HV20 - Record "Shooting Information" for your movies

[nycfilmdotcom]

I just take a photo while filming and I have a record of all the camera settings for later review.

Since movie and photo functions share settings it's a great way to record Shutter, Apature, Exposure, Compensation, Focal Length, White Balance, IS mode, Shooting Mode and Focus Settings for your movies.

See the attached PNG or the bottom of this web page http://www.startsimple.com/hv20/

[bluegrass]

It seems like a very useful trick. I appreciate innovation. The other day when I was trying to shoot some sample clips with various settings, I felt dumb just babbling away at my camera stating the various settings I had changed or set while I was taping. Since I was alone, only the cows gave me a funny look, so I guess it was OK.

I do have a couple questions though about your idea.

1. If you do a lot of camcorder setting changes and recorde many different scenes, how do you match the photo shots with the scenes? I guess by just looking and comparing the photos to the video? I guess a lot of starting and stopping in the same scene setting might be a problem.

2. How did you get all that information from the photo? Do you get that if you right click on the file and choose properties. I wasn't aware that all those details were embedded in the photo file. I bet they're embedded somewhere in the video file too, but we just can't get to them very easily. We know somewhere in the video data is a time stamp because I can turn it on and off when I'm playing the tape directly to a monitor.

I'm not sure if I just couldn't figure it out, but I was trying to use several different camcorder changes while I was taping and found many things such as the use of the function button seemed to be disabled during recording. An example, once I changed the exposure setting with the joystick I couldn't get back and change the shutter speed. I'm sure there is some logic for not allowing you to do that. I found for many changes, it seemed like I had to stop recording make the change and start recording again.

[nycfilmdotcom]

1. how do you match the photo shots with the scenes?

I am a big fan of the remote control even during hand-held filming. The start/stop and photo buttons are right next to each other so i just push each when i start recording and the 1 frame of the movie and photo are really close.

2. How did you get all that information from the photo?

Canon uses "Exchangeable image file format" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EXIF
as a base and they also have custom metadata included http://www.sno.phy.queensu.ca/~phil/...mes/Canon.html

The screenshot is from the ImageBrowser 5.8b software (included with the camera), I use Canto Cumulus and any major Digital Asset Management software will show all the meta data.

I bet they're embedded somewhere in the video file too

I doubt all this data is in the video file, I do know that your camera's serial number is watermarked in the video image... just in case the gov needs to contact you

[RobH]

If you happen to have Photoshop Elements or CS by chance, you can open up your captured file, and in the File menu at the top, click on File info and voila, it is there, all the settings you want.

Great idea, by the way, on taking a picture of your settings. I get tired of having to guess. Thanks for the helpful info nycfilmdotcom.

[Redsandro]

I just stumbled upon this.

I do know that your camera's serial number is watermarked in the video image.

Is this true? Where did you read this?

[lasssman]

once I changed the exposure setting with the joystick I couldn't get back and change the shutter speed.

I would suggest that you had probably locked the exposure. It took me a while to figure how this interaction works, and I got most of the info from the various Exposure Lock threads on this forum - but essentially, you need to press the joystick to bring up the joystick control, click down until you find the exposure settings, then click up to toggle the exposure lock on or off. Once the exposure range has disappeared, press the joystick again and you will now be able to modify the shutter speed. Hope this is clear enough!

[lasssman]

If you happen to have Photoshop Elements or CS by chance, you can open up your captured file, and in the File menu at the top, click on File info and voila, it is there, all the settings you want.

I just tried this - missing some serious info, like shutter speed, gain - they were blank. Aperture was there, about all that was useful. Using Photoshop elements 5.0. Any ideas?

[2Bdecided]

how do you match the photo shots with the scenes?

Using the time stamps in the HDV data and the "created" date+time on the file. (EXIF doesn't go down to the second AFAIK, but file time stamps do, and HDV does).

[Redsandro]

What is your software of choise to read the HDV timestamps?

I do know that your camera's serial number is watermarked in the video image.

Is this true? Where did you read this?

I guess it was a joke, cannot find anything on the internet about it.

[wolferic]

If you happen to have Photoshop Elements or CS by chance, you can open up your captured file, and in the File menu at the top, click on File info and voila, it is there, all the settings you want.

Great idea, by the way, on taking a picture of your settings. I get tired of having to guess. Thanks for the helpful info nycfilmdotcom.

I have both Photoshop CS2 and CS3 and I can't make them open files captured by FinalCut Pro (in either HDV or Apple Intermediate Codec).

Anyone have a way to read the metadata from a clip WITHOUT the picture trick? (I am most interested to find out what the settings are when using my 35mm adapter: i.e. zoom, focus, gain)

[lalegator]

do it is old post...

I am a big fan of the remote control even during hand-held filming. The start/stop and photo buttons are right next to each other so i just push each when i start recording and the 1 frame of the movie and photo are really close.



Canon uses "Exchangeable image file format" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EXIF
as a base and they also have custom metadata included http://www.sno.phy.queensu.ca/~phil/...mes/Canon.html

The screenshot is from the ImageBrowser 5.8b software (included with the camera), I use Canto Cumulus and any major Digital Asset Management software will show all the meta data.


I doubt all this data is in the video file, I do know that your camera's serial number is watermarked in the video image... just in case the gov needs to contact you

thanks for this info, very helpful. the remote control will try for sure, if i can adjust to it, it will eliminate the shake that i make during start/stop/photo button.

I have both Photoshop CS2 and CS3 and I can't make them open files captured by FinalCut Pro (in either HDV or Apple Intermediate Codec).

Anyone have a way to read the metadata from a clip WITHOUT the picture trick? (I am most interested to find out what the settings are when using my 35mm adapter: i.e. zoom, focus, gain)

good question, but unfortunately the camera making group doesn't realize the importance of metadata, that are common to photography since digitalizing.

a vaste taken photography has such a little data. but if the exif taken during shooting footage would gather all the DVCAM info like 25/which color mode/ what ever more possible...it would be nice


canon, please embed the camera setting (EXIF/meta info) during recording on start of the scene with the video or the photo .

& make it readable.

[Mariner]

I'm a newcomer to this type of photography. Please explain why you want to record the shooting information? My guess is that you want to duplicate the shooting conditions for continuity in a scene.

[SenorKaffee]

I doubt all this data is in the video file, I do know that your camera's serial number is watermarked in the video image... just in case the gov needs to contact you

It is not - it is part of the metadata if you use the photo button.
I know that I can get my EOS camera registered with Canon, then the serial number is linked to a name. It's supposed to help against image/hardware theft.

[lalegator]

I'm a newcomer to this type of photography. Please explain why you want to record the shooting information? My guess is that you want to duplicate the shooting conditions for continuity in a scene.

there are numerous reasons why to embed. for stater lets say that when testing a camera in different light situations, all the different sitings have different look, so you can see what you prefer. second is in documentary & archiving purpose, or what ever for that reason, you like the footage someone had made and woila you know all the settings...
but any way the extra info can not harm, so why not... i guess it is not a lot of fuss to do it

[roeville]

canon, please embed the camera setting (EXIF/meta info) during recording on start of the scene with the video

They already do. The info is stored continuously as you record, that's how the camera can display the changing values when you play back. You can also see the date, time, timecode, shutter, fstop etc when you play m2t files on you PC using hdvinfo or DVMP pro, see this thread

http://www.hv20.com/showthread.php?t=23083