As a wedding filmmaker who deals with a ton of different and often dark lighting conditions, I've learned there's only 2 ways to adjust light - add more, or take it away. Either take away using Aperture, ND filters, or turn the studio light down - or turn the light up, or stop up the aperture - DON'T touch the ISO - it adds noise to your footage. If shooting LOG footage, get correct exposure using zebras or false colors, then overexpose to taste to make sure your shadows aren't noisy. If you want to shoot handheld, make the camera heavier - I rigged out my camera with a cage, top handle, side handle, mic, and monitor - instantly made my handheld footage look professional, rather than amateur and shaky.
Some modern camera bodies have something called duel native ISO, whereby the image is clean again at a set higher ISO, so in certain low light conditions it’s better to keep that ND filter on.
Simon, this is the best introduction to video for still photographers I have encountered. I’m now eager (instead of reluctant) to flip that switch and experiment. Of course you know what is coming next, a chorus of voices requesting a companion introduction to video editing.
As a follow up to this video, similar to some of your Lightroom photo editing videos, I’d love to see an introduction to video processing on the computer, tips for getting it ready for online viewing, etc. thank you Simon, great video and makes it all a bit less scary to flip the switch!
24 fps is normally what film was shot at, therefore it's termed "cinematic". NTSC video was shot at 30 fps due to our power grid functioning at 60 HZ. The European grid runs at 50HZ so that's why their frame rate is different. In the days of analog TV, the video signal was split into two fields. As cathode ray tube screens had an electron gun (for B&W) or three (RGB) for color, these guns fired electrons at the screen in lines. Hence the old term lines of resolution. One field was for the odd lines and the other for the even lines. These were interlaced so the image on the screen was a coherent image. Today's video outputs are much different as they are digital, but we still have legacy interlacing in some formats such as 720i (interlaced). However, the frame rates still hold true. 30fps is very much like the old analog video in appearance though sensor type plays a role too, while 24fps is considered "cinematic" as it mimics the analog film frame rate. I often shoot at 30fps because that's what I'm used to having worked in the TV broadcast industry for many years.
I too had a long career in TV broadcasting and shoot exclusively in 30fps as this is the best frame rate for the North American electrical grid 60hz as well as much better and smoother viewing on RUclips. There are 6 extra frames to capture video and so it is less choppy and does not ‘stutter’ when shooting faster motion scenes especially when panning. 24 fps is more cinematic with motion blur but is often jittery. So Simon sorry but there is a better way!!!
@@Vince7503 what camera do you use? I personally just make short videos for my own viewing because it is not good quality 😅 I use my drone for video/stills and camera for pictures more so
Really helpful lessons here - Video was a waste of time on my dslrs, but now I’ve gone mirror less r6-2, I’m missing out by not doing it, and you got me on the road 👍🏻🇬🇧😃
Thanks Simon, I'm not afraid of the video button anymore... :) You have an amazing talent for explaining pretty complex subjects, making them easy to understand!
Hi Simon, personally I made very few films after the painful results obtained and I continued shooting, after seeing your video with all the explanations, I will try to put them into practice at the first opportunity, as I did with photography. Thank you very much..
I found very helpful to use Customs settings, I have one for outdoor video and one for indoor video, and the rest for still, it makes it easier to switch from video to still without making too many adjustments.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Finally a video that explains the “why” behind the settings you should choose, not just a run through of the settings you should have set on your camera. This is why you’re my favourite photography you tuber. Always so concise, with highly organised material explained so well! I might just flick that switch now lol!
Note that the North American standard is called NTSC not NSTC. I typoed my script, just read it off the teleprompter, noticed it was wrong in editing, re-recorded that section, fixed it in post, then uploaded the wrong version! Duh!
Hi Simon. Excellent video! I always get good value from your perfectly executed explanations. Your delivery is fantastic and so are your photos and videos. Congratulations! 🎉
Just a small addition to this amazing video for those interested in doing video content while "on the move". Using in camera digital image stabilization (especially on action camera's), going the 180° rule on fps/shutterspeed and using ND filters for the motionblur will cause the stabilization to fail. Digital image stabilization requires higher shutterspeeds to function, at the bare minimum a shutterspeed of 100 for slow walking and at least 150-200 for higher action footage. I.e. if you want to film footage while you are walking/otherwise moving or causing vibrations on your camera and still want that smooth motion blur, you will be forced to use a gimbal, which can be expensive and cumbersome. For stationary filming, a good steady tripod will work just fine and even handheld if you aren't too zoomed in. Nowadays many video editing software also has the ability to add motion blur to your footage in post. I don't have alot of experience with that but it might be worth the shot if you cant afford or want to mess around with a gimbal.
I bought a second hand 7D II and it shoots amazing video. I now shoot video of most of the places I shoot stills. This camera has now become the video camera and the old 7D is my photo camera. Love video and will be shooting a lot of it this weekend. I don't need a new camera as these two are work horses that never seem to die.
Coming from the photography genre, the curious thing about shutter speed for video is how slow you have to shoot. The hand held photography rule of thumb is to use a shutter speed that is above the length of your lens on a full frame camera. So, shoot at 1/100s for a 100mm lens. Fast forward to video, and without a tripod you're confined to a lens of less than 50mm when shooting at 24fps. By following the 180 degree rule, you're sacrificing image detail to reduce the jittery feel of subject motion blur.
A note about shutter speed: if you're doing handheld on-the-go vlogging and you don't have a camera with exceptionally good stabilization or a gimbal, you're probably better off using a far higher shutter speed than 1/48s. Although it'll look less "cinematic" than with a 1/48s shutter, if you want to stabilize vlog footage in post it'll look smeary and weird with a low shutter speed. Personally I'd rather have crisp footage in that scenario than cinematic motion blur that will look distracting when stabilised.
