Hopefully once a few of my projects are done, I can use this knowledge to create a Video blog showing you how to get the best out of your camera.
Lenses:
I’ve been experimenting with a varied selection of zooms and primes. If you require a level and stable composite, try to use lenses that incorporate the in-built combination VR (Vibration Reduction) control. This will allow you to switch to the active mode (ideal for handheld and long-distance shooting) as it will give you a stable shot at most focal points on your lens of choice without having a detrimental effect on the image. I would recommend for the beginner or amateur that the Nikon 16-85mm f3.5-5.6 G ED VR would be my own personal weapon of choice.
Ideally in low-light situations I would utilise the wider aperture lenses such as those that incorporate f-stops of f2 and bigger. Just be aware that using primes without VR that have a long focal length can add shake to your composition. In an ideal world I would opt to use the Nikon 105mm f2.8 G VR as it is currently the lowest priced Nikkor prime to have both standard and active VR. Another option if there are limitations to your own meagre budget, as I suffer from myself is attempt to use lightweight, wide-aperture primes when filming in darkened situations. I rely upon the following lenses; Sigma 30mm f1.4 DC, the Nikon 50 f1.8 and the Nikon 85mm f3.5 VR DX.
Instead of relying on the camera's clumsy LiveView AF (Auto Focus), switch to manual as it can gain you a more stable and controlled stream of focusing when filming. If the AF is active it can disrupt the flow of the shot and can add unneeded static to your image. In manual mode, unfocused or less than pin-sharp shots can be utilised in an artistic manner depending on the type of work you’re producing.
Camera Control:
When establishing a scene, always use the white balance control the same way you would with taking a still image. NEVER rely on the camera's automatic WB, it will lead to the same trouble as described when using the AF. I found that using the Kelvin mode allowed more subtle control of the image as it can be adjusted to your own particular taste than having to put up with a set mode such as sunlight or cloudy.
In an attempt to prevent myself from having to re-composing my shot each and every time the light situation changes, I found it easier to customise the AE/AF button on the D300s to allow you to just simply press the button to lock the AE (Auto Exposure). To prevent the AE from resetting after a certain amount of time (or when live view is disabled) set the time limit , in the auto meter-off delay setting in the timers/AE lock menu, to ‘no limit’. This will mean that you can record the full five minute clip length for 720p HD video without the exposure constantly shifting due to varying light sources and will not reset, even if you preview video images in the playback menu.
As the camera has no real manual controls on its video recording (unlike the newest addition to their range, its younger brother the D7000), bar the aperture f1.4 (the widest aperture available being dependant on the lens being used) up to the smallest at f16. I found adjusting the exposure control between +5 and -5 will give you a decent variation allowing for high contrast images, dramatic silhouettes of subjects and vibrant sky shots. Remember that you've locked the AE, both WB and exposure will be locked at the settings selected and when recording starts, in addition you will be unable to alter the aperture setting.
If you find that when working under natural lighting that you get a undulating effect (best described as a ripple of shadow on your LCD screen) this can occur due to the type of lighting available and due to the type of CMOS sensor utilised on the camera. This cannot be avoided as far as I can tell but you can re-expose again and again until the effect is near but gone. Please don’t be disheartened if it takes a while!
External Devices i.e. Memory Cards, Batteries and Microphones.
The one question I am continually asked at work is 'How long will the camera's battery last whilst filming?'
It can depend on the user to a certain extent but from my experience with the D300s and its supplied battery (the EN-EL3e), I am able to get up to an hour of HD movie footage before I have to change over to a second battery. This includes the time I spend composing the shot in the LiveView and double-checking through playback to peruse the scenes I've shot.
When it comes to the average recording time, estimated time per memory card comes to around 40 minutes on an 8GB card (either CF or SDHC, the card format doesn't change the performance) As a general rule, I primarily use the CF slot on the camera to store the HD movie as it provides a faster transfer rate (I use a Sandisk 16GB Extreme CF with a transfer rate of 60 mb/s) and it is usually more reliable but I always retain a secondary 8GB SDHC (my choice being the Sandisk 8GB Extreme Video HD with a transfer rate of 30 mb/s) for any video that overflows from my storage slot.
This should be a general rule for anyone using a D-SLR to record HD movie but if you are unaware, the internal microphone of the D300s is very poor at recording any ambient noise in a scene. I've invested in a decent but not expensive Rode Video Condenser Mic (available from Jacobs Photo & Video here)that can be fixed securely in the camera's hot-shoe Ideally if you’re recording live gig work, use a separate sound recorder such as the Zoom H4n that allows a direct line in from a mixing desk to record the pure audio and utilises separate mics to record ambient sound on an entirely different file.
I hope these tips and hints will help to inspire and create better movies even if the camera restricts them in some ways.
I found a way to contradict them, hopefully you'll find yours.
Regards
Jim