How to Get Top-Quality Shots With a DSLR

Whether you are a professional DSLR user or a novice, shooting film with DSLR camera is fun. Everybody wants to shoot top-quality videos, but the question that strikes the doors of our minds is "How"?. In this post, we'll talk about the tips that will help you get top-quality shots.  

1. Consider ISO

One of the important things you need to consider is ISO. It helps determine how sensitive a camera is to the light. As a rule of thumb, the higher the  ISO, the brighter your image will be. If you are shooting without having adequate light, consider using a higher ISO.  However, if you are shooting in daylight, then keep your ISO number low. The best thing is that you can raise and lower the ISO as per your needs.  

2. Don't Forget Aperture

Another thing to consider is Aperture. It helps to handle the light reaching the image sensor. Always keep this in mind, the smaller the number is, the more open the aperture will be. Talking about a scenario, if you are shooting outside, then you need to close the aperture to a large number.  

3. The speed of the Shutter

The shutter speed helps to evaluate the time the camera sensor is exposed to light. Keep this in mind, the longer the shutter is open, the more light will hit the sensor. With a faster shutter speed, you can freeze motion, resulting in producing a crisper image. Hence, it's important for you to find the aperture you want to choose, and then adjust your ISO as per your needs.  

4. Color  Temperature and White Balance

To get top-quality shoot, try matching the white balance preset to the light color you are shooting with. For instance, if you are shooting in daylight, then go for the sun icon. On the contrary, if you are shooting under fluorescent lights, use the bulb icon.  

5. Consider Different Lenses

It is important for you to consider two different lenses. Having a fixed lens will allow you to produce a better picture, which means you will get sharper images, good focusing speed, and most importantly, you will be more artistic. 
Coming to the zoom lens, it is quite suitable for on-the-fly shooting. It will help you get a multitude of perspectives from a single location.  

6. Choose Frame Sizes and Rate

With a DSLR, you will have an extensive range of frame rates and sizes. However, having 1920*1080 is considered as an ideal option. This will allow you to capture top-quality shots and they will look great when displayed on a large monitor.

6 Good Reasons to Buy a DSLR Camera

Whether you are looking for the best camera for videography or photography,  DSLR is something you should consider. Stands for Digital Single-lens Reflex camera, DSLR is much more than an ordinary camera as it can produce high-quality video and photo you've wished for. However, it's important for you to be well aware of  the basic rules of photography that will help you produce a good output.

Now, you must be wondering why should you need one? Following are the six good reasons you should buy a DSLR camera.

1. Quality

One of the important reasons to consider DSLR  is that it gives you the ultimate picture quality. A photograph taken on a DSLR and at any resolution always turns out better than the one taken on an ordinary compact camera. Having a high resolution, dynamic range, and color depth, the photos you take will look rich in color and contrast. 

2. Better Focus

It has been observed that shoot and print cameras fail to focus properly or sometimes take time to set the right focus on the subject. However, this isn't in the case of DSLR.  A digital SLR helps set focus quickly. And the best part is that you can even override manual focusing and set the focus quickly whilst rotating the focus ring on the lens barrel. This helps enable you quick control over focus.
 
3. Highly Versatile

If you are using a point and shoot camera, then you must have to know that there is a fixed type lens. You cannot change the lens of a point. However, on a DSLR you may use a different type of lenses for different purposes and most importantly, they will give you different forms of images. If you use a macro lens, then it can produce life-size images with stunning details.
 
4. Better Shooting in Low-Light

Some people have a misconception that photos couldn't look good in low-light conditions. But, the DSLR's large sensor helps to produce top-quality picture even in [poor lighting conditions.

5. Professional Appearance

If you have a DSLR in hands and you shoot for clients, then there are chances that people will trust you more. However, make sure you must be good at working with DSLRs.  

6. Better Viewing Experience

When it comes to viewing, nothing could match the performance of DSLR. However, a compact camera can give you exact framing but the view will not as crisp as of DSLR viewfinder. With DSLR, you can check how much background area is blur in the image.

Why You Should Consider Follow Focus Puller

If you are a professional cameraman or a filmmaker, then it's important to consider purchasing a 'follow focus system' for your DSLR. Needless to say, a follow focus system is important and that the reason behind is DSLR cameras aren't capable enough. And this is where the question arises.....Why do you need a follow focus system? 

The need for a Follow Focus Puller  

There is no denying the fact that mathematics of focus is quite complex. Using your hands to make adjustments will definitely degrade the value of your video quality. These things are alright if you are shooting a documentary film because there are limited people and can forgive such minimal technical errors.  