My experience is that the "180° rule" should not be taken as a universal rule but rather as a workaround for the fact that 24-30 fps playback rate is not sufficient to create an illusion of a smooth motion. Once you play back at 60 fps or even more, you can get away with higher shutter speeds without motion looking jittery, unless the motion is extremely fast. An exception is a slow motion video taken at 60 or 120 fps but played at 24 or 30 fps without any resampling. There the "180° rule" still applies. A special case is a video which is shot at 60 or 120 fps and resampled 24 or 30 fps (but not slow motion, i.e. played at natural speed). This depends on how smart the resampling software is. If it does the most trivial conversion by skipping extra frames, you are in trouble and even sticking to the "180° rule" may not help as you cannot use shutter speed slower than (shooting) frame rate. If the software is smarter and combines multiple input frames into one output frame, it can create an effect similar to the motion blur coming from the "180° rule".
@@michalkubecekHey Michal do you happen to have a recommendation for a RUclips video about what you are talking about in the above comment? I have never shot video on my 7DII but after watching Simon's video I want to give it a try this weekend. I understood what Simon said but what you're talking about is Greek to me. Please and thank you. Turi
@@timgurr1876 That's a historic name for the rule to use shutter speed of twice the frame rate. The name is based on old film cameras which used rotating circular shutters with an angle open and the rest opaque so that the angle corresponds to how much time the shutter is open for each frame. E.g. for 24 fps, 1/48s would be 180° (half of the full angle), 1/96s would be 90° (a quarter), 1/120s would be 72° (one fifth) etc.
My canon r8 don't have ibs How can I shoot reels, gym videos without shake? If I try to move little my video shakes even though I handle my camera smoothly
Excellent Simon. This is exactly what I’ve been looking for. As always, you break the subject down nicely and deliver the important facts in a way that my very tired brain can understand. Thank you!
I agree! Everything you need to get going but not so much that you get discouraged. I'm so grateful for all of Simon's videos, but this one is especially welcome, and as usual, I don't see this information presented nearly as well elsewhere. I so often recommend this channel, and I'm not afraid to do it even for people who are just beginning.
As a long time amateur photographer I've been hesitant to try my hand at video, although my recent cameras are reputed to be equally suited to video and photography. I felt I was missing some of the necessary knowledge to do it right. Your video gives this knowledge in a concise and practical way. I'm now tempted to start experimenting. Thanks!
Hi Simon, I'm new to video (and photography) and this video of yours is the clearest concise description of the key things that anybody new to video really needs to understand. I've watched many other videos on RUclips which try to explain how to make a video, this is by far the very best explanation that I have seen anywhere on the basics without confusing the viewer. Thanks so much for sharing.
Perfect timing on this video! I've been working on my photography for about a year and now I'm trying to get better at making quality video clips. It's very different than using a cellphone lol
I know the fear of the video button. But it's more the fear of missing a shot. And maybe now on my next journey I will overcome fear. Thanks for bringing this doubt and of course the excellent video.
Perfectly succinct and thorough. Last year I finally overcame my hesitancy about video and now I'm making some short films and really enjoying it. It opens up whole new opportunities. I urge everyone to give it a try. Thanks, Simon. Good job!
Regarding grabbing a still from video: a lot of cameras nowadays include some kind of "pre shot" system, where you shoot burst to fill your camera buffer after which it keeps overwriting the oldest frame. When you release the shutter, you keep the last X seconds of photos. For shots where timing is essential but that are hard to predict, like a bird taking off from a branch, this helps a lot!
Tip: if you really want to shoot video and pull some still frames out after, shoot high frame rate. At 120fps you'll be using 1/250 shutter speed and maybe that's good enough to get a couple sharp frames each second. Not a substitute for a good photo, unless your camera is a beast and can record 4k@120fps.
Thank you for this! I am in the process of switching from using my phone to record my videos to my new Sony, and this has given me some great things to think about and play with!
24fps is the movie rate and that it's called NTSC (rather than NSTC) which is 30fps due to the mains frequency being 60Hz. There is a lot more to the NTSC/PAL/SECAM than just the frame rates. The standards cover the transmition of analogue video signalsincluding the audio, chroma and luminance as well as the frame rate and resolution of the image. Now that traansmition is all digital these standards aren't used and only the framerates linger as a memory of years gone by.
I guess I'm old school, although I do shoot video from time to time with my DSLR's I still prefer a video camera for video. Zooming in and out and always having the right focal length is a huge plus. Thanks for another great video.
Thanks for one more nice informative vid. Whenever I watch your videos, I feel like take my camera, hope into the car/bike and move out of city (despite of busy schedule...!) 😀
Thanks Simon! I got my M50 to do video but got side tracked by learning about photography (which I have loved of course). I need to go back to the video route!
The opposite of this topic is also true. As a 25 year video & TV pro, I had to conquer my fear of “flipping the switch” of my GH5 to stills mode around 5 years ago when clients started asking if I could also take a portrait photo following interviews. Thankfully good resources here on RUclips (of course) were a big help - and still are, Simon :D I quickly LOVED the exposure flexibility of not being married to a fixed shutter speed! Btw, you misspoke early in this video and called the TV standard “NSTC” instead of “NTSC” (but is noted correctly on the graphic @ 2:47).
For those, who are like me, just taking rarely videos but want to make sure to have the right settings, it's good to use a custom profile for videos with frame rate, shutter speed and whatever you think is necessary. I have one for normal video and one for slow motion, so I can switch quickly between them and don’t forget anything.
I heard for quick pans, increase your shutter speed to help smooth it out. Been shooting 4k HQ 24fps, 1/50 with the Meike ND Adapter (R5). Being lazy, I've kept the screw on circular polarizer in place along with the ND filter. Got to be careful with color shifts. I normally shoot during high noon as I'm in the forests. Most of the time I keep the clear filter on with the VD ND in my pocket. Also, I've heard it's better to use your external microphone in manual mode (higher quality recording) than to keep it in automatic. One tip for Canon users that shoot a lot of waterfalls/ stream rapids in bright sunlight. Set your camera to D+ (Highlight tone priority) and make sure you have Zebra on, so you can see the whiteouts in real time and adjust your exposure accordingly.. Waiting for the R5 II, hopefully it will come with a built in ND filter and automatic exposure adjustment like Sony has done. 🙂
Excellent video. Thank you. I would love to see future videos on things as mundane (but important) as the right memory card for video, and, as others have mentioned, editing.
