Where are our motion photographers

[tukaniray]

Motion photography ... yup. I was on a shoot one day and said I did photography as well as video. And this film guy who has been in the field since the 70s came to me and said:
"You mean Still photography. All of it is photography."

Learned something new that day.

So, I would love to know who also shoots "Motion" photography here, aka Video, what cameras you are using and what type of shoots you do.

Let's share some info about each other here and learn a little about the diversity of those who do Motion Photography as oppose to Still Photography.

ME First:
I currently rent, but am thinking about finally buying a camera.

I have used:
IN THE SD FORMAT WORLD: the Panasonic DVCPRO Cameras for studio and the Sony Beta SP Cameras.
IN THE HD FORMAT WORLD: The Sony HDV V1, Sony HDV Z7, Sony HDV Z1, Sony HD XDCAM EX3, Panasonic HPX170 P2 and the Canon A1s.

I use these cameras for Multi-Camera events (Fashion Shows, Corporate Banquests and award shows), Corporate Videos (Oil & Gas videos) and Reality TV segments (currently doing Comcast's DOD ... Dating on Demand).

And on very seldom occassions ... wedding or quince.

I love the commercial side of Video, "Motion" Photography. It has really sucked me in to that world.

Well, I think it is finally time for me to pick up a camera and that's where I stand. I of course want to do more work, but it's hard to get video in budget when your work cannot be released by some of the clients you work with.

Oh well.

Let's here a bit about your experience. I love to hear what others do. That's my inspiration.

-Ray-

[Daniel W.]

I used to do in-house production (live production and ENG) for a religious group in addition to interning / gopher for few local stations.

In SD, I was trained on a TK76 (my mentor was a bit of a sadist) even though DV was well in its prime (at this point the PD170 had been released, if that puts you in perspective). So I learned how to care for a lead acid belt and how you should balance the load evenly across your shoulders between the camera unit and U-matic deck. I moved up as prices fell to work with a Ike' HL77's and 79's. I'm still convinced that those cameras and the Sony D600 were the best image ever on SD - you can keep your DV crud. With necessity, I learned on some of the low-end JVC 1-piece 500 series cameras, which ergonomically were hell and the transport was a crapshoot. The lens mount manufacturing was inconsistent, even had the locking bayonet ring crack once under the weight of a Canon lens with a wide converter attached. That being said, it was a full size camera with real audio boards, came with a usable Fuji 14x and a decent chip under studio light for under $10k. It got me into NLE, editing on Trinity (a Windows 98 computer based switching system from the now defunct Play corp.) and then Toaster (another, less awful computer based switcher from Newtek.)

In HD, I shot with a Z1 something or another handycam, and a few of the JVC 100 series cameras. I love the hard disk (Firestore rebranded) from JVC for dropping straight into FCP into a non-render-needed format, but the UI was a POS. Dealt with it for convenience and speed but always back up to tape. I do video much much less and still much much more. Right now I'm using a Flip MinoHD

I'm incredibly glad I learned video and it's audio counterparts before photo since it's a large possibility that my future will include video. While the codecs and technology may change, you can always find useful knowing how to field strip an XLR, know how to properly "net" a lens for the Barbara Walters look, change a Lowel bulb with one hand (and a leather glove), or even re-configure a building's existing telephone wiring for an IFB or program feedback monitor when you've run out of cable. Just last week I was shooting in a large venue and was able to use a XLR-1/4" ->1/4" to PC sync along the band's snake to sync up one of my flashes because the distance was not suitable for radio.

[swanny338]

So far almost all of the motion work I have done have been with 5diis and 7ds. I did shoot one music video where we used a red to shoot certain scenes at 2k and 120fps and then we shot the rest of the thing on hdslrs.



Thats me with rigged with a 7d on a steadicam flyer le. Just got my bartech remote follow focus in last week.

[tukaniray]

Hey Dan, I like your story.

WOW ... I haven't met anyone else that does TD on the Trinity system. I had used that system for about 2 years and engineered the mobile box that this company I worked for used. I also have used the Folsom and Stream Genie switchers as well (the Stream Genie is a webcast switcher ... actually was quite good for such a small box).

I like to hear other video people's journey. It's very different from a photographer's journey in the field.


Bryan: Your steady cam rig is quite nice. I bet you don't feel anything with the HDSLR systems.

Nice set up.

-Ray-

[Daniel W.]

I was real glad when we went from Trinity to the Tricaster though haha... I remember our unit would burn through SDI cards almost on a 6 mo. basis, we got in the habit of just sending them out in January and June in a repair-exchange loop. Didn't even have to call ahead, they knew they were coming. I used something similar to the Genie, but it was uplink and stream only...streambox or...something like that. Nice all-in-one kind of thing.

Nothing will ever make up for a real switcher though. The first couple weeks I got bogged down trying to adjust levels and select inputs with a keyboard and mouse, still prefer being able to just press a button and move a t-bar over any advanced all-in-one-box.

[tukaniray]

I hear ya. That's why I liked the Folsom switchers. Those were straight up buttons and a T-Bar. Graphics came from a something like a Grass Valley into the board.

LOL, I remembered that the company that was using the Trinity would have spares all over the place. And having to be one of 2 guys that would go back there every few months and change them out. Thank fully, it never went out on us during a gig.

-Ray-

[The J-Rod]

Motion Photographers....I like that.

[tukaniray]

^^ Yes sir ... since this is more of still photography forum, I call those who use video/film as motion photographers ...

I met a gentleman at a large gig a few years ago who correct me and explained this whole thing about still photography vs motion photography (aka cinematography). Stuck with it since.

Plus it sounds a whole lot better than videographer ... which usually makes you think wedding video artist ... I know there are a few of us that do video for weddings and such as well ... but I wanted to hear from those who also do it professionally for corporate videos, commercials and film/digital film shorts and movies.

-Ray-

[txphotog]

I am a video guy as well.... have used everything from Sony (beta sp), Panasonic(DVCPRO), Canon (XL1,XL2,GL1,GL2, A1s). My current daily shooter is JVC 700 series HD camera. Also use a canon 7d.

[luis_relampago]

I started doing video in Beta and super beta back in the days then I moved to DV and edited with Videonics stuff I was using Panasonic, Sony and Canon Video cameras, latter I moved to edit with Sony Vegas, then Adobe Premier and finally with Final Cut Pro in Mac by then I was using the Canon XL2 and GL2 DV cameras, finally when I moved to HD I was looking for commodity more than anything else I saw the new Panasonic "HMC" models solid state cameras that recorded directly in to SD cards so I bought the "HMC70U" version and also the "HMC150" at first I had to edit in Premiere Pro since back then you could edit AVCHD natively in Premier but after awhile FCP gave us the upgrade to use AVCHD footage and I switch back to Final Cut Pro.
After the 5DII came out it really change the game for me since I find my self using the DSLR video out of my 5DII, 7D and 550D more and more specially for projects involving storyboards and scripts also musical videos or projects that involve some previous planning. In the wedding world I use them for the creative part of the production and I use the Panasonic HMC150 or 70U for the rest of the project, I like using both systems regular HD camcorders and HDSLR each has it's value.