Filming Techniques - How to Position the Camera

Camera placement, angles, directions are all filming techniques, which will determine how individual images are translated to a film shot. Just like you need to sequence words to form a sentence, you need to sequence camera angles and positions for filming a scene.

How you film a shot with your camera, determines what your audience will see. For instance, a close-up shot will concentrate on the item and will show a blurry background. The object in focus magnifies manifold. A close-up helps the audience get in the mind of the character. A close-up of a face is a very intimate shot. It shows us all the expressions of the person.

The extreme close-up shot, on the other hand, magnifies details that we normally won't be able to notice. An extreme-close-up face of an animal's face, for instance, would only show mouth and eyes, and nothing more. This gives a very dramatic effect.

For each scene that you film, you will have to consider the following three pointers:
1. Length of the shot
2. Angle of the shot
3. Camera movement
This article will discuss the third pointer that is, how to move your camera according to the requirement of the scenes.

Camera movement
There are 4 main types of camera movement which you can use while filming. These are:
• Pan shot
• Tracking shot
• Tilt shot
• Hand held/zoom

The pan shot
In this shot, the camera moves on a fixed axis, either vertically, horizontally or diagonally. The camera is placed on a tripod or on the cameraperson's shoulder. The position of the camera does not change during the shot. The object to be focused is in the middle of the frame.

The tracking shot
In this shot the position of the camera changes. The camera is moved by means of a dolly, which is a vehicle moving on rails. Complicated scenes may involve a track laid on the set for the camera to move. This shot portrays movement.

The tilt shot
This is similar to the pan shot with the difference that the camera moves vertically. The tilt shot can be done with handheld camera or a tripod. When capturing the height of a building, for instance, a tilt shot can be used. However, be careful of any jerky movements.

The handheld shot
This delivers a dramatic feel to a shot. It has been used in documentary making. Handheld shots make viewers feel they are part of a scene. This shot is popularly used in recent horror or supernatural films such as 'Paranormal Activity' and 'The Blair Witch Project', which makes the scene more real and believable.

New Wave TV is an online video making magazine with articles on film making, filming techniques and tips, product reviews and buying guides. For more details, visit http://www.newwavetv.co.uk/

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Finding the Perfect Camera

In order to capture compelling family stories, you'll need a camera. Before you buy, there are a few things to think about to make it work best for you. Ask yourself what you plan to record the most. Is it on-the-go shots of your kids? Or sit-down interviews with the family? What do you want to do with the video afterwards? Answering thoughtfully to these questions will help with the tips below.

1. If handheld, quick shooting is what you want most, make sure the camera has an Easy button feature, with auto-focus, auto-white balance, auto-iris, auto-stabilization. Make sure it also has a decent-sized battery that has a long-life (ideally, at least 4 hours) so you don't miss any critical moments!

QUICK TIP: Keep your battery stored on the charger, so it is always charged and ready to go.

2. If sit-down interviews are your goal, make sure the camera has the option to use a plug-in lavalier microphone that attaches to your subject's shirt. Audio is just as critical as video and having this will increase your production value greatly!

3. For sit-down interviews, buy a tripod. Before you buy, check the weight of your camera and the maximum weight the tripod can bear and make sure your camera weighs less than the tripod's max weight.

4. For either scenario, decide on your recording format and finalization. Though for many years mini DV tape has been the standard, newer models record onto DVD, a hard drive, or digital memory cards. If you plan to do a lot of editing, use mini-DV tape, a hard drive, or memory cards. For this option, make sure you have an easy way to finalize the movie onto a DVD so you can easily watch it on your television. (Macintosh computers make it easy to convert your footage onto a DVD.) Cameras that shoot and record to DVD are great for watching and sharing on a television, but offer the least flexibility for altering your footage in the future.

5. Though on-line purchasing often offers the best pricing ( B&H Photo Video is a great resource), I recommend going to a store first and testing out a few cameras. See how it feels in your hands. See how quickly you are able to find the features that matter most to you. Compare features and decide what is most important to you and your upcoming video projects. CNET is another great resource to do a side-by-side comparison of products.

