with tapes and my computer has an SD card reader slot.

For some reason I got the vibe from some elitist video guys I know that Premiere sucks? They use Apple software of some sort.. Probably that final cut pro.

I'll stick with it I guess, since I don't have anything else. I need to make sure it's 'all there' because it seems like it was missing some options when I opened new projects like "HD video" and whatnot.

[Talenos]

Premiere vs. FCP is like mac vs. windows a lot of bitching with little substance to the actual arguments.

Personally if I was going to drop the money right now I'd take the Canon over those two. Don't be so quick to knock tape, it's a very cheap backup solution that will last a lot longer than most hard drives. Plus the first Panasonic doesn't even look like it shoots 1080p.

The problem with all the small form-factor cameras is that they are hard to control hand-held without some stabilizing system. I see you being the type who could actually make his own, so that might be a good project for you. Good lighting is also the best way to get rid of that amateur home video feel.

[WrenchHead]

OK, so it's not like I'm losing potential quality by using Premiere?

Yeah, throw out camera ideas. That HV30 seems to have a diamond shaped aperture which is weird to me, as a camera guy, but I'm sure in the name of cost savings, that's what happens.

I'm looking for quality like so:

http://vimeo.com/2384547

Crisp colors, control over white balance, no jitters, etc..

[Talenos]

What's your price range? There are a lot of good ones in the 1-2k range, but if you want to spend that much, I'd go with a 5D Mk II or me, I'm holding out for a Scarlet.

I would suggest looking at more footage samples on vimeo to see how the cameras look. Make sure to find good footage though, it's easy to make a camera look like crap.

Most cameras from the HV30 up will have manual focus, white balance, and iris settings. That's what you're looking for in a decent camera. The jitter thing is all about stabilization, like I said little cameras are going to jitter a lot, you will want to put them on a tripod or stabilizer. I'm sure some of the automatics systems are pretty good, the one I have on my XL2 is nice, but it won't matter if you have shaky hands.

[WrenchHead]

Looks like you can hook some sort of 35mm adapter to the HV30, which is cool. And also it looks like it'd work OK in the hands of someone without parkinsons.

http://vimeo.com/2057892

++ for the old crow medicine show song, ha

My price range is going to depend on what I get for the money in terms of quality. I'm thinking this is a pivotal time in history, and in 25 years, it'll be nice to look back as the US crawled it's ass out of a hole in the ground.

Also, I imagine I'm going to pollute the earth with offspring, and I don't want to have my home movies stuffed away in a box because they're painful to watch.

[Dragon]

damn you wrenchhead! that song is so damn catchy! must resist urge to buy album.

[WrenchHead]

You could just steal it like I did. There's a song about cocaine blues that's catchy.

[PaulMuaDib]

i have 2 of their albums and both kick major ass. both has catchy cocaine songs too.

[MarcusAurelius]

adobe premiere is every intuitive and makes for very professional end results.

[WrenchHead]

I arranged to buy a Canon HV20 from some dude in Portland, OR. God bless google + craigslist.

The cameras were ending way too high on ebay in what looked like a lot of cases of stolen cameras, or partial lots. I'm getting the original box, the remote, charger, an extra extended life battery, and it looks like maybe a samsonite photo bag, which I already own two of, oddly enough... He sent some photos and the camera is complete and not all banged up like the ones I've been watching sell in the $450.00 range on ebay that were missing parts.

Under 400 bucks.

Here's to my burgeoning adult movie career!

[Talenos]

Now you just need a 35mm adapter and you're all set.

[WrenchHead]

I'll probably start out with one of the cheap adapters that don't have the moving groundglass and just try to keep the dust out of there.

I'm looking for an adapter that does M42 (and subsequently M39 leica threadmount) but most of the ones I'm finding are for Canon FD or Nikon F mount stuff. I could most likely adapt Canon to M42 to M39.

The goal is getting my 15mm Leica lens hooked up to a 35mm adapter. Super wide angle with ZERO barrel distortion. It would be bomb-diggity.

[Talenos]

http://jag35.com/

That has some of the cheapest adapters I've seen. I think some have the M42 mount too.

[WrenchHead]

The nice thing about canon is it has the same registration distance to the filmplane as leica, pentax, and many others. I'm better off getting a canon jag mount than a nikon one I think. Most of my good manual focus lenses are m42. The jag35 adapter is the one I was thinking about.. they make the cheap one with no moving glass.

[WrenchHead]

Anyone know of any good sites that cover the basics of 'good cinematography' techniques? Like classic shots, compositions, panning, use of zoom, etc???

My video camera arrived and I need ideas for practicing.

[daoist]

Lots of zoom, and keep hammering on the star-wipes.

[WrenchHead]

http://vimeo.com/7154394

Shot out of the HV20 and I've been learning to use Sony Vegas because it performs way better on my computer than Adobe Premiere, so that's what I used here with a couple of filter effects.

Vimeo has a bit better sound quality, but youtube HD is looking decent anymore.. especially for unlimited bandwidth...

[agent_o4]

Is there an option for these adapters that doesn't involve holding the camera upside-down?

[WrenchHead]

You can hack into the camera and add a switch that flips the display. Or you can use a little mirror on the viewscreen to make a box that flips the image.

Or you can spend big money for a 35mm adapter that has a corrective prism built in.

[Talenos]

You flip it in post, but many people get a lcd monitor and either mount it upside down, or get one that can flip the image. Newer cameras seem to be aware of this problem and allow you to flip the lcd image if you want. the nicer adapters of course will do it for you.