The Video Camera
Manual Focus Autofocus may not work well on the following subjects. In such case, focus manually. • Reflective surfaces • Subjects with low contrast • Subjects without vertical lines • Fast moving subjects • Shooting through windows • Night scenes 1. Adjust the zoom before you start the procedure. 2. Open the manual focus screen. 3. Touch a subject that appears inside the focus frame. 4. The Touch AF mark crosshairs symbol will flash and the focusing distance will be adjusted automatically. You have the option to further adjust the focus manually as necessary. 5. You can touch MF instead to adjust the focus manually without activating the Touch AF function. 6. The manual focus controls and the current focusing distance appear (for reference only). 7. Touch MF again to return the camcorder to autofocus. 8. Touch and hold landscape or portrait symbols to adjust the focus. 9. The center of the screen will be magnified to help you focus more easily. You can also turn off this function with the Focus Assistance setting. 10. The focusing distance displayed will change as you adjust the focus. 11. If you wish to focus on faraway subjects such as mountains or fireworks, touch and hold the landscape symbol until the focusing distance changes to infinity. 12. Touch [X] to lock the focus at the selected distance. During manual focus, [MF] will appear on the screen. Aperture and Shutter Speed 1. Programmed AE: the camcorder automatically adjusts the aperture and shutter speed to obtain the optimal exposure for the subject. 2. Shutter-­‐Pri. AE: set the shutter speed value. The camcorder automatically sets the appropriate aperture value. 3. Aperture-­‐Pri. AE: set the aperture value. The camcorder automatically sets the appropriate shutter speed. 1
Timecode (the condensed explanation) Timecode is a recorded signal identifying every single frame of recorded video. Timecode consists of a series of eight numbers: 01:10:20;05 In the above sequence we are in hour 1, 10 minutes, 20 seconds, and 5 frames. There are two different types of timecode: drop-­‐frame and non-­‐drop-­‐frame. DV always uses drop-­‐
frame. In drop-­‐frame timecode video is time-­‐stamped at an average 29.97 frames-­‐per-­‐second (non-­‐
drop-­‐frame would be 30000/1001 frames-­‐per-­‐second). Because drop-­‐frame timecode is used to represent real time (clock time, rather than simply providing a sequential number) 2 frame numbers of video are skipped every minute on the minute, except on every tenth minute. No actual frames of video are lost – the video is just time-­‐coded so that the code matches real time: So if you record an hour of video, the video actually lasts for an hour (rather than 1 hour and 1.001 frames, which is what you get with non-­‐drop frame timecode). The differences between the two forms only become important (i.e., noticeable) for programs lasting several hours with a synched audio track. 2
For example, with non-­‐drop frame timecode the code is off by 24 frames a day; drop-­‐frame is only off by only 2 frames per day). In-camera Composition and Framing
We capture time in motion, movement in progress. Whether this is an accurate portrayal of reality or not
is another question. It may be, but does not have to be. If it is we consider the result documentary; if it is
not the result is a product of the imagination.
The camera sees through its eye, not your own. Its field of vision is limited – it has no peripheral vision.
This is where panning, tilting, and zooming come in: Your means of capturing tat which lies beyond the
camera’s view.
In-camera composition is very important to video – perhaps more so than in still photography. The
framing of a still shot can be edited in the darkroom; with video or film the same process can occur, but
not without sacrificing the relationship between preceding and following shots and effecting image
quality.
Taking time to plan a shot, therefore, is time well spent. Looking through the lens to make adjustments to
framing and what lies within the frame can make the difference between a well composed and a badly
composed shot.
There are nine different types of shot in relation to framing:
1. Long Shot (LS): the subject is viewed from a distance and occupies a relatively small portion of
the frame.
2. Full Shot (FS): in which the human figure is framed from head to foot.
3. Medium Full Shot (MFS): in which the human figure is framed from the knees up.
4. Medium Shot (MS): the subject is the primary focus of the frame and occupies most of the
frame. The human figure would be framed from around the hips up.
5. Medium Close Shot (MCS): in which the human figure is framed from the waist up.
6. Close Shot (CS): in which the human figure is framed from the chest up.
7. Close-Up (CU): typically a head and shoulders shots in which the subject fills the frame and
obscures most of the background.
8. Medium Close-up (MCU): in which the human figure is framed from the neck up.
9. Extreme close up (ECU): only the subject is visible in the frame – a hot shot or eyes only shot
(from the chin up).
There are essentially eight different types of shot in relation to shooting:
1. Establishing (EST): sets to scene from the outset; typically a long shot.
2. Master: single (camera) shots covering all the action within a scene.
3. Reaction Shot: medium or close up that captures a subject’s reaction to something occurring offscreen.
4. Reverse: a shot from the opposite perspective of the subject.
5. Bridging or Cutaway Shot: a shot that covers a break in continuity, such as time or place.
6. Two-Shot: essentially a shot that frames two people.
7. Three-Shot: essentially a shot that frames three people.
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8. Tracking Shot: a shot in which the camera moves with the subject, maintaining distance and
framing. Usually the camera is placed on tracks, hence the name.
