12. The Moving Picture

Shooting Video with the D800

Probably one of the reasons you purchased the D800 over competing cameras is its ability to capture video—and not just regular video, but high-definition video. As I discussed in the book’s introduction, the focus of this book is on the photography aspects of the camera, but that doesn’t mean I am going to skip the video functions. The fact is that the line between photography and video is getting blurrier each day, especially since the inclusion of video capture in DSLR cameras. In this chapter, we will address some of the basics of video capture with the D800 and also take a look at some of the creative things you can do with your video. First, though, let’s take a look at why the video capture feature is such a big deal in a DSLR.

It’s All About the Lenses

Video cameras have been around for a long time, so why is it such a big deal that you can now use your DSLR camera to record video? The answer is simple: it’s all about the lenses. If you have any experience using a video camcorder, you know that it always seems like everything is in focus. While this isn’t always a bad thing, it can also be pretty boring. Using DSLR video allows you to use faster lenses (larger apertures), which can give you more shallow depth of field in your videos. This shallow depth of field can add a sense of dimension and depth that is normally lacking in most standard video cameras. The truth is that many videographers are turning their attention from video cameras costing tens of thousands of dollars to the much more affordable DSLR video cameras to produce similar professional, high-definition results.

The D800 will not only allow you to capture video with a more shallow depth of field, it will also allow you the flexibility of using different lenses for different effects. While you may own only one lens right now, you have the ability to buy specialty lenses to enhance your video as well as your still capture. Any lens that you can use for still photography on your D800 can also be used for video, including an ultra-wide lens such as the AF Fisheye-Nikkor 16mm f/2.8 ED, the AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED, or even the AF Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8D for getting extreme close-up videos (Figure 12.1).

Figure 12.1. Specialty lenses like this 16mm fisheye will add a unique look to your videos.

Setting Up the Video Features

While the actual act of shooting video is fairly simple, the key to getting the video results you want is to set up the camera. First, the video recording is a feature of the Live View capabilities of the camera. You have to put the camera into the active Live View mode to even begin to capture video. This is accomplished by rotating the Live View switch on the rear of the camera to the Movie position and then pressing the LV button (Figure 12.2). This activates the live video on the rear LCD monitor.

Figure 12.2. Turn the Live View switch to the Movie mode and press the LV button to activate.

Once Live View is active, place the focus box on the subject and press the shutter release button halfway—or press the AF-ON button—until the focus operation is complete and the rectangle turns green (Figure 12.3).

Figure 12.3. The camera will attempt to focus on whatever the focus point is covering.

Changing the AF-Area Mode

There are actually several focusing modes that you can use for your video recording. We just talked about the Normal-area AF, which uses the small rectangular focus point to lock focus on a subject. The focus point can be manually moved around the frame by using the Multi-selector. You can also quickly bring the focus point back to the center of the frame by pressing the center button on the Multi-selector.

If you are going to be shooting landscapes or other scenes without people, you might want to consider using the Wide-area AF mode. This provides a larger focus area and makes it a little easier to get a quick focus lock on general subjects.

If you are going to be recording people, you can use the Face-priority mode. This is pretty self-explanatory: it automatically detects and focuses on your subject’s face. If there is more than one person, the camera will focus on the closest one, but you can change from one face to another by using the Multi-selector.

The final mode is used for tracking a moving subject, which is why it’s called Subject-tracking AF. To use this mode, place the focus point over your subject and press the center button on the Multi-selector. The focus point will continue to track your subject until it leaves the frame or until you turn it off by pressing the button again.

1. To change the AF-area, activate Live View mode by pressing the LV button.

2. Press and hold the AF-mode button on the front of the camera.

3. Rotate the Sub-command dial until you see the icon for your desired area mode in the top of the Live View display.

Changing the Focus Mode

Of course, these modes will focus only if you are pressing the shutter release button or the AF-ON button (and that includes Subject-tracking AF). If you want your camera to actively focus while you are recording, you will need to change the mode from AF-S to AF-F (Full-time servo AF). When you activate AF-F, the camera will continuously focus using the focus mode you have selected.

1. To change the focus mode, activate Live View mode by pressing the LV button.

2. Press and hold the AF-mode button on the front of the camera.

3. Rotate the Main Command dial until you see the icon for your desired focus mode in the top of the Live View display.

Once your subject is in focus, you can push the Record button on top of the camera to begin the recording process. When the camera begins recording, you will notice that much of the shooting information disappears and a few new icons show up on the LCD (Figure 12.4). In the top left will be a blinking red Record icon to let you know that the camera is in active record mode. In the upper right, you will notice a timer that is counting down your remaining recording time. This number is directly related to the quality you have selected for your video. To stop the video recording, simply press the Record button a second time. This will take you back to Live View mode. To turn off Live View, press the LV button once more or turn the camera off.

