Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson
WEDDINGS, parties and anything worth remembering will be filmed this year in a revolution spawned by a flood of tiny, advanced and inexpensive camcorders.
Even more camera makers are jumping on to the latest trend in video cameras, with heavyweights Canon and Sony releasing new camcorders that can record sharp video and fit comfortably in your pocket, just as Panasonic, JVC, Samsung and Sanyo have done recently.
But while manufacturers are falling over themselves to produce the technology, experts are warning that consumers need to be educated about the new generation of video cameras before they make the leap from still to moving memories, or from Flickr to YouTube.
Film school
This lack of education is something Canon recognised at its latest launch, with consumer imaging products marketing manager Stuart Poignand revealing the company had probed the market to discover why video cameras were not as popular as their still photo peers.
Mr Poignand said Canon's research found many consumers were simply overwhelmed by video camera options and obstacles.
"We found, and this is a really interesting statistic, 85 per cent of people don't own a video camera," he said.
"Unlike digital still cameras, there are a lot of barriers when it comes to owning a video camera. In the past some consumers have been disappointed with the footage they've taken. Also, what tends to happen after they film events is that they end up with this box of videotapes that is not seen by others.
"And they also know that if they don't edit the footage down they're going to bore everyone."
There are also many different recording formats in the camcorder market, Mr Poignand said, as well as several recording mediums, and little in-store information to help consumers choose the right camera for their needs.
Paul Curtis, executive director of the Photo Imaging Council of Australia, says the barriers to owning a video camera come from several fronts.
Many consumers, he said, might be reticent to invest in a new video camera after being burned by videotape technology in the past.
"I wasn't a big fan of videotape because of the moving parts involved and also the fact that it twists and it stretches, which can lead to problems," he said.
"Also, if you don't use videotapes for a long time, the layers of magnetic oxide interfere with one another and degrade the tape. If a videocassette is left flat rather than standing on its edge, the images on it will decay. That's how we lost a lot of the original TV shows."
Not great news for those wanting to preserve footage of their child's first steps, for example.
Editing footage captured on videotape was also tricky, often involving a complicated double-VCR set-up, an edit controller and a lot of patience.
Flash forward
Mr Curtis claims consumers burned by this old technology will be pleasantly surprised if they try out the latest generation of video cameras.
Flash memory, including Secure Digital (SD) memory cards, are "the most secure form of storage we know of", he said, and will stand the test of time better than videotape and even better than DVDs.
Video from these new cameras can also easily be imported to a computer for editing or plugged directly into a television.
Flash-based cameras also have other significant benefits over their older rivals.
Flash memory has no moving parts, unlike hard drives, making the technology less prone to failure and more able to withstand knocks. The technology is also quicker and uses less battery power than other memory and it takes up far less room than a hard drive, tape deck or DVD recording drive, allowing for far more compact camcorders.
Flash memory is also dropping significantly in price.
"With the way memory card prices are coming down I can see the day when people will keep their video stored on flash cards rather than reusing them," Mr Curtis said.
"They'll just buy more memory cards like we used to buy rolls of film."
New gadgets
The falling prices are also enticing more consumers to try out the new technology.
The Canon Digital Lifestyle Index, prepared by GfK Australia, found that digital camcorder prices fell by a "considerable" 16.9 per cent or $139.29 between the last quarter of 2007 and that of 2006, bringing their average price to just $685.
Mr Curtis said this price drop and increased competition would be sure to entice consumers to the market this year, predicting that Australians will buy more than 400,000 camcorders in 2008.
They will certainly be spoilt for choice, with most camera makers embracing flash technology.
Panasonic recently released a tiny SD camcorder called the S7 ($549) that features a 10x zoom in its tiny, 180g body, as well as a shock- and waterproof SD camcorder called the SW20 ($769).
JVC joined the trend with the colourful Everio G Series range of camcorders ($799) that can record to SD memory cards or a built-in 30GB hard disk drive, and Samsung released three new pint-sized camcorders, two of which record to SDHC memory cards or MMC cards ($1199 and $749).
Sanyo last year released a handheld high-definition camcorder called the HD1000 ($999) and Sony recently joined them, releasing the tiny HDRTG1 Handycam ($1599) which they claim is the smallest full-HD camcorder yet. It features a titanium body, face detection feature, zoom microphone and records images to a Memory Stick.
Sony also launched a second flash-memory camera, the HDRUX20 Handycam ($1599), that can record high-definition footage to a Memory Stick, a built-in 8GB flash memory or an AVCHD DVD disc.
And it's into this increasingly crowded market that Canon will launch its first flash-based video cameras in five days.
