Arts Festival Opening Night Video

My new video of the amazing La Fura Del Baus performance at the 2010 Perth International Arts Festival Opening.

28mm wide angle video

So I finally fronted up the cash for a tripod on the weekend, after weeks of indecision. I ended up going for the Manfrotto 701HDV head with 755XB legs. I’ll post a full review here soon, with lots of pretty pictures, but for now I’ll just say that it is a thing of Italian beauty. Rock solid still shots, perfect pans.  I can tell this baby is going to do a lot of miles over the next few years.

Also obtained in the last week was a new wide angle lens for the twoneil adapter, which is actually the point of this post.  Having used the twoneil with a 50mm lens for the last 6 months, overall I find the ‘closeness’ of the 50mm a little restrictive. In general I don’t like getting too close to things, or rather, I like keeping my distance. With the 50mm lens I could never get far enough away to improve the scope of my shots. Great for close ups and depth of field, but I was itching to practice my shot composition a little more.

Hence I purchase a 28mm 2.8 AIS Nikkor wide angle lens, second hand off ebay. Why AIS? Well mostly because from what I have gathered from various opinion leaders across the web, AIS lens’ are generally better constructed than some of the newer plastic ones. It ended up cheaper purchasing a second hand AIS lens than sourcing a brand new one – AIS lenses also tend to be quite hard to come across, though regularly pop up on ebay.

Anyway, with new tripod slung over my shoulder I headed out on Sunday morning to take some shots, the below video is the result.

Overall I’m really pleased with the new scope the wide angle has opened up, and so far the increase (decrease?) in aperture (1.8 to 2.8) hasn’t had any noticeable effect. I will say that this is also the first video to use the twoneil plus attachment (ie achromat) which seems to have done a really good job of crisping up the edges of the picture and pretty much eliminating vignetting. Compared to the crisp video below, my previous videos look very muddy.

I’m also using HDV50i mode with shutter priority set to 125.  Switching between this and 25fps + cinemode I witnessed a noticeable drop in colour and vibrancy and hence I thought I would give it a go on the new setting. I like the result. It’s much crisper, and personally I can’t see much difference in “movie” like texture. That could of course be because I don’t have many closeups of people. Give it a go and see if you like the results.

Hope you enjoy. Review of tripod coming soon.

P.S. Oh and yes, I finally figured out how to embed vimeo videos into wordpress.

Check out my latest videos at: http://www.vimeo.com/user492981/videos

Best final cut pro settings for Vimeo

Every person who gets into videography as a hobby is going to eventually ask themselves: what video settings do I use?

Some people will be using Sony Vegas, others iMovie, I just happen to be using Final Cut Pro which has about 30+ input and output options available for importing your masterpiece from tape and exporting it for others to see.  Since this has been an ongoing question for me, I thought I’d provide a bit of clarity and a link to one of my favourite how-to videos.

Best FCP settings for importing video from the Canon Hv30

Import or “Capture” settings largely depend on the resolution and framerate of the video camera you shot the footage with. As I use the Canon Hv30 (PAL), I import using the Final Cut Pro setting “HDV” and start a sequence using “HDV – 1080i50”. This seems to be pretty standard for most high definition cameras and works well for me.

Best FCP export settings for Vimeo

Ok so this one took me a LOT longer to find. I was going out of my mind for a while. First off, realise that when I say export, I really mean “compress”.  The “Export – Quicktime Movie” in FCP will not produce a video capable of being uploaded to Vimeo. Don’t make the mistake as many times as I did. For Vimeo you’ll actually need to choose “Using Quicktime Conversion” or “Using Compressor”. Compressor is a companion product for FCP, Quicktime is well…Quicktime.

Now that you’re in the right area, you should have a look at Vimeo’s general guidelines as they are essential for the next part of your export journey. Whatever program you are using, you should see the settings mentioned by Vimeo hidden in the tabs somewhere. If you end up using Quicktime Conversion, the guidelines are pretty much all you’ll need to work it out, so I won’t go into it. Unfortunately, results from Quicktime Conversion tend to vary in quality, hence why Apple invented Compressor.

Compressor is definitely more complex, as it’s designed for professionals. I, quite obviously, am not a professional, hence why I love it when people make videos on how to do this stuff. The video below contains all the instructions necessary to make the most of Compressor for uploading videos to Vimeo. Happy exporting!