Figure 12.4. When recording is active, you will see a blinking red icon in the upper-left corner of the screen.

Movie Settings

Now that we know the mechanics of recording a video, let’s spend a little time looking at the settings you will use to dictate the quality of your video. First, we need to determine the size of the video that is recorded. The D800 records high-definition video, which is means that the video uses a 16x9 image format in two sizes. The two HD sizes available are 1280x720 and 1920x1080. Obviously the larger of the two will be higher quality, but it will also take up more recording space.

Along with selecting a size for your video, you will also need to pick a frame rate. Video is, after all, a series of still image frames that are displayed in rapid fashion to make what looks like a moving picture. The standard for most video is 30 frames per second. The European standard is 25 frames per second. There is also a setting of 24 frames per second, which is the frame rate used for movies shot on film. There are also additional choices for the 1280x720 sizes, which include 60 (U.S.A.) and 50 (Europe) frames per second. These faster frame rates are great if you intend to do some slow-motion edits of your videos since they contain twice as many frames per second. This means they can be played at half-speed and still look nice and smooth.

Changing the Movie Settings

1. To set the video size and frame rate, press the Menu button, navigate to the Movie settings option in the Shooting menu, and press OK (A).

2. Select the Frame size/frame rate option, and press OK (B).

3. Select one of the size/rate options, and press OK to return to the Movie Settings menu (C).

4. If you want to change the video quality, highlight the Movie quality option, press OK, and then select either High or Normal quality (D). This affects the quality of the video file, much like JPEG quality affects still image quality.

Other Video Options

While you are in the Settings menu, you might want to go ahead and adjust some of the other options, like the microphone recording level and the movie destination. The D800’s built-in microphone is monaural in nature, which means it records only a single channel of video. If you want to get stereo sound, you will need to use an external mic like the Nikon ME-1. You can also choose to just turn off the audio if you are going to add a soundtrack later during editing.

Changing the Audio Settings

1. To make adjustments to the audio settings, go back into the Movie Settings menu, select Microphone, and press OK.

2. To enable the camera to automatically adjust the audio levels, select Auto sensitivity, and press OK (A). If you want to adjust them yourself, highlight Manual sensitivity, and press OK.

3. You can select an audio level from 1 to 20 by using the Multi-selector (B). Just be careful to watch your audiometers to see that the audio level doesn’t hit zero except during the loudest moments.

4. To turn off the microphone, highlight the Microphone off option in the menu, and press OK.

Selecting a Destination

The last option in the Movie Settings menu is called Destination, and it lets you pick which memory storage slot you want to use for your video files. This can be handy if you want to shoot both stills and video and have a CF and SD memory card in your camera. If you have only one card, the camera will automatically save your files there; if you have two, you can designate which one will hold the video files. To set it up, go into the Movie Settings menu, pick the Destination option, and select the card where you want the video to be saved (C).

View Modes

The Information On mode of Live View offers a lot of information for setting up your camera and lets you see things like the focus mode, the white balance, the frame size and rate, the selected picture control, and even the audiometer (Figure 12.5).

Figure 12.5. The Information On screen displays lots of video information.

All of this is great stuff, but sometimes it can get in the way, which is why you have four other options available. For an uncluttered view, you can choose to turn off all information (Figure 12.6). If you want to get a better idea of the exposure range that you are working with, you might want to enable the Histogram mode, which puts a histogram right in the preview (Figure 12.7); the histogram will be active only when recording is turned off, though the other two options are really helpful in composing your scene. The Framing Guides mode overlays a grid on the preview to help keep things squared up (Figure 12.8), and the Virtual Horizon mode puts an active level indicator right on your screen; this lets you know whether you are holding the camera straight and whether the lens is tipped forward or backward (Figure 12.9).

Figure 12.6. Use the Information Off mode for a clutter-free display.

Figure 12.7. To get a live view of your exposure information, try using the Histogram mode.

Figure 12.8. The Framing Guides mode helps with composition.

Figure 12.9. If your video always seems to be tilted, try using the Virtual Horizon mode.

