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03-20-2012, 09:42 AM   #1
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K-5 movie mode

When shooting a movie with the K-5, how does the focusing work? does it auto focus to track a moving subject as a regular video camera would? ALSO - what editing software is preferred by the forum members?

03-20-2012, 09:45 AM   #2
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I don't believe it auto focuses once it starts recording. At least, it doesn't seem to when I'm using that mode.

I use imovie on my mac for editing.
03-20-2012, 10:00 AM   #3
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QuoteOriginally posted by mtansley Quote
I don't believe it auto focuses once it starts recording. At least, it doesn't seem to when I'm using that mode.

I use imovie on my mac for editing.
Same here.
03-20-2012, 11:06 AM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by neal_grillot Quote
When shooting a movie with the K-5, how does the focusing work? does it auto focus to track a moving subject as a regular video camera would? ALSO - what editing software is preferred by the forum members?
No, it won't AF in video mode (the K-01 does because it always uses CDAF), but:
HDSLRs are best used for cinematic video...shallow DOF, focus pullers, external audio recorders, etc. Even people using muck more expensive Canon 5D's or $10K RED videocams use focus pullers instead of AF...

P&S and cameraphone video works as an ok substitute for camcorders because they don't have shallow DOF (not much focusing is needed).

Just wanted to mention it so you don't get too disappointed

03-20-2012, 02:13 PM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by kenyee Quote
No, it won't AF in video mode (the K-01 does because it always uses CDAF), but:
HDSLRs are best used for cinematic video...shallow DOF, focus pullers, external audio recorders, etc. Even people using muck more expensive Canon 5D's or $10K RED videocams use focus pullers instead of AF...

P&S and cameraphone video works as an ok substitute for camcorders because they don't have shallow DOF (not much focusing is needed).

Just wanted to mention it so you don't get too disappointed
sorry noob here.. what is a focus puller?
03-20-2012, 02:19 PM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by neal_grillot Quote
sorry noob here.. what is a focus puller?
I googled and found the definition.. now.. how is this performed with the K-5. I assume manual focus through the viewfinder??
03-20-2012, 11:30 PM   #7
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Sony Vegas Movie Studio is also very good editing software - it's only available on Windows.

On the few DSLRs that do AF during video recording, it's almost a joke (for example, the Nikon D7000). If you want your video to look amateurish, where you watch (and often hear) it take a long time to re-focus when you re-compose your shot, then OK. However (again partly because of the much narrower Depth Of Field) it's much more noticeable (and annoying) than refocusing on a consumer camcorder is.

But the narrow DOF is what cinematographers want. If you watch TV shows and movies you'll notice there's very little zooming in the middle of a clip. It's all panning and changing focus. If you want to "zoom" you record another clip - often with a longer prime - and then later splice the clips together as desired.

The K-01 is supposed to be better for video. The K-5 is better for stills.

03-20-2012, 11:35 PM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by neal_grillot Quote
I googled and found the definition.. now.. how is this performed with the K-5. I assume manual focus through the viewfinder??
For video you'll be using LiveView - which is why you may as well get a K-01 if video is your main interest.

On my K-5, sometimes I can't tell if I really have the shot in focus (with my FA31 lens, for example) so I may get a 1 or 2 minute clip that's interesting but with the subject not really sharp.
03-21-2012, 10:11 AM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by neal_grillot Quote
I googled and found the definition.. now.. how is this performed with the K-5. I assume manual focus through the viewfinder??
Now that you know what a focus puller is, mark the spots on the puller for the "from" and "to" spots for manual focusing.

To get the "from", "to" spots in focus, you ideally have a monitor that supports something called "focus peaking" (the K-01 has this feature, but you can buy an HDMI monitor attachment for the K-5 that does this for $500 or so, which you'd need for framing eventually anyways). The alternative is to install the canon ee-s focusing screen that's talked about in the dslr forum...that lets you focus more accurately using the viewfinder. The HDMI monitor is a better bet though...

Yes, it does get to be an expensive hobby if you want to do it right...you haven't even gotten to the part where you need extra video lighting to make things look good...then there's the matte box, filters, external audio system, etc
And yes, this is all the PITA stuff filmmakers who use even the ridiculously expensive $10K RED have to do...
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