New to Video - Need Lessons

[jayroebuck]

Hello, I have been shooting DSLR photos for years and was just given a Panasonic AG DVX200 by a friend that never used it. Being a still photographer, I am familiar with what I want the video to look like (lighting, DOF, format, .etc) but I have no idea how to navigate this camera to achieve these results. There are tons of videos on YT that talk about the features of this camera in-depth but not one of them takes the time to show you the steps you need to follow to access these features.
For example, I would like a very shallow depth of field. There are a lot of videos of people talking about how this camera can achieve this but nobody says "Go to this menu, do this, then this. then this, and there you go."
I guess my question is; is there video training available for this camera anywhere. I would pay for classes also if any existed (Orlando, Florida). I am not a fan of learning by manual. I prefer listening to someone experienced, giving real-world scenarios with simple solutions.
Thank you for any help.

Jay

[TreeTops]

I know you don't want to hear this but: When I was a complete beginner with my Panasonic video camera, I just turned it on and went outside and took some videos. Little by little I learned how to use that camera. I took close ups, distance mountain shots, people, trees, flowers, etc, etc. using the different controls and later viewing the videos to see what happened. That's how I learned how to use the camera. Used it for vacations and made many videos that recorded really good memories. Posted some on Vimeo and YouTube. Later learned how to use it while riding a horse.

So...my advice is to "Just Do it"!

[johnmeyer]

Totally agree with TreeTop's "Nike advice:" Just Do It!

Also, if you can't find a tutorial on YouTube that helps, then I don't know where you're going to find anything else.

A few quick hints may help:

1. If you've done as much photography as you say, then you should know that depth of field is controlled by the aperture f-stop setting. Small numbers (e.g., f2) will give you a shallow depth of field; large numbers (e.g., f16) will give you a wide depth of field.

2. For lighting and other similar issues, it is often helpful to have the right Google search terms. Much of what you are looking for (including discussions about depth of field) will be found by using the search term "film look" (use the quotes).

Film Look

[jayroebuck]

Thank you so much for your advice. I have been sitting at my desk for the last two hours with the camera on a tripod right next to me going through settings and seeing what everything does and what kind of results I get. I have now successfully figured out the WB, shutter settings, FHD/4K and yes, the DOF. I may have asked for help a bit too early. Lesson learned.

Thank you again!

[TreeTops]

Well we wish you the best and have fun. Maybe let us know when you have a video on YouTube for us to watch.