Accessories

Close-Up

In the bonus chapter, I discuss a lot of camera accessories, including a section on close-up accessories such as the Nikon close-up filter and extension tubes. Well, guess what? You can use those same accessories for getting great close-up video of tiny little subjects such as insects or flowers.

Polarizing Filters

The polarizing filter will offer the same benefits to your videos as it does to your photographs. By utilizing this filter, you can eliminate the bluish color cast that can happen on those blue-sky days, bring accurate color and contrast to vegetation, reduce annoying reflections from water and glass, and darken your blue skies, giving them more depth and character.

Neutral Density Filters

Shooting in bright daylight conditions can sometimes overwhelm any attempts at using a larger aperture and achieving a shallow depth of field (see the section “Getting a Shallow Depth of Field” later in this chapter). To help combat this problem, you might want to employ the use of a neutral density filter to darken the scene. The filters come in varying densities or darkness values, so you will need to determine how much light you need to cut down to get the effect you desire. A great filter for this is the Singh-Ray Vari-ND filter, which lets you vary the amount of density by up to eight stops. The problem with this filter is that it only comes in 77mm and 82mm sizes, and they are pretty expensive. You can create your own variable ND filter by purchasing a linear polarizing filter and a circular polarizer, which cost much less. Place the linear polarizer on your lens and then the circular on top of that. Then just rotate the circular polarizer and watch the scene get darker and darker. Dial in the amount of density you want and start recording.

Tripods

Another topic that is covered in the bonus chapter is the use of tripods to stabilize the camera for the purpose of achieving sharper images. The use of a tripod for video is not quite the same as for still image applications. When you are shooting video, you want to present a nice, smooth video scene that is fairly free of camera shake. One particular case for this is the pan shot. When you are following a subject from side to side, you will want the viewer’s attention to be focused on the subject, not the shaky look of the video. To help in this effort, your preferred weapon of choice should be a tripod with a fluid head (Figure 12.10). A fluid head looks a little different than a standard tripod head in that it usually has one long handle for controlled panning. To really make things smooth, the head uses a system of small fluid cartridges within the panning mechanisms so that your panning movements are nice and smooth. For around $130, you can get a nice fluid pan head that will mount on your existing tripod legs (if your existing tripod has a removable head).

Figure 12.10. The Manfrotto 701HDV fluid head will let you get smooth pan shots.

Camera Stabilizers

Aside from using a boom arm, there’s really only one way to get jitter-free video on your camera while moving around: use a steady device. You have probably heard of SteadiCam rigs, but they can be cumbersome, expensive, and frankly a little bit of overkill for the normal video experience. But there are smaller, handheld rigs that provide the same benefit without the cost and bulk, like the ModoSteady from Manfrotto (Figure 12.11). One of the big advantages of this rig is that it has three different setups to choose from. The steady mode hangs a counterbalance under the camera to allow you to capture fluid-looking video movement. You can also move the balance arm to a different position and use it as a shoulder rig, much like the stock of a rifle. Finally, you can open the handle and turn it into a small tabletop tripod. That’s a lot of functionality for under $100.

Figure 12.11. You can get smooth video movement by using a stabilizer like the ModoSteady.

Easier LCD Vision

I have one problem with shooting video on the D800 or any DSLR camera: I can’t use the viewfinder as I record. Instead, I am forced to use the rear LCD screen, and while it is very large and sharp, my old eyes tend to make me hold the camera fairly far away from my body to see the screen. But there is another way, and it is perfect for old eyes like mine.

To really get a good look at what is happening in your LCD monitor, you should use a loupe like the Zacuto Z-Finder Pro 3X, which is made for 3.2” screens and attaches to the camera for hands-free operation (Figure 12.12). If you are going to be doing a lot of video recording, you will most certainly want to look into a device like this. Not only is it great for getting a better look at the LCD screen while recording, it also helps avoid glare on the screen while working outdoors.

Figure 12.12. Using an attached loupe lets you get a better look at your LCD monitor.

Getting a Shallow Depth of Field

As I said earlier, getting the look of a production cinema camera means working with shallow depth of fields. The problem you might encounter when trying to get a large aperture in your video will be that the camera wants to use an auto-exposure mode to establish the correct camera settings for recording video. To get the benefit of a large aperture, you will need to work in either Aperture Priority or Manual mode.

If you are shooting in Aperture Priority mode, the camera will automatically adjust the shutter speed and ISO so that you can use your desired aperture setting. As the shutter slows to 1/30 of a second, the ISO will begin to rise to maintain an acceptable shutter speed. Of course, if the scene is really bright, the shutter speed will increase all the way up to 1/8000 of a second. If you want to adjust the brightness or darkness of the scene, you can use the Exposure Compensation setting, which will fool the meter.

