Opinions on videography gear

[TandC]

New member here,  and  I would like to know if anyone is into videography.  If so, was wondering what gear you use. Cameras and all the gear to make movies with.

Most of the movies I've made are pretty old(2010 till 2017), and I made them with cameras that I have since sold and upgraded to newer models.

I made several of our travel videos with a Sony HX100v, and a Sony videocam that I can't even remember the model,  and even though I see hiccups in my videos that were caused by the idiosyncrasies of that camera,  I still love going back in time to those places we traveled to.   


So if anybody does video, I would love to hear back.

Tom

 

[SeilerBird]

I do lots of videos of me playing my instruments. I use a Pixel 2 XL. Does a superb job. If you wish to see some of my videos here is a link:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/2o3XRRTCPuiJ7jdz7

 

[TandC]

  You had me rockin',  and the lighted drumsticks amazed me.  You got a lot of talent.  I plunked on a guitar in my younger years, but never was able to achieve any kind of decent level of playing ability.  How in the world did you get all that stuff in your rv?  Must be a nightmare to set up and take down whenever you move.

 

[SeilerBird]

  You had me rockin',  and the lighted drumsticks amazed me.  You got a lot of talent.  I plunked on a guitar in my younger years, but never was able to achieve any kind of decent level of playing ability.  How in the world did you get all that stuff in your rv?  Must be a nightmare to set up and take down whenever you move.

Thank you for your kind words. I love the lighted drumsticks. I spent ten years driving all over the country in class As and Bs and six years ago my RV died so I parked it and traded up to a fifth wheel that is permanently parked in Florida. Since then I have been buying instruments. So there is no set and tear down, they are all set up in the living room so that when I want to play something I don't have to mess with getting it out of the case. Here is an old thread about my last class A and it was getting crowded:

http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,52922.msg489211.html#msg489211

 

[Larry N.]

...if anyone is into videography.  If so, was wondering what gear you use. Cameras and all the gear to make movies with.

I got a Sony HDR-FX1 camcorder a few years back, gorgeous video, but it is tape based. When my grandson started having several school concerts every year I added a Canon Vixia HF G20, which will record to SDHC cards. It's smaller and lighter than the FX1, and only a single CCD rather than 3, but the quality is still excellent and the optical stabilization is still good. My only real complaint is that the zoom control is awkward when you want to do gentle changes in the rate of zoom -- otherwise I'm very happy with it and I can do several hours, if needed, without changing tapes.

So now I can have a two camera shoot (both on tripods, obviously), with one (usually the Canon) showing the overall band and the other (usually the FX1) panning and zooming to different areas. Sometimes, if the cameras are both near me, I'll use one, then the other to do my panning and zooming to different sections.

I've also got an Azden remote mic (handy on the preacher for weddings), a Vivitar shotgun mic (wonderful for rivers at the bottom of a canyon, for example) and a Sennheiser MKE 440 stereo "short shotgun" mic, which isn't nearly as "shotgun" as the Vivitar, but has excellent audio quality and does aid in getting audio from more distant voices and instruments. Besides doing well on the camcorders, it also works well on my Nikon 7100 DSLR on those rare occasions when I use it for video.

I'm using Pinnacle Studio 21 (many versions over the years) to do my editing and production.

Hope this helps.

Added: Here's a video I did of an RV rally we had in Chama, NM, including riding the Cumbres & Toltec RR.
Here's another video, this time it's highlights of a huge model RR in Greeley, CO.

 

[TandC]

Thanks Larry,
Enjoyed the video, and we would like to go on that train ride.  My wife had actually planned for us to go by there on one of our trips, but the situation changed and we missed it.  We did go see the trains at Silverton Co., but did not have time to ride.  I did some short clips of those in my Colorado video 2017...... more of a trailer than an actual video.

I had a Canon vixia g30 for a while, and it was very good for video, but I had trouble holding it due to problems with pain in my wrist and arm. Tripod and monopod reduced that problem, but I have an easier time with conventional camera types like dslr or mirrorless designs. 

I bought a gimble to steady my video, and the smaller lighter mirrorless cameras are well suited for gimble use.  The gimble reduces the need for tripod in many circumstances.  But even with the lighter cameras, it does get a bit heavy after a while.

I've been working on shortening my video clips as was advised by many.  I know that some of my movies are too long.  But my wife had a fit when I shorted them up for general public viewing.  We made the videos for our own entertainment, and we can relive those trips over and over, so we like to see the whole full length movies.  One of these days I will combine them into a movie using only the best clips, and I will shorten each clip to 5 or 6 seconds each whenever the subject will allow it. Some need to be longer.  Some shorter.

