TOOLS FOR THE TOOLBOX: H o w D i ffere n t C a m er a s a re B u i lt for D i ffere n t J obs December 2012

ROB BURKE

Video Editor and Shooter

701.235.5525 | 888.sundog | fax: 701.235.8941 2000 44th St. S | Floor 6 | Fargo, ND 58103 www.sundoginteractive.com Tools for the Toolbox: How Different Cameras are Built for Different Jobs | Rob Burke

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When it comes to creating video, be it an advertisement or a movie, there is always a story. The viewer can connect with a story. That story is the selling point, and it brings the viewer to their own conclusion as to why they should agree or disagree with the video. For advertising this means the viewer must be sold on the story to be sold on the product. With this in mind, the argument can be made for advertising that how you tell and show the story is just as important as the product you are selling. If the viewer does not connect, then the product is lost on them. Telling the story right involves many different aspects, but one of the main ones is how you shoot it. You can visually portray the emotions of the story by the lighting, camera moves, and style of image. This means the types of cameras you choose to tell the story and portray emotion can and should vary widely depending on the image you are trying to accomplish. This white paper will discuss the differences between cameras and how those cameras are tools in your toolbox. It will discuss how most of those tools are made for specific tasks and how each can help in creating the right image for the story. It will talk about where these systems are going and how you can keep up with these changes.

10 Years Ago: For the last ten years we have seen a shift in the equipment used for high-end video production; it was extremely expensive to rent or own the equipment necessary to get a quality picture. Film was expensive to make and develop; it took longer to shoot, longer to edit, and it took more people to run the camera. There were different types of film cameras, but most were large and cumbersome. Without a budget from a studio or large company, you were stuck with smaller print film stock that didn’t hold up well and couldn’t be enlarged much. No longer is it beyond anyone’s budget to create professional images. You don’t have to worry about film stock and development for every shoot.

You can now choose to shoot without needing a 1st and 2nd AC. You have more options on the size of crew and amount of gear you want or need for a production.

The Digital Age: When the digital age started, it slowly brought with it cheaper cameras. Quality of the digital camera has taken quite a long time to match film, going through many different types of media and codecs. From Beta to HDV to solid-state memory, film has been the reigning champion through them all. In the last few years though, we have started to see the shift of image quality in favor of digital. The digital age brought with it the ability to capture quality images at a fraction of the cost, giving even the lowest of budgets the ability to capture in “film quality.” Today you are able to pick from a wide range of camera systems, some expensive and some cheap, that widen your ability to get the shot needed (Eisenberg).

Tools for the Toolbox: How Different Cameras are Built for Different Jobs | Rob Burke

The look of a product on film is ingrained in our collective vision to the point that we don’t notice it until we see something different.

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Turning Point: Many attribute the turning point of low cost high quality cameras to the release of the Canon 5D Mark II in 2009. In the last three years many more camera systems have been released to rival and exceed the 5D in cost and quality. These systems have become more versatile and can accomplish more, but there are still pros and cons to each. Take the 5D for instance; some of its pros would be a great low light image, light weight, cheap, amazing full frame sensor. Some of its cons would be no audio input, no timecode, small and light, poor camera controls.

Cameras: With digital cameras catching up to film, there has been a broadening of the types of camera systems out there to use. Kerry Shelton, the general manager of Sundog Studios, puts it into perspective. The pallet that is now available to shooters has widened so much with so many useful cameras that it would be an oversight to think one camera would fit all situations. With this broadening palette of cameras comes the ability to be even more creative in the types of shots you can get and how you can get them. Before these cameras, you would be hard pressed to get a film rig on a surfboard or to set an expensive camera in front of a crashing car. There are four main types of systems that digital cameras break down into; Slow motion, POV, Small body and Cinema body. Cameras tend to bleed into two or three of these but do not accede in all aspects. Knowing what these abilities and shortfalls are is important to being able to judge which system is right for the job.

Tools for the Toolbox: How Different Cameras are Built for Different Jobs | Rob Burke

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Slow Motion: Slow motion cameras tend to really be good at only one thing, slow motion. They are in need of a lot of light to pull off the high frame rates. They tend to be fairly large and heavy with the exception of the new Fastec TS3 Cine. They shoot only high frame rates and therefore are only good for slow motion. They also require a large amount of storage space. These cons are easily acceptable when the budget allows for a slow motion shot. These shots, when done correctly, give a glimpse into the scene being shot that was only dreamt of in the film age. Action: An action camera like the GoPro Hero3 is built to be able to shoot where you wouldn’t normally get a camera. They are small, durable and waterproof. Action cameras are able to do frame rates up to 120fps but tend to be B cameras due to lack of manual controls and fixed lenses; they tend to need a fair amount of light for usable footage due to their small sensor size. These cameras are cheap enough that it gives you the freedom to put them in harms way and not worry too much about breaking them. This freedom gives you the ability to get action shots you would never try with an expensive camera. Small Body: Small body cameras like DSLRs, RED Epic and the Blackmagic cameras have the ability to shoot with a small footprint. They give the user the choice to run with a small rig or build the camera out to a bigger cinema package. Small body cameras range from a great image to rivaling film quality. Cameras like the RED Epic are being used extensively in the film industry, and some even believe that its image has surpassed film. The DSLR’s, Af100’s and Canon C series, camera images are amazing, but tend to be B cameras due to rolling shutters, roll off of their highlights and the compression used in the camera. Small-bodied cameras are the growing number in popularity because of their versatility. The Epic gives you slow motion abilities up to a rate of 300FPS while also giving you a small body type and a 5K image sensor. Its dynamic range of highs and lows are preferred to some major Hollywood directors over film. Sony’s F3 with its

