[ismaelg]

Hello,

I would like to try diving into DSLR video but I have no clue. Any good tutorials on setup, controls and hints for video with a Kx? Focusing, compensation, speed etc. I know it is only basic as far as DSLR video functionality goes but I'd like to start with it. I can then try with the K5II.
The main reason is that I'm a photographer, not a videographer, but demand for video is growing and I don't want to be left out of the party. I can use the K5II for stills and the backup Kx can do some video work.
I use a Gopro for basic video work but it needs a ton of light.

Thanks,

[Na Horuk]

Pentax is not super strong when it comes to video, the older cameras even less than the new ones. But here are some starting tips:
- you need a fast and big SD card. It has to be faster than the camera
- focus - you will probably be using manual focus, so it is good to have a lens with good focus throw and distance scales. This means old, film era lenses. You can look into Cine lenses (Samyang makes some for Pentax K), which have a texturized focus ring for a follow focus rig. They also have a de-clicked aperture ring, so you can change aperture on the go, without shaking the camera, clicking, and the brightness flickering.
- ISO and aperture behave in film the way they do in video. But shutter speed is a bit different. You want it to be around 1/focal length. Faster can make things look twitchy, slower can make things blurred. But it depends on light, as well.
- light. Just like with stills, light is very important. It is a good idea to have a constant light source. These days many people like to use a ring light to illuminate everything they point the lens at, but some people don't like this kind of light. Depends on your preferences,
- stabilization. Maybe you have very stable hands, but it is difficult. Tripod can be used, but tripods cannot move. This is why there are video camera stabilization rigs, and moving dollies (like little train).
- software. This is very important. The video should be recorded in the highest quality, but the software needs to be used to make sure you get good colours, stable frame, so you can cut and paste, add sound (btw, videographers often use an external mic when taking video with DSLRs, sometimes plugged into the camera, other times recording separately, but this can be difficult to sync).

Basically, video is a whole new animal, so take it easy. There is a lot to learn

[ccd333]

Yes, basic is the operative word. But in that sense it makes it pretty easy to use....

- No dedicated button.....you have to move the dial and then press the shutter to start (a quite pronounced depression is necessary).,,,,and then press again to stop. This FEELS counterintuitive to me for some reason and it takes a few times to get used to that sequence.

- Move the camera very slowly from side to side.....generally a good thing regardless of camera, but in this case with the rolling "jello thing" it will really amplify that effect if you don't move it slowly.

- No AF during operation, so you either have to manual focus or press the AF button BEFORE you record to pre-focus. You can also preset the aperture for more or less depth of field.

- Everything else is automatic. Once started, the only button that has any effect on operation is the shutter to stop it.

You might want to consider using the K5II regardless, as there is more detail in the 1080 resolution over the 720 max of the Kx. Though I have found the 720 to be very good for my purposes.

Also, keep in mind the HUGE avi files it makes! Make sure you have a high capacity SD card if you plan to take a lot of video.

[roberrl]

Another thing to watch out for is shake reduction, generally thought to be a bad thing as it can compromise quality. But it does depend on which model you use; K5 still has mechanical shake reduction and can be pretty good, others don't and can be pretty bad. Yet another difference from stills.
For myself I prefer the Pentax arrangement of buttons rather than the separate video button.

[rawr]

Any good tutorials on setup, controls and hints for video with a Kx?

If you have some random time free, one way to get very familiar with K-x for video is to zoom back to the threads in this forum from when the K-x was released (threads from around page 20 onwards). Lots of good info, videos etc.

YouTube also has some good K-x video tips and tricks:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=pentax+k-x+video+tutorial

[grispie]

I would like to try diving into DSLR video but I have no clue.

the big thing with dslr video is the sensor size & its shallow dof. otherwise you would go camcorder.
so make sure you use an ND filter outside to be able to shoot at f2.8 or so. use AV mode.
use a mf lens.
use a tripod!
learn how to make sequential frames (wide, close up, wide... that can be combined in premiere (elements or so..)
i agree, its a whole different animal :-)
my 2 cents..

[PiDicus Rex]

ut shutter speed is a bit different. You want it to be around 1/focal length. Faster can make things look twitchy, slower can make things blurred.

I think that's meant to read " 1 / 'frame rate' - shutter speed is independant of the view angle of the lens.

That said, The K-01 will drop down to 1/30 when shooting 25fps WITHOUT generating the same sort of artifacts that used to affect the vision of Canon DSLRs - in that respect, the Pentax's behave far more like true video cameras then most DSLR based cameras.