Talking about the feature-length films, you need to measure out each scene and a good-quality follow focus help ensure that each shot should be of top quality.

Nothing ruins a video much more than a soft focus and that's the reason follow focus system is there to help you achieve the best results.  

What is the role of a Follow Focus   

With respect to exceptions, almost all follow focuses nearly on a huge number of gears, which are manipulated by a circular knob.  

All the professional camera lenses are outfitted with a gear on the focus barrel that helps to match the pitch size of the gear. If you are working with lenses that are still, then you should use gears that can attach to your lenses and guess what, they can do the same thing.  

When you line up the gears on the follow focus, you just have to turn the knob on the follow focus. The main advantage of using a follow focus has to do with accuracy and that's what we all want. The series of gears helps to give you more fine control over focus, which would ultimately help to decrease your likelihood of completely missing your focus pulls.  

Tips for Follow Focusing  

Once you've set up a follow focus, now all you need is to start to follow focusing. And at the same time, you should follow tips as well.  

1.Creates Marks:
If you clearly see, there is an outer circle of white plastic around the knob itself which is usually for setting focus marks, which is a general practice on narrative sets. Make sure you get your hands on some dry-erase markers because now you have to create marks. If you’re working on a project where rehearsals are possible, you can even dry-erase markers in order to set focus marks for a given shot. 

2.Practice:
No matter how you’re interacting with your follow focus, always bear in mind you should try to practice your pull a few times. In addition, get your hand and wrist used to where close-focus and infinity are. Pulling focus is a skill and the more practice you do, the more successful you’re going to be. 

3.Don't Fidget:
If you watch movies carefully, you’d be surprised how many times you see a shot that’s either slightly, or sometimes get out of focus. However, it doesn't mean that you should not follow the action, but if you are regularly fidgeting the action, you will end up looking like an amateur.

How to Maintain a Focus on Moving Subject While Filming It Alone?

Keeping your focus on the moving subject and making adjustments with the lens to capture the subject with the best attributes is one of the most challenging tasks. And it can even worse situation if you are short on staff and shooting the film along with the moving subject. To make your task bit easier, this blog has shared few tips on how to maintain your focus on moving subject.

With the great advent of technology and innovation, many cameras come with autofocus in-build feature. This advanced feature can make your life easier and help you shoot the film like a pro if you know how to maintain your focus on the moving object. Until or unless you don’t know how to use this smart feature, you can’t reap the benefit.

Shifting your focus from the nearby object to faraway object within the same shot can be a daunting task for you, but with the smart follow focus techniques and setting up a system, you can easily shoot what you actually want to present to your audience. Shoot your video like a pro, a good composition, perfect lighting and colour are some of the essential things to get a clear and crisp image.

So if you're a beginner, here's how you can maintain the focus on the moving object:


1. Set the Focus
The most common technique to use follow focus is to use your hands smartly. Put your one hand on the camera and another on the focus ring to make instant adjustment throughout the shot. This is the most useful technique but sometimes beginners don't get the results due to lack of knowledge that when and how to keep their camera steady and pulling focus. With the little bit of practice and patience, this technique can give you the decent results.


2. Maintain the Distance
Another technique to keep your shot in focus while filming a moving object is to maintain a good distance between the camera and the subject throughout the shoot. Before you begin the shoot, determine the length and set the distance between the camera and subject to adjust the focus accordingly. You can ask your subject that while moving around the camera, they should maintain a certain distance to get the best shooting results.


3. Shoot At a Higher Aperture
If you're constantly shooting the moving objects then it is worth investing in the camera that comes with the inbuilt autofocus system. Not only these cameras can provide you better results but also allow you to target a subject and have the camera followed them around as they have superb motion tracking feature as well. If you can't afford to invest in these high-end cameras, then go for the best technique to use higher aperture get the object clicked in the best posture.

When it comes to shooting the film like a pro, everyone can’t afford to buy such a high-end camera, so in that case, you can use these tips to use follow focus in the best way.

Boost your Camera Skill with these Simple Tricks

Getting best shots out of the DSLR in tricky lighting condition is a tedious task. As you have noticed that in autofocus mode camera hunts for focus point to make subject sharper, but they failed to do so most of the time. In this article, we will discuss the different array of focusing trick which can enhance your current level of photography. 