Canon's new range will feature three new flash-based cameras, all of which have tiny bodies that will record video to SD and SDHC memory cards. Two of these cameras will also boast a hidden surprise: 16GB of internal flash-based memory.
Canon digital video product manager Tamara Hohnberg says the camcorders' record-breaking internal memories will set the cameras apart from the crowded pack, and let consumers capture hours of video without spending a cent on recording media.
One of the new cameras, for example, can record up to 12 hours of full high-definition video on to its internal flash memory — something that would have taken 23 8cm DVD discs.
"Canon has been good at bringing high-quality goods to market, but often we're not the first to do so," Ms Hohnberg said.
"This is a first for us."
From home to the screen
The Canon HF10 ($1699) tops the new range, and can capture full high-definition video (1080p) as well as 3.1-megapixel still photos. It also features a 12x optical zoom, optical image stabiliser, Instant AutoFocus feature, HDMI connection, built-in light, and a 16GB internal flash memory in its 430g body.
Canon will also launch the FS11 camcorder ($899), with a 16GB built-in flash memory and image stabliser, and the FS100 ($699) that records directly to SDHC memory cards and weighs a tiny 310g.
An editing software package, Pixela ImageMixer 3 SE, will be included with all three cameras, to help consumers edit their videos and take some of the fear out of selecting a software suite.
Elissa Down, writer and director of the recent Australian feature film Black Balloon, believes these new flash-based video cameras will be a boon for documentary makers and home-video enthusiasts alike.
Down, who tested Canon's HF10 during a recent trip to Byron Bay, said the size of the cameras makes them unobtrusive and less likely to startle subjects, while their flash-based memory is easy on batteries and can capture a lot more footage than the average videotape.
"That's great, especially for docos," she said.
"When you're filming and you're getting good stuff you don't want to have to change the tape."
Down said new features like the ability to capture photos and videos simultaneously, and optical image stabilisation that "makes it look like you're not quite so drunk" will also prove handy for many users.
It could, however, mean a lot more drunken Australians feature on YouTube this year.
Moving the camera across a scene is called panning. You’ll often see home videos that are shot while the person holding the camcorder pans the camera back-and-forth and up-and-down, either to follow a moving subject or to show a lot of things that don’t fit in a single shot. This technique (if you can call it that) is called firehosing — usually not a good idea. Practice these rules when panning:
- Pan only once per shot.
- Start panning slowly, gradually speed up, and slow down again before stopping.
- Slow down! Panning too quickly — say, over a landscape — is a common mistake.
- If you have a cheap tripod, you may find it difficult to pan smoothly.
- Try lubricating the tripod’s swivel head with WD-40 or silicon spray lubricant. If that doesn’t work, limit tripod use to stationary shots. Ideally you should use a higher-quality tripod with a fluid head for smooth .
- If you’re shooting a moving subject, try moving the camera with the subject, rather than panning across a scene. Doing so reduces out-offocus issues with the camera lens, and helps keep the subject in-frame.
Once your camcorder is configured and set up the way you want it, it’s time to start shooting some video. Yay! One of the most important things you’ll want to work on as you shoot video is to keep the image as stable as possible. Your camcorder probably has an image stabilization feature built in, but image stabilization can do only so much. I recommend using a tripod for all static shots, and a monopod or sling for moving shots.
Pay special attention to the camera’s perspective. As I mentioned the angle of the camera greatly affects the look and feel of the video you shoot. I often find that lowering the level of the camera greatly improves the image. Some high-end camcorders have handles on top that make shooting from a lower level easier. Virtually all digital camcorders have LCD panels that can be swiveled up so you can easily see what you’re recording, even if you’re holding the camera down low. Be especially careful to avoid letting the camera roll to one side or the other. This skews the video, which is extremely disorienting to the viewer. Try to keep the camera level with the horizon at all times. The following sections give additional recommendations for shooting better video. If you’re shooting a person in a studio-like situation, complete with a backdrop and fancy lighting, provide a stool for your subject to sit on. A stool will help your subject remain both still and relaxed during a long shoot, and (unlike a chair) a stool will also help the subject maintain a more erect posture.
Perhaps the most important tip I can give you before you shoot your video is this: Know your camera. Even today’s least expensive digital camcorders are packed with features that were wildly advanced (and expensive) just a few years ago. Most digital camcorders include image stabilization, in-camera effects, and the ability to record 16-bit stereo audio. But these advanced features won’t do you much good if they aren’t turned on or configured properly. Spend a few hours reviewing the manual that came with your camcorder, and practice using every feature and setting. In particular, check the following:
- Audio: Many new camcorders are set by default to record only 12-bit audio, also sometimes called the 32-KHz (kilohertz) setting. Fire up your camcorder right now and make sure that it is set to 16-bit (48KHz) audio instead, and never change it back. 16-bit audio is higher quality, and it won’t cause any problems later on when you want to capture video into your computer (or do pretty much anything else with it). For more on working with audio and understanding the bit and kilohertz settings.