DMB Pictures is a boutique video production company specializing in producing broadcast-quality personal stories for families, non-profits and small businesses. The company opened its doors in January 2006 led by Debbie Mintz Brodsky, a three-time Emmy Award-winning television producer with more than 20 years of experience.

Visit us at http://www.dmbpictures.com/

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The Sony AX2000 Video Camera Is The Wave Of The Future

When looking for an HD model camcorder, look no further than the all new Sony AX2000. It is an impressive consumer level camcorder and it is cutting edge and top of the line. The camera can capture either Standard Def or High Def video in MPEG-2 formats, and records with a tapeless camera onto a memory stick. The camera is ideal when it comes to recording on to a blue ray format since the code is extremely compatible with blue ray players.

As with other cameras in this category, the Sony AX2000 is a three chip camera that produces better clarity and color which uses Exmor sensors that are less expensive than other alternatives. This is much less expensive to manufacture and they use considerably less battery power.

The camera has a lens that is a long telephoto, which is not very wide, but allows for better shooting in even the smallest of rooms. While most videographers will use a wide-angle to shoot, the telephoto is a convenient alternative to a different approach to filming, and can be attached to a tripod for more stable shooting. The inputs are extremely handy and they help you by letting you forget about the power needs of the microphone.

The control of the lens allows for greater operator control and professional film makers will appreciate the more precise controls and manual adjustment options. The Sony AX2000 knows intuitively which of the three control rings contains the image adjustments that need to be made, making for simpler ease of use. Some of the other display modes and handy tools that come standard with the Sony AX2000 are:

• Zebra Display - this allows the user to add a striped pattern to brighter areas of video images

• Histogram Display - an images brightness distribution appears with this option, giving you objective determination and allowing for adjusting the cameras brightness

• Manual gain adjust

• Faster shutter speed

• Greater white balance

The Sony AX2000 can either record or take still images, either of which are taken with the highest clarity available on the market today. When looking for a camera that offers the most control, options, and ease of use for a photographer or videographer, the Sony Ax2000 is the only camera that one will need. In order to create spectacular and breathtaking images and video, having the best equipment will help to achieve the desired goal and results. The AX2000 is at the top of the list when it comes to usability, comfort, technical advantages, and this camera will not disappoint amateur or professional film buffs. When it comes to creating the best product possible, the use of the AX2000 will help to get where you need to be.

Stan Roderbel loves to write about the latest electronic gadgets, gismos and anything related to cutting edge technology. Stan ventures into the fields of cameras, video and cell phones to find out the newest product and bring that product to his readers. You will enjoy this article about the Sony AX2000 Camcorder even more if you go to the Sony AX2000 website. While there read the article about the Sony HVRZ7U video recorder and it's many fine features.

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Learn About the Great Features and Benefits of the Sony HDR-XR150 Video Camera

At the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show, the Sony HDR-XR150 was introduced to the electronics market, and is one of the latest HD video cameras to be launched by one of the big brands in the business. The Sony HDR-XR150 is actually the successor of the Sony XR100 video cameras from 2009, and not only are they smaller than their precursor but they are also cheaper.

This new Sony HD video camera is equipped with 25x optical zooms, and it also has a hard drive with a space capacity of 120GB. Just as with many of the other video cameras that are made by Sony, this camera has a wide array of innovative features such as: Smooth Slow Record Mode, Intelligent Auto, Child Priority Tool, Steady Shot, Smile Shutter, Face Detection and Spot Focus.

In regards to the specifications of the Sony HDR-XR150 there are some similarities to other Sony digital cameras such as the Sony XR100; however, there are also some improvements. One such improvement is the expanded 25x optical zooms of the HDR-XR150, which is considered to be rather impressive for such a small video camera as other camcorders made by the brand has 15x optical zoom lens or even less. Additionally, this Sony Camera features SDHC/SD memory card support, as well as the Sony Memory Stick format. Therefore, you will always have approximately three recording formats that you can take advantage of.