The frame rate is dependent on what kind of video content look you're going for. For cinema and film type shots, 24 FPS is the ideal frame rate. 30 FPS is used for television (I'm in school getting my degree in TV/Video production) and 60 FPS is more for online style content, or as the poster said, for recording slow-motion shots that will be played back in 24 FPS or 30 FPS depending on what style look you're going for
NTSC and PAL are 30fps and 25fps respectively, not 24 and 25. It comes from the 50Hz and 60Hz AC power in different regions, as you mentioned. 24fps came from cinema framerates; it was one of the lowest framerate that still allowed for truly smooth motion, saving expensive film. It stuck around to this day 🤷🏻♂️
Just an FYI the NTSC standard is 29.97 frames per second not 24. Most cameras when set to NTSC default to 30 frames per second progressive scan or 30p for short.
@@michaels3003Exactly - For when they had huge metal shutters in film cameras. It’s old school now but many ‘cinematographers’ still swear by it like it’s a hard and fast rule that can’t be broken. I come from a TV broadcast background and we always shot in 30fps and I shoot that exclusively as it is much smoother than 24p due to having 6 more frames. It handles fast motion and panning way better on RUclips!
Simon thank you so much for doing this video. I am going to flip that switch after rewatching this video a few more times and checking my camera settings. I’ll also be getting a microphone. Up until now I’ve had only a rather dim understanding of video but as usual your teaching style has brought it all together. You really have a way of organizing and explaining and speaking to your audience. You even knew I have been looking at that switch on my camera and wondering!
Fun addon to the last tip: For many cameras, when you hit the shutter in video mode the camera will record a jpeg instead of a raw, at the resolution that the camera is set to record. So, if I am in 4k30, and I press the shutter down I'll get an 8.3mp jpeg. The kicker here is that it uses whatever shutter speed you have set, and records photos at the frame rate. This means that my Z50, in video mode, can write 30, 8.3mp JPEG images per second to the memory card. I can also drop down to 1080@120fps, and flood the memory card with 120, 2.1MP JPEGS per second. The only time i've found this useful was when watching a Violet-Green Swallow preening itself in the middle of the day, where I could use a high shutter speed to freeze the motion. You have to take care and make sure what you see in the liveview is what you want from the image though, since with such a small jpeg, you don't really have any leeway for editing.
Hi Simon, just to say well done on this comprehensive introduction, it ticks all the boxes to people started. I’ve approached the industry from a filming perspective with learning photography as the support mechanism; there’s so many overlaps and this presentation covers alot of them, and i enjoy your relaxed style too, thanks.
On the 180 degree shutter: If you plan to use heavy image stabilization you might want to ignore the 180 degree shutter rule and go for 90 or 45. Low shutter speed + stabilization = warbly/warped video. Motion blur can be added in post.
Simon, another great video - I have shot very little video but thinking about learning more about it as I believe my r5’s do a great job. Thanks for serving amateurs like me.
Hello Simon. I do use the video option with the Canon R6M2. This mostly with the red-panic button when I do not have the time to make the settings in the videomode. Also I do not use the c-log3 as for now I use the licence free version from Davinci resolve. In video mode I shoot mostly on 25 frames 4k in PAL. For me both give a good image and can be edit in Davinci Resolve. Greatings Leo Lengton
Some other video tips. For handheld, ad a slight sway into your motion by drawing an infinity around the subject. The allows you to control any smaller jittery motion by overwriting it with the sway (note it is subject/focal length dependant, test on your own time). Also the closer to the camera that body part is the smaller the motion should be, this will allow for much smoother motion without the need for gimbals (note most people spend money on gimbals when they don't need them, if you need the absolute smooth they offer than that is up to you). While 24(technically 23.97 but thats a side point) is the cinema standard. It was mainly chosen as the bare minimum for use with sound to save ass much literal footage of film as possible. You can shoot at 30 frames if your doing vlog style content with out issue or 60 if you've got some action camera footage you want played back at normal speed. It depends on the type of content you're trying to produce. The shutter speed rule still applies, though it can also be refereed to as shutter angle (a hold-over from the film only era). Lastly, think of video moments in terms of 'beats', this may help you think with time in mind.
I agree with AnotherOtherman. 24fps is sometimes too choppy so I always use 30fps for RUclips videos as it gives you more frames to work with and is smoother than 24 to do with the Hertz in North America I think. It also capture fast motion and panning in scenes better. Many videographers now use this as it still maintains motion-blur and 180 degree rule but is smoother as there are 6 more frames. I don’t know why Simon doesn’t even mention it. (I am a tv Producer) Otherwise GREAT video as usual!!
@@PfagnanThanks for the tip. I’ll try that. Is there much impact in low light situations (indoor filming of birthday parties and blowing out candles)? Thanks again.
@@timgurr1876 Guess it depends on what camera and ISO for low-light. I think frame-rate is not an issue for that unless you want to do slo-mo say at 60p or 120p for a special effect
Here's another parallel between camera work and marksmanship. You can't hold a firearm absolutely still without a support, so you try to control the inevitable movement. In fact, I remember one shooting coach telling me to try to limit the movement to a figure 8, which is obviously very similar to the infinity symbol. Shutter press and trigger pull are also similar. Even the stances and the way you brace a camera using your body is similar to the way you hold a firearm.
Very helpful Simon and outstanding introduction! I have an R5 and you have given me the confidence needed to start running video. Thank you. Would love to see another video on how process your video work. Thanks
I'm mostly a video guy who got into landscape photography about 4-5 years ago. AUDIO - I'm so glad you're giving it a lot of attention. TRICK QUESTION: What is the most important part of a video? When you get down to it, it is really the audio. You can have the greatest looking video and the greatest composition or angles in shooting the video but if you have excellent audio most people, if not all, will hang in and watch the whole video. Now if you do it opposite - you can have great looking angles and shooting techniques and have everything perfect, but if your audio sucks a lot of people, maybe most will bail out.
