A New Addition to my Photography Family, HD Video!

Changes, changes and more changes, my photo life story for 2011. One of these changes is the addition of video capture to my photography business. The ability to record HD videos using my Canon EOS 5D mark II is incredible. In this post, I will discuss the equipment I’ve added for video and time-lapse work in the field.

First and what I feel is the most important to successful video production is good clean audio. Recording audio is a major problem that is not up to standards in terms of capturing video with all HDSLR’s. After much research I decided to purchase the Zoom H4n four channel recorder to record the audio. It has onboard X/Y stereo condenser mics that include variable recording patterns at either 90° or 120°.  The H4n also features built-in combination XLR/Phone connectors with phantom voltage source capability. These connections allow me to add a professional shotgun mic for recording localized audio and also a wireless lav for direct voice recording for interviews. Some videographers use the H4n audio files and discard the in-camera audio. I use a technique that allows me to utilize the H4n line out to feed its premixed audio directly into the 5D mark II where it can be used to supplement the H4n audio files uploaded from the compact SDHC card into Premier for mixing in Soundbooth or as premixed audio directly with the video. We’ll take a more in-depth look at audio recording for video in a later post because there are some specifics about how to set up the connection between the H4n and the camera.

To aid in viewing and also fine and follow focusing (there’s no auto focusing on HDSLR video cameras) using the cameras LCD screen I chose to go with the Hoodman Cinema Kit Pro. There are a few other great options like the Zacuto Z-Finder Pro and the LCDVF Viewfinder. The Cinema Kit Pro includes the HoodLoupe 3.0, HoodMAG 3.0, and the HoodCrane. This allows for the HoodLoupe 3.0 to be mounted to the camera which creates a third point of contact for steadier hand holding and also gives you magnification of the full LCD screen. Another nice feature is the ability to flip the HoodLoupe up and rotate out of the way if needed. When shooting video a LCD viewfinder or a small video monitor is a must. I hope to add DP6 from Small HD in the very near future.

I am certain that everyone has noticed the unique and powerful moving/sliding video clips and time-lapse videos on the web. Well, I did too and I had to find out how videographers were achieving this in the field without a monstrous dolly or crane. It didn’t take much web searching to find the solution but choosing the unit was a daunting process. I decided on the GlideTrack Dollie-slider. This unit is one of the best on the market when cost is a major issue. It is a manual control system with no motors or cranks, so it takes some practice to get smooth sliding movements. I will post a few clips later showing the GlideTrack in action.

For smooth panning and tilting movements when recording I use the new Manfrotto 501HDV Pro fluid head, ballheads will not allow for fluid movements. The 501HDV Pro is a true fluid head and not one of those “fluid-like” cheaper heads. True fluid resisted movements are essential when panning and tilting during filmmaking. There are better performing video heads on the market but the 501HDV Pro is the perfect “fluid” head when cost and performance is weighted equally.

Another very important decision when I made the transition to video was which tripod to use. Instead of purchasing a dedicated video tripod, most are very heavy and somewhat cumbersome for field work, I chose to use my Feisol Tournament CT-3342 with leveling base. The leveling base is a must for leveling the video head. Video heads only allow for pan and tilt movements with no option for side to side adjustments. Using a leveling base lets me make angle adjustments quickly without the need to fumble around with the tripod legs. The CT-3342 is on the edge in terms of sturdiness for the total weight of a HDSLR video rig. I will be adding a sturdier Feisol tripod soon.

There are other additions to my video equipment list but are mostly necessities like patch cords, cables, quality headphones, mounting clips, windscreens for mics, high-capacity CF cards, etc. If you are just getting into video and/or have specific questions about my equipment please feel free to ask by adding a comment I will respond promptly. If you are an experienced videographer and have information that you’d like to offer please feel free to add that as well. I’m always open to learning!

The equipment that I’ve discussed here is my current setup for shooting video in the wild and with every new venture comes new ideas, new information learned and new pieces of equipment and software to be added. I will post videos and more articles as things progress. I will also be adding instructional videos showcasing my still photography and video in the field very soon so please check back often. Thanks so much for visiting and until next time, goodbye and Happy New Year!

Jerry