The Sony HDR-XR150 is also considered to be one of the most compact HD video cameras that are currently available on the market. Although this digital camcorder is equipped with a hard drive of 120GB, it measures 57mm x 67mm x 114mm and it weighs approximately 300g. It you compare this model to other models of Sony video cameras such as the HDR-SR12E, you will feel as though the camcorder has shrunk significantly. As such, it is not very difficult to carry around for your convenience.

Not only does this HD camcorder feature the popular Sony BIONZ processing chip, but it also features the redesigned version of the Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens. In the AVCHD format, other models of Sony video cameras could only record 1080p videos at approximately 16Mbps; however, this camera is able to do the same type of recording at approximately 24Mbps.

When recording videos in the LP mode, the hard drive of the HDR-XR150 is able to store approximately 50 hours and 30 minutes of HD video; on the other hand, when the recording is done at its highest quality, this video camera can only store approximately 11 hours and 20 minutes of video. Furthermore, if you choose to, you can use standard definition to record your videos.

Stan Roderbel loves to write about the latest electronic gadgets, gismos and anything related to cutting edge technology. Stan ventures into the fields of cameras, video and cell phones to find out the newest product and bring that product to his readers. You will enjoy this article about the Sony HDR-XR150 Video Camera even more if you go to the Sony HDR-XR150 website.

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What Makes a Great Video Camera?

Let's start with the cold, hard facts. Not all cameras are created equal. In this modern world where everything is already technology driven, you must have the best video camera to capture moments and memories. You must now be aware that in order for you to capture those moments with perfection, you must also look for the "close-to-perfect" camera. Here is a list of some things you need to make sure of when buying video cameras.

1. Storage- I put this one first because most video cameras nowadays store data in memory cards or hard drives. In case you have different needs, there are still cameras that store data on tapes or discs.

2. Resolution- Digital video recording is all about pixels. Simply put, the more pixels there are, the more detailed your recordings will be. But make sure you check the "true resolution" because there are some companies that put other types of resolution values that have nothing to do with the quality of the videos.

3. Low Light performance- If you plan on using your video cam indoors, it's best if you look for a video camera with good low light performance. This is to ensure that your recordings will be good enough even in poorly lighted conditions like inside the house where most stuff happen.

4. Zoom- Take note that in camera lingo, there are two types of zoom - optical and digital. Make sure you focus on optical zoom because it retains clarity.

5. Image Stability- Aside from image quality, one of the most common problems with video recording are shaky pictures. Make sure you are very comfortable with the camera. While in the store, try holding the camera up and imagine operating it. Check if the weight distribution is fine and also check if you can easily reach for the controls while operating the device.

6. Interconnectivity- Simply, make sure you can connect your camera to devices you want to connect them to. USB ports and HDMI ports are pretty common and may be all you need in your video camera.

7. Sound quality- Sometimes, people forget that half of a video recording is the sound. Unfortunately, built-in microphones on most digital camcorders fail to filter out noise. Try to check if your camera has a port for an external microphone if ever you need to boost the sound reception.

8. Research- Use all available resources so you can have a better idea of what camera is best for you. You can also check personal reviews from people who actually own certain cameras. This way, you can get first hand information about the device, its capabilities and its faults.

For more great tips on digital video cameras please come and visit our website at http://www.palm-store.com/, you won't be disappointed.

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Learn the Benefits of Buying the Sony DCR RS68 Digital Video Camera

Choosing a handy-cam to buy for you is a tough job. There are so many models available in the market that it is easy to get confused and end up making the wrong choice. After all, every brand out there promises to provide quality at the best price. If that was the case, you could walk into a shop and buy the first camcorder that lay on the display. In this indecisive situation, you cannot do better than go for a reliable and proven brand. Sony is considered to be a world leader in appliances and their digital video cameras have earned the praise of users all over the globe. The Sony DCR RS68 handy-cam is one of the best cameras for a beginner. Here are some reasons why this camera proves to be a good buy.

Economy

The Sony DCR RS68 costs $329 if you purchase it online. Considering the usual pricing of digital video cameras, you might have to spend over $500 on a modern high-end camera. This makes this model an exceptionally inexpensive purchase. This is a great job on the part of Sony to bring the camera to the common man's reach.