I have been using Vegas Movie Studio 13 for a while, but I have used Power Director for some in the past.  The Glacier National Park vid. was done with Power Director.  I got away from it because of a bit of a problem with transitions between clips. I started using Vegas Movie Studio on the Desert SW video I think.

Again,  I enjoyed your vid on the train in NM.  Thanks for responding.

P.S.
Just watched your vid of the model rr.  Amazing detail in that model.  Especially liked the firefighters fighting the fire in the trees, and the smoke........looked so real.  We're gonna have to go see that in the future.

 

[Larry N.]

I've been working on shortening my video clips as was advised by many.  I know that some of my movies are too long.  But my wife had a fit when I shorted them up for general public viewing.  We made the videos for our own entertainment, and we can relive those trips over and over, so we like to see the whole full length movies.

That 7:57 Chama video is the short version, done for other people. I did it after having completed a longer (39:44) version (including a few flashbacks from a trip 15 years previous -- it was on Hi8 tape) for our viewing. You absolutely MUST target your video to the intended audience, so multiple versions are not amiss.

A hint on cutting enough to make the shorter version easier for others to watch: Make the long version first, then watch it at least two or three times while sitting in front of your TV, and try to imagine what someone with only a mild interest in your subject would think about that. So often I find that a 30 second clip (for example) can become one four second and one eight second clip, or even just one six second clip, depending on the material. I've cut a lot of deadwood that way, as well as discovering that two versions will occasionally be the way to go.

Having done that with a few videos, I discovered that watching the shorter version was often easier to watch, even for me, when I didn't feel the need for the many details. But I'll still watch the long version once in a while for enjoyment, as well.

I have an easier time with conventional camera types like dslr or mirrorless designs. 

My biggest problem with those for video is the lack of easy, smooth and gently slow zoom, as well as several other aids found in camcorders, such as zebra and continous running for extended periods (my Nikon 7100 is limited to 20 minutes at a crack), plus the camcorder is easier (for me at least) to hold up and steady for somewhat extended periods (through the viewfinder, not by using the swing out screen), among other things.

I bought a gimble to steady my video, and the smaller lighter mirrorless cameras are well suited for gimble use.

I guess you mean Steadycam and the like. They have those for light and heavy camcorders, too, even for the pros (watch football endzones for a guy with such a rig), but those not only take practice for them to work well, but they tire my arms more quickly than doing without. Of course there are the body mount versions (like the pros use), but those are expensive and, at times, too awkward to use (takes time to set them up).

So much about the equipment and editing depends on your personal needs and likes.

 

[TandC]

Thanks Larry,
I agree with you about making several versions.  My kids are my biggest critics.  I say kids,  the youngest is 36. 

They have different ideas of what music should be used.  From tekno electronic pop stuff  all the way to regular rock&roll.  I used some music for the Colorado trip video which seemed to appeal to them.  It kind of gets on my nerves a little bit, but it was easy to sync the clips to.

I think our travel videos only entertain us.  But that's ok.  Maybe some on this forum will like seeing places they've been, or might want to visit.  What I really need to do is narrate the videos.  My son has a decent voice, so I may get him to narrate in the future.  He does tend to say 'uh' a lot though. Lol.

 

[Larry N.]

One thing that, for me, is a plus, is that with Studio I can use SmartSound, of which some was included with an earlier version, and they still support its use. It's nicely done instrumental music that can seamlessly adjust in length depending on the length of the clip(s) it overlays. I've added a few songs here and there over the years, so I have a collection of songs in most genres that I'll use, from folks to country, to big band to classical, easy listening and more. They also have various rock and other genres. Quality is excellent, and it's mostly royalty free, even in public, at least for personal use.

With narration, have a written script and practice reading it a few times, including checking out the timing, prior to recording -- this should get rid of the "uh's" and "um's."

 

[TandC]

Smartsound definitely would be easier.  With some videos, I've spent hours and hours listening to songs to try and find the perfect one for a particular section of the movie.  I've spent time on 4 or 5 music sites to do this, and it really gets to be a chore, especially when others that view my work might prefer other types of music. 

I'm about too old to expend the energy to create good stuff anyway.  It takes a lot of energy to get out there and capture the right light, angles, and composition.....and then edit it all with good music and in the right order so that it is interesting.  Some times it got a little dangerous too.  I shouldn't have gotten so close to those moose.  Lucky they were not in bad moods.  Speaking of bad moods.....the wife gets a little testy when I take too long.  Have to have her along though, for b roll stuff.  She's a pretty good assistant.