VideoHelp Forum
+ Reply to Thread
Results 1 to 21 of 21
Thread
  1. Many short video clips are best, especially when a file gets corrupted.

    Use manual zoom (move in close) over optical or digital zoom

    Shoot shoot and shoot, storage is almost free and or unused.
    The more you shoot, the more good video you get. That is a fact.

    Use the highest video resolution setting possible, unless videoing politicians.
    They just are not worth it.

    Do not use a tripod unless you want a sky cam view or are using high optical zoom.
    or trying to get close-ups in dangerous situations. Then tripods are OK.
    I used 2 tripods once. One for the spotting scope then my Mini DVD camcorder
    lined up right behind it. It worked great. The only thing I would have changed
    was the exact placement of the bait, to where the setup was pointing. Used the
    remote for zoom and for off/on. So the setup was not disturbed. High High zoom.

    Use the camera like a flashlight. You will catch more action and won't get
    tripped up as often. You will spot other video opportunities while shooting
    this way, then quickly follow the new subject. I videoed a mouse getting caught
    by a dog a few months back.

    Keep the camera on automatic. Get to know how it reacts in various conditions.

    When moving the camera do not use any zoom. In a vehicle creeping along, zoom is OK.

    When moving and videoing; bend at the waist and extend the camera in front,
    this helps eliminate the up and down movement from walking / running.

    Do some commentary. Dubbing in later is just not the same.

    Cup your hands around the camcorder in cold weather.

    Bend at the waist and hold the camera under your chest during rain, snow
    or when plowing through heavy bush.

    Have an extra battery or two. Keeping the camera turned on and ready to shoot.
    Mine is a mini DVD I have 4 rewritable disks (dual sided) 2 2/3 hours video
    at the highest resolution.

    Buy a power attachment that plugs into the cigarette lighter.

    When shooting with a tripod. Use the remote to start and stop recording.
    Eliminating the jiggle caused by hitting the on/off button.
    The only time I went head to head with the old media I used my sky cam view
    that showed them all UP. I recorded the whole event, they didn't. One candidate
    desperately wanted to see what the other had said. Only I had it! I'll upload 2
    of those videos.

    The #1 and maybe the only reason for EDITING is to eliminate any criminal activity
    captured. Do not incriminate yourself or others. There are 30,000+ laws in my home
    province, so almost everything is illegal. You could explicitly prohibit: Law Officers
    Officials and other prosecutorial Individuals from viewing or using the videos against
    us. Everybody else OK.

    If there is a beautiful sunrise, sunset or nice view; capture some of that before
    and after the main subject. Beauty can look good at full zoom every time.

    Take a Dog, Cat, Bird what ever along. They arn't camera shy and will provide you
    with more video opportunities, than they will mess up. By far.

    Announce the date and time instead of having it display on the video.
    Remember who these videos are for. YOU. Dates are handy and can always be muted.

    Be prepared for confrontations. Some people just won't like being videoed.
    The WhiteCourt Mayor asked me not to video their regular meetings!
    Newspaper and Radio OK??

    Videoing in family pictures with commentary is far better than scans. Video in Books
    or Web Site threads, for playback in slow-motion. Video in EVERYTHING, completely
    ignoring the "quality" nasayers.

    When videoing a stationary subject make the final scene a nice portrait. On some
    video hosting players that view remains on the screen. It works.

    Small file sizes (2 minutes or less) allow you to quickly upload your best to the web
    hosting sites, People just love fresh video of events.

    Keep the position of the sun in mind. But do shoot in any light conditions
    you will be surprised at the night vision capabilities of todays equipment.

    Don't forget about taking still pictures. Some people don't have high
    speed internet.

    Do not keep the camera STILL. When in a car, creep ahead slowly. Run after
    that Dog, Cat or Grizzly Bear (maybe not) Move like a Weasel, snooping here,
    looking there, circling this and that.

    At a fastball tournament I was a few yards past first base. Had the pitcher nicely
    framed. By just pointing my hand, I followed the windup and pitch, then beat
    the ball to home. Catching the swing and any run to first or the play
    on the ball. The big old cameras just could not do that.

    Short video clips make it much faster when doing timeline playback.
    If you are showing the last few seconds of a short video
    It is much quicker than seeing the last few seconds of a very long clip.
    All I do is hit the off button then switch it right back on. Simple and
    quick. During critical action I don't mess with anything. Sometimes I'll
    stop and start the video when I hear swear words. That way I just don't
    play the last second or 2 from that video then on to the next one.