Image Credit: switchbacktravel.com

The first trick is switching to manual mode, as we know that autofocus does a fairly good job in good lighting condition but in low light, it just falls apart. Nonetheless, you can opt the modes like program mode, shutter mode, aperture mode, or full manual mode .All these mode let you choose the desired focus point. 

Moreover, for detailed and sharp focus point you just need to activate the focus grid and lock the rendering focus point. Some advanced DSLR are now packed with joystick focus controller which let a user target the focus point in a much more conducive way.

The second method is a focus and recompose, this trick comes very handy in offset object focusing. For instance, if you want to target the centre focus point by the offsetting the object this method can do wonder for you. Here you just need to put the focus point on the subject. Thereafter, hold the shutter button a halfway to lock the focus. Then recompose the camera position slightly and click the button.  

However, this method failed in the portrayed mode scenario in which DOF become relatively thin. Well, in that case, do not try to swivel the camera too much instead move it along the body. This is because you cannot get the focus right until the camera sensor becomes parallel to the subject. This will provide you smooth transition of motion with less focus rendering.

Let's talk about the third method i.e. Edge contrast. This trick caters the poor focusing in low contrast condition. If you are the using DSLR for a while then you have definitely noticed that camera always struggled to focus in auto mode while capturing low light shots. While pointing your camera towards the wall or sky it fails to lock the focus most of the time. 

This is because the camera looks for the bright and dark area and then offers the focus lock, but due to the lack of sufficient contrast it focus points renders annoyingly. In that case, you just have to swivel the camera little bit with the center focus on all the time. 

Meanwhile, the accessories like follow focus system can be used to acquire subtle focusing. With this gadget in your armoury, you can focus on different lighting condition quite easily. The wireless variant of this system comes really handy in professional videography as it allows you to focus the subject via simple trigger action.  

Where Do You Make Marks On: The Lens or Follow Focus?

What if I told you pulling focus was certainly no cakewalk? It’s hard….really hard! But don’t you worry? There are some skills that you ought to have being a focus puller that will help you keep your eyes on your talent. A quick focus pulling tip would work it out for you. Many people out there may be living with a perception that pulling focus is tough. I agree that it’s tough but to a certain extent. Unless you come equipped with the needed skills, pulling focus would take you on a ride you’d find it hard to get off from.

Anyway! When it comes to pulling focus, clear and quick visual access to your marks plays a very crucial role. If the marks don’t seem right, or they’re off even by a little bit, you’ll find yourself with a take loaded with soft footage before you even know it. And believe when I say that’s the last thing you’d ever wish for.

Well, marks are an imperative entity every camera assistant talks about, and why won’t they? Marking closeups. Marking on dollys. But where to put those marks is seldom discussed.

Let’s talk about Marking on the Lens…

How to make marks directly on the lens itself? Use a grease pencil. As simple as that! Or, you can choose to make marks using a thin strip of tape which is placed around the barrel.

You can opt for either way, but the main idea is to have your marks placed next to the etched distance markings.

So, what are the benefits and drawbacks of this method?

Benefits:

1.Consistency in Marks

Irrespective of the number of times you unmount or re-mount a lens, the mark will be there. Truth be told, it’s great when you’re measuring distance and add your own irregular markings.

2.Less Confusing

It may be possible for a long focus pull to include one, two, or even three successive rotations of the follow focus wheel which cause the marks you make on it having no context.

3.Perfect Accuracy

Beyond question the most accurate, unless the lens housing doesnt work as expected, in which case you have several various issues to take care of. A more definite mark makes pulling focus a smooth job to carry out. This is because when you marks on the lens at 8ft 5”, you’d know every time you pull to that distance it’ll be precisely right.

Drawbacks:

1. Tough to See

Small lenses, for example, Zeiss Superspeeds, are driven by their tendency of getting overwhelmed by gear around them. All these accessories lined up in front of the DSLR can make it tough for one to see the marks on the lenses.

2.Lack of Color Variation

Well, another objection I seem to have when it comes to using grease pencils is the comparative lack of color variation. With colors you can have these pencils allocated to relate with diverse conditions, subjects, or characters. When you practice, yellow and white are the only colors that have proven advantageous. Well, red is the one that’s faded in low light scenarios.

3.Accuracy is a Problem on Short Throw

There’s another major complaint that I have to admit i.e., grease pencils get dull and they get tough for the precision. With a focus pull where the pull does not cover a lot of rooms on the lens, two marks placed next to each other can give the appearance of big mark as a whole.

I’d say that marking on the lens is fantastic if you’re able to see it. In fact, it’s the most precise way to mark and.

