Video questions

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Video questions

Postby Chads93GT » Oct 28, 2008 3:11 pm

Ok, We (my grotto) are wanting to get some video inside of our project cave, becuase the formations in it are never ending, fantastic, and just keep getting bigger and bigger, the further into the cave we push.

I shoot videotape for a living, literally, during the day with hand held cameras, but not underground in the dark. I know when the lighting is low, the video gets very choppy, due to the exposure settings, etc.

My question, how do I get good videotape in the cave, when all we have are our head lamps and what not? What are the tricks? We are only amatures, not looking to buy any expensive equipment. Just trying to get some cool cave video to make a montage of our cave, and whats in it.
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Re: Video questions

Postby NZcaver » Oct 28, 2008 3:27 pm

The first trick is try to bring lots of light with you!

Start by reading this topic and searching through the other video-related topics on the forum.
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Re: Video questions

Postby Ralph E. Powers » Oct 28, 2008 6:15 pm

NZcaver wrote:The first trick is try to bring lots of light with you!

Start by reading this topic and searching through the other video-related topics on the forum.

definitely what NZ said... lights and lights and even more lights... they make a big difference in the quality of a cave video.... be careful however not to over do it... also diffuse the brightest of your lights... experiment beforehand and see what works best... sometimes cross lighting helps eliminate harsh shadows as well.

If possible post your finished results where we all can see it. :big grin:
Without the possibility of death, adventure is not possible. ~ Reinhold Messner


http://ralph.rigidtech.com/albums.php
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Re: Video questions

Postby Marbry » Oct 31, 2008 12:41 am

Chads93GT wrote:Ok, We (my grotto) are wanting to get some video inside of our project cave, becuase the formations in it are never ending, fantastic, and just keep getting bigger and bigger, the further into the cave we push.

I shoot videotape for a living, literally, during the day with hand held cameras, but not underground in the dark. I know when the lighting is low, the video gets very choppy, due to the exposure settings, etc.

My question, how do I get good videotape in the cave, when all we have are our head lamps and what not? What are the tricks? We are only amatures, not looking to buy any expensive equipment. Just trying to get some cool cave video to make a montage of our cave, and whats in it.


What they said. You probably already know most consumer video cameras really suck in low light. You're going to have to be real close to the subject using just headlamps, and of course the headlamps aren't always pointed where the camera is. Either get a camera that does well in low light (specifically why I bought the one I did), or just bring lots of diffuse light. Spotlights can be as bad as not enough light as they tend to wash it out in the center, leaving the rest under exposed.
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Re: Video questions

Postby Ralph E. Powers » Oct 31, 2008 10:32 am

Marbry wrote:What they said. You probably already know most consumer video cameras really suck in low light. You're going to have to be real close to the subject using just headlamps, and of course the headlamps aren't always pointed where the camera is. Either get a camera that does well in low light (specifically why I bought the one I did), or just bring lots of diffuse light. Spotlights can be as bad as not enough light as they tend to wash it out in the center, leaving the rest under exposed.
Agreed, I bought a 10 million cp light for that purpose and it washed everything out... BUT a friend recommended putting wax paper over the lens and that helped diffuse the light rather well. Of course am now thinking thick tracing paper might be better. And the lamp being held a few feet BEHIND and to the side of the camera pointed at the subject in question. Like a flash arm for SLR's.
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