    Video in screen displays, of the video segments you want to show and don't
    let those video purists intimidate you for doing it. It's quick and DIRTY.
    There is so much degradation when converting to Flash & the Net that you
    won't notice much difference. Turn the auto focus off for this only.

    I rename the video clips right after download. ie Vid00012_clip01.mpg
    vid00012_clip02.mpg ... then vid00013 for the next day or disk side.
    A quick note as to what is in the lot is enough for initial cataloging.
    This list I use as a control on what videos I have backed up to DVD's.
    I can do the more serious cataloging later. Don't catalogue or edit when
    you can be shooting video. Backups are a MUST.

    Nature video is about content, not framing, lighting or other nit picky details.
    you will miss too many shots fiddling and by not going out on less than perfect days.

    Shoot almost anything wildlife or otherwise, even if it does not have much potential.
    Nature will surprise you. You will capture some pretty goofy moments. I have.

    Remove the lens cap at the beginning of the day. Too many good opportunities
    are missed because of it. Like way way too many.

    Get used to aiming your camera by looking over the top. Just like you would
    a shotgun. Makes it easier to follow a moving target. Even butterflies.

    When you camera is not tied to your neck or arm. Put it in it's case. You will
    be less likely to damage it.

    Don't buy a camera that is so expensive you won't risk it. Otherwise leave it at home.

    Permissions: Can you get in legal trouble by videoing others? Forget asking!
    Did the guy that shot the Rodney King video ask? Did the guy that shot the
    JFK Dallas video ask? The "YellowHead speaks 1993" video ask. No NO and Maybe.

    Background music can add to the enjoyment. Carry along your favourite tunes.
    My best video this year was a close up of a Ruffed Grouse. He marched by in
    time with the tune on the radio. It was perfect. What a bird!

    My default setting for the recording light is on. Letting people and animals
    know when I'm shooting.

    At political forums etc the record indicator, has a strange effect on the
    crowd. They know you are shooting. I often do a quick early scan of the group
    just to get the apprehension out of the way.

    Know where your camera is at all times. You might need to grab it and go.

    Experiment lots and train your eye, for spotting the ACTION.

    If I was doing video of hockey. I would want the cameraman on the ice.
    Of a theater production I want on the stage to video.

    Have a good MultiMedia player. I have the BEST bar none.

    With short clips and computer timeline playback, you can eliminate editing
    spending more time videoing. Much less video clutter as well. Work hard at
    not editing. Rerendering / editing results in loss of resolution.

    TimeLine playback OK Video editing NO
    Video editing introduces complexity. Complexity BAD!

    Break all the old video rules you can. Those that won't break, use.

    I am sure there are many many more good video tips out there.

    Now go shoot some video!
    Quote Quote  
  2. Always Watching guns1inger's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Miskatonic U
    Search Comp PM
    Thank you for your insight into the video process. Your input is appreciated, and I'm sure will enlighten the many thousands of people who have been so obviously mistaken in the way they have been filming and making movies over the last century.

    As I read through your insightful post, I have come to realise that in fact everything that I have ever seen, read, been taught by working professionals or in fact learned through practical experience has been so completely wrong and an utter waste of time and effort.

    In future I shall limit myself to simply waving the camera around in the vague direction of whatever I hope to film, shooting only in short bursts so I don't have to edit, and then mindlessly posting insane, inaccurate, ill-informed drivel at any opportunity.

    As always, you have provided us with a great laugh. So long as no-one takes you seriously, you do no damage.
    Read my blog here.
    Quote Quote  
  3. Just yesterday 15Apr2007 I got 23 min and 52 seconds of video on 20 clips.

    The local river ice got flushed out.