The recent trend is to put music over video on social media. Most of the wildlife video I watch, I watch on mute anyway. I would argue the topic is most important. To you record video to get the sound, a bird singing, lions roaring etc, or did you record the video to capture the image? But even then, I would say the image is always important, you can put music over a lovely scene, but you can't fix a bad image.
Most of the time when I shoot video lots of other people are nearby me. As you can image the mostly talk a lot and this also gets in the audio. Mayby a good shotgun can take this less but for now I have no idee witch one.
I’ve been absolutely living your content! You are mainly what got me into photography, and now I’m transitioning into videography, and I must ask, how do you light and shoot your videos? The background and colors are so clear with almost no noise!
I appreciate your insights. And I definitely agree that video skills are important and will continue to grow in demand. As one who already struggles with capturing shots worth selling using still images, I will probably hold off on the video. It’s inevitable, though. I will have to flip that switch! Thank you for another engaging and informative video.
Ourstanding video. You read my mind; I was going to ask if you had any videos on how to do video. Now I need to get into my manual and figure out how to focus on moving subjects. Thanks as always for the information and inspiration!
I enjoyed seeing this review for me - I mainly shoot films (interviews), but I use a hybrid camera because I also have to take photos for the films (short modest documentaries). So, I hope a filmmaker watches this and says, "Hey, I should do a tutorial in the opposite direction - how to take still photographs, for filmmakers." I have struggled with learning the stills part, but I got a life-changing tip from you when you showed how (and esp. why) to put ISO on auto while keeping everything in manual. So much more efficient and better photos. Some trivia for photo-to-video folks: some cameras will display an option to shoot "24fps" when what they really mean is "23.976" (the latter is often referred to as "23.98," just to confuse matters further). These are really two different frame rates, but it won't matter for typical small projects, like getting some nice brief shots for social media. It can matter when footage shot at that frame rate (shot at 23.976 when the filmmaker thought it was 24) is going to be included in a larger project with other footage shot on a different camera at 24fps (what is sometimes called "true 24"). To find out what "24" means on your camera display, check the specifications online or in your manual.
Simon this again is a wonderfully helpful video, thank you so much. I would love to see a follow up video on post processing. What you have shared with us is great and easy to implement. What causes me some pause is what to do with the video after you shoot it! Thanks again for a great video.
Thank you @simon_dentremont ! I am a still shooter has no interest in video, but I watched this just to be familiar with video capabilities. As always, your videos are amazing!
Thanks. Great video. I'm exactly one of those dudes that says, "someday, I really need to try out video". This was good inspiration. We've got a ton of hummingbird activity in our yard right now, so it might be a good opportunity to capture some of their epic battles. Or maybe the hummingbird action is all just too fast for a newbie videographer to capture, but what the heck, pixels are cheap.
Hii I started fotografing birds last year and i love with a passion. I wish i could afford go to Canada and fotograf seabirds. I learned so much from your videos. Thank you so much
Thank you so much for this incredibly informative video!🙂 In the last weeks I overcame the fear to flip the switch to video mode. But a fear I cannot overcome so far is shooting with less than 1/800s. As an animal photographer without a tripod I'm used to 1/1600s. Going below that feels scary as hell! 😯
Thanks again for an excellent tutorial! I bought your course on Journal of Wildlife Photography, but haven't got past the introduction yet - maybe this weekend I will have time and energy! I need to get better, yesterday tried my new tripod and head at a location which has some birds at a fairly large distance, and none of the images were sharp. Pity, because there were some spoonbills and great egrets.
As always I get great information from your videos. Being a hobbyist I always learn something that helps me come home with better photos. Also I liked the Bouns tip. 🤣
The first 100 people to use code SIMONDENTREMONT at the link below will get 60% off of Incogni: incogni.com/simondentremont
As a wedding filmmaker who deals with a ton of different and often dark lighting conditions, I've learned there's only 2 ways to adjust light - add more, or take it away. Either take away using Aperture, ND filters, or turn the studio light down - or turn the light up, or stop up the aperture - DON'T touch the ISO - it adds noise to your footage. If shooting LOG footage, get correct exposure using zebras or false colors, then overexpose to taste to make sure your shadows aren't noisy. If you want to shoot handheld, make the camera heavier - I rigged out my camera with a cage, top handle, side handle, mic, and monitor - instantly made my handheld footage look professional, rather than amateur and shaky.
Some modern camera bodies have something called duel native ISO, whereby the image is clean again at a set higher ISO, so in certain low light conditions it’s better to keep that ND filter on.
Simon, this is the best introduction to video for still photographers I have encountered. I’m now eager (instead of reluctant) to flip that switch and experiment. Of course you know what is coming next, a chorus of voices requesting a companion introduction to video editing.
Never thought you could see birds breathing, hard to match your beautiful pictures in the flattest country in Europe. Keep it up.
Many thanks
As a follow up to this video, similar to some of your Lightroom photo editing videos, I’d love to see an introduction to video processing on the computer, tips for getting it ready for online viewing, etc. thank you Simon, great video and makes it all a bit less scary to flip the switch!
Yes…. Me too
100% need this!!
24 fps is normally what film was shot at, therefore it's termed "cinematic". NTSC video was shot at 30 fps due to our power grid functioning at 60 HZ. The European grid runs at 50HZ so that's why their frame rate is different. In the days of analog TV, the video signal was split into two fields. As cathode ray tube screens had an electron gun (for B&W) or three (RGB) for color, these guns fired electrons at the screen in lines. Hence the old term lines of resolution. One field was for the odd lines and the other for the even lines. These were interlaced so the image on the screen was a coherent image.
Today's video outputs are much different as they are digital, but we still have legacy interlacing in some formats such as 720i (interlaced). However, the frame rates still hold true. 30fps is very much like the old analog video in appearance though sensor type plays a role too, while 24fps is considered "cinematic" as it mimics the analog film frame rate. I often shoot at 30fps because that's what I'm used to having worked in the TV broadcast industry for many years.
Thanks!