Quality

Despite being moderately priced, the camera offers exceptional picture quality. The professional level Carl Zeiss Vario Tessar lens allows you to capture high-resolution visuals without any blurs or other noise. The picture quality available at this price means that you get more than you pay for.

Zoom

Perhaps the best thing about the Sony DCR RS68 is the zoom option. Providing up to 2000X digital zoom, the camera offers outstanding clarity and crispness even if you are shooting from a distance. You can easily take close up shots without having to stand close to the person.

Sound

The camera has Dolby Digital sound quality. Every sound in the video is captured clearly without any distortion. There is a built-in zoom microphone that captures every sound made in the shooting radius. The Sony DCR RS68 gives great sound to the memories you capture on video.

Memory Space

The RS68 has an 80GB built-in disk drive which gives you the luxury of storing up to 61 hours of recorded footage in the long play format. You can always transfer the files to your computer to free up space in the camera or get an additional memory stick to increase the space at your disposal.

Ease of Use

The Sony DCR RS68 is an entry-level camera which is designed for people not adept at handling digital cameras. The features are easy to use and the menus can be accessed through the touch screen. The user manual provides a detailed guide as to how to use the camera properly.

Reliability

Sony is a household name. When you buy a Sony product, you can be sure that it is reliable and durable. You can say that there is a feel good factor about purchasing from a renowned brand. This reliability isn't duplicated by any of the newer brands in the market. These are some great reasons to buy the Sony DCR RS68.

Stan Roderbel loves to write about the latest electronic gadgets, gismos and anything related to cutting edge technology. Stan ventures into the fields of cameras, video and cell phones to find out the newest product and bring that product to his readers. You will enjoy this article about the Sony DCR-SR68 Video Camera even more if you go to the Sony DCR-SR68 website. While there read the article about the Sony DCRSX85 Handy-Cam Video camera and it's many fine features.

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The Sony CX150 Is A Great Handy Cam Video Camera

The Sony CX150 is a Sony Handy Cam video camera. It comes with the best HD technology that any ordinary or even the most technical person will more than appreciate. This is a camera that any traveller would love to have, as not only do they take marvellous stills and extremely clear videos, they are also quite compact and light.

These great handy Cam video cameras come full of features, which makes it extremely easy to shoot your 1920x1080 Full HD video2 and 3.0 mega pixel images. It also comes with an Exmor R CMOS sensor that gives it the ability to take great videos and still even in low-light conditions. It features a 25x optical zoom lens as well as 16GB embedded flash memory. This flash memory has the recording and storage capacity of six hours with respect to video footage, as well as up to four hours of standard definition footage.

In addition to the foregoing, it has a 1080/60p playback capacity via HDMI. What this offers you, is the ability to go over your memories either via your high-definition compatible television set or your computer monitor with remarkable clarity and brilliant colors. Getting to view all this in full HD is nothing less than awesome. This camera is also very sensitive to low-light conditions, and as such, it is able to capture and produce stunningly clear images even in very poor lighting condition.

Video transferring and storage is also extremely easy with the Sony CX150. This you will be able to do directly from the camcorder to an external hard disk drive without having to get to a computer. It comes with playback features that allow you to see the videos right from the camcorder as well as from a computer and/or a HDTV that is compatible.

The Sony CX150 also comprises of the features known as the Face Detection technology and the Smile Shutter. What this unique technology does, is to allow the photographer to prioritize the faces of the persons they are recording and photographing. It then focuses its attention on exposure and color to make sure that what is captured is at its optimum. The Smile Shutter technology focuses on capturing smiles as they happen, as well as taking still pictures even while videos are being shot.

Another amazing feature of the Sony CX150 is the Intelligent Auto mode. What this does is to analyze your shot and then it does an automatic selection of the setting that is most fitting. It does this via its nine distinctive modes, from which you can get sixty different location combinations. These scene modes are inclusive of Backlight Control, Portrait, Smile Shutter, Scenery, Macro, Tripod, Baby, Night Scenery and low light.