Compressor Settings for Vimeo

New back beach video

I found a few spare shots from a recent trip to New Zealand that I hadn’t found a proper home for. I cut it together in about half an hour last night and the result is a pretty good approximation for what it felt like to walking along that prehistoric beach dragging my feet through the jet black sand. The beach’s name I have no idea, but New Plymouth locals call it the “back beach”.

Some of the shots are a little too long, but the colours are so vivid that I found it difficult to bring myself shorten them. I think the video is a great example of how brilliant the low light capability of the HV30 is. The footage is captured using a DOF adapter (which actually makes it a little harder sometimes to shoot in low light) so I’m absolutely thrilled that even with that light loss, the HV30 was able to step up to the mark. There are no complaints from me with regard to the HV30’s ability to capture magnificent low light scenes.

I’ve also performed zero colour correction and the master footage looks about 10 times better – I have yet to master compressor settings in FCP. This is straight off the camera, into FCP for some editing and straight out into Vimeo. I hope you like it.

Happy shooting.

Best lens support (rails) for Twoneil DOF adapter

Have just received my achromat add-on for the Twoneil DOF adapter. It adds about 2 inches to the barrell of the adapter, which means that my adapter + 50mm lens is now officially longer than my HV30. It also means that, as Twoneil suggests on his website, it’s time to buy some lens support for when I use it with a tripod.

So the search begins again!  First I did an initial product search for a suitable lens support system for the twoneil and came up with a couple of options:

• Cavision 15mm rod support – approx US$159
• Manfrotto telephoto lens support – approx US$69
• indiRAIL Pro 18mm rod support -approx US$129

There is a lot of useful discussion on which of the above lens support systems is best over at hv20.com. It seems there is a general consensus that the Cavision support is working for most people, however the 12mm rails might be a bit too short for longer lenses. For people who want to play it safe, it seems the indiRAIL 18mm model is the way to go.

However, digging a little deeper I discovered a more customised HV30 + Twoneil lens support system out there called the Shrigg Rig which was developed in consultation with a hv20.com veteran called “Shrigg”.

The Shrigg Rig supports long and short lenses and holds the HV20/30 upside down to negate the need to flip in post production (doesn’t of course correct the viewfinder). This is also available through indiSYSTEMS at just $109, the downside being that the rods are only 12mm, which may be too short for those using something like a 70-200mm lens (interested in owners feedback on this point). There is some useful discussion on the Shrigg Rig at hv20.com.

indiSYSTEMS Shrigg Rigg

As for the much cheaper Manfrotto, it seems the main disadvantage is that it is made for still cameras and doesn’t really offer too much flexibility for hv30 owners wanting to pimp their rigs in the future with matte boxes and the like.

For me, it looks like the best way to go is the Shrigg Rig, mostly because it looks to be the product of a Hv20/30 love affair between manufacturer and consumer. It also will shave some time off my “flip” post production process by holding my dear Hv30 upside down while shooting.

If anyone has any impressions of the Shrigg Rig they’d like to share, or any other suggestions for lens support systems, leave a comment below. Happy shooting.

Anniversary DOF adapter video

I’ve been a bit quiet since getting back from overseas, mostly because I’ve been cooking up a new DOF adapter video for my wonderful partner Monique. Last night, after much swearing, I finally manged to finish it. You can see the results by clicking the video below.

It’s shot with and without the twoneil DOF adapter and features images from my D70. It’s not perfect, as I had a deadline to hit (our anniversary was today) and I had some last minute “issues” with Final Cut Pro exporting, namely when I used teh “Export using Quick Time Conversion” in FCP, the resulting video is awfully washed out – losing most of the intense colour grading achieved naturally using the twoneil adapter. I tried a few different encodes on separate settings, but no effect.

I’ve looked up the exporting issue briefly on the net, but strangely it’s never affected any of my other videos when I’ve used the same settings. If anybody has any enlightening ideas, I would love to hear them. Also bizarrely, when I play the .avi using VLC the colour is much much better. So I’m beginning to wonder if it’s a Quicktime player thing or a FCP thing?

Anyhoo, hope you like the new video. I will be back with more posts soon.

Manfrotto 560B monopod review

I have returned from the land of the long white cloud and am now ready to review the Manfrotto 560B monopod.

Unfortunately, after four weeks abroad I have little else to add to my initial impressions of the monopod I gave a month ago: the 560B is wonderful.

