Thanks to digital video technology, anyone can record video. However, with a little instruction you can learn how to take advantage of all your camera's capabilities and get the best looking video possible.
Camcorders are basically descendants of television cameras. With that in mind camcorders use a standard that describes the way the video is captured and transmitted. This standard is known as NTSC¹ and was originally created for television. It describes all aspects of the imaging, but to simplify it we just need to know a few things about our camcorders.
A. Records 30 frames(images) per second
B. Frames are 640 pixels wide and 480 pixels tall. This is a 4:3 aspect ratio.²
C: Video is stored on digital video tape. (This includes audio.) The tapes are miniDV format.³
Here are the basic controls we need to learn to begin shooting.
All camcorders need electricity. They will have batteries that connect using a locking mechanism as well as a power cord.
The power switch. This should be fairly obvious, although different cameras have them in different places. Also, there is a control to switch between camera mode and playback(VCR) mode.
Load the videotape. Camcorders using miniDV tape will have a place to insert tape cartridges. Loading them may be slightly different from camera to camera. After the tape is loaded you can use cue controls to advance the tape a little bit. It's always a good idea to cue up about 30 seconds from the beginning of a tape. The reason for this is that the tape can stretch at the ends and if you skip about 30 seconds it's likely not to stretch the part you recorded on. Also, it's a good idea to cue up a few seconds between shots. This ensures you will not record over the end of previous footage and makes it easier to view and capture shots individually.
White balance. You may have noticed that objects may appear to be different colors under different light. This difference in lighting affects video as well. You can help your camcorder record colors accurately by letting it know what color is true white. The color of light (also known as color temperature) varies from sunlight, indoor lighting, flourescent light and other light sources. Your camera will have presets for some of these but will also have a manual setting. It's best to use the manual setting because it is often more accurate. Once again, setting this will vary from camera to camera. Consult your user guide. (a good resource on white balance)
Set exposure. Your camera needs enough light to record an image. It also doesn't need too much. You can control this by opening and closing the aperture in the lens. The aperture is a round opening that lets light into the camera to be recorded. It gets bigger to let more light in and smaller to reduce light. Your camcorder will likely call this setting exposure. It is also possible for it to lighten a dark image somewhat if you can not open the aperture any wider. This control varies with camcorder models, so consult your user guide.
Adjust focus. You need to focus in on the subject you are recording to get a sharp image. Almost all camcorders have auto-focus that does the job for you, but quite often you may need to adjust this so you can focus on the correct subject. Many camcorders will have a focus ring to do this with. Others will have different controls.
Zoom control. If you need to get closer and make your subject bigger, zoom in. If you want to see a wider picture and make objects smaller, zoom out. Most cameras have a rocker control or a ring for this. The smoother you can do this, the better. Avoid overuse of the zoom feature or your video may look very amature.
Use a tripod. Keeping the camera steady is essential to good video. Tripods are excellent for this. Attach your camera to a tripod whenever possible. If you must hand hold, try leaning up against a wall or using some other position to add support.
Panning and Tilting. Tripods offer you a steady platform and the ability to move the camera smoothly. To move horizontally, just move the lever left and right. Start a pan with your feet aimed at the center of the pan and move your body as you rotate the camera. To move vertically, just move the lever up and down. You will have to unlock the pan and tilt controls to move the camera. Do not force them, and do not let go of the lever until you have relocked it. Avoid panning and tilting at random. Use them intentionally to move from one angle to another, otherwise this is very tiring for the viewer.
With these basic controls we can start shooting some projects. Even using just these few techniques will improve your videos far beyond most "point and shoot" videos. Attached is a study guide/quiz to help you check your knowledge of how to operate your camera. After a while these things will become second nature. Also, there is a checklist you can use to make sure you are prepared before you head off with your camera.
¹ there are other standards and a lot of technical information describing them, follow the link for more info
² It's actually broadcast 720x480 but that's because television uses a different pixel aspect ratio we just need to know 4:3. There are also different pixel aspect ratios. and different image aspect ratios.
³ We are using miniDV camcorders. other camcorders could use different format tapes or perhaps record to DVD or a hard drive.