- Focus and exposure: In the previous section, I mention those times when you want to control focus and exposure manually. If you use manual focus or exposure control, switch them back to automatic before you turn off the camcorder. That way, the camcorder is ready for quick use later on when Bigfoot momentarily stumbles into your camp.
- Special effects and exposure modes: As with manual focus and exposure, if for some reason you use any of the built-in effects in your camera, make sure you disable them before turning off the camcorder so that it will be ready to go the next time you use it. The same thing goes for special exposure modes.
- Stow the lens cap securely: It seems obvious, I know, but if there is a clip or something that allows you to securely stow the camcorder’s lens cap, use it. If you let the cap hang loose on its string, it will probably bang into the microphone and other parts periodically, making a lot of noise you don’t want to record.
- Use a new tape: Even though digital video doesn’t suffer from the same generational loss problems as analog video (where each play of the tape degrades the recording quality), various problems can still occur if you reuse digital tapes. Potential problems include timecode breaks (described later in this chapter) and physical troubles with the tape itself. Keep the camcorder manual in your gear bag when you hit the road. It may provide you with an invaluable reference when you’re shooting on location. Also, review the manual from time to time: Your camcorder no doubt has some useful or cool features that you forgot all about. If you’ve lost your manual, check the manufacturer’s Web site. You might be able to download a replacement manual.
Virtually all modern camcorders include automatic exposure and focus controls. Automation is really handy most of the time, but it’s not perfect. If you always rely on auto focus, you will inevitably see the lens “hunting” for the right setting during some shots. This will happen a lot if you shoot moving subjects. Likewise, if you are shooting over a crowd or past other objects, the camera might focus on the closer objects instead of the desired subject. If your camera has a manual focus mode, you can avoid focus hunting by turning off auto focus.
Manual focus is pretty difficult to control if you’re using a small dial or slider switch on the side of a camcorder. Try to get a camera with a focus ring around the lens. This will make manual focus much easier to control.
I also urge you to learn how to use the manual exposure control (also called the iris). Exposure determines how much light is allowed to pass through the lens. It dilates and contracts much like the iris in a human eye. Manual exposure control allows you to fine tune exposure if the automatic control or camcorder presets aren’t providing the desired light levels. Some higher end digital camcorders have a helpful feature called a zebra pattern. As you adjust exposure, a striped pattern will appear in overexposed portions of the image. Overexposed areas will appear as washed-out, colorless white blobs in your video image. A zebra pattern makes controlling exposure a lot easier: I have found that overexposing a video shot when you are manually adjusting exposure is very easy
Although every camera is different, most camcorders have an infinite setting (∞) on the manual focus control. In most cases, anything that is more than about ten feet away will be in focus when the lens is set to infinite. Ten feet isn’t a long distance, so you may be able to resolve many focus problems by simply using the infinite setting.
Your camcorder can probably accept some lens filters which screw on in front of the lens. Filters can be used to improve various lighting situations. For example, if you are shooting outdoors in a brightly sunlit location, you may find that colors look kind of washed out in the light. A neutral-density filter can compensate for the light and improve the way colors look.
Other lens filters can provide special lighting effects. For example, a star filter causes star patterns to shoot out from light points that appear in the image. This can give the scene a magical look. For more on how lens filters can change and improve the way your video images look, check out the Tiffen Web site at www.tiffen.com.
Among the most common lighting problems you’ll encounter when you shoot video are backlit situations. Backlit images occur when a relatively dark subject is shot against a relatively light background. The automatic exposure control in the camera adjusts exposure based primarily on that bright background, making the subject a dark, indistinguishable blob.
- Avoid it: When possible, try to shoot subjects so that they are not in front of a bright background, such as the sky.
- Fight light with light: Try to put more light on the subject. You may look silly toting a bright light around a sunny beach in the middle of the afternoon, but that is exactly what the pros do. If possible, try to shoot with the sun behind the camera.
- Use camera settings: Many camcorders have settings that automatically compensate for backlighting by increasing exposure. The results aren’t always favorable, your camera probably has settings to accommodate many special lighting situations. Always read the camcorder’s documentation to see what features may be available to you — and practice using those features to see which ones work well and which ones don’t.