I too had a long career in TV broadcasting and shoot exclusively in 30fps as this is the best frame rate for the North American electrical grid 60hz as well as much better and smoother viewing on RUclips. There are 6 extra frames to capture video and so it is less choppy and does not ‘stutter’ when shooting faster motion scenes especially when panning. 24 fps is more cinematic with motion blur but is often jittery. So Simon sorry but there is a better way!!!
I have never flipped that switch, not even to test it. 😂
Didn’t know there was a switch.
@@Vince7503 what camera do you use? I personally just make short videos for my own viewing because it is not good quality 😅 I use my drone for video/stills and camera for pictures more so
When i was started, my goal was to shoot & edit video. Doing this now
Really helpful lessons here -
Video was a waste of time on my dslrs, but now I’ve gone mirror less r6-2, I’m missing out by not doing it, and you got me on the road 👍🏻🇬🇧😃
Thanks for the Tips Simon :) Helped me understand a bit better what im actually doing
Thanks Simon, I'm not afraid of the video button anymore... :) You have an amazing talent for explaining pretty complex subjects, making them easy to understand!
Wow, thank you!
Hi Simon, personally I made very few films after the painful results obtained and I continued shooting, after seeing your video with all the explanations, I will try to put them into practice at the first opportunity, as I did with photography. Thank you very much..
I found very helpful to use Customs settings, I have one for outdoor video and one for indoor video, and the rest for still, it makes it easier to switch from video to still without making too many adjustments.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Finally a video that explains the “why” behind the settings you should choose, not just a run through of the settings you should have set on your camera. This is why you’re my favourite photography you tuber. Always so concise, with highly organised material explained so well! I might just flick that switch now lol!
Glad it was helpful!
Note that the North American standard is called NTSC not NSTC. I typoed my script, just read it off the teleprompter, noticed it was wrong in editing, re-recorded that section, fixed it in post, then uploaded the wrong version! Duh!
Loving your videos. NTCS is 30fps (29.97) not 24fps. 24 is Cinema's fps.
@@ROVideos came here to say this. rare miss for Simon but a big one.
Hi Simon. Excellent video! I always get good value from your perfectly executed explanations. Your delivery is fantastic and so are your photos and videos. Congratulations! 🎉
I just got into photography a while ago. You Simon are the photographing dad i never had. Ive learned a lot from you.
Just a small addition to this amazing video for those interested in doing video content while "on the move". Using in camera digital image stabilization (especially on action camera's), going the 180° rule on fps/shutterspeed and using ND filters for the motionblur will cause the stabilization to fail. Digital image stabilization requires higher shutterspeeds to function, at the bare minimum a shutterspeed of 100 for slow walking and at least 150-200 for higher action footage.
I.e. if you want to film footage while you are walking/otherwise moving or causing vibrations on your camera and still want that smooth motion blur, you will be forced to use a gimbal, which can be expensive and cumbersome. For stationary filming, a good steady tripod will work just fine and even handheld if you aren't too zoomed in.
Nowadays many video editing software also has the ability to add motion blur to your footage in post. I don't have alot of experience with that but it might be worth the shot if you cant afford or want to mess around with a gimbal.
I bought a second hand 7D II and it shoots amazing video. I now shoot video of most of the places I shoot stills. This camera has now become the video camera and the old 7D is my photo camera. Love video and will be shooting a lot of it this weekend. I don't need a new camera as these two are work horses that never seem to die.
With a name like that, I’ll believe anything he says. 😂😂
I repeat it every time I watch his videos! It’s just too good😂
Same
😂😂😂😂😂
Most definitely
@@MrSkyC22yes!!!! 😂
Exactly why I’m trying to learn as much about video as possible. It’s the future
Coming from the photography genre, the curious thing about shutter speed for video is how slow you have to shoot. The hand held photography rule of thumb is to use a shutter speed that is above the length of your lens on a full frame camera. So, shoot at 1/100s for a 100mm lens. Fast forward to video, and without a tripod you're confined to a lens of less than 50mm when shooting at 24fps. By following the 180 degree rule, you're sacrificing image detail to reduce the jittery feel of subject motion blur.
A note about shutter speed: if you're doing handheld on-the-go vlogging and you don't have a camera with exceptionally good stabilization or a gimbal, you're probably better off using a far higher shutter speed than 1/48s.
Although it'll look less "cinematic" than with a 1/48s shutter, if you want to stabilize vlog footage in post it'll look smeary and weird with a low shutter speed. Personally I'd rather have crisp footage in that scenario than cinematic motion blur that will look distracting when stabilised.
My experience is that the "180° rule" should not be taken as a universal rule but rather as a workaround for the fact that 24-30 fps playback rate is not sufficient to create an illusion of a smooth motion. Once you play back at 60 fps or even more, you can get away with higher shutter speeds without motion looking jittery, unless the motion is extremely fast. An exception is a slow motion video taken at 60 or 120 fps but played at 24 or 30 fps without any resampling. There the "180° rule" still applies.
A special case is a video which is shot at 60 or 120 fps and resampled 24 or 30 fps (but not slow motion, i.e. played at natural speed). This depends on how smart the resampling software is. If it does the most trivial conversion by skipping extra frames, you are in trouble and even sticking to the "180° rule" may not help as you cannot use shutter speed slower than (shooting) frame rate. If the software is smarter and combines multiple input frames into one output frame, it can create an effect similar to the motion blur coming from the "180° rule".
@@michalkubecekHey Michal do you happen to have a recommendation for a RUclips video about what you are talking about in the above comment? I have never shot video on my 7DII but after watching Simon's video I want to give it a try this weekend. I understood what Simon said but what you're talking about is Greek to me. Please and thank you. Turi
@@michalkubecekWhat is the 180 degree rule? Thanks.
@@timgurr1876 That's a historic name for the rule to use shutter speed of twice the frame rate. The name is based on old film cameras which used rotating circular shutters with an angle open and the rest opaque so that the angle corresponds to how much time the shutter is open for each frame. E.g. for 24 fps, 1/48s would be 180° (half of the full angle), 1/96s would be 90° (a quarter), 1/120s would be 72° (one fifth) etc.
My canon r8 don't have ibs
How can I shoot reels, gym videos without shake?