To really get control of your exposure, you will want to use the Manual mode. Manual will let you make the scene darker or lighter than will the other modes, which are striving for a perfectly metered scene. The problem is that sometimes you might want the scene to appear darker or lighter than it is, which is a great time to flip into Manual. There is no auto function in Manual, so you will need to adjust the aperture, ISO, and shutter speed. Just as in Aperture Priority, you won’t be able to set a shutter speed below 1/30 of a second. But since Manual mode has no auto adjustments, the Exposure Compensation feature will not render any difference in the exposure.

Giving a Different Look to Your Videos

Using Picture Controls

Something that a lot of people don’t realize is that you can use the picture controls to give your video a completely different look. Sure, you can use the Standard control for everyday video, but why not add some punch by using the Vivid setting? Nothing says HD like bright, vivid colors. Or maybe you want to shoot a landscape scene. Go ahead and set the picture control to the Landscape setting to improve the look of skies and vegetation. If you really want to get creative, try using the Monochrome setting and shoot in black and white. The great thing about using the picture controls is that you will see the effect right on your LCD monitor as you record so you will know exactly what your video is going to look like. Want to take things up a notch? Try customizing the picture controls and do things like shoot sepia-colored video. Check out the “Classic Black and White Portraits” section of Chapter 6 to see how to customize the look of your Monochrome picture control.

White Balance

Another great way to change the look of your video is to select a white balance that matches your scene for accurate color rendition—or better yet, choose one that doesn’t match to give a different feel to your video. You can completely change the mood of the video by selecting a white balance setting that is different from the actual light source that you are working in. Don’t be afraid to be creative and try out different looks for your video.

Tips for Better Video

Shoot Short Sequences

Even though your camera can record fairly long video sequences, you should probably limit your shooting time to short clips and then edit them together. Here’s the deal: most professional videos shot today are actually made up of very short video sequences that are edited together. If you don’t believe me, watch any TV show and see how long you actually see a continuous sequence. I am guessing that you won’t see any clip that is longer than about 10 seconds in length. You can thank music videos for helping to shorten our attention spans, but the reality is that your videos will look much more professional if you shoot in shorter clips and then edit them together.

Stage your Shots

If you are trying to produce a good-looking video, take some time before you begin shooting to determine what you want to shoot and where you want to shoot it from. You can mark the floor with tape to give your “actors” a mark to hit. You can also use staging to figure out where your lens needs to be set for correct focus on these different scenes.

Avoid the Quick Pan

While recording video, your camera uses something called a rolling shutter, which, as the name implies, rolls from the top to the bottom of the frame. If you are panning quickly from one side to another, you will see your video start to jiggle like it is being shot through Jell-O. This is something that can’t be overcome except by using a slower panning motion. If you are going to be shooting a fast subject, consider using a camera setting that utilizes a fast shutter speed. It won’t eliminate the problem completely, but it should improve it a little.

Use a Fast Memory Card

Your video will be recording at up to 60 frames per second, and as it is recording it’s placing the video into a buffer, or temporary holding spot, while the camera writes the frames to your memory card. If you are using a slower memory card, it might not be able to keep up with the flow of video—with the result being dropped frames. The camera will actually not record some frames because the buffer will fill up before the images have time to be written. This will be seen as small skips in the video when you watch it later. You can prevent this from happening by using an SD card that has a speed rating of class 6 or higher (Figure 12.13). These cards have faster writing speeds and will keep the video moving smoothly from the camera to the card.

Figure 12.13. A fast memory card will help prevent dropped frames in your video.

Video over Time

Shooting Time-Lapse Video

If you want to try something completely different from the standard video recording, you might want to explore time-lapse video, which allows you to take events that happen over long periods of time and speed them up so they can be watched in just a fraction of the time. This could be the blooming of a flower or maybe the setting of the sun on a colorful afternoon.

There are only two things you will need to capture time-lapse sequences. The first is a sturdy tripod. This is essential since the camera will be taking a lot of photos over a long period of time, and any movement in the camera will be distracting in the final video. The other thing you will need is something interesting to shoot. Some of my favorite subjects are clouds. I really like setting up my camera so that I can capture a nice landscape scene with clouds and then record several hundred frames over half an hour. The final videos are fairly short, but it’s a lot of fun to watch the clouds quickly move across the sky.