TIPS:
1. Handheld camera work should be avoided if possible – unless you are deliberately after the
“hand-held look” always use a tripod.
2. Try not to zoom with the camera unless you are composing a shot – it is better to zoom in and out
before recording begins. Getting a smooth zoom with a consumer-level camera requires a steady
hand, lots of patience, and the option for a re-shoot.
Rules of Composition
1. The Rule of Thirds: based on the Golden Mean. The frame is divided into thirds horizontally
and vertically and subjects are positioned along those lines to creating a visually harmonic
composition. The points at which the lines intersect are considered the most interesting places
within the frame.
The Canon Vixia HFS100 has an Onscreen Markers function that can be used to break the
monitor panel into thirds and provide a visual compositional guide:
a. Open the camera monitor panel and push the FUNC button.
b. Using the joystick control move the left vertical menu down to the bottom icon and press
SET.
c. Navigate to the icon that looks like a camera with three dots.
d. Scroll down using the joystick control to Onscreen Markers and push SET.
e. Scroll down using the joystick control to Grid (White) or Grid (Gray) and push SET. NOTE:
The other two options provide a horizontal horizon line you might use as a level.
f. When initialization is complete push the FUNC button to close the menu.
When you go out to shoot you can see your view divided into thirds. This is also a useful device
for lining up elements within the frame for continuity (so that different shots match, i.e., are
continuous over time) and composition.
2. The 180-Degree Axis of Action Rule: the screen direction of the subject within a scene must
remain consistent through various shots. If a man is sitting at a table drinking tea in a long shot
and he is positioned at the left of the frame looking right, he must be positioned at the left of the
frame looking right in all subsequent shots so as to not confuse the viewer.
3. Framing: breathing room around the subject.
a. Essential Area: important information should be framed within the center 80% of the
frame. This is known as the title safe portion of the frame.
b. Look Space: space within the frame in the direction a subject is looking.
c. Walk Space: space within the frame in the direction a subject is walking.
d. Headroom: the space between the top of a subject and the edge of the frame. The
eyelevel of the subject should be no less than one-third from the top of the frame unless
the subject of the frame is the mouth or nose.
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A Word About Lighting
Another part of composition not to be neglected is the lighting setup. If you are outdoors you are often at
the mercy of natural light, which alone can be quite amazing; but if you are doing a night shoot, it may be
necessary to employ artificial lighting. Some cameras have a night-shot or low-level lighting feature that
you might also use. Typically, the night-shot feature makes your footage look like it was shot through
night vision goggles, with a bright hotspot in the center. Indoor shots always employ at least a basic
lighting setup.
Careful lighting can help emphasize the mood, atmosphere, emotion, and feeling you need for a particular
shoot. Always ask yourself what kind of atmosphere you are looking to create. You could try starting with
traditional three-point lighting for shots with little or no movement within the frame; but for shots with
movement throughout the frame or camera movement, it is important to create a setup which will light
your scene in such a way that the key elements will be lit the way you want them to be no matter how the
element or the camera moves.
Complex shoots may involve more than one lighting setup to accommodate different camera angles. The
challenge with this type of scenario is to prevent the lighting from appearing to shift between shots.
It is possible to have elements move into and out of the light, so that they are not always illuminated, but
only if this is appropriate for your shot.
Always do test shots for lighting before settling on a particular setup. Also, do not be afraid to be
experimental in your approach to try and suit the look you are after. Different lights sources have different
operating temperatures and different color balances. You may need to set white balance on your camera
to correct color shifts or use color correction filters during editing in Final Cut.
Home Depot has inexpensive ($10) portable halogen lights that are usable for indoor lighting:
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White Balance
To get your whites to record as white (and not white with a hint of the temperature of lighting in the environment you are shooting) you may have to use a feature known as white balance. White balance is your way to let your camera know what you want it to recognize as white in your shot. Most cameras have several white balance settings accessible through the menus. • Select a recording program other than the Special Scene recording programs. Automatic (default): the camcorder automatically sets the white balance for natural looking colors. Daylight: to record outdoors on a bright day. Shade: to record in shaded places. Cloudy: to record on a cloudy day. Tungsten: to record under tungsten and tungsten-­‐type (3-­‐wavelength) fluorescent lighting. Fluorescent: to record under warm white, cool white or warm-­‐white-­‐type (3-­‐wavelength) fluorescent lighting. Fluorescent H: to record under daylight or daylight-­‐type (3-­‐wavelength) fluorescent lighting. Custom WB lets you tell the camera what is white. You can only switch the white balance setting if you are not shooting in one of the predefined exposure modes; you must be shooting in either Cine Mode, Aperture-­‐Priority, Shutter-­‐Priority, or Programmed AE. 1. Press the FUNC button to enter the menus. 2. Use the joystick control to navigate down to AWB and then all the way across to SET Set WB. 3. Point the camera at a white object and zoom in until it fills the view Make sure Digital Zoom is off. 4. Push the SET button. There is flashing indicator that you have to wait for to stop before the setting is applied. 5. Push the FUNC button to save the setting. The setting you applied will be used for every shoot until you change the setting again. Formatting SD/HC Cards
The card slot on the Canon Vixia HFS100 is behind the monitor panel near the base of the camera. Cards
are pushed in, with the label face up, until they click. To eject them gently push inwards until they click
out.
