4 Points to Professional Video

Or, How to Keep Mothers Happy

Amateur Vs. Professional• Anyone can record video.•What separates professional video from

amateur video?• Take care of these 4 things and the camera

will take care of almost everything else.• If you don’t do these 4 things, even your

mother will be able to tell the video has a problem.

We’re tired of your amateur videos!

1. Steady Video• Video that has a moving frame can be

distracting!• Unless the story/message dictates otherwise,

keep the camera steady!• For steady video use:• Tripod• Shelf/ledge• Your arms with your elbows to your side

2. Bright Video• If the video is too dark, you can’t see

what is going on!• Brightness on a video camera is

controlled by manipulating the aperture.• The measurement of the light going

through the lens is called the f-stop.

2. Bright Video• F-stop is really a fraction or ratio. It is an expression

of the “length” of the lens divided by the aperture opening.• 50 mm lens ÷ 25 mm aperture opening = 50/25 = 2/1 = 2, or f/2

÷ = f/2

Apertures.jpg by: Nagualdesign (changes made)CC BY-SA 3.0

2. Bright Video• F-stop is really a fraction or ratio. It is an expression

of the “length” of the lens divided by the aperture opening.• 50 mm lens ÷ 3.125 mm aperture opening = 50/3.125 = 16, or f/16

÷ = f/16

Apertures.jpg by: Nagualdesign (changes made)CC BY-SA 3.0

2. Bright Video• Notice the inverse ratio.• As either the f-stop or aperture opening goes up, the other goes down.

f/2Apertures.jpg by: Nagualdesign (changes made)CC BY-SA 3.0

2. Bright Video• Notice the inverse ratio.• As either the f-stop or aperture opening goes up, the other goes down.

f/16

Apertures.jpg by: Nagualdesign (changes made)CC BY-SA 3.0

2. Bright Video• Some cameras have the zebra stripes feature to help

you properly set brightness.• With the zebra stripes set to 70%, turn the aperture down until the

image is very dark.• Then open the aperture slowly until you start to see zebra stripes in the

picture.

Zettl, Herbert. Television Production Handbook, 10th. Ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2009, p. 232.

3. Sharp Video• Video that is “soft” or out of focus is hard

to watch!• Unless the story/message dictates

otherwise, make sure the focus on your image is sharp!

3. Sharp Video• Sharp video comes from adjusting 2

things:1. Focus the eyepiece

1. Throw the lens out of focus2. Open the aperture all the way3. Point the camera at a bright area (not the sun)4. Move the focus slider back and forth until the

words on the screen are sharp2. Focus the zoom lens

1. Zoom in to the furthest point you need in focus2. Adjust the focus so that the picture is sharp3. Zoom out and compose your shot

Focus slider

4. Correct Colors• If the colors aren’t right, then your video

looks funny!

4. Correct Colors• Light comes in different colors. Color temperature identifies

different colors of light sources. Different colors of light are identified by the temperature at which they occur. The temperatures are expressed in Kelvin (K).

About 5,600 KAbout 3,200 K

Looks yellow/orange

Looks blue

Video cameras can only handle one color temperature at a time!

4. Correct Colors• To get proper colors in your video you

need to set the camera’s white balance.• Setting the camera’s white balance tells the camera

what is white under the current color temperature.• To set the white balance:

1. Zoom in on something white and fill the screen2. Push and hold the white balance button3. The icon will blink and then go steady

4. Correct Colors• To get proper colors in your video you

need to set the camera’s white balance.• Setting the camera’s white balance tells the camera

what is white under the current color temperature.• To set the white balance:

1. Zoom in on something white and fill the screen2. Push and hold the white balance button3. The icon will blink and then go steady

• Once the camera knows what white is under the current color temperature, it figures out all the other colors automatically.

4. Correct Colors• The camera can only handle one color

temperature at a time.• Therefore, you need to white balance:

a. Before you begin recording videob. Anytime the lighting changes (including daytimes)

Review• Remember these 4 points to professional

video:1. Steady video (use a tripod!)2. Bright video (set the aperture correctly)3. Sharp video (focus properly)4. Correct colors (white balance properly)

We’re so proud!