    I'm sure none of it would be shown by the Nit Pickies here.
    Not up to their standards. Too shaky. Everything was moving.
    Bad sound, you name it.

    http://www.dropshots.com/spectateswamp

    I will switch the other 10 in this evening.
    Quote Quote  
  4. Member vegasarian's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    United Kingdom
    Search Comp PM
    SpectateSwamp that post was the best laugh I've had since who knows when. You wanna job working for me in London?. You would be a great laxative for all the anal retentives I have to deal with in this biz. Nice one!
    Quote Quote  
  5. Originally Posted by vegasarian
    SpectateSwamp that post was the best laugh I've had since who knows when. You wanna job working for me in London?. You would be a great laxative for all the anal retentives I have to deal with in this biz. Nice one!
    It should be funny. That's the state of Video. The camera should be glued to one spot?
    No movement. I may go a little overboard in not editing. Good thing too. I'd have
    years of cleanup ahead of me. I did 2 months of trapline video this winter. Some of it
    was so shaky that even I was somewhat embarrassed. But nobody complained. I showed
    them a working trapline. Half the new video would be posted as soon as I got in and the
    2nd half the next morning. Check for "john and mikes winter trapline" posts. The 10+
    hunting and outdoor forums loved the video and that Dog brownie. Thank God I'm not a
    professional, there are just too many restrictions.

    London would be great. I'm sure there are plenty of interesting places and things to video.
    Quote Quote  
  6. Originally Posted by guns1inger
    Thank you for your insight into the video process. Your input is appreciated, and I'm sure will enlighten the many thousands of people who have been so obviously mistaken in the way they have been filming and making movies over the last century.

    As I read through your insightful post, I have come to realise that in fact everything that I have ever seen, read, been taught by working professionals or in fact learned through practical experience has been so completely wrong and an utter waste of time and effort.

    In future I shall limit myself to simply waving the camera around in the vague direction of whatever I hope to film, shooting only in short bursts so I don't have to edit, and then mindlessly posting insane, inaccurate, ill-informed drivel at any opportunity.

    As always, you have provided us with a great laugh. So long as no-one takes you seriously, you do no damage.
    I got that action video of the dog and the mouse. You wouldn't have got it.
    proof is in the pudding. I got some wonderful video yesterday. Because I wasn't
    inside editing. I'm posting some of the max flow ones right now on video.google.ca
    The only thing I would do differently was to move a couple more times for different
    angles. But I got it. and it was up on the net within 2 hrs. You wouldn't have been
    able to do that or would you? Na editing takes more time than just downloading.
    Quote Quote  
  7. Not wanting to poach this thread but the debate is heating up on this video forum?

    http://www.videoforums.co.uk/forum-announcements-news-off-topic/13047-reason-1-editing...html#post66183

    Come on over and join the stomp fest.

    All 20 clips of this years ice flow are now up on video.google.ca for the long term.
    Those under 100MB are up on youtube.com - that's their limit.

    I use the dropshots.com/spectateswamp for high volume swap outs. 10 clips 1 or 2 times
    a day. Politics, corruption and daily news events.
    Quote Quote  
  8. Folks, if you haven't read the one with the guy talking about the triple-glazed windows, you are really missing something. Worth the price of admission. It's on one of the links somewhere.

    The methods advocated by the OP are not ones I would suggest or normally use, but if it suits his purpose, who cares.
    Quote Quote  
  9. Originally Posted by Nelson37
    Folks, if you haven't read the one with the guy talking about the triple-glazed windows, you are really missing something. Worth the price of admission. It's on one of the links somewhere.

    The methods advocated by the OP are not ones I would suggest or normally use, but if it suits his purpose, who cares.
    Thanks I'll check that one out.
    Quote Quote  
  10. I always take a tripod. Well mostly always.

    At drag races, I use it to just rest my wrist on while the timing lights wind down.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKN7--SJ2Js 19 secs

    At soccer I didn't take one but should have. On a step ladder for 1 1/2 hours it is hard to hold the camcorder steady for across field shots. My tripod (unextended) will help for next time.

    Video Hint: the software now switches to slow motion if "enter enter" is struck. Back to normal speed with another set of Enter Enter. It also causes the clip that was playing to be replayed.

    http:\\www.telusplanet.net/public/stonedan/search.exe
    Last edited by SpectateSwamp; 31st May 2012 at 11:47.
    Quote Quote  
  11. Now you don't really think we are going to download and install that 'search.exe' file, do you? Especially since you didn't tell us what that program searches for. And why a search program?
    Last edited by TreeTops; 31st May 2012 at 15:01. Reason: Worried about a virus in that exe program
    Quote Quote  
  12. Originally Posted by TreeTops View Post
    Now you don't really think we are going to download and install that 'search.exe' file, do you? Especially since you didn't tell us what that program searches for. And why a search program?
    Trust me. You'll never regret it. Just 2 lines of text in a file and you are off and running. Watching video. Watch in slow motion or not. The DVD with 270 drag race clips (over 3 races) is set to autorun RANDOM
    Quote Quote  
  13. Everybody needs a good video organizer

    Like this one. Easy to catalog all those clips. Easy to sample and play Random segments.

