Proper Equipment for My Video Production?

[ljuti]

Hi all,

I'm starting a new video production soon and I have been looking for suitable equipment for that. I'm shooting a golf instructional video production so the footage will mostly be shot outdoors on a tripod and the subject will be 6 to 30 feet (2 to 9 meters) away, talking and swinging a golf club. Additionally, there'll be some interviews and talking heads shot in studio and/or on a golf course.

I've researched the accessories subforum quite a bit and have come up with the following setup:

* Canon HV30
* Velbon DV-7000 tripod
* Rode Video Mic (w/ Dead Cat)

Optional:

* Raynox HD-6600 Pro
* filters
* a lens hood

I have a couple of questions regarding this setup:

1) Is the Rode Video Mic sufficient for my particular use or should I consider getting a separate wireless mic for the instructor?

2) Is the wide angle lens really worth the investment in my particular use? How would my production benefit from getting one?

3) As I'm shooting most of the stuff outdoors and hopefully in clear skies & plenty of sun, what items you would recommend to assist in shooting, protecting the gear, etc.?

Oh, and I'm planning to release the production online first and later do a DVD production. Also, I'm quite a novice when it comes to shooting video and all the equipment. However, thanks to this forum I'm getting proficient pretty quickly, at least in theory.

Thanks a lot in advance for any advice and comments,

-- Lauri

[poopmonkey]

3) As I'm shooting most of the stuff outdoors and hopefully in clear skies & plenty of sun, what items you would recommend to assist in shooting, protecting the gear, etc.?

I would definitely invest in a lens hood. Since you will be filming outdoors with plenty of sun, a lens hood would be a valuable investment to reduce flare from the sun. Also, consider buying a UV filter to block out the UV rays and to basically protect your camera lens from fingerprints and scratches. In addition, a UV filter is pretty cheap on ebay. Furthermore, a wide angle lens allows you to show more in your shot, it gives the illusion that the camera is farther away from an object then it really is. Here is a video to explain of what I mean. http://www.vimeo.com/1230771?pg=embed&sec=1230771

[Lunchbox]

If you are considering doing it professionally, get WD-H43 Wide Angel lens adapter. Image quality and zoom through capability is better.

To me WA lens is a must have accessories. It helps a lot especially in recording in a tight space. You get a wider view. However, for your case, not sure if it will benefits a lot. Also using WA lens reduces the zoom power.

For your case of instructional video, don't rely on a shotgun mic. You should get a wireless system or using voice recorder and sync up the audio later. That gives yout he best audio

http://www.hv20.com/showthread.php?t=3392

A shotgun mic is good for those unplanned interviews.

For outdoor shooting, you can buy the hoodman so you can view the LCD in bright day outdoor.

http://www.hv20.com/showthread.php?t=2193

Or you can press and hold the DISP button to temporary increase the brightness of the LCD. That will eat up battery juice quicker. So it's best using a high capcity battery like BP-2L24H. oh it just happen I have them for sale.. hehe

http://www.hv20.com/showthread.php?t=8008

If you intent to output to web, best shoot in 30p mode that saves you time to deinterlace in post. However, if you plan to do a lot of slow motion playing back golf swing, HDV 60i is a better shooting mode. For those, please search the forum to understand more on different frame rates and shooting mode.

[MrGibbs]

If you are considering doing it professionally, get WD-H43 Wide Angel lens adapter. Image quality and zoom through capability is better.

Hmmm.... did you see how much the canon WA distorts the image? zephyrnoid who tested both the Raynox and the Canon WA, ranked the Raynox in front of the Canon.

[Lunchbox]

I have both WA lens. So I can make my own ranking.

They both have barrel distortion. However, I can zoom all the way through with WD-H43. Raynox 6600 can zoom about 6x. Then the image is all fuzzy and glowing.

[MrGibbs]

Thank you lunchbox for your feedback. However the downside to the Canon lens, is that it doesn't have a thread to add a UV filter to protect its lens from scratches. What is your opinion on that?

Also do you often zoom in using a WA?

[CycleWriter]

Like anything, there is often a compromise. One has to decide which is more important, the ability to zoom through a lens adapter or to be able to put filters on it. We each have different needs and getting information to help us make decisions to fit those needs is what's important. This is a place not only for information, but opinions, as well.

[Lunchbox]

Thank you lunchbox for your feedback. However the downside to the Canon lens, is that it doesn't have a thread to add a UV filter to protect its lens from scratches. What is your opinion on that?

Also do you often zoom in using a WA?

The really important lens that need absolute protection is the stock lens. Adding a WA lens on top already serve a purpose as protecting the stock lens.

Unfortunately shooting in events, I don't have the luxuries to take the WA lens on and off if I need to do a zoom. So to me the ability to zoom through is important.

[poopmonkey]

Well we all pick our products based on our needs right?

[ljuti]

If you are considering doing it professionally, get WD-H43 Wide Angel lens adapter. Image quality and zoom through capability is better.

To me WA lens is a must have accessories. It helps a lot especially in recording in a tight space. You get a wider view. However, for your case, not sure if it will benefits a lot. Also using WA lens reduces the zoom power.

Thanks for this advice. I'm probably starting with Raynox, though, because its availability is much better than WD-H43s here in Finland - nobody seems to have it in stock and every local (online) shop is offering 3-6 weeks delivery time.

However, if I do run into image quality problems, especially while zooming, I'll keep this in mind and might get WD-H43 as an option later on.

For your case of instructional video, don't rely on a shotgun mic. You should get a wireless system or using voice recorder and sync up the audio later. That gives yout he best audio

http://www.hv20.com/showthread.php?t=3392

A shotgun mic is good for those unplanned interviews.