Setting up the Time-Lapse Feature

1. To shoot time-lapse, activate the camera menu, select the Time-lapse photography option in the Shooting menu, and press OK (A).

2. The feature will be set to Off, so press the right arrow on the Multi-selector to enter the next screen (B).

3. Set the interval for your shots. This is the amount of time you want between shots (C). You will need to experiment with this, but events that take place over a long period of time will have longer intervals. I set my cloud shots to about 30 seconds between shots.

4. Press the right arrow on the Multi-selector to get to the Shooting time settings, and set the time period that you want to capture (D). The maximum setting is 7 hours and 59 minutes but could be less depending on the size of your memory card.

5. Press the right arrow on the Multi-selector again to return to the start screen, highlight On, and press the OK button to begin the recording sequence (E).

6. The camera will begin shooting 3 seconds after you press the OK button. To end the sequence before the set time, push the OK button again. When the sequence is completed, you can press the preview button to watch your video.

Tips for Time-Lapse Video

• Before activating the time-lapse feature, set your camera up on the tripod and compose your scene.

• Take a few test shots before starting your sequence so you know your exposure is correct.

• Use manual focus so that the camera isn’t trying to focus before each shot.

• Use a fully charged battery so you are sure to have enough juice for long sequences.

• Turn off the auto-image review feature in the Display menu to save battery life.

• Use Manual mode if you are recording a sunset and want the scene to get darker as you go. A mode like Aperture Priority will always try to make the scene look normal.

• If you are shooting a night scene with long exposures, use an interval that is not only longer than your exposure time but also long enough to take the Long Exposure Noise Reduction into account.

• The time-lapse feature uses the video frame size to create the finished video sequence, so be sure to set this up in the Movie Settings menu before shooting your sequence.

• The length of your completed video will be displayed at the bottom of the main time-lapse menu screen. If you want a video that is a specific length, keep an eye on this information and adjust your settings accordingly.

Expanding your Knowledge

I have given you a couple of quick tips and suggestions in this chapter to get you started with your moviemaking, but if you really want to get serious there is a lot more you need to know. Videography can be a complex endeavor, and there is much to learn and know if you want to move beyond the simple video capture of the kids in the backyard or the trip to the amusement park. If you really want to explore all that your camera has to offer in the way of video moviemaking, then I suggest you read Creating DSLR Video: From Snapshots to Great Shots (Figure 12.14). It is written in the same easy-to-read style as this and all the Snapshots books, and it will give you a lot of information to help you step up to the next level.

Figure 12.14. I highly recommend Creating DSLR Video for taking your video work to the next level.

Chapter 12 Assignments

Even if you don’t think you will be shooting much video, it pays to know how to use it because you just never know when it will come in handy. The truth is that I used to turn up my nose at the video functions in DSLR cameras, but over time I have come to really appreciate the ability to create multimedia projects that offer expanded expression. Who knows, you just might be the next big indie director on the block.

Change your focus

There are several focus modes available for the movie/Live View mode, and you should give all of them a try before deciding which method works best for you. Try setting AF-S mode and focusing prior to shooting, and then shoot a sequence with AF-F mode to see if you prefer to have the camera autofocus continuously while you shoot.

Abandon AF

Once you are comfortable with the autofocus methods, go ahead and turn it off and go manual. The hardest part is getting used to which way the focus ring needs to turn for closer and farther focus points. Try this: put a piece of tape on the lens barrel and write N and F (for near and far) on it so you know which way to go. Now try to capture a moving subject while adjusting focus.

Go shallow

Remember that one of the big deals in using your D800 for video is the shallow depth of field you can achieve. If you don’t have a lens with a particularly large aperture, try using it wide open and getting close to your subject. The closer you are, the narrower the depth of field will look.

Change the look of your video

The picture controls are a great creative tool for making movies. Check out all the options to see if you can add some pizzazz to your video. Want to preview a picture control’s effect? Activate Live View, press the Picture Control/Lock button, and then use the Multi-selector to preview the different picture controls.

Speed up time

Even though it’s not like real-time video making, I really enjoy making time-lapse sequences. The trick is to find a scene where something slowly changes over time. I mentioned that I like shooting cloudy-sky videos, but you could shoot an intersection, a sunset, or even slow boats moving in a harbor. Just pick a scene, set up on a sturdy tripod, and experiment. The only limit is your imagination.

Share your results with the book’s Flickr group!

Join the group here: www.flickr.com/groups/d800fromsnapshotstogreatshots