S-Log recording (The Arri Alexa also allows for Log-C) gives post production color grading the same amount of freedom as Film has always had. Canon’s C series cameras and DSLRs are taking over small budget shoots due to their image sensors, ability to shoot in very low light and ability to use Canon L series lenses. The small body type, though, tends to also be a downfall when in need of a full rig camera. With less body real estate, these cameras often lack necessary controls and buttons for quick control adjustment compared to a cinema body camera. Cinema Body: Cinema cameras have been the high end standard for video production because they mimic film cameras. Cameras like the Arri Alexa have a bigger body to allow for more controls and ports on the camera. This allows for bigger productions to build the camera out more easily. The image on the cinema bodies isn’t always better than on small bodies, but they allow for a steadier image when hand held and for more options for shooting. The main con, of course, is the size and weight of the camera. It lends itself well for big productions, but for any kind of run and gun or small crew production, cinema bodied cameras are a poor fit. The Alexa alone weights 17pounds without any accessories or batteries added on.

Pick and Choose: Rental houses have been a staple for Hollywood productions since the beginning. High-end budgets have been able to pick and choose their equipment for years. With such a wide range of cameras to choose from though, renting equipment should be a part of your budget and workflow. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t own any equipment. There will always be a shoot that comes up suddenly with a quick turnaround that won’t allow for the time or budget to rent equipment. Small body cameras are the most versatile and, therefore, the most useful to own (Philip Bloom: Choosing the right camera for the right job (part 1).

Tools for the Toolbox: How Different Cameras are Built for Different Jobs | Rob Burke

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Tools to tell the story: Which is the best camera to buy? There is no such thing as the best camera to buy. Every camera does different things; they’re all at different price points. They’re all for different jobs. It really depends on how much money you’ve got and what you’re shooting….It’s better to hire the expen-

Before today, anyone with a budget smaller than a Hollywood production tended to spend their focus on the camera, fumbling with poorly designed bodies and trying to get a usable image. Today, the quality is starting to be high enough in almost any camera choice that we no longer have to choose the camera solely on its image quality. You can now choose the camera for how it helps to tell the story. You aren’t tied down with trying to get any usable image; rather you can try to get the right image (Thomas).

sive cameras and own the cheap, like a DLSR or Af100. Stories and the art of storytelling play a major role in content marketing today. Not all brands realize the importance of

Camera systems will continue to evolve and get better. Image processors will get more sensitive, and resolution will get larger. We will even see a post-focusable camera (Pachal) in the near future. What we won’t see though for a long time is a one stop shop camera. There will continue to be task specific cameras that are great at a few things and a poor choice for the rest. Rental houses give you the ability to work with equipment that is too expensive to buy; working with the newest equipment that comes out is also important if you want to give your clients the best quality. The ability to choose the best equipment for the job gives you an advantage over competitors that only use the equipment they own. If you need a gritty image with an extreme shallow depth of field for a run and gun shoot, you can rent a C300 with cineprime lenses and a follow focus. If you need to shoot a high end commercial that will show on theatre screens before the movie, you can rent a RED Epic or Arri Alexa.

unearthing their core story and learning to tell stories in ways that endear new fans and motivate advocates.

There are times to list the specifications of a product, but if your viewer doesn’t have anything to connect that product to their own lives, then a lot of the time those specifications don’t hit home. Like the old proverb says, “Tell me a fact and I’ll learn. Tell me a truth and I’ll believe. But tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever.”

Renting allows you to better budget in the cost of your camera for the client as well. Renting takes away having to front the cost of a high-end camera system, gives you the ability to spend money on cameras and gear only when you are making money, and saves you money in repairs.

Tools for the Toolbox: How Different Cameras are Built for Different Jobs | Rob Burke

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Conclusion: Film has long been the quality standard of video. Its presence will not go away for some time but, just like film photography, it will continue to diminish in exchange for digital’s speed and lower cost. Digital cameras will continue to evolve and, in a few generations, we will look back at film and think of it as low quality. We will also continue to see a shift from the small group of shooters with the budgets to create high quality, to the masses with the resources (Eisenberg).

A new revolution is stirring as 3D releases, DSLR cameras and free Internet distribution (YouTube, etc.) bring the digital age of filmmaking to Hollywood’s front door.

Picking the right camera for the job takes research and testing, but you shouldn’t have to compromise anymore, and you should be able to accomplish any shot you put your mind to. Like with any profession, as times change, continue to research new methods and equipment, and make sure to keep the story your focus as you enjoy the ever-expanding palette for your canvas.

Tools for the Toolbox: How Different Cameras are Built for Different Jobs | Rob Burke

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References: Eisenberg, Mike. “Movie Technology: The Continuing Battle of Film vs. Digital.” ScreenRant. IndieClick Film Network, 2011. Web. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. . Bloom, Philip, perf. Philip Bloom: Choosing the right camera for the right job (part 1). Prod. Rick Young. 2011. Web. 28 Nov 2012. . Thomas, Jon. “7 Reasons Storytelling is Important for Branded Content.” POST advertising. Story Worldwide, 15 2012. Web. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. . Pachal, Pete. “Lytro: Shooting Matrix-Style ‘Bullet Time’ Video Isn’t Far Away.” Mashable Tech. Mashable, 02 2012. Web. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. .

Tools for the Toolbox: How Different Cameras are Built for Different Jobs | Rob Burke

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