[kadajawi]

The old Pentaxes are not bad for video, especially the K-5 I prefer over newer models. Yes, you have less control over the settings, but the codec holds up better and the shake reduction is magic. I think the K-x also has that?

As for shutter speed I thought the rule of thumb is 1/2*framerate, so 1/50th for 25 fps. Not too sharp, not too blurry. Not that you can set it with either camera.

You may want to check out film riot for tips and tricks. Lighting, camera angles, effects, ...

[Na Horuk]

Right, sorry about the shutter speed blunder!

[kadajawi]

As for keeping the camera steady... watch how professional steadicam operators operate their camera, how they walk. That technique together with the SR can get you pretty far. Don't expect perfectly smooth glides, pans etc. What SR gives you is a handheld look that is not ugly. More like what someone might get with a heavy shoulder mount camera. If you want it smoother you may want to invest in additional gear.

The beauty of the SR is that rolling shutter is a thing of the past. Only with fast pans will you notice it, but it is not annoying the way it is when you shoot with a Canon for example, or with newer Pentaxes.

What you can use, and how, always depends on what you are shooting and what it is that you want to convey.

Btw. Sidney Lumet's Making Movies is a good and entertaining read on, well, making movies. He goes through the whole process of making Hollywood films, what camera angles he chose for what reasons etc.

[grispie]

If you want it smoother you may want to invest in additional gear.

I still don't get this obsession with sr. Use a tripod, monopod, decent shoulder rig, steadicam, videohead, glidecam. Like it has always been in the videoworld and always will be.
99% of handheld videos on vimeo come accross as amateuristic to me. including my own :-) The only movies where i can accept it, are run& gun style docs (for which, a dslr is not a good tool anyhow) and family stuff. for which sr is just fine. I mean, you're capturing a moving image after all! even certain photographs are better of on tripod.

---------- Post added 02-09-15 at 02:01 PM ----------

Right, sorry about the shutter speed blunder!

Great! Now i have recorded a 2hr movie this weekend, all with the wrong settings! thks for that :-)

[kadajawi]

I still don't get this obsession with sr. Use a tripod, monopod, decent shoulder rig, steadicam, videohead, glidecam. Like it has always been in the videoworld and always will be.
99% of handheld videos on vimeo come accross as amateuristic to me. including my own :-) The only movies where i can accept it, are run& gun style docs (for which, a dslr is not a good tool anyhow) and family stuff. for which sr is just fine. I mean, you're capturing a moving image after all! even certain photographs are better of on tripod.

---------- Post added 02-09-15 at 02:01 PM ----------



Great! Now i have recorded a 2hr movie this weekend, all with the wrong settings! thks for that :-)

John Brawley reviews the Olympus E-M5 Mark II - EOSHD


https://johnbrawley.wordpress.com/2015/02/01/olympus-comes-in-from-the-filmmaking-wilderness/


Basically being able to go with little to no rigging. Get shots faster, without permissions. Without raising suspicion. etc. Also, the SR will even out any bump that may occur, even when you shoot on a rig. It will simply add another layer of smoothness.

[kadajawi]

Check this out.

Vimeo

Handheld. All of it. Doesn't look amateurish to me

[grispie]

Handheld. All of it. Doesn't look amateurish to me

agree with that
but I'm more impressed with the skillful editing, image composition & output of the camera. its a promo video. quite some time went into this by professionals.
My sony A77 can do the same. software based IS. physical ibis is probably a battery drain. my iceland trip movie contained some handheld shots, for longer time than these shots are.
the clips are really short.

[kadajawi]

agree with that
but I'm more impressed with the skillful editing, image composition & output of the camera. its a promo video. quite some time went into this by professionals.
My sony A77 can do the same. software based IS. physical ibis is probably a battery drain. my iceland trip movie contained some handheld shots, for longer time than these shots are.
the clips are really short.

Yes, it's a very well produced clip, but normally something like this wouldn't be produced handheld. That's impossible.

Software based IS can't compete with mechanical SR, I'm sorry. It's a physical limitation. You put in something that has camera shake, you can't fix that for that frame. I can easily pick out videos that were stabilized in software. It's usually very noticeable, unless you shoot at very short shutter speeds.


The clips are short because of the pacing of the video, I'm sure the shots they picked from are longer and fine, but it wouldn't be as good a video.


Physical IBIS... I _always_ shoot with IBIS on. Few days ago I shot around 68 minutes of video (handheld) and took almost 600 photos. And there was still battery left. I'm not really concerned with battery life. How good was it for the BMPCC? 20 minutes per charge?