Need a Critique, advice

sbuchan · Jun 10, 2019

I have been focusing on flight skills, as well as attaining my Transport Canada RAS license to operate. Done. While I am sills as a still photographer, my videography skills are weak. I have ND filers, and HD filters with polarizers.

If you are ability to constantly produce awesome video from your Mavic 2 pre any work in post, would you take a look at this short clip and give me some ideas as to what I should be doing differently.

- No Filters, raw Mavic 2 Zoom
- WB set to sunny
- Auto everything else
- Fous set to infinity

I would really appreciate the feedback and will return the favour when I have skills.

Steve

brett8883 · Jun 10, 2019

sbuchan said:
I have been focusing on flight skills, as well as attaining my Transport Canada RAS license to operate. Done. While I am sills as a still photographer, my videography skills are weak. I have ND filers, and HD filters with polarizers.

If you are ability to constantly produce awesome video from your Mavic 2 pre any work in post, would you take a look at this short clip and give me some ideas as to what I should be doing differently.

- No Filters, raw Mavic 2 Zoom
- WB set to sunny
- Auto everything else
- Fous set to infinity

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I would really appreciate the feedback and will return the favour when I have skills.

Steve

First thing is your shot here is very overexposed. As an editor I’d much rather have underexposed rather than overexposed. Go to the camera settings on the Mavic and in the menu the the gear looking thing there’s a few options to make sure you have one.

First one is overexposed or overexposed warning. This will put really annoying black and white “zebra stripes” over the parts of the frame that are overexposed in the live view. This is a good way to train yourself to avoid overexposure because it’s so annoying and will only go away when you reduce your exposure so you aren’t over exposed anymore.

Next one is histogram. The histogram is a little chart that shows you the amount of light in the frame from black on the felt to white on the right. It’s a good way to keep an eye on your exposure and you’ll see as the histogram approaches the right side of the chart that you are in danger of being over exposed.

The next thing is to use those ND filters you have. Is there are reason you weren’t using them here? You probably needed a ND 16 for this shot. This will help get smooth motion in your video by reducing your shutter speed. I have a feeling your aperture was all the way down in this shot. Try setting the camera with manual exposure before recording and so you’ll have better control over exposure. It will be much easier to grade in post if everything is set to the same level and not chasing to the ever changing light from the auto settings

Moose1967 · Jun 10, 2019

I might have even used a ND32 that day - pretty bright - you need to turn down your camera movement speed - I have my joystick set to automatically pivot 90 degrees in case I need to emergency land I don't have to wait for the camera to tilt down - you also maybe flying too high for the subject matter - so my other camera movements are slow - also my turning of the drone is turned down as well - you wanna get your F value to about twice your frame rate - so if you are shooting 4k at 24 fps in bright conditions, put the 32 ND filter on and lower till you get around 1/50 - (if you film at 30 fps use 1/60) - anything higher like 100 fps and you will get motion blur - way too much detail - here is an example of a real bright day with the settings above - I should have used POI for the Alexander Graham Bell House turn - I was fairly new then:

Here is another situation - bright day - 32nd - 4k - active track:

None of these are adjusted straight video:

It will come with time - patience !!!

sbuchan · Jun 10, 2019

brett8883 said:
First thing is your shot here is very overexposed. As an editor I’d much rather have underexposed rather than overexposed. Go to the camera settings on the Mavic and in the menu the the gear looking thing there’s a few options to make sure you have one.

First one is overexposed or overexposed warning. This will put really annoying black and white “zebra stripes” over the parts of the frame that are overexposed in the live view. This is a good way to train yourself to avoid overexposure because it’s so annoying and will only go away when you reduce your exposure so you aren’t over exposed anymore.

Next one is histogram. The histogram is a little chart that shows you the amount of light in the frame from black on the felt to white on the right. It’s a good way to keep an eye on your exposure and you’ll see as the histogram approaches the right side of the chart that you are in danger of being over exposed.

The next thing is to use those ND filters you have. Is there are reason you weren’t using them here? You probably needed a ND 16 for this shot. This will help get smooth motion in your video by reducing your shutter speed. I have a feeling your aperture was all the way down in this shot. Try setting the camera with manual exposure before recording and so you’ll have better control over exposure. It will be much easier to grade in post if everything is set to the same level and not chasing to the ever changing light from the auto settings

Thanks Thomas.

I am familure with histograms and the zebra indicators .. will use 'em. I did not want to lean on the ND filters until I had the bet possible result prior to adding them into the mix. Your suggestions are very helpful. Will apply them.

Steve

brett8883 · Jun 10, 2019

sbuchan said:
Thanks Thomas.

I am familure with histograms and the zebra indicators .. will use 'em. I did not want to lean on the ND filters until I had the bet possible result prior to adding them into the mix. Your suggestions are very helpful. Will apply them.

Steve

I’m Brett but that’s ok ?. Anytime.

I could see why you would think to do it that way but you’d basically be teaching yourself how not to do it and then you’d have to start over to do it with them.

Your work flow should be to:

1) Decide on your F-stop(aperture)
-put the camera into A mode and then adjust aperture till you are satisfied. This will determine yout depth of field. Generally f8 is a really good all purpose Aperture.

2) Find the right filter
-Then put on the filter that makes your shutter speed twice your frame rate. For example if shooting 4K 30fps choose the filter that will put your shutter at 1/60 at 0 EV. This can take some guess and test

3. Switch the camera mode to S mode(shutter priority) or M(manual).

S mode is like auto mode but it will keep your shutter speed constant and only change aperture and iso to adjust exposure. In video, shutter speed is the most important of shutter speed, aperture, and iso though they are all important.

Bam now you have the technical stuff out of the way you can focus on filming!

sbuchan · Jun 10, 2019

Brett -

Sorry about that. Hey thanks for the workflow. Will run though this. Appreciate it.

Steve

Jatekman · Jun 11, 2019

As said set down camera movement speed, plan before the flight the shots, don't record all the time but make controlled flights while recording.
Practice techniques like circling, flying forward/backward pulling the cam up/down- during recording avoid any course correction.
If you practice you will be fast better and the results start to looking good.
You can also watch tutorials on YouTube.

Ciao Rob

Zap222 · Jun 11, 2019

Blown highlights. Much easier to pull up shadow than pull down highlights. If anything expose manually, use histogram, expose on the darker edge if anything, alter gimbal tilt to make it less severe. The scenery was nice but you could have used a variety of shots - rising, reveal, close creeper, parallax etc.

Great start though mate. If you have access to that location re do this vid with a variety of shots and I bet it will be a winner. You are a skilled photographer I doubt you’d allow your camera to have control over exposure. Same with your drone. You take control over exposure.

Good luck buddy

bliksem · Jun 11, 2019

Watch these guys Drone Film Guide
They have a course that was $150, well worth the money Drone Cinematography Masterclass

Jatekman · Jun 11, 2019

Yeah from these, and other too, guys I learnt much about cinematic flying, highly recommended.

Ciao Rob

ClaudioSr · Jun 11, 2019

On your first video I kind of see you by a tripod. Do you have your controller fixed on the tripod? If so (I hope not) feels very uncomfortable even to look at.