A quick recap: before my requisite work siesta I was looking for a way to increase the stability of shooting with the Twoneil adapter without the need to pack a bulky tripod. The Manfrotto 560B seemed a nice tradeoff; it snaps down to about 60cm, provides panning support and stability, weighs just under 1.5kgs and doesn’t take up too much room in my suitcase. In fact, strange as it may sound, throughout my time abroad I never really felt burdened by the 560B; hefted in your hand it can just feel like a weighty stick, and for some reason that feels natural to a neanderthal like me.

Over the course of my trip I took the 560B out pretty much everyday, hefting it most times over my shoulder like you would carry a club. The lever snap locking system feels incredibly secure, so much so that I rarely took the camera off while tramping through the wilderness (urban or otherwise). After a while I forgot altogether (whilst stumbling over rocks and skreet) that the camera was perched so delicately 6 feet off the ground behind my back.

Most of the time I would take the monopod down a few notches for a little bit more peace of mind, but it was always a very quick “stand and start shooting” process. Though I would stop short of saying that you could use it for a walking stick – you invest a lot in the smooth operation of those little feet.

Panning is an art, and I have yet to master it.  The video below is the first part of my holiday and much of it was taken in the Tongariro National Park where the wind is reliably strong, hence some of the footage is a little shaky.  This I don’t believe is the fault of the monopod as much as my own general shakiness.

Following the advice from someone on Vimeo, I turned off the stability control on my Hv30. If left on, it can supposedly screw with panning – making the picture jump around unecessarily. Unfortunately it also means you take a small hit to the smoothness of all your shots (in my opinion). If you remember, the first video I did with the monopod was without DOF adapter (the main culprit of camera shake), so really this was the first time I’d really used the monopod at all for it’s true purpose: to smooth out shots with the adapter.

A worthy comparison is between the video above and the video I first shot with the twoneil some months ago (handheld).  The improvement is easily noticeable – though not as much as if the adapter wasn’t on at all.  I would not have dared trying some of the pans and camera movements performed in the above video without the monopod.

Overall I am very impressed with the Manfrotto 560B – whilst the shots still exhibit some shake, many of these were taken on the fly in awkward situations and resting upon unstable terrain with the wind blowing quite heavily. Yes the dream of perfectly stable shots still haunts me, but I also realise I would quite likely have never taken the time to take many of the shots I did were it not for the ease of setup the 560B provides. Always in search of the perfect picture, my partner and I travel with a significant amount of camera equipment (both video, digital still and film cameras) and right at this moment, lugging an additional tripod around with me on holiday would just add to the feeling that we are a travelling paparazi sideshow.

In the past few months I have been exposed to more and more professionally produced movies and user videos that employ a more relaxed approach to image stability. I am finding that this approach is more akin to the visions I have in my head and plays to the strengths and weaknesses of my own equipment setup.

Thanks to it’s three little fit and central column pivot system and with enough time, practice and imagination, I believe the Manfrotto 560B monopod will produce some truly unique looking shots to rival those of a conventional tripod. I have barely scratched the surface.

Manfrotto 560B Monopod Video

Ok so it took me a week, but finally I managed to cut together a Manfrotto 560B monopod video comparison using my HV30 with/without the monopod. I think the results speak for themselves:

Manfrotto 560B Monopod Video

When I took these shots I had only just purchased the Manfrotto 560B, so I was by no means practiced with it’s use.  It was actually the first time I had put a camera on the top and gave it a whirl.

The stability and control you get from the 560B is very impressive. Sure you can still see a little shake in the corners of the screen, but compared to me attempting a handheld pan, using the monopod gives the stability of a tripod without the complications of three legs.

In the video I have preceded each segment with a label of whether I was using handheld or monopod, and I have tried to take (approximately) the same style of shot for ease of comparison.  One of the end shots is of a water bird (I think a Kingfisher) paddling around the shallows on its own. I left that in as I think it’s a very cute shot, but also demonstrates how the monpod assists in smoothly tracking moving subjects.  I was standing in the one spot when I took that particular shot, using the pan and lean of the 560B to help keep the bird in shot.

As an aside, last night I managed to fix my broken twoneil adapter and tried a few shots out with the monopod. As many will remember, my biggest challenge with the DIY DOF adapter was getting a decent shot that wasn’t ridiculously shaky.

I can say with confidence that anyone wanting to improve the stability of their shots while using a DIY DOF adapter without the need for a heavy tripod, should purchase the 560B immediately.

