Moving the Camera

How quickly you can move a camera around depends on the type and design of the mounting you are using. Even if the camera itself Is lightweight, repositioning its pedestal smoothly may take some effort.

Camera moves

Although camera operators get used to coping with various operational problems, it’s as well for the director to know how they can affect techniques.

•It can take time and effort, to start and stop a heavy camera mounting. So smooth rapid repositioning may be impracticable.

•It is easier to push/pull a- pedestal or rolling tripod, in a straight line (dollying) than to arc round a subject in a curved track, or to move sideways (truek/crab).

•Pedestals have three tired wheels. For general movement or curved tracks one wheel is steered (‘dolly’…or ‘tricycle’mode), while for sideways moves or confined spaces, all three wheels are linked and;guided (‘crab’ or ‘parallel’ mode). It takes a moment to change between these methods of dollying.

•Rolling tripods have three independent castors and are generally less maneuverable. Before starting off in a new direction, a preliminary push will align the castors and avoid camera judder.

•Remember, while a pedestal can alter height smoothly, rolling tripods have prefixed heights.

Focusing

We normally maintain sharpest focus on the main subject, and follow focus as subject or camera moves. How critical focusing is depends on its distance, the lens angle (its depth of field), and the amount of subject detail. Close shots of finely detailed subjects shot on a narrow angle lens are most critical.

Where two subjects are at different distances, and there is insufficient depth of field to cover them both, there are several solutions:

•Focus hard-on one, allowing the other to be soft focus.

•Split focus so that the farthest and nearest are equally focused (although neither will be really sharp).

•Move the subjects closer together, so that they are at similar distances.

•Increase the depth of field by using a smaller lens aperture (stopping down). This will necessitate increasing the general light levels (intensities) to avoid the shot being underexposed.

In running shots, where both the subject and the camera are moving, there is always the danger of losing focus. One must continually judge the available depth of field. When the camera is moving to or from a flat subject (map, chart, printed matter), the trick is to continually .‘creep’ focus to maintain maximum sharpness; a technique that comes with experience.