Now moving to “Marking on the Follow Focus”

A white dry-erase disc can be found the around the wheel of a follow focus which can be written on with special pens. This disc can certainly be removed from the follow focus. If you want, you could have them pre-marked and go on swapping right ones.

Benefits:

1. Great Visibility

It’s a lot more easier to see than the lens, because the follow focus sticks out from the camera.

2. Effortless and Minor Clutter

While some people will involve themselves in an argument with regard to having the etched distance markings on the lens seems more like an advantage, it results in mess now and then and prevents you from seeing your true mark. It keeps you distracted.

Well, that split second distraction seems enough to miss your mark, but with a clean focus disc, you’ll want to have is one mark.

3.More Colors

Since the color of the disc is white, you can use a number of colors than on the lens. This works to your advantage if there are 3 characters in a scene which hit numerous marks and you want to use a color for each character.

Drawbacks:

1. Enhanced Play and Low Precision

“Play” occurs when the follow focus will turn without having to move the focus ring on the lens. It determines how the follow focus is built and how it’s attached to the lens. 

2.Slow Reaction Times

It surely takes extra time when it comes to taking a glance over the follow focus, while staring down the camera side. This extra time is what it takes for the subject to move off the mark you’ve compensated for. 

3.Changes

Every time you change a lens, you have no other option but to remark the follow focus. This really gets annoying if you seem to swap lenses continuously at the last minute.

Which One Will You Settle For?

There were times when I had to choose marking on the lens, and others where I’ve preferred to mark only on the follow focus.

Do you favor the precision and speed of marking on the lens? Or, do you prefer the simplicity and visibility of the follow focus disc? When you reach for a mark, do you grab a grease pencil or dry-erase pen?

Getting Focus Marks: Which Measuring Tool Will Work in Your Favor?

If a camera assistant wants to keep a shot in focus, getting distance marks plays a very crucial role. That is the reason why people exploit plenty of different tools to accomplish the required task at hand. Ask a pro who’s meticulously involved in measuring the distance with dynamism why they have a soft tape, a hard tape, and a laser measuring device, and you will get your answer. As mentioned above, these tools serve the same purpose, but a pro will use them all in different ways.

So, when are you likely to use the soft tape and not the laser one? And what is the advantage to using these tapes? Let’s find out.

Soft Tape

Twisted in a spool, a soft tape is made of fiberglass. This tape measure is referred to as soft tape because of the reason that it seems adaptable and hangs loose. In fact, this tape seems the actual tool of the old school camera assistant or focus puller. In general, this tool is deemed to be the best for getting accurate measurements.

In order to use the soft tape, there’s a hook of some type on the camera at the film plane that the soft tape is attached to. You walk out with the reel until you measure the desired distance. Because you walk along with the tape measure to pull it tight, it can give you very precise measurements you look forward to.

Make sure you use soft tape when required. This tool must be used in certain situations when there’s very little depth-of-field. Also, it’s also seems to be a perfect choice for those situation in which you need to get numerous marks. However, there are times when the soft tape does not seem right. No matter it can go up to 50 feet, it takes its own time to wind it back into the reel.

Hard Tape

Hard tape is undoubtedly the good old steel tape measure. This is probably the tool that everyone’s aware of how to use. This is because they have those memories lending a helping hand to Dad when it came to measuring stuff as a little child.

Keep in mind that the cheap tapes are not strong so you must avoid buying a flimsy tool. It will not do you any good. Moreover, the locking mechanism breaks down and they won’t even go that far as you expect. A hard tape is an ideal choice when working fast. It’ll allow you to stand by your camera and to pull it out and have it placed near the eye of an actor.

Once in a while actors, the trained ones are kind enough to grab the end of this tool and hold it up to their eyes to provide one much needed assistance. This tape always works to one’s advantage to use in a situation where you need a precise mark in no time. Be careful not to hit anybody with this tool. Don’t you forget you’re holding it against the film plane mark on the camera?

Laser Tape Measure

Wondering why we said hard tape is a perfect option for rapid, precise measurements? Did we talk about the laser tape? Well, it is complex. Laser tapes are those tools which are fast and very precise. But there’s a whole point in question of shooting a laser around the set. This is because it can be diverting attention for the actors. Also, it’s not a cakewalk to shine a laser at their forehead without the risk of shining the laser in their eyes.

Using a laser tape is suitable in those situations where you have a great amount of depth-of-field. Having said that, this tool is very precise if you have a keen interest in measuring accurately on the subject.