If I try to move little my video shakes even though I handle my camera smoothly
Excellent Simon. This is exactly what I’ve been looking for. As always, you break the subject down nicely and deliver the important facts in a way that my very tired brain can understand. Thank you!
I agree! Everything you need to get going but not so much that you get discouraged. I'm so grateful for all of Simon's videos, but this one is especially welcome, and as usual, I don't see this information presented nearly as well elsewhere. I so often recommend this channel, and I'm not afraid to do it even for people who are just beginning.
I just found your channel and I absolutely love the tips you share so clearly. I haven’t used a camera yet but want to start doing so
As a long time amateur photographer I've been hesitant to try my hand at video, although my recent cameras are reputed to be equally suited to video and photography. I felt I was missing some of the necessary knowledge to do it right. Your video gives this knowledge in a concise and practical way. I'm now tempted to start experimenting. Thanks!
Appreciate. I do what I do but wanted to learn more, better the skill.
I really enjoy your succinct and logical delivery of information. You are my go to photography channel . Thanks. 🙏🏻
Wow, thanks!
Hi Simon, I'm new to video (and photography) and this video of yours is the clearest concise description of the key things that anybody new to video really needs to understand. I've watched many other videos on RUclips which try to explain how to make a video, this is by far the very best explanation that I have seen anywhere on the basics without confusing the viewer. Thanks so much for sharing.
Chris I’ve learned so much more from this video than all the other ones I’ve watched. Great, simple. Thanks
Thanks! Even though I’ve got more than 45 years with still photography, I’m one of those scared of the video button. I might even give it a try now!
Perfect timing on this video! I've been working on my photography for about a year and now I'm trying to get better at making quality video clips. It's very different than using a cellphone lol
I know the fear of the video button. But it's more the fear of missing a shot. And maybe now on my next journey I will overcome fear. Thanks for bringing this doubt and of course the excellent video.
Perfectly succinct and thorough. Last year I finally overcame my hesitancy about video and now I'm making some short films and really enjoying it. It opens up whole new opportunities. I urge everyone to give it a try. Thanks, Simon. Good job!
On RUclips searching for videography stuff and just KNEW Simon would have the answer
Thank you for this video. You are a natural
Regarding grabbing a still from video: a lot of cameras nowadays include some kind of "pre shot" system, where you shoot burst to fill your camera buffer after which it keeps overwriting the oldest frame. When you release the shutter, you keep the last X seconds of photos. For shots where timing is essential but that are hard to predict, like a bird taking off from a branch, this helps a lot!
Tip: if you really want to shoot video and pull some still frames out after, shoot high frame rate. At 120fps you'll be using 1/250 shutter speed and maybe that's good enough to get a couple sharp frames each second. Not a substitute for a good photo, unless your camera is a beast and can record 4k@120fps.
Thank you for this! I am in the process of switching from using my phone to record my videos to my new Sony, and this has given me some great things to think about and play with!
This guy is great; he just gets to the point and moves on!
Those are some incredible shots in the first minute! I hope to take shots like that one day!!!
24fps is the movie rate and that it's called NTSC (rather than NSTC) which is 30fps due to the mains frequency being 60Hz.
There is a lot more to the NTSC/PAL/SECAM than just the frame rates. The standards cover the transmition of analogue video signalsincluding the audio, chroma and luminance as well as the frame rate and resolution of the image. Now that traansmition is all digital these standards aren't used and only the framerates linger as a memory of years gone by.
Thank you for this! Shooting video is definite hole in my photography tool box. You have given us lots to practise here! :)
Your a star 🌟 in the many photography RUclips channels. Your always my go to channel and love your well produced detailed videos . Thank you 👍👌🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
I guess I'm old school, although I do shoot video from time to time with my DSLR's I still prefer a video camera for video. Zooming in and out and always having the right focal length is a huge plus. Thanks for another great video.
As always, just outstandingly helpful. Straightforward, simple, direct and immediately applicable.
Thanks for one more nice informative vid. Whenever I watch your videos, I feel like take my camera, hope into the car/bike and move out of city (despite of busy schedule...!) 😀
Fabulous again for those of us who have avoided the video button - Thank you
So nice of you
This was great. Thank you! It’s made me interested enough to want to plan some video for an upcoming holiday. And practice ahead of time, naturally!
At 02:41. It is not called NSTC but NTSC
Easy to remember: Never The Same Color 🙂
This indicates that PAL is a superior system.
Thanks Simon! I got my M50 to do video but got side tracked by learning about photography (which I have loved of course). I need to go back to the video route!
The opposite of this topic is also true. As a 25 year video & TV pro, I had to conquer my fear of “flipping the switch” of my GH5 to stills mode around 5 years ago when clients started asking if I could also take a portrait photo following interviews. Thankfully good resources here on RUclips (of course) were a big help - and still are, Simon :D I quickly LOVED the exposure flexibility of not being married to a fixed shutter speed! Btw, you misspoke early in this video and called the TV standard “NSTC” instead of “NTSC” (but is noted correctly on the graphic @ 2:47).
Correction: NTSC is the North American standard used in video production (not NSTC)
For those, who are like me, just taking rarely videos but want to make sure to have the right settings, it's good to use a custom profile for videos with frame rate, shutter speed and whatever you think is necessary. I have one for normal video and one for slow motion, so I can switch quickly between them and don’t forget anything.
Very true!
And this is why an XH2 is better for hybrid work than an XT5 (Fuji world...)
I heard for quick pans, increase your shutter speed to help smooth it out. Been shooting 4k HQ 24fps, 1/50 with the Meike ND Adapter (R5). Being lazy, I've kept the screw on circular polarizer in place along with the ND filter. Got to be careful with color shifts. I normally shoot during high noon as I'm in the forests. Most of the time I keep the clear filter on with the VD ND in my pocket. Also, I've heard it's better to use your external microphone in manual mode (higher quality recording) than to keep it in automatic. One tip for Canon users that shoot a lot of waterfalls/ stream rapids in bright sunlight. Set your camera to D+ (Highlight tone priority) and make sure you have Zebra on, so you can see the whiteouts in real time and adjust your exposure accordingly.. Waiting for the R5 II, hopefully it will come with a built in ND filter and automatic exposure adjustment like Sony has done. 🙂
great advise! the audio IS so important
You have really helped me with my photography, thank you for choosing to make this channel! 😁
Excellent video. Thank you. I would love to see future videos on things as mundane (but important) as the right memory card for video, and, as others have mentioned, editing.