All new cards need to be formatted by the camera in which they are to be used.
g. Open the camera monitor panel and push the FUNC button.
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h. Using the joystick control move the left vertical menu down to the bottom icon and press
SET.
i. Navigate to the icon that looks like a wrench with two dots.
j. Scroll down using the joystick control to Initialize and push SET.
k. Scroll down using the joystick control to Complete Initialization and push SET.
l. When initialization is complete push the FUNC button to close the menu.
A Word About Audio
FCP prefers to edit 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz audio. Some DV cameras have more than one audio quality
option. You need to make sure that you record your audio at 16-bit rather than 12-bit (12-bit records
sound on stereo 1, leaving stereo 2 free for over-dubbing). 16-bit is the camera’s equivalent of 48 kHz
audio. Within the camera’s menus will be a setting for changing audio quality – always confirm this is set
to 16-bit before you shoot. If the camera’s internal battery is dead, this setting (along with many other
settings you may have changed) is lost every time you switch off the camera. Most true HD cameras
automatically record at 44-48 kHz.
The camera has a wind screen setting designed to reduce wind noise when shooting outdoors. This setting
may be switched off when shooting indoors and when you need the internal mic to be as sensitive as
possible. It does not work with an external mic.
To use headphones during recording to monitor the audio as it is recorded:
FUNC -> Menu -> Manual Setting 1 (looks like a wrench with a single dot) -> AV/Headphones ->
Headphones -> FUNC
To adjust the volume of the audio for the headphones:
FUNC -> Menu -> Manual Setting 1 (looks like a wrench with a single dot) -> Headphones Volume
NOTE: This setting does not affect the recording levels.
To change the recording levels:
Joystick up -> Mic Level -> SET -> Joystick left/right to adjust -> Joystick down
Before Shooting Camera Checklist
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
SDHC card is formatted.
Battery is fully charged if shooting outdoors.
Digital Zoom is set to off.
Recording Mode is set to MXP for maximum quality recordings.
Also check:
a. Shooting Mode – unless shooting in particular situations Programmed AE should be fine.
b. White Balance – AWB in most cases is fine.
c. Image Effects – Off.
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d. Digital Effects – Off.
e. Simultaneous Recording – Off.
f. Frame Rate – 60i (Standard).
g. Audio recording levels – A (for automatic) is fine in most case.
6. If the video image still does not look correct it is worth checking through all of the settings in the
menus to confirm all is correct. Remember, settings made by a previous user are retained – do not
assume the camera is set up correctly. You may refer to the PDF camera manual for additional
information.
Notes
1. Plan your shots as much as possible before going out to shoot: Optimize the time available to you,
especially if you are signing out a camera.
2. Shooting will take place outside of class meetings. Class meetings are reserved for instruction,
critique, and editing.
3. Continue to shoot footage throughout the semester, as often as possible. If you have your own
camera, carry it around with you.
4. Preview you footage immediately after a shoot: Re-shoot if the quality of your footage is
questionable.
5. There is no such thing as having touch much footage or too many takes of the same shot. The
more you have, the more you have to work with in editing.
6. Pay careful attention to your camerawork: The framing of your shots, composition within the
frame, lighting levels, color balance, what is happening at the edges of the frame, and movement
through the frame.
7. Consider how you operate the camera relative to the story you are telling: avoid unnecessary
camera movement, panning, tilting, or zooming of the lens.
8. Always use a tripod to avoid unwanted camera-shake or other movements. It is very difficult to
hold a camera steady for extended periods of time.
9. Try to avoid relying other people to participate in your projects: Video and teamwork go hand-inhand, but the more people involved in a project the less likely you will be able to complete it on
time. Remember that you have a very limited timeframe in which to complete assignments.
Failure to complete a project due to a lack of commitment from others is not acceptable.
10. Pay attention to detail in every aspect of composition.
11. Review your footage frequently, note the timecode of interesting shots and sequences, and just
copy the footage you will actually use to the computer.
12. Long video segments are difficult to backup to DVD: Avoid capturing segments longer than 1020 minutes in duration. Remember – none of your assignments are longer than 5 minutes.
13. Delete footage that you will not use so that it does not take up unnecessary hard disk space.
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