GET STARTED WITH DSLR VIDEO

Extend your imaging expertise by adding HD moviemaking to your creative toolbox

1

USE A TRIPOD unlike when shooting still images, a video is very unforgiving of camera movement. While you can freeze this in a single frame, it is a major distraction in handheld movies. If you don’t have a dedicated camera rig, it’s recommended to invest in a sturdy tripod for most video clips.

4

ENTER A SHUTTER SPEED Shutter speed choice is more involved than in still photography, as it is not possible to choose any setting. Pick a shutter speed that is roughly double the frame rate – so 1/60sec for 30fps or 1/50sec for 24fps – for natural subject movement.

2

CHOOSE THE RIGHT LENS Full hD video measures only 1,920 x 1,080 pixels – while this offers professional movie quality, it does not provide many cropping options. ensure your lens has the required reach to correctly compose in-camera. An optic with at least an f4 maximum aperture is essential.

5

PRE-SET YOUR WHITE BALANCE While you can change colour in your video at the processing stage, you often don’t have as much freedom as when editing RAW files for still images. Take a custom white balance reading or select an appropriate WB preset before you start shooting.

3

PICK A FRAME RATE The number of frames captured per second defines the look of your video. 24fps provides a more filmic appearance, while 60fps is more suitable for high-speed action (or slow-motion captures). 30fps will give a smooth video and is a popular generalpurpose choice.

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MARK YOUR FOCUS Find focus for your subject and take note of the position of your lens’ focus ring, or use the focus distance scale for help with this. This will enable you to instantly pull focus to that position, for a smooth focus effect in your final video.