The zooming mechanism on this camcorder is also great. It has a 25X optical zoom which helps you to take wonderful shots even from afar. It has what is known as extreme digital zooming as it can zoom up to 300X with not much distortion.

Stan Roderbel loves to write about the latest electronic gadgets, gismos and anything related to cutting edge technology. Stan ventures into the fields of cameras, video and cell phones to find out the newest product and bring that product to his readers. I think you will enjoy this article about the Sony cx150 handy Cam Video camera. If you would more about his camera and even purchase one, then go to this website:
http://www.sonycx150.com/

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Learn About the Benefits and Features of the Sony HDR-XR150 Video Camera

With the Sony HDR-XR150, you have the ability to capture excellent high definition videos (1920 x 1080), in addition to still images of 3 megapixels. Additionally, this high definition video camera features an internal hard drive of 120GB, as well as Exmor R CMOS Sensor that is used for low light performance. Use the Active Mode in addition to the SteadyShot Image Stabilization, and you will be able to record captivating smooth video even as you are moving.

Some of the primary features of the Sony HDR-XR150 are inclusive of:

HD Video Recording (1920 x 1080) - With the HD video recording, you will be able to capture all your favorite moments in life using the Sony Full HD Quality. This digital camcorder is compatible with HDTV4, and it is also able to playback with HDMI (1080/60p). As such, you will be able to enjoy crisper images while you are watching your playbacks.

Still Image Capture (3 Megapixels) - You will be able to take stunning high resolution digital pictures using the Still Image Capture (3 Megapixels).

Internal Hard Drive of 120GB - The 120GB internal hard drive of the Sony HDR-XR150 allows you to store and record approximately 30 hours of video when done in SD HQ mode (standard definition), and approximately 50 hours of video when done in HD LP mode (high-definition). Additionally, the feature known as HDD Smart Protection helps to keep your recorded images and videos safe, if the video camera is somehow dropped.

Back Illuminated Exmor-R-CMOS Sensor - With the reduction in grain and the improved clarity of the image, you will be able to experience excellent sensitivity in low light with the Back Illuminated Exmor-R-CMOS Sensor. This particular sensor was designed especially for compact camcorders and cameras, and it helps to deliver detailed, vivid and bright still images and video recordings.

Compatibility with HDTV4 and Playback with HDMI (1080/60p) - The Sony HDR-XR150 is compatible with HDTV4 and also features a playback using HDMI (1080/60p), which helps to provide detailed and clear playback of all your video recordings.

Quick AF (2x Faster) - One of the advanced features of the Sony HDR-XR150 is the improved AF (autofocus) system known as Quick AF, which has a focusing speed that is approximately two times faster than previous models of the Sony camcorder.

High Quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar Lens - These lens have been designed for compact video cameras, and has features that help to control the contrast and sharpness of bigger lenses; in addition to SteadyShot Image Stabilization, which helps to reduce the amount of blur shown in images and videos.

Stan Roderbel loves to write about the latest electronic gadgets, gismos and anything related to cutting edge technology. Stan ventures into the fields of cameras, video and cell phones to find out the newest product and bring that product to his readers. You will enjoy this article about the Sony HDR-XR150 Video Camera even more if you go to the Sony HDR-XR150 website. While there read the article about the Sony HDR-XR500V Video Camera and it's many fine features.

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What Makes a Great Digital Camera?

So you've decided to buy a digital camera but you seem to be more confused as to what to buy. There are a lot of people telling you what matters most in a digital camera. Buy this... Buy that... Choose this and choose that... You might be going crazy with all of this so-called "advices." So let's try to narrow things down. What exactly makes a good digital camera? Is it resolution? Zoom? Maybe some other technical stuff? I will make it easier for you. I will list the things that make a digital camera worth your time (or not!). Some of these things may be a little too technical so I will try to make it less complicated for you simple folk out there. For this article, I will tackle resolution, lens and power supply. Take note that there are more things to consider but these are the main ones that you need to look for.