The frame rate is dependent on what kind of video content look you're going for. For cinema and film type shots, 24 FPS is the ideal frame rate. 30 FPS is used for television (I'm in school getting my degree in TV/Video production) and 60 FPS is more for online style content, or as the poster said, for recording slow-motion shots that will be played back in 24 FPS or 30 FPS depending on what style look you're going for
Excellent video, Simon! You always explain somewhat difficult concepts in a simple & concise way. Best wishes.😊
Welcome back, Simon! We missed you. So happy to see this video.
NTSC and PAL are 30fps and 25fps respectively, not 24 and 25. It comes from the 50Hz and 60Hz AC power in different regions, as you mentioned.
24fps came from cinema framerates; it was one of the lowest framerate that still allowed for truly smooth motion, saving expensive film. It stuck around to this day 🤷🏻♂️
Very true.
Yup I never use 24 too choppy so I always use 30fps as it is way smoother to capture fast motion and easier to view on RUclips!
This is EXACTLY what I needed. Thank you so much!
You are so welcome!
Just an FYI the NTSC standard is 29.97 frames per second not 24.
Most cameras when set to NTSC default to 30 frames per second progressive scan or 30p for short.
Also, nobody seems to understand that 24 fps was a practical compromise (good enough), not some magic movie frame rate. It was a step up from 16 fps.
And doesn't work on tvs that are 60 frames a second @@michaels3003
@@michaels3003Exactly - For when they had huge metal shutters in film cameras. It’s old school now but many ‘cinematographers’ still swear by it like it’s a hard and fast rule that can’t be broken. I come from a TV broadcast background and we always shot in 30fps and I shoot that exclusively as it is much smoother than 24p due to having 6 more frames. It handles fast motion and panning way better on RUclips!
Simon thank you so much for doing this video. I am going to flip that switch after rewatching this video a few more times and checking my camera settings. I’ll also be getting a microphone. Up until now I’ve had only a rather dim understanding of video but as usual your teaching style has brought it all together. You really have a way of organizing and explaining and speaking to your audience. You even knew I have been looking at that switch on my camera and wondering!
Fun addon to the last tip: For many cameras, when you hit the shutter in video mode the camera will record a jpeg instead of a raw, at the resolution that the camera is set to record. So, if I am in 4k30, and I press the shutter down I'll get an 8.3mp jpeg. The kicker here is that it uses whatever shutter speed you have set, and records photos at the frame rate. This means that my Z50, in video mode, can write 30, 8.3mp JPEG images per second to the memory card. I can also drop down to 1080@120fps, and flood the memory card with 120, 2.1MP JPEGS per second. The only time i've found this useful was when watching a Violet-Green Swallow preening itself in the middle of the day, where I could use a high shutter speed to freeze the motion. You have to take care and make sure what you see in the liveview is what you want from the image though, since with such a small jpeg, you don't really have any leeway for editing.
Hi Simon, just to say well done on this comprehensive introduction, it ticks all the boxes to people started. I’ve approached the industry from a filming perspective with learning photography as the support mechanism; there’s so many overlaps and this presentation covers alot of them, and i enjoy your relaxed style too, thanks.
I cannot wait to try these...............tomorrow!!!
That Collage of Photos at the onset was inspiring. Thank you for this Video, it was really informative.
You are so welcome!
On the 180 degree shutter:
If you plan to use heavy image stabilization you might want to ignore the 180 degree shutter rule and go for 90 or 45. Low shutter speed + stabilization = warbly/warped video. Motion blur can be added in post.
Simon, another great video - I have shot very little video but thinking about learning more about it as I believe my r5’s do a great job. Thanks for serving amateurs like me.
Thanks with the detailed examples this video really explains things well ! ❤
Hello Simon. I do use the video option with the Canon R6M2. This mostly with the red-panic button when I do not have the time to make the settings in the videomode. Also I do not use the c-log3 as for now I use the licence free version from Davinci resolve. In video mode I shoot mostly on 25 frames 4k in PAL.
For me both give a good image and can be edit in Davinci Resolve. Greatings Leo Lengton
Some other video tips.
For handheld, ad a slight sway into your motion by drawing an infinity around the subject. The allows you to control any smaller jittery motion by overwriting it with the sway (note it is subject/focal length dependant, test on your own time).
Also the closer to the camera that body part is the smaller the motion should be, this will allow for much smoother motion without the need for gimbals (note most people spend money on gimbals when they don't need them, if you need the absolute smooth they offer than that is up to you).
While 24(technically 23.97 but thats a side point) is the cinema standard. It was mainly chosen as the bare minimum for use with sound to save ass much literal footage of film as possible. You can shoot at 30 frames if your doing vlog style content with out issue or 60 if you've got some action camera footage you want played back at normal speed. It depends on the type of content you're trying to produce. The shutter speed rule still applies, though it can also be refereed to as shutter angle (a hold-over from the film only era).
Lastly, think of video moments in terms of 'beats', this may help you think with time in mind.
I agree with AnotherOtherman. 24fps is sometimes too choppy so I always use 30fps for RUclips videos as it gives you more frames to work with and is smoother than 24 to do with the Hertz in North America I think. It also capture fast motion and panning in scenes better. Many videographers now use this as it still maintains motion-blur and 180 degree rule but is smoother as there are 6 more frames. I don’t know why Simon doesn’t even mention it. (I am a tv Producer) Otherwise GREAT video as usual!!
@@PfagnanThanks for the tip. I’ll try that. Is there much impact in low light situations (indoor filming of birthday parties and blowing out candles)? Thanks again.