Thanks for clarifying this. I was beginning to worry a bit that a shotgun might not be enough. Voice recorder setup seems interesting, will definitely consider that. I wouldn't have to buy a mixer for wireless system and the shotgun, if I used such a thing, right?

For outdoor shooting, you can buy the hoodman so you can view the LCD in bright day outdoor.

I ordered Matteblox DV for the lens and Screen Hoodie for the LCD.

If you intent to output to web, best shoot in 30p mode that saves you time to deinterlace in post. However, if you plan to do a lot of slow motion playing back golf swing, HDV 60i is a better shooting mode. For those, please search the forum to understand more on different frame rates and shooting mode.

Thanks for these pointers. I will research the forum further regarding these topics.

Cheers,

-- Lauri

[ljuti]

Regarding the filters, I've decided to buy an UV filter and Circular Polarizer for starters plus a lens protector for Raynox. I tried to search the forum for answer to the following lens/filter order, but couldn't get a definitive opinion on it.

I'm planning to mount these filters so that my setup would be:

HV30 -> RA5243A Step-up -> 52mm UV filter -> 52mm CPL filter -> Raynox 6600 -> 72mm protector

Is this a workable solution and do you advise putting the filters before or after the WA lens? What is the preferred order?

[swinefilms]

3) As I'm shooting most of the stuff outdoors and hopefully in clear skies & plenty of suni

You do know that this is not the optimal weather for shooting right? The optimal is a very overcast day. This will reduce shadows. So will shooting at the "magic hours" like from 11 am to 1 pm. There will be very little shadows in those times.

[mbwkrause]

So will shooting at the "magic hours" like from 11 am to 1 pm. There will be very little shadows in those times.

You are kidding, right? Shooting in the middle of the day will give you absolutely horrid light, if the sun is out. Extremely harsh and abrupt shadow-light transition. You will have to work with reflectors/diffusers to get anything remotely professional looking. As for the audio: If you are further away than three feet your shotgun is pretty much useless except for ambient. You want to work with a good wireless system so that you can monitor your audio. While a lav and a recorder might be cheaper, not to be able to monitor the sound would be a deal breaker for me.

[Erik Bien]

Two things I'd add to your kit for shooting outdoors on bright sunny days:

A polarizing filter can help you get more contrast and detail in the clouds and sky, reduce reflections from glass or water and make foliage look richer.

A reflector can help to fill in the dark "raccoon eye" shadows which often occur when the sun is high overhead: if you don't want to buy a 5-in-1 kit, look for a 'car window shade' with a shiny silver or gold side.

[CycleWriter]

Regarding the filters, I've decided to buy an UV filter and Circular Polarizer for starters plus a lens protector for Raynox. I tried to search the forum for answer to the following lens/filter order, but couldn't get a definitive opinion on it.

I'm planning to mount these filters so that my setup would be:

HV30 -> RA5243A Step-up -> 52mm UV filter -> 52mm CPL filter -> Raynox 6600 -> 72mm protector

Is this a workable solution and do you advise putting the filters before or after the WA lens? What is the preferred order?

No, it isn't. For one, a UV and protector are basically the same filter. You don't need both. UV filters are essentially useless on a digital sensor. Secondly, the CPL should go on last primarily because they often have fewer threads and you don't want to hang a heavy WA adapter off of it and risk damage. You also need to be able to turn it easily for proper effect. Third, the more glass surfaces you put in front of your camera's sensor, the more chance for things like lens flare, reflections, chromatic aberrations and other bad things that reduce picture quality.

I don't know what search terms you used, but there is already tons of info in here on filters, WA lenses and how to use them.

[zephyrnoid]

Gosh. So busy, I almost missed this post.
I respect and value the opinions of my fellow forum members, BUT, I don't run side by side tests for fun. So please folks, do share your personal opinions but when it comes to 'Professional' opinions, either show us the side by side comparisons or don't bother muddying the waters.
Both the Canon & the Raynox wides are designed to deliver optimal performance at full wide and the Canon may well be judged as holding more resolution through it's range- but it still deteriorates as you "zoom through".
It comes down to weather you use these wides for their widest settings or as Supplementary Zoom-through wides. I have owned lots of Century Optics Wide Supplements and have always respected the moderate use of zoom. The Raynox I zoom to about 1/2 way between Full Wide and Full tele on the HV20- never more than that.

The really important lens that need absolute protection is the stock lens. Adding a WA lens on top already serve a purpose as protecting the stock lens.

Unfortunately shooting in events, I don't have the luxuries to take the WA lens on and off if I need to do a zoom. So to me the ability to zoom through is important.

[zephyrnoid]

Agreed, UNLESS it happens to be an evenly overcast day- wherein the light is a canopy- very lovely at midday!

You are kidding, right? Shooting in the middle of the day will give you absolutely horrid light, if the sun is out. Extremely harsh and abrupt shadow-light transition. You will have to work with reflectors/diffusers to get anything remotely professional looking. As for the audio: If you are further away than three feet your shotgun is pretty much useless except for ambient. You want to work with a good wireless system so that you can monitor your audio. While a lav and a recorder might be cheaper, not to be able to monitor the sound would be a deal breaker for me.

[HueyNRolf]

On sound:
You should mic up the talent with a lav and mic up the golf ball separately with a shotgun. Then you can mix the two in post. But, I'm wondering if the lav will pick up noises as the guy swings around? And how many takes will you need to get the swing and narrative correct at the same time? I'd be inclined to shoot the guy without a live narrative and add his voice in post. It would sure make life easier.