Why Choose the Best Tripod for Video?

Any idea what’s the fastest way to boost production value?

Using a good sturdy tripod plays a very imperative role when it comes to achieving vibrate free shots. These shots are instantly professional. Some tripods (one of the best DSLR video accessories) are light and don’t cost an arm and a leg, but you need to keep in mind that you’ll be shooting 24/25/60fps video and not individual still frames.

I advise you to keep away from still-photo specific tripods. This is because they won’t do any good to your motion video.

An awfully low-priced tripod may sound attention-getting, but you should not forget that they’re designed for stills and not video. You don’t want your camera blowing over half way through a shot, do you?

Tripods for Video

A tripod must be able to resist the weight of a heavy camera. It should even pan or tilt without having to jerk and getting stuck, which is a continuous battle with inferior quality tripods.

I’d like to bring to your kind attention that it’s in fact much easier to execute ultra-smooth professional looking pans if your one of the most vital DSLR video accessories (a tripod) has a crippled fluid-effect head. But don’t you forget it provides a lockable tilt function as well as an adaptable center post if you plan to use the same for still shooting?

What are features that make up the best tripod?

There are some tripod features that you must consider for reaping great benefits.

You must choose tripods “legs” that has adjustable pan handles matched with a ‘fluid head’.

“The fluid minimizes the risk of the camera operator introducing any irregularity or quivering to the shot during a pan or tilt through moistening. That’s not all! It cuts the friction down between moving parts of the head.” 

That way you’ll be able to effortlessly pan the camera in all directions - up, down, left and right favorably. Look for a tripod head that does not have an easy-to-level ball head, but comes with a carrying case. Not only will it give a professional look, but it’ll often leave a great impression on clients.

While you can buy a level separately, keep in mind that highest quality tripod legs and/or heads will come equipped with built in levels. 

What else you must look for in a video tripod

There are some vital features that are found on video tripod, including:

Elongated platforms which are created to accommodate and position various video rigs for optimal balance - it’s a main factor that will help you move the DSLR in the right way.

Various ball heads that can be locked in position for panning. These ball heads may have accessory handles for more effortless panning and tilting.

Plain or lit up bubble levels for leveling the legs and head for seamless panning with a natural looking horizon line.

Leg strut holds for needed stability as well as resistance to flexing. 

Is a tripod the top-notch must-have video accessory?

If you were to ask me the importance of a tripod (not forget to mention, it’s one of the most preferred DSLR video accessories), I’d never hold an opposing views to the fact that a tripod is an important accessory which not only helps one capture smooth, but shake-free video.

Essentially any tripod, even the pan/tilt with a medium size unit you’re using for stills, can be deemed into service as a video tripod. But if you intend to deal with smooth pans as well as shoot professional quality videos that not only engage your audience, but focus their attention on the content, what you need is a tripod that’s serves you better at every step. In simple words, it should be optimized for video.

A committed video shooter at any level? Or, have any intention of getting into the profession of videography in the coming days? Making your tripod a video tripod with kind of fluid head will be the best thing you can do. 

Final Words

It would not be wrong to state the fact that a tripod is the greatest photo accessory ever brought into action by humans. But do you have the one optimized for shooting video? 

Any It’s essential for any 3-legged used for video to have separable lockable pan as well as tilt controls. That way you’ll be able to lock the tilt at whatever angle you wish. Then you can pan your DSLR in a horizontal way with sound smoothness for the sake of following the action.

What DSLR Accessories Do You Need for Shooting Quality Video?

 Bought a new DSLR? It’s the first step you take in your video journey. Well, shooting video with a digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera can produce some amazing results. But don’t forget superior quality video does not shoot on its own. 

Even achieving brilliant results using a DSLR does not seem as simple as pressing a ‘record’ button. There are some vital things that play an essential role when it comes to learning the art of manually focusing on the subjects you intend to use (like professional videographers).

However, there are some issues that you need to take care of, such as audio recording and stabilization, if you want to make your production shine well. I’ll tell you what the beauty of investing in a DSLR is. These mirrorless cameras can be used straight out of the box. It’s time you penetrate into the world of DSLR video accessories so that they can help you tackle your power and take great shots.

These accessories lenses, tripods, filters and a host of other accessories that are truly a must have.

Here are some essential DSLR accessories you need to shoot highest quality video:

High-Quality Camera Lenses

Bought your DSLR camera body, or a mirrorless camera? What are you thinking of? Which video accessory will you spend your dollars on? If you’re a first timer, it’s important for you to keep in mind that buying a lens (the first main accessory) is what you should do.

Well, depending on your need you can consider buying two or three.

A camera body is of no use without a lens. It cannot do anything useful. If there’s no lens, he camera body seems more like a sensor and recorder. The lens is that imperative video accessory that creates the image.

There are two main types of lens that you should know about for DSLR camera body, including:

Zoom lenses

Prime lenses

It goes without saying that you want some good glass if you’re really looking to the top-notch quality video out of your DSLR. Basically, faster lenses are the ones that allow you to shoot clean as well as clear video in lower light conditions. The kind of lens you need largely depends on your subject matter.