@@timgurr1876 Guess it depends on what camera and ISO for low-light. I think frame-rate is not an issue for that unless you want to do slo-mo say at 60p or 120p for a special effect
Here's another parallel between camera work and marksmanship. You can't hold a firearm absolutely still without a support, so you try to control the inevitable movement. In fact, I remember one shooting coach telling me to try to limit the movement to a figure 8, which is obviously very similar to the infinity symbol. Shutter press and trigger pull are also similar. Even the stances and the way you brace a camera using your body is similar to the way you hold a firearm.
Excellent video. I had ignored the video mode but its coming evermkre important and we need more videos coming from this angle. Thanks
Noted
I didn’t even think of you for videography!!!❤ I need to watch more of your videos😅
Very helpful Simon and outstanding introduction! I have an R5 and you have given me the confidence needed to start running video. Thank you. Would love to see another video on how process your video work. Thanks
Absolutely worth watching your videos for accurate understanding the art and techniques of photography,in this case videography also.
Thanks to you ☺️
Wow, thank you!
I knew nothing about video so this was super helpful
I'm mostly a video guy who got into landscape photography about 4-5 years ago.
AUDIO - I'm so glad you're giving it a lot of attention. TRICK QUESTION: What is the most important part of a video? When you get down to it, it is really the audio. You can have the greatest looking video and the greatest composition or angles in shooting the video but if you have excellent audio most people, if not all, will hang in and watch the whole video. Now if you do it opposite - you can have great looking angles and shooting techniques and have everything perfect, but if your audio sucks a lot of people, maybe most will bail out.
Agree!
The recent trend is to put music over video on social media. Most of the wildlife video I watch, I watch on mute anyway. I would argue the topic is most important. To you record video to get the sound, a bird singing, lions roaring etc, or did you record the video to capture the image? But even then, I would say the image is always important, you can put music over a lovely scene, but you can't fix a bad image.
Most of the time when I shoot video lots of other people are nearby me. As you can image the mostly talk a lot and this also gets in the audio. Mayby a good shotgun can take this less but for now I have no idee witch one.
What a great video. Best I've seen in shooting video....and I've watched a lot! Thank you 🙏
Can't get enough of your videos! They are phenomenal!
I’ve been absolutely living your content! You are mainly what got me into photography, and now I’m transitioning into videography, and I must ask, how do you light and shoot your videos? The background and colors are so clear with almost no noise!
I use a diffuse light on me, and shine a few lights on the background. I use a Canon R5 and Sigma Art 20mm f1.4, in crop mode. .
I appreciate your insights. And I definitely agree that video skills are important and will continue to grow in demand. As one who already struggles with capturing shots worth selling using still images, I will probably hold off on the video. It’s inevitable, though. I will have to flip that switch!
Thank you for another engaging and informative video.
As always, very well said and made it short yet educational, practical.❤️
Brilliant video, very informative and one to save for future reference.
Ourstanding video. You read my mind; I was going to ask if you had any videos on how to do video. Now I need to get into my manual and figure out how to focus on moving subjects. Thanks as always for the information and inspiration!
You can do it!
I enjoyed seeing this review for me - I mainly shoot films (interviews), but I use a hybrid camera because I also have to take photos for the films (short modest documentaries). So, I hope a filmmaker watches this and says, "Hey, I should do a tutorial in the opposite direction - how to take still photographs, for filmmakers." I have struggled with learning the stills part, but I got a life-changing tip from you when you showed how (and esp. why) to put ISO on auto while keeping everything in manual. So much more efficient and better photos.
Some trivia for photo-to-video folks: some cameras will display an option to shoot "24fps" when what they really mean is "23.976" (the latter is often referred to as "23.98," just to confuse matters further). These are really two different frame rates, but it won't matter for typical small projects, like getting some nice brief shots for social media. It can matter when footage shot at that frame rate (shot at 23.976 when the filmmaker thought it was 24) is going to be included in a larger project with other footage shot on a different camera at 24fps (what is sometimes called "true 24"). To find out what "24" means on your camera display, check the specifications online or in your manual.
currently getting into nature videography and this was very helpful
Simon this again is a wonderfully helpful video, thank you so much. I would love to see a follow up video on post processing. What you have shared with us is great and easy to implement. What causes me some pause is what to do with the video after you shoot it! Thanks again for a great video.
You re the Best
I have z6 and Never managed to get proper quality but with thèse usefull tips it is already night and day.
Again, Thank you
Happy to help
you are amazing, thanks for the information provided, much support from Egypt
Thank you @simon_dentremont ! I am a still shooter has no interest in video, but I watched this just to be familiar with video capabilities. As always, your videos are amazing!
Thanks. Great video. I'm exactly one of those dudes that says, "someday, I really need to try out video". This was good inspiration. We've got a ton of hummingbird activity in our yard right now, so it might be a good opportunity to capture some of their epic battles. Or maybe the hummingbird action is all just too fast for a newbie videographer to capture, but what the heck, pixels are cheap.
Hii
I started fotografing birds last year and i love with a passion. I wish i could afford go to Canada and fotograf seabirds. I learned so much from your videos. Thank you so much
Best of luck!
I had a big smile on your intro. I can relate very well.
OMG this video took me from, video school kindergartener Dropout to I gotta shot at learning YEAH SUBSCRIBED
Thank you so much for this incredibly informative video!🙂
In the last weeks I overcame the fear to flip the switch to video mode. But a fear I cannot overcome so far is shooting with less than 1/800s. As an animal photographer without a tripod I'm used to 1/1600s. Going below that feels scary as hell! 😯
This is absolutely amazing, I was looking exactly for this. Congratulations!
Awesome, thank you!
Simon, your videos are just the best. Great information, thank you, thank you, thank you!
Thanks again for an excellent tutorial! I bought your course on Journal of Wildlife Photography, but haven't got past the introduction yet - maybe this weekend I will have time and energy! I need to get better, yesterday tried my new tripod and head at a location which has some birds at a fairly large distance, and none of the images were sharp. Pity, because there were some spoonbills and great egrets.
As always I get great information from your videos. Being a hobbyist I always learn something that helps me come home with better photos. Also I liked the Bouns tip. 🤣