    The catalog info can be displayed in LARGE font along with the video clips. The non-linear access (start here - play to there) requires no editing and the mess of clips that results. Just the originals.

    Yup! Video without commentary quickly lose relevance.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzULqlf8598
    Here is an example of some of the replay capabilities. Slo-Mo, play again, resume speed, ..Next Random set.
    Last edited by SpectateSwamp; 27th Dec 2012 at 20:10. Reason: put the title in the text: Everybody needs a good video organizer
    Quote Quote  
  14. A few more video tips
    * I used the TriPod to rest my wrist on while shooting 1/8 mile drag races (120+races) With the zoom on and start the "recording" right when the race marshal waves the drivers ahead to the start line. On begin of the race I follow the cars for a couple seconds resting on the tripod then lift my arm from the TP and zoom back as the cars get nearer.

    http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...ature=view_all Drags

    * If you are shooting lots of shots in a day and realize one or two are special shots. Burn a very very short video clip right away. It becomes easy to find those special clips later.

    * Add captions to your video clips. Video without commentary quickly loses relevance.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzULqlf8598 Large captions displayed before video segment. Then the next random group.
    Quote Quote  
  15. 99% of the time close up is best - not this time


    A lumber truck lost it's brakes and had to take the run-away lane. It tipped over and started a grass fire. Nobody was hurt..

    I was a mile or more away at full zoom 20X on a tripod..
    Last edited by SpectateSwamp; 30th Jun 2013 at 14:22. Reason: to add the title...
    Quote Quote  
  16. The latest video feature is a "creep along" mode where the same segment plays multiple times.

    eg.
    start play at 10.02 play for 1/10 second to 10.12
    then creep ahead to 10.04 play for 1/10 second to 10.14
    then creep ahead to 10.08 play for 1/10 second to 10.18
    then creep ahead to 10.10 play for 1/10 second to 10.20
    then creep ahead to 10.12 play for 1/10 second to 10.22
    .
    .
    You'll see detail that was not seen before.
    Quote Quote  
  17. I can't overstate how important a remote has been to Me.
    When doing video by myself it saves me editing.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nHTYT3hoFQ
    https://slashdot.org/submission/7321539/sacred-pipe-or-chunk-of-rock
    Quote Quote  
  18. Having lots of unorganized video can sometimes keep you from shooting more.

    Having no backup for you camcorder battery can keep you from shooting. (I bought a battery pack charger)
    So when traveling my camcorder is on and ready to shoot. You just miss so much waiting for the camcorder to start recording.

    Zoom is very important if the subject is easily spooked.
    I got this nice bear video from a distance.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPQuNfkFnw0
    Quote Quote  
  19. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAiZjQDcJf4

    at 7 min 41 seconds a bird attacks the truck
    was it looking after its bear friend. I think so

    I was using my phone... If I had my camcorder I would have been zoomed in at 15X
    and missed the bird being tuff
    Quote Quote  
  20. I was having all kinds of problems having the playback start at the position I requested.

    The solution is:
    example:
    Start play at 10.01 seconds in and show for 3/100 seconds
    resume at 10.02 seconds and show for 3/100 second
    do this a few more time then continue from there.
    This works on busy machines and slow ones just like it should

    The latest source is at:
    http://www.telusplanet.net/public/stonedan/source.txt
    the .exe to go with it is at
    http://www.telusplanet.net/public/stonedan/search.exe

    If your player doesn't do this what good is it...
    Quote Quote  
  21. In the old days the file name size was limited to 8 characters. Now it's 260 characters
    Now when I catalogue my videos I put lots of detail in the name.

    MY app lets me immediately search by these long names....

    AND I'll add the ability to place the mpg video controls (ThumbNails) of Start, Wait, Again, Speed etc in the file name..

    Skip using the MetaData use the FileName instead.
    Last edited by SpectateSwamp; 20th Aug 2019 at 17:29.
    Quote Quote  



Similar Threads

Visit our sponsor! Try DVDFab and backup Blu-rays!