Neutral Density Filter

Shutter speed can take a tricky turn when it comes to shooting motion. And it’s true that you’re restricted on the slow end by the frame rate at which you are shooting. And just when your shutter speed gets extremely fast, the footage starts looking shaky. You won’t appreciate the unnatural look that it gives, will you? Keeping this in mind, using a neutral density filter will be the best bet.

Does a neutral density filter (one of the most important DSLR video accessories) serve the same purpose as it’d in a still photography scenario? Absolutely! It allows you to use a broad aperture in bright situations. 

However, it also lets you slow down the speed of your shutter under correspondingly bright lights just to keep things looking smooth. This device, also called ND filter, helps one produce fluid motion shots. It allows users to acquire a shallow depth of field without having to use a high shutter speed. 

Looking for the best ND filter? 

Then you must determine what kind of scene you’re shooting. Even choosing the lighting condition is also crucial for shooting right. For example, you may consider the idea of using a 3-stop filter under very bright sunlight.

Image Credit: photovideo.com

Tripods

When it comes to high quality video, a tripod plays a very crucial role. You cannot overlook this accessory if you want to record great videos. The purpose of a tripod is to hold the camera still for the prevention of shakes. These shakes can easily cause damage to a video.

Look for a tripod that’s not only light but stable as well. Even you must stress on buying a lightweight tripod so that you can move it without hassles.

Not planning to record several motion shots?

If that’s the case, get a tripod that comes equipped with a panning head for extra versatility. You must emphasize on getting a sturdy set of sticks. Stability and portability of tripods must be your top priorities.

If you’re looking to some serious work, then a dolly, which is basically a triangular frame with castor-type wheels affixed on the bottom of the tripod makes it convenient for moving the DSLR laterally on smooth surfaces. That way one gets greater shooting flexibility.

Well, investing in other kinds of gear is extremely important, but what will costly lenses as well as filters do if you’re missing the basics? 

Image Credit: cloudfront.net

Screen Loupe

The screen on a DSLR or mirrorless camera is small. Moreover, it doesn’t always display the required details needed by videographers when shooting videos. Using a screen loupe will work to your advantage immensely. It will help you enlarge the image on the screen of their camera for a great look at what they’re recording. 

Is that all it can do? It can even minimize glare on the display when one’s shooting under bright sunlight. There are some users who give importance to shooting videos by holding the camera up to their eyes. They can do this by purchasing a loupe with an eyepiece.

Shooting in the sunlight? Glare can cause a big problem, but don’t you fret? A loop will take care of that for you. Over and above, a loop with an eye-piece allows you to shoot with the camera held-up to the eye, just like you’d with a still camera. Many shooters find this convenient. You never know they may find this a bit calming.

Image Credit: bhphotovideo.com

Shoulder Rig

A shoulder rig is one of the most important DSLR video accessories for advanced shooters. You cannot always keep your DSLR on a tripod and a full-fledged Steadicam often seems exaggerated. 

Using a shoulder rig will serve its purpose as it cam come in extremely handy. It provides stability and also gives the camera a way to rest on one’s shoulder. These accessories can give you more options for attaching devices like mixers and microphones.

Final Words

With some rapid advancements made in technology, DSLR video is getting better and better. 

And this showed the right path to many photographers to embark on their journey leading to the world of videography. They don’t even think twice when it comes to becoming a part-time videographer. Using the best DSLR accessories for shooting high quality video will be the most feasible decision you’ll make.

5 Reasons Why Turning Off your Autofocus is the Right Thing to Do

When I began using a camera autofocus was something that seemed beyond science fiction. In the sense, it would never work in real life. Besides anything and everything else, how would it know what you really wanted to focus on?

Now in this day age and age fiction has come fact and quite well that every camera has AF as standard. It just works and works extremely well. If you’re living with a perception that it will always work in a perfect way, you are mistaken. This is because it can pick up the unwanted thing which may not work in its favor. It may even fail to find what it should actually be focusing on, which can cause the lens to hunt back and forth. At times it won’t even let you throw the shutter.

Let’s examine five situations that will let you know when turning off your autofocus is really worth: 

1. When there is not sufficient light

Contrast is low when there is low light, and AF extensively counts on light as well as contrast to hook onto things. Your camera may have an AF assist lamp built in. Even if you leave it switched on, it will not work in certain situations.

2. When there is not sufficient contrast

In case your AF metering spot is on something like a plain colored wall it will become tough for the camera to focus, even if the light is bright. You can go on re-framing your shot in a temporary way so the spot falls on something with detail. 

Just have the shutter pressed half down for the AF activation followed by keeping the shutter button half-pressed to lock the focus. Time to go back to your actual composition.

3. Shooting wildlife

No doubt most wild animals have a great hearing power. No matter how excellent your autofocus is, it is bound to make a noise. So, you must switch the autofocus off to capture those amazing wildlife shots.

4. Landscapes

When it comes to shooting landscapes you generally want those things in focus from the beginning to distant mountains. This indicates that closing the aperture down to enhance the depth field and focusing a third way into the scene. Have the AF switched off. Leaving it on will refocus when the shutter is pressed.

5. Shooting through glass

Many people prefer taking a photograph through glass which does not seem to be a good idea. It’s best to avoid as much as you can. But at times it is inevitable, for instance, if you’re in a plane, or taking a photo of fish in an aquarium. AF may leave marks on the glass, so it’s better to switch it off.