Photography Meets Video

 

I knew this day would come sooner or later.  Well; that day has arrived.

As working photographers, we must either adapt to change or wither on the vine.

Publishers, editors, commercial accounts and such are shifting to photographers with more skill sets; more bang for their (end users) buck.

 Mixing video with still photography is fast becoming a “must have” skill set. While not mandatory, it sure makes one far more marketable in the grand scheme of things.

I’ve always feared going into video. I now see those fears are unfounded as crossing over to video is not nearly as difficult as I once thought. A problem that is becoming apparent to me is now one of time management. Like photography, maintaining top skills in video capture & production require a commitment.

Entering the world of video presented me with choices.

    1) Go all out with super expensive gear?( A true A/V setup.)

    2) Dedicated video recorders or DSLR w/ video?

     3) Maximize mid level video equipment?

 Regardless of my choice, one thing was apparent, video would serve as a adjunct to my photography, not a replacement.

Number one in the above list was out of the question for me as I am first and foremost a photographer.

I have no plans to produce a feature length film anytime soon.

After some research, talking to other videographers/photographers, I decided to go with a mid level dedicated HD Video Camera. While the DSLR’s that shoot video are ok in my opinion, they are just not well suited to video work for reasons I won’t go into at this time.

My choice was the Canon HF M400. It is an entry level video recorder with some big league features; not the least of which is amazing image quality when shooting at it’s native 1080 resolution at 60 fps/2. I was blown away at this cameras ability to capture even the minutest of detail.

For what this video camera does Vs. the price paid, it was just the ticket I sought.

There are a number of tech reviews on the internet so I won’t do a review, at least not a technical one.

Here is my short list of why I decided on the Canon HF M400. (I can’t believe I bought a Canon! I’ve been a Nikon shooter for years. LOL

   Incredible video quality.
   1/3 CMOS Pro Sensor found in Canon’s higher line cameras.
   Custom white balance 

         External stereo mic input 

         P/A/S/M modes. 

        AGC control 

        Great low light ability 

        Superior powered IS (Image Stabilization) platform.  

        Light weight & small

             CINEMA shoot modes w/ 9 filter sets.

HERE is a link to some (HD) test videos I did. 
Overall I am pretty impressed with this HD video recorder AND; it won't have your wallet begging for mercy.

I highly suggest when viewing this HD test clip to steer clear of full screen viewing. Most computer LCD displays are not capable of producing 1080 anyway.(720p) will suffice and by "expanding" the you tube screen the image is acceptable. On my 46" HD set at home, the image is amazing.

I recently hired a videographer who will assume the video duties as we add video to our imaging services. We expect to be offering this new service in about 6 months or whenever I am done playing with the new toy and hand it over to my video pro. ;)

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