Photography Bay

Digital Camera News, Reviews and Tips

4K Video – Is it worth it?

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[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NFmpJNvd4k&w=700&showinfo=0&rel=0]

Here’s a great video from Linus Tech Tips that gives some insight to the 1080p/4K debate and some practical considerations for shooting, editing and exporting in one over the other. It pays particular attention to online video use (and specifically with regard to YouTube videos) and how they use the Panasonic GH4 and Sony FS700 as 4K shooting options.

I have been a proponent of shooting 4K and editing in a 1080p timeline to afford additional reframing options (or even 1080p footage in a 720p timeline if you are limited to HD cameras). The above video, however, makes the additional argument for 4K exports even if you are working in a 1080p timeline. That’s a new consideration for me but, given how YouTube treats 4K files, is certainly worth considering and testing in the future.

For those of you who shoot video, what format do you prefer to shoot, edit and export?

[YouTube via Reddit]

 

These Production Promos for the Rugby World Cup Will Make Every Cameraman Smile

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[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dL1KPB8l1N0&w=700&showinfo=0&rel=0]

In the lead up to the 2011 Rugby World Cup, Sky Sport released a series of advertisements featuring a lighthearted play on the camera and production crew and their readiness for broadcasting all 48 matches live.

From assembling cameras blindfolded to learning the first rule of being a cameraman, the quips in these ads will surely make you smile. Check out the rest of the series below. [Read more…]

Watch a Guy Surf While He’s on Fire

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[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VjThEE1vgw&w=700&showinfo=0&rel=0]

Check out this GoPro HERO4 video of surfing personality Jamie O’Brien riding a barrel on his surf board while he is literally on fire. Because surfing wasn’t cool enough already.

If you like this kind of surf video, O’Brien has a popular web series filled with crazy, surf-inspired nonsense from Red Bull called Who is JOB 5.0.

[via GoPro]

Joel Meyerowitz: ‘What you put in the frame determines the photograph’

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[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xumo7_JUeMo&w=700&showinfo=0&rel=0]

In this video from Phaidon Press, Taking My Time photographer Joel Meyerowitz discusses some deep concepts in his street photography about how he isn’t necessarily interested in photographing a singular thing but rather the relationship between things.

He also emphasizes the importance of the Leica rangefinder, which allows him to see both what’s in the frame in one eye and the context of the external world surrounding that frame.

Watch an Eagle Kill a Poor, Defenseless Drone

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[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hr-xBtVU4lg&w=700&showinfo=0&rel=0]

If you’ve ever crashed a drone before, you know how sickening that can be as you walk toward the crash site. However, seeing an eagle attack a drone and knock it out of the sky has to be one of the most satisfying drone crashes I have ever seen.

As the drone operator points out, “This is the last thing a small bird sees when a Wedge-Tailed Eagle decides that you are dinner…”

The pilot notes that he hung around the crash area to observe that the eagle was fine after the attack. “[S]he was massive, and used  [her] talon’s to ‘punch’ the drone out of the sky.”

And a word of advice going forward:

“Do not fly drones near birds of prey, they clearly attack seeing you as a threat or the right sized dinner. This will cost you money and potentially harm to the bird. This one was fine.. the drone needed some attention before it could fly again.

If you see a bird of prey while flying. Land. I have added this to my operating procedure.”

[via Gizmodo]

Nikon Coolpix P900 Firmware Update ver. 1.2

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Nikon has issued a firmware update for its new P900 superzoom. Firmware version 1.2 provides the following improvements:

  • An effort was made to fix an issue that prevented the shutter being released using the optional ML-L3 remote control when a person or object was immediately behind the camera. You should nevertheless select Off for EVF auto toggle in the camera setup menu when using the ML-L3.
  • Fixed a bug that caused the shutter to be released only once if the optional ML-L3 remote control was operated during movie recording, after which movie recording could not be ended using the movie-record button.

You can download the firmware update here on Nikon’s website.