Resolution

Resolution can easily be understood as "image detailing". You see, pictures are made of pixels. The more pixels, the more detailed a picture becomes. But wait, albeit common belief more pixels does not equate to better photo quality. If you get a camera with very high resolution, you might get frustrated with slower shooting. If you choose a camera with very poor resolution, your pictures might come up as crap. So if you think that a 14-megapixel camera is light years away from a 12-megapixel camera, think again. They might even give the same quality of images under certain conditions.

Lens

In the digital camera world, there are a number of different kinds of lenses. Some have aesthetic purposes but most of them offer some form of technical advantage over the other. They can be broken down into 4 different kinds of lenses as mentioned below.

- Folded optic lenses- Usually present in ultra compact cameras, this kind of lens folds sideways maintaining the slim design of the camera.

- Fixed focal-length lenses - These lenses have no optical zooming capabilities at all. This has the lowest optical quality of the 4 types of lenses.

- Retractable zoom lenses -Currently the most common type of lens in the digital camera market. These lenses retract inside the body of the camera when not in use. The retraction/extension makes start-up and power-down times longer. Also, the design limits manual-focus through switches and/or buttons.

- Fixed zoom lenses -These lenses are fixed to the body and do not retract inside when the camera is powered off. Magnifications using these kinds of lenses can go to as high as 26x. Advanced controls allow the user to create adjustments if needed. The only thing about fixed zoom lenses is that it tends to make the cameras bulkier and operation of the camera may be more complicated.

Batterytypes

For power supply, it's always best if your camera can use interchangeable power supply simply because there may be times when it will be impractical to use one type of power supply. For everyday use, you can opt for rechargeable batteries because they tend to become cheaper on the long run. But if you are in the woods for a long time, it would be better to bring a pack of disposable batteries rather than bring a rechargeable battery.

For more great tips and ideas on digital cameras come and visit our website at http://www.radmustangs.com/, you will be pleasantly surprised.

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Camera Stabilizers - The Key to Production Footage

Ever wondered how the pros produce high quality production film time and time again while you struggle with shaky playback and amateur looking film? I am willing to bet it is because you are not using some type of camera stabilizer system while using your camera.

If you are new to the world of camera stabilizing, you will quickly see that there are many different types of camera stabilizers. Each stabilizer has its own advantages and disadvantages and each one can alter your production quality. Therefore, in order to choose the one that will work best for you, it would be wise to first decide what type of footage you aim to record and/or produce.

For instance, are you shooting events, documentaries, news, or something similar? If you are then you should be looking at a rig type camera stabilizer, as they are meant for capturing moments and not meant to be held for more than 30 min at a time. Do you plan to shoot a movie, reality series, and something that involves hours of footage. Then you should look at a shoulder mount rig stabilizer as they are meant for hours on end filming. Shoulder mount rigs, when used correctly, will look just as good as a tripod, producing production type footage and are quite easy to keep stable.

If you plan to shoot through hallways, up and down stairs, and through any type of terrain you will be in need of a dolly type rig. Although dolly rigs can be on pricey side, you can get the same effect a with a handheld type stabilizer such as a Steadicam or gimbal type of device. Handhelds are relatively affordable, but can get quite heavy overtime. Most of them also take some time to learn, but once mastered, they can be an overall great way to stabilize your footage. Handheld stabilizers are also a great way to shoot footage for "being in the film" effect and help to instill a sense of action.

Nevertheless, once you have your footage and it's roughly stabilized, you can even add more stabilizing effects and up the production value by using certain types of software. For instance, two of the most popular ones are: Final Cut Pro and Adobe Aftereffects, both of which will help remove excess up-down motion as well as left-right tipping which many amateur film makers struggle with. However, before you starting spending money one expensive software, it would be wise to first invest in a camera stabilizer, as software can only do so much.

You may be surprised at how much more professional your footage will look simply by adding some type of stabilizer system, especially if your just getting started. If your also hurting for cash, do a quick Google search and see how easy it is to build your own! Good Luck and Happy Shooting.

Want to learn more about the best camera stabilizers for you and your footage needs? Then be sure to stop by our blog at @ camerastabilizergeeks.com

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