Videography for a beginner

[dhr90]

I've been asked by my boss to shoot a video of a metal degreasing machine at work with a view to it being uploaded to the company website.

The process happens in a sealed machine with a small porthole to look through and and LED illuminating the interior. The porthole itself, from memory is about 65-75mm in diameter.

Beyond camera and tripod, what do I need/need to know? I don't think an external microphone will make much difference to the sound, but if it will I would be open to a fairly cheap one, being in an industrial unit it is just a constant noise rather than anything that will change.

Are my lenses good enough for shooting video? Space is tight so I doubt the 70-200 would be at all suitable. Would a macro lens be better suited? Whilst the 24-105 has a macro end to it, I have been considering purchasing the Tamron 90mm macro (version without VC) if that would be a better option.

I've never shot video before, can you set an aperture? I suspect if I lower/turn off completely the general lighting in the unit that I wouldn't get any reflections from the porthole glass. Another concern, but one I doubt I could do anything about is whether the LED inside the machine is bright enough to provide decent light for the video.

All ideas/thoughts appreciated!

 

[mrzero]

To avoid reflections, just shroud around the lens and porthole. Hard to comment on lenses without knowing more size of the processes you are filming, distance to the porthole, etc. Take your 24-105 and go stick it up against the porthole, do some zooming, and see what focal lengths work and whether you can achieve focus at those lengths (since the distance is fixed).

 

[Drizzt321]

To avoid reflections, just shroud around the lens and porthole. Hard to comment on lenses without knowing more size of the processes you are filming, distance to the porthole, etc. Take your 24-105 and go stick it up against the porthole, do some zooming, and see what focal lengths work and whether you can achieve focus at those lengths (since the distance is fixed).

Yea, you'll probably be fine doing that. I'd also use LiveView 5x & 10x zoom to make sure you have the focus on the right part, turn off AF & IS on the lens (you're on a tripod, you don't really need the IS). Shroud, as mrzero said to avoid reflections, and also make sure you have the correct video settings. 1080p30 probably is good, and for that set your shutter to 1/60, the aperture & ISO that makes sense (most VDSLR users prefer the 2/3 ISOs on Canon, so 160, 320, etc since it's a pull-down ISO and noise reduction in video is harder on h.264), and use Neutral picture style. If he wants you to be able to go slow-motion, change settings to 720p60, shutter 1/120 and then in post you'll have to stretch it out down to 720p30 which will double the length of the video.

 

[sjschall]

Can you fit a GoPro inside?

 

[dhr90]

To avoid reflections, just shroud around the lens and porthole. Hard to comment on lenses without knowing more size of the processes you are filming, distance to the porthole, etc. Take your 24-105 and go stick it up against the porthole, do some zooming, and see what focal lengths work and whether you can achieve focus at those lengths (since the distance is fixed).

From past experience using the lens, sticking it up against the porthole is too close. The main part of what you can see is just insidethe port hole glass. Great idea on the shroud though, that would be easily doable.

To avoid reflections, just shroud around the lens and porthole. Hard to comment on lenses without knowing more size of the processes you are filming, distance to the porthole, etc. Take your 24-105 and go stick it up against the porthole, do some zooming, and see what focal lengths work and whether you can achieve focus at those lengths (since the distance is fixed).

Yea, you'll probably be fine doing that. I'd also use LiveView 5x & 10x zoom to make sure you have the focus on the right part, turn off AF & IS on the lens (you're on a tripod, you don't really need the IS). Shroud, as mrzero said to avoid reflections, and also make sure you have the correct video settings. 1080p30 probably is good, and for that set your shutter to 1/60, the aperture & ISO that makes sense (most VDSLR users prefer the 2/3 ISOs on Canon, so 160, 320, etc since it's a pull-down ISO and noise reduction in video is harder on h.264), and use Neutral picture style. If he wants you to be able to go slow-motion, change settings to 720p60, shutter 1/120 and then in post you'll have to stretch it out down to 720p30 which will double the length of the video.

Sounds like I need to play with the video function on my 7D. It won't, or shouldn't need a slow-motion, but that is something I can discuss.

Can you fit a GoPro inside?