Getting to know your camcorder
Thanks to digital video technology, anyone can record video. However, with a little instruction you can learn how to take advantage of all your camera's capabilities and get the best looking video possible.
Camcorders are basically descendants of television cameras. With that in mind camcorders use a standard that describes the way the video is captured and transmitted. This standard is known as NTSC¹ and was originally created for television. It describes all aspects of the imaging, but to simplify it we just need to know a few things about our camcorders.
A. Records 30 frames(images) per second
B. Frames are 640 pixels wide and 480 pixels tall. This is a 4:3 aspect ratio.²
C: Video is stored on digital video tape. (This includes audio.) The tapes are miniDV format.³
Here are the basic controls we need to learn to begin shooting.
All camcorders need electricity. They will have batteries that connect using a locking mechanism as well as a power cord.
The power switch. This should be fairly obvious, although different cameras have them in different places. Also, there is a control to switch between camera mode and playback(VCR) mode.
Load the videotape. Camcorders using miniDV tape will have a place to insert tape cartridges. Loading them may be slightly different from camera to camera. After the tape is loaded you can use cue controls to advance the tape a little bit. It's always a good idea to cue up about 30 seconds from the beginning of a tape. The reason for this is that the tape can stretch at the ends and if you skip about 30 seconds it's likely not to stretch the part you recorded on. Also, it's a good idea to cue up a few seconds between shots. This ensures you will not record over the end of previous footage and makes it easier to view and capture shots individually.
White balance. You may have noticed that objects may appear to be different colors under different light. This difference in lighting affects video as well. You can help your camcorder record colors accurately by letting it know what color is true white. The color of light (also known as color temperature) varies from sunlight, indoor lighting, flourescent light and other light sources. Your camera will have presets for some of these but will also have a manual setting. It's best to use the manual setting because it is often more accurate. Once again, setting this will vary from camera to camera. Consult your user guide. (a good resource on white balance)
Set exposure. Your camera needs enough light to record an image. It also doesn't need too much. You can control this by opening and closing the aperture in the lens. The aperture is a round opening that lets light into the camera to be recorded. It gets bigger to let more light in and smaller to reduce light. Your camcorder will likely call this setting exposure. It is also possible for it to lighten a dark image somewhat if you can not open the aperture any wider. This control varies with camcorder models, so consult your user guide.
Adjust focus. You need to focus in on the subject you are recording to get a sharp image. Almost all camcorders have auto-focus that does the job for you, but quite often you may need to adjust this so you can focus on the correct subject. Many camcorders will have a focus ring to do this with. Others will have different controls.
Zoom control. If you need to get closer and make your subject bigger, zoom in. If you want to see a wider picture and make objects smaller, zoom out. Most cameras have a rocker control or a ring for this. The smoother you can do this, the better. Avoid overuse of the zoom feature or your video may look very amature.
Use a tripod. Keeping the camera steady is essential to good video. Tripods are excellent for this. Attach your camera to a tripod whenever possible. If you must hand hold, try leaning up against a wall or using some other position to add support.
Panning and Tilting. Tripods offer you a steady platform and the ability to move the camera smoothly. To move horizontally, just move the lever left and right. Start a pan with your feet aimed at the center of the pan and move your body as you rotate the camera. To move vertically, just move the lever up and down. You will have to unlock the pan and tilt controls to move the camera. Do not force them, and do not let go of the lever until you have relocked it. Avoid panning and tilting at random. Use them intentionally to move from one angle to another, otherwise this is very tiring for the viewer.
With these basic controls we can start shooting some projects. Even using just these few techniques will improve your videos far beyond most "point and shoot" videos. Attached is a study guide/quiz to help you check your knowledge of how to operate your camera. After a while these things will become second nature. Also, there is a checklist you can use to make sure you are prepared before you head off with your camera.
¹ there are other standards and a lot of technical information describing them, follow the link for more info
² It's actually broadcast 720x480 but that's because television uses a different pixel aspect ratio we just need to know 4:3. There are also different pixel aspect ratios. and different image aspect ratios.
³ We are using miniDV camcorders. other camcorders could use different format tapes or perhaps record to DVD or a hard drive.