Video tips?

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Ken91
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Video tips?

Post by Ken91 » Sun May 13, 2018 8:35 pm

Hi AirshowStuff Forum. Anyone have tips for taking video during airshows? Of course, I'm using the same camera for stills & video. My problem is that I can't seem to hold the camera still enough when zoomed out. All my pics and video are handheld. So, any advice? Tripod & gimbal mount?

Or what do you use for taking airshow videos?
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RyanS
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Post by RyanS » Sun May 13, 2018 9:27 pm

The biggest tip is to use a camcorder with a viewfinder. Filming video of moving planes with a still camera doesn't usually end well since you have to hold it away from your body in order to see the screen. The manual zoom of an SLR lens is a killer for video also.

Depending on what type of camera it is you may be able to get an eyepiece that attaches to the LCD screen and lets you hold it up to your eye. I had one for my 7D that was really helpful but I gave up shooting video with it anyway because of the zooming issue.

Setting the focus to manual near infinity, like a far tree line, is a good idea to prevent AF hunting.

I hand hold all photos and videos, tripods get in the way more than they help in my experience. Shoulder mounts aren't that great either, and they can be useless when panning straight up to follow an aircraft.
Last edited by RyanS on Sun May 13, 2018 9:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Ryan Sundheimer
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Ken91
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Post by Ken91 » Mon May 14, 2018 12:17 am

Thanks for the insight, Ryan! I appreciate it. I'm using the Panasonic FZ200 superzoom. It has an EVF that I use instead of the LCD screen when taking pics or video. I probably just need to practice more with it. A camcorder sounds good, but I don't know if I'm ready for that at this time. Thanks again!
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RyanS
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Post by RyanS » Mon May 14, 2018 4:52 pm

Ken91 wrote: Mon May 14, 2018 12:17 am Thanks for the insight, Ryan! I appreciate it. I'm using the Panasonic FZ200 superzoom. It has an EVF that I use instead of the LCD screen when taking pics or video. I probably just need to practice more with it. A camcorder sounds good, but I don't know if I'm ready for that at this time. Thanks again!
Gotcha, an EVF isn't too bad then. It is really hard to get steady video under any circumstances so don't feel too bad. Brace it against your face for sure and just focus on what you see in the frame. When I'm filming, I'm always adjusting my shoulders, hips, ankles, everything to keep my movements smooth. It takes concentration.

Of course the camera's stabilization is a huge factor too, since I got my new one I have seen a big improvement in my own videos just because the IS system is better. I would guess that the ergonomics of your camera and the IS system aren't as good as a camcorder but work with what you've got.

Keep trying and see how it goes!
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Ryan Sundheimer
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Ken91
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Joined: Fri Apr 21, 2017 1:13 am

Post by Ken91 » Mon May 14, 2018 10:07 pm

Ryan - thanks again for the advice! My camera does have a decent IS system, but it's from 2012. From my research, others have recommended turning it off when taking airshow pictures because it doesn't handle panning well. For stationary subjects, it works well. I've been turning it off when taking pics, but don't switch it back on for video. I'll need to practice and experiment to see if I can do better with this camera or look into something else.
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Post by Rishoov » Sun Oct 07, 2018 1:36 am

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Last edited by Rishoov on Thu Oct 18, 2018 9:35 am, edited 2 times in total.
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