Probably not, but neither of us has one, and he won't want to purchase one just for this process. I don't know of anyone with one either.

Another thing, what software will I need for post processing? Currently have lightroom, and anything that Canon supplies with the camera (haven't actually used that disc yet).

 

[Don Haines]

It is very doubtful that you will decent footage through the porthole.... you will be limited in your choice of viewpoint.

I strongly recommend a GoPro in it's casing... since you don't want to spend the money to get one, what about getting a small, clear, waterproof case and putting a p/s camera (or even a cellphone) inside it....

You MIGHT be able to get by with a zip-lock plastic bag.... depending on the chemicals used and what they do to the plastic...

 

[dhr90]

It is very doubtful that you will decent footage through the porthole.... you will be limited in your choice of viewpoint.

I strongly recommend a GoPro in it's casing... since you don't want to spend the money to get one, what about getting a small, clear, waterproof case and putting a p/s camera (or even a cellphone) inside it....

You MIGHT be able to get by with a zip-lock plastic bag.... depending on the chemicals used and what they do to the plastic...

The thing with putting something inside is, the items for degreasing are put into a basket which is slid into the machine and this is rocked back and forth in the chemical solution. I've only seen it in action once but I'm not sure there is somewhere to attach it to inside anyway.

I will discuss it with my boss tomorrow. If he would be happy with the one shot from outside then all is well, otherwise I will discuss some sort of casing for a point and shoot, I do have a compact I could use, but being 8 years old the quality may be quite poor.

Thanks for the help!

 

[mkabi]

If you can't do much with the view during the process of degreasing.
I suggest that you do some video of the prep-work pre-degreasing and the final product of the degreasing post-degreasing.

Keep it short, different angles of the degreaser will also add interest to the video.

 

[dhr90]

If you can't do much with the view during the process of degreasing.
I suggest that you do some video of the prep-work pre-degreasing and the final product of the degreasing post-degreasing.

Keep it short, different angles of the degreaser will also add interest to the video.

My boss seems to think the chemicals involved won't be at all good for anything put inside, whether in a case or not! So the views will be a bit static.

I will suggest the prep work and post degreasing idea though. That would well work I think. He at the moment is only after a video of it in action to automatically play when the website is loaded. But I think the prep/post grease work idea is a good one.

 

[mkabi]

Yeah, you can get really creative with it.
I mean, the degreasing machine is so much more than just that window/porthole.
Show it as a big powerful machine.

A good example would be the Apple Mac Pro Teaser:
Apple Mac Pro ad - Trailer (2013)

Just flashing the shell of the Mac Pro brought so much interest.
I mean sure they could have shown that it processes this and that... but they wanted to show the redesign.

 

[flowers]

WORST ADVICE EVER!

It is very doubtful that you will decent footage through the porthole.... you will be limited in your choice of viewpoint.

I strongly recommend a GoPro in it's casing... since you don't want to spend the money to get one, what about getting a small, clear, waterproof case and putting a p/s camera (or even a cellphone) inside it....

You MIGHT be able to get by with a zip-lock plastic bag.... depending on the chemicals used and what they do to the plastic...

You do NOT put a DSLR in anything that costs less than $1000 if it's going to be in water/oil/doesn't matter! Ikelite makes underwater housings suitable for all professional/semiprofessional DSLRs, they cost around $1400. If you're ever going to do anything underwater/in any liquid, get one. If you don't, anything that happens to your camera is deserved. There's no excuse for not taking proper care of your camera.

 

[flowers]

If you can't do much with the view during the process of degreasing.
I suggest that you do some video of the prep-work pre-degreasing and the final product of the degreasing post-degreasing.

Keep it short, different angles of the degreaser will also add interest to the video.

My boss seems to think the chemicals involved won't be at all good for anything put inside, whether in a case or not! So the views will be a bit static.

I will suggest the prep work and post degreasing idea though. That would well work I think. He at the moment is only after a video of it in action to automatically play when the website is loaded. But I think the prep/post grease work idea is a good one.

He's most likely right! The chemicals for something like that must be pretty harsh, I wouldn't put my DSLR in there even in Ikelite if I wasn't willing to junk it.