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Who does video?

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bjrichus

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I wish we had a poll type of topic here (full disclosure: I would answer "no" to the question), but with all the fuss over video these last few years and the mostly uninspiring dross I see that people tend to pass off as "video" I was wondering just how many Nikon Rumors readers and posters actually shoot more than the occasional/casual video?

I can think of three or perhaps four other members I know who do because they have said so and are or have been in the movie buisness, but I just cannot recall any more than that. I am trying to get a feel for just HOW MANY are here and I guess also WHAT videos those who make a living from it, actually shoot.

So what do I think of as uninspiring dross? I see so many (and am sick of) 'blurry-cam' videos of brides walking up the aisle, sobbing their way through some sloppy words and then walking out again, followed by some distant relative getting drunk and throwing up over a bridesmaids dress. Then there are the 'sports' videos of people going "WOOOOOOOOOO" as they jump off a ledge or the so called 'social-media' experts plugging videos on you tube that are really 'sponsored' by some big pharmaceutical company or other and you get the 'benefit' of seeing the advert for them (they call it 'generating buzz')...

Sorry. I think of all that kind of stuff as a BIG YAWN.

The motivation for this comes from the fact that I am currently negotiating for a videographer to shoot my son's wedding and frankly 99% of those available (at any price) seem to be unable to even spell the word "focus" let alone know what it means....

Posted 1 year ago #
SkintBrit

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Lol bjrichus, I do wish you'd say what's on your mind, have you ever thought about a career in the diplomatic corps? :-) In answer to your question, I fall into the same bracket as you. If I need to shoot anything longer I use a handycam, however this latest traunch of DSLR's might change that, for me I'd love to have the quality of a FX sensor and great glass, but I'm not skilled enough to manually focus moving subjects. When they get that sorted properly I'll use it a lot more. Your experience with videographers is not my experience, the ones I know are highly skilled (but couldn't take a still photo to save their lives)!

Posted 1 year ago #
RyanWard

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I use video on my D7000. I shoot real estate videos, blog topics and neighborhood videos. Having it in one body makes it much more convenient.

It doesn't work WELL for a P&S type of casual shooting because it just doesn't focus well unless you are outside in good light with it stopped down smaller than f10 where the depth of field overcomes some of the focus shortcomings.

Posted 1 year ago #
bjrichus

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SkintBrit said:
Lol bjrichus, I do wish you'd say what's on your mind, have you ever thought about a career in the diplomatic corps? :-) In answer to your question, I fall into the same bracket as you.

[...]

Your experience with videographers is not my experience, the ones I know are highly skilled (but couldn't take a still photo to save their lives)!

I'll call it like I see it. At least I *know* I don't do video well, so I keep out of an area I have little skill in. I am just so ticked off with the quality of those I am encountering - and this is with recommendations too. I guess the general public just know nothing about decent visual recording and think average is "good".

Shades of "Oh look, that overcooked HDR picture is so wonderful" from the 'unwashed' masses is what I am seeing, but for video now. With my critical eye, I am prepared to accept I may be just aiming too high, not that I am talking Hollywood production values or anything, but... :-(

It just seems that most of the so called "Wedding Videographers" in my area are just pure rubbish. I may just have a bunch of idiots in my area but... One even turned out to be an ex-student at my employer that we wouldn't (no names here you understand) let use any of our gear, let alone trust to do a decent video of a wedding... The words "clumsy" (as in banging lenses into things like vases and walls) and camera shake come to mind with this individual.

Anyway.... I am not asking for references or referrals, and I don't want to pass any kind of judgement on anyone here. I am curious about what proportion of [NR] readers shoot video for a living and what kind of videos they shoot?

Posted 1 year ago #
spraynpray

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I don't and won't until the focus nonsense is sorted. If they did a non-video version of my camera I would have bought it. I don't even subscribe to the "Oh well as it is there" brigade, I just don't want it.

Just my 2c though...

Posted 1 year ago #
Mike Gunter

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Hi,

Although I fit in a mostly retired category, I do get a decent bit of coin from video either by shooting the very occasional event video, but also by doing corporate, network, news, and government video.