If you’re thinking that laser tape measures are effective only for rapid, dirty close marks, think again. If truth be told, these tools really work well in those situations that require a long distance or a remote location.

For example, if you are on the shore of a lake and shooting two characters on a boat which is 100 feet away from the shore. It will be impossible for the soft tape as well as the hard tape to reach there, but using the right laser tape measure will work to your advantage. Moreover, you don’t have to worry about hitting actors at their eyes, instead go for their chest. The few inches at that distance will be within agreeable focus with the depth-of-field.

Final Thoughts

Soft tape is the most precise measurement that can effortlessly be obtained because of the way it’s used. A focus puller or an AC has to pull out and measure. That’s not all! This tool is also able to acquire multiple marks. But don’t forget that using this tool can be clumsy when it comes to measuring anything preceding 15 feet.

Talking about the hard tape, it suddenly seems so clear why this tape is precise. But it remains faster when compared to soft tape. One can use this tape from beside the camera.

Laser tape is the best choice for rapid approximate close distance measurements, but this tool is right for long distance measurements. Ensure that this tape is used considering the preventative measures when shining at a person so as to avoid hitting their eyes.

“There are three tools that measure distance, including soft tape, hard tape, and laser tape. Even though they serve the common purpose i.e., getting distance marks, they do so in ways that are nothing like each other. Some seem more appropriate for certain situations than others. When you’re a good camera assistant or follow focus puller, it’s like being loaded with the right tools and knowing when to use them.”

How to Control Remote Lens Using a Silencer Gimbal?

Ever thought why you need lens control?

For all one knows, the easiest way to wreak havoc on any scene is by losing focus. When you lose focus, it jumps the audience, breaks the trust and makes you look like a layperson. You need to make sure you everything you can to prevent from pulling poor focus. It literally damages a shot. Nobody seems delighted and the film you worked on turns out to be nothing but garbage.

So why not think about doing yourself and your 1st AC a big favor? Make a purchase of remote lens control system that will truly get the desired job accomplished.

Here at 24shots we have the silencer gimbal which we’ll throw light on as we proceed further.

Some imperative features for a remote lens control system you need to know:

Precision - Every time the focus puller puts the control wheel in motion to a witness mark (no matter pulling focus in or throwing focus out), make sure it matches the mark on the lens every time.

Consistency - Well, this can be pretty tough to forecast. This is because  electronics of all types, caliber and quality break down from time to time. And this seems the perfect reason why most 1st AC’s (1st Assistant Camera) express their loyalty to one brand of remote lens control system.

They consistently remain with what has benefited them and their associates in the most reliable manner in the times gone by:

Speed - While some lenses have smooth focus and iris rings, others have sticky lenses, especially the older ones. It’s important for you to know that the motor of your system should have enough torque as well as power to be able to move every lens in the set in real time as though you were turning the lens ring with your hand on the lens itself manually.

Size/Weight - In the gimbal world, every bit of weight on your rig makes a difference, especially on those long one shot shoots that are required by numerous directors.

Range - Is the signal lost between the transmitter (tx) and receiver (rx) of your system? If so, then the system is futile. Avoid counting on what your system’s spec sheet states, as the manufacturer has perhaps listed a best case scheme range which you may never get to experience.

Look for a volunteer who can assist you in range testing your system prior to your shoot in all the diverse plots you may get up close and personal with on your shoot.

Do try testing in a jam-packed downtown area where cell phone towers and radio signals fill the air. How about testing near water where signals unevenly bounce back? Do give a shot testing through different types of walls - cement, sheet rock, brick and so on.

What to Know About Silencer Gimbal?

Have a silencer pro? Want to upgrade to the Pro-Gimbal kit?

If you answer is ‘yes’ to both questions above, then this is right choice for you.

A “gimbal” is an incredible tool but it restricts the efficiency if there’s no method to focus or zoom. It’s time you release the Gimbal benefits with the Silencer Trigger controlled follow focus.

Here’s a list of items included with Gimbal upgrade kit:

Gear Drive
Shoe Mount
Pro 19mm Short Motor Rail
Extra 6” Rail
19 - 15mm rail carrier
19mm tensioner pulley mount
XL belt pack
2’ extension cable

This “Silencer Gimbal Upgrade Kit” is available for $275.00 with 24shots.

Focusing on your own with the Silencer AIR was never so easy. This new lens control system is literally wireless and connects to the 24shots app to boost ground as well as aerial photography. The silencer is the only trigger controlled follow focus that means you can keep both hands on the rig to acquire the best stable shot.