I will post up some new footage when I get back from holiday.  Hope you enjoy!  And of course, let me know whether it helps.

New 35mm DOF adapter video

New 35mm dof adapter video. I just finished another test video for the twoneil 35mm dof adapter and this one I got some things right and other things not so right.

I discovered you can overcome camera shake with a tripod, and then further discovered that light tripods do not perform very well in heavy wind (duh!). Once again it’s a collection of various scenes from around Perth, mostly shot by the water this time.  I’ve started to get used to the upside down element, but have yet to find a viable solution to camera shake (that doesn’t cost me an arm and a leg).

This video was shot and edited before my recent purchase of the Manfrotto 560B monopod. I will have footage of that baby later this week.  For now though, my DOF adapter is in need of repair, so I can’t try out the effect of the monopod on video shot with the adapter.

Hope you like it.

New DOF 35mm Adapter Video

Manfrotto 560B Monopod First Impressions

The Manfrotto 560B. Ok so I did a bit of an about face with my tripod decision.  You know that point where you have looked through that many reviews of tripod heads and legs that you feel as if you actually might know less than you did prior to searching? I’m so there.

Manfrotto 560B (compacted)

Plus, I am booked to go on holiday, was tight on budget and looking for something light and relatively portable to take with me on a hike.  The heads and legs decision was driving me bonkers, just when I thought I’d reached a decision (the Manfrotto 190XBPRO with a 701RC2 head) more numbers and acronyms would jump on board, and when I started adding up the kit price, I discovered I was beginning to eat into my holiday budget.

Taking a different approach, I thought about what I really wanted to achieve short term with my video expedition. Number 1 was reducing shake and number 2 was achieving number 1 whilst remaining mobile. The Manfrotto 560B seemed to satisfy both demands.

Sure I can’t leave the manfrotto standing while I take a coffee break, and time lapse is out of the question, but I’m open to experimentation and new ways of filming.  I say if you don’t have the equipment (or the budget) to do terrific still shots, start learning how to do terrific moving shots. It’s evolution baby.

I looked at a number of very positive reviews of the Manfrotto 560B which listed as one of its main benefits: the ability to add significant stability without the need to lug around a bloody great big tripod setup. The price was also very reasonable; available here in Australia for under AU$200 compared to my dream tripod setup of more than AU$600.

So you know how that story goes…I have only just got it, hence why this is a first impressions post and not a full review. But here’s hoping that first impressions, in this case, last.

The immediate impression you get when unpacking the 560B is that it feels built to last. This is a hefty paperweight and everything feels very well put together, tough enough to take on extended use without worrying about bends or scratches (well maybe scratches…). 0.7kg feels a little weightier than I first thought it would be, but that’s still half the weight of pretty much every other set of legs out there and it includes the head and snap on camera plate.  The midget legs that pop out at the base don’t exactly scream unbreakable, but on the whole I was surprised at just how good this thing feels to heft in your hand.

The whole unit extends to 166cm and compacts down to about 60cm.

The clips snap into place easily and convincingly, and the little legs on the base are easily extended to give you extra support and access to panning. If you have not seen the 560B in action before, check out the video demo on vimeo (pictured below).

Manfrotto 560B Monopod Demo

The only issue I have with the little legs is that there is no way to snap them in/out other than lifting up the tripod and doing it one by one with your hands. It would be great, if a little unrealistic, to be able to snap the little legs out in one go, rather than do it one by one, then repeat the process when you are finished. Maybe I’m expecting too much…

The fluid ball joint at the bottom of the unit is very cool. You can rotate the whole “pod” around 360 degrees up to an angle of just shy of 45 degrees to the ground. Panning is a sinch, the unit has enough drag to make them very easy to do with a slight turning of the wrist. I had a pretty decent pan going after about 3 minutes of practice. The rubber grip up the top helps a lot and feels very reasuring in the hand (if such a thing is possible).

Manfrotto 560B (extended)

Unfortunately, I haven’t got any test footage yet because my twoneil DOF adapter is broken (see another story) but this week I will do my best to post some footage sans adapter. It won’t be as dramatic, as I think the HV30 already has pretty decent image stability.

I’ll be taking the 560B with me all around New Zealand and Melbourne for the next four weeks so after that I’ll do another post with more detailed impressions.

In the meantime, if anyone else out there has one of these babies, let me know and I’ll post your video instead!