I've used Nikkor lenses on 16mm and 35mm film cameras, too, and welcome the opportunity to switch to a nice sensor for video.

My best,

Mike

Posted 1 year ago #
PaulR

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I for one use both D3X and a professional HD video camera, I have found to date, that DSLRs do not work to the standards required for professional use plus they have limited recoding time due to way DSLRs are allowed to work. Also other technical filming atributes that only a video camera can handle makes a major difference.
In the leap-frog game between Canon and Nikon, maybe Nikon have now leaped ahead of Canon with facilities the new D4 is offereing. When prices settle I will be buying this camera but mainly for the improvements Nikon have done on the Stills side, rather than the video improvements.

Posted 1 year ago #
SquamishPhoto

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bjrichus said:
It just seems that most of the so called "Wedding Videographers" in my area are just pure rubbish. I may just have a bunch of idiots in my area but... One even turned out to be an ex-student at my employer that we wouldn't (no names here you understand) let use any of our gear, let alone trust to do a decent video of a wedding... The words "clumsy" (as in banging lenses into things like vases and walls) and camera shake come to mind with this individual.

It might be that they are just rubbish. I know plenty of guys out there making full film production with DSLR's and 4/3rds rigs. Here is a video from my friend Alex made while touring the US and Canada this year. Its a rock climbing video, so it may be a bit boring for most of you, but you can see his use of booms and creative positioning on ropes in the video. Seems pretty nice to me at least. :]

[+] Embed the video | Video Download Get the Flash Videos

Text-Link:

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He's using a Pentax for his videos.

Posted 1 year ago #
Nikoner

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I never do video on my camera, never have even on the P&S's I owed in childhood. I always use a camcorder for that.

If Nikon makes a D4 without all that video shit and prices it at USD 3,500.00 I will but it pronto.

We already know the specs for D800, but I hope they at least make the D400 more a camera than a camcorder.

Posted 1 year ago #
golf007sd

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My D7000 video feature gets used about 2%. It is nice to know that it is there, but I did not buy it for that feature.

@SquamishPhoto Your friend did a great job. What body was he using?

Cheers

Posted 1 year ago #
aesnakes

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I work in Movies and Television mainly as a compositor / FX Artist but I find myself shooting for elements,and plates both as stills and video. It is so useful in my industry to be able to handle both sides. Some pieces of my landscapes have made it into many shows like Red, Eureka, V, Invictus, 30 minutes or less, Limitless etc. Im one of the many waiting for a D800...I almost preordered the D4 but I was able to hold off a little longer. Sadly it is the reason I sold my D700 because of the versatility of have both video and stills in 1 camera.

Posted 1 year ago #
jonnyapple

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Just casual video for me—definitely not for a living. I do love it, though, and I'm not ashamed to say I'm glad to see Nikon include it in their SLRs.

Posted 1 year ago #
mirtos

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I do video, but not on my DSLR. Mostly documentary style videos, somewhat artsy.

Posted 1 year ago #
NSXType-R

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Not I.

Posted 1 year ago #
TaoTeJared

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I think I have shot 2 minutes of video in 5 years - all by accident. The video of the inside of my pocket from my iPhone is some of my best video work to date for sure.

I have seen some great video shot with DSLRs/m4/3rds but very little if any of it was Paid work. I have heard more along the lines of what Aesnakes does with clip shooting.

I am amazed by the accessories that basically turn a DSLR into a full video rig. That stuff is not cheap for a full set up, and to me, it would make more since to buy a dedicated system rather than re-engineering one. For fun I priced a set-up out on B&H and I was at $4,000 in a heartbeat. With Sony and Canon's entrance with video rigs that use their lenses & the Red system, I think eventually that is where the market buyers will go and DSLR video will be basically where it is now for quite some time.

Posted 1 year ago #
bjrichus

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@TaoTeJared ... Just like you, I must have shot 2 mins of video by accident. I know what I am not able to do well, so avoid it. Play to my strengths...

All: I think what I am reading here is that very few people actually shoot video exclusively for a living. While some of us have shot video as a part of a career I need to NOT set my expectations so high for my "local" wedding people.

Where is Stephen Spielberg when you need him? ;-)

Posted 1 year ago #
Mike Gunter

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Hi bjrichus,

Not to be misunderstood I shoot my video with the D7000 and the Panasonic GH2. The GH2 is easier to shoot and somewhat sharper. It also has meters for monitoring audio and light and runs as long as I have time on the chip.

Two days ago I was shooting a group of children 'weather watchers' for a TV station, both stills and video, same set up, same group, a few seconds of each, then an action, shot -- fairly routine stuff. That feature is made for those sorts of gigs.

My best,

Mike

Posted 1 year ago #
RyanWard

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Mike, can you post an example of the type of video you use the D7000 for? This is something I did late last summer with it and it works well (I think) for this type of work. It's nice to have it in the same body that I use to shoot pictures of listings (not sure if I know how to embed so I placed a link to the video below). Start at about 1:30 into the video to skip into most of the D7000:

http://www.iplayerhd.com/playerframe/progressive/c45237b9-3bb5-4e7f-b0fe-d4e2cb03a803.aspx?autostart=false&width=400&height=225&cbartype=bottom

http://bitcast-g.bitgravity.com/iplayerhd/data/8/321254d8.mp4

Posted 1 year ago #
NSXType-R

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To elaborate on my earlier post, I don't do video because I feel like it's a lot more work than just taking photos.

Nor do I have a decent video rig anyway- my point and shoot does it at a whopping quality of 640x480.

I only shoot for my own enjoyment, so I'm not all that pressed for video.

Posted 1 year ago #
TaoTeJared

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bjrichus said:
@TaoTeJared ... Just like you, I must have shot 2 mins of video by accident. I know what I am not able to do well, so avoid it. Play to my strengths...

All: I think what I am reading here is that very few people actually shoot video exclusively for a living. While some of us have shot video as a part of a career I need to NOT set my expectations so high for my "local" wedding people.

Where is Stephen Spielberg when you need him? ;-)

The wedding shooting around me seems to be really finicky due to the added cost/time. A couple of guys I was talking to hired a recent grad to shoot a video for a high end wedding and it was just great. They use it as a "sales tool" to great avail but they have only had one more wedding willing to pay for it in 2 years. Some others use maybe a total of 5 min and use it as part of the custom pages and DVD intros for the wedding. All of them struggle with the amount of time it takes for post and the learning curve.

Personally I'm trying to figure out were media is going and try to figure out what is needed to learn in that direction. From what I have seen, it looks to be quick clips that supplement images rather than being the focus.

Posted 1 year ago #
SkintBrit

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bjrichus said:

Where is Stephen Spielberg when you need him? ;-)

Er, well actually he's over here in London tonight at the premier of his new film War Horse. Shall I get him to call you? ;-)

Posted 1 year ago #
bjrichus

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SkintBrit said:
Er, well actually he's over here in London tonight at the premier of his new film War Horse. Shall I get him to call you? ;-)

Yes please!

LOL...

Posted 1 year ago #
phosphoro

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I work in the lights department and have also directed a few short shorts. Have hardly worked as a DOP (except for some light documentary stuff) so technically speaking "I" don't do video -unless timelapses count as video.

Posted 1 year ago #
El_Pickerel

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I'll shoot video sometimes when something happens nearby (example, when a car caught fire across the street from me). Most of the video use on my D7000 has been as second shooter for one of my friends who is an amateur videographer. He has a Canon T2i which is better for video, but I have better / a wider variety of glass. I've even had someone else using my D5000 to get a third angle when we were doing stuff.

I guess for me, it's important enough that I'll save a bit further toward a D4 instead of going for a used / refurbished D3s. (Though there are plenty of other attributes to justify those extra couple thousand dollars.)

Posted 1 year ago #
RyanWard

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Why do you think the T2i is better for video?

What features make it better or do you think the image quality is better?

Posted 1 year ago #