Getting Started at DVinfo.net

Steven Gotz · December 16th, 2004, 07:52 AM

Some of you may know me from the Adobe Premiere forum. Well, my FX1 arrived and I am taking it to Hawaii (Kauai) this Sunday ( 12/19/04). Without a chance to experiment much.

I promise to sit down and read every one of the posts in this forum, but if anyone has any advice in the meantime on shooting gardens, waterfalls, surfers, whales, etc, I would be pleased to hear it.

Especially advice on the ND filters. And manual focusing. But mostly, any advice on shooting sunsets??

If anyone wants to request any particular footage of Kauai, let me know. I will be happy to post examples of your favorite spot on the island. Except I am not hiking the Na Pali coastline with this huge camera unless I go crazy and get sugared up on Macadamia Nut pancakes with Coconut syrup.

I read the manual cover to cover on a plane last night. Now I feel like I can take the FX1 out of the box and not be overwhelmed. But I could use some artistic advice.

Anyone with a lot of nature footage experience out there?

Thanks, and you will be seeing me around the forum from now on.

Grinner Hester · December 17th, 2004, 12:31 AM

7 or 8 pina caladas otta help ya out with composition and creativity, Steven.
Man, have fun. Get some nice footage but leave that badboy in the room one day and just keep yer toes in the sand.
I envy you right now, brutha.
I dig how you drink so deeply from the cup of life.
Be careful and have a blast.

Steven Gotz · December 17th, 2004, 08:44 AM

Thanks Grinner.

I think the Hawaiian drink is a Mai Tai. I'll save the Pina Colada for our trip to Acapulco in March. I am looking forward to shooting the cliff divers in HDV, but one vacation at a time, right?

The beach is across the street from our timeshare, and there is a really cool blowhole in the lava flow just down the block. (We have stayed in this condo before.)

We will be there 12 days, and I am only bringing 10 tapes. So there will be lots of time to relax. (Of course, WalMart stocks DV tape. :-)

Actually, I have gotten pretty good at getting into "vacation mode". It use to take me a couple of days to unwind. Now I am in the groove when I step on to the plane and settle into my seat, and take the first sip of the Mimosa they serve on American Airlines before takeoff. As I sit back, exhale, feel my wife's head on my shoulder - that's it - I am "on vacation"!

The place we stay is where people come from all over to watch the sunset. So I will have quite a few chances to get it right.

But I have no idea how to set the ND filters for a sunset! Or the Iris!

Grinner Hester · December 17th, 2004, 01:23 PM

Play at home with it in auto. Some cameras are better than others about bouncing the iris. If you see it doin the bright/dim dance, you know your gonna have to master riding it manually. Same with the focus. I havn't use this camera yet but I'd venture to say you'll be fine in auto.
As far as filters, don't even use em... at least on this trip. A plain vanilla canvas will allow you more control back home when your editing wher you can make it look any way ya want. You'll find alot of times shooting with filters marries you to a look ya wish ya didn't have. Not cool when a dude does a belly buster from 200 ft.
I say aim, shoot and zoom with the image stabilization.

Steven Gotz · December 17th, 2004, 01:43 PM

Ah, but from what I read in the manual, it complains if you don't set the ND filters correctly.

And I did buy the clear and polarizer filter kit. I assum that the polarizer should be used in bright sunlight to avoid some reflections, but how to use it is a mystery.

Also, I was hoping to try a lot of different things using identical footage. I just don't understand everything.

I feel like a kid with a brand new driver's license being handed a Maseratti on a race track, and being told - go fast, don't crash.

But Auto is my friend. This I know.

With any luck at all, I can play the sunset footage on a TV in the condo and at least get an idea of who it came out.

I'll post pics when I get back.

Thanks.

December 16th, 2004, 07:52 AM	#1
Steven Gotz Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Clermont, FL Posts: 1,520	Getting Started Some of you may know me from the Adobe Premiere forum. Well, my FX1 arrived and I am taking it to Hawaii (Kauai) this Sunday ( 12/19/04). Without a chance to experiment much. I promise to sit down and read every one of the posts in this forum, but if anyone has any advice in the meantime on shooting gardens, waterfalls, surfers, whales, etc, I would be pleased to hear it. Especially advice on the ND filters. And manual focusing. But mostly, any advice on shooting sunsets?? If anyone wants to request any particular footage of Kauai, let me know. I will be happy to post examples of your favorite spot on the island. Except I am not hiking the Na Pali coastline with this huge camera unless I go crazy and get sugared up on Macadamia Nut pancakes with Coconut syrup. I read the manual cover to cover on a plane last night. Now I feel like I can take the FX1 out of the box and not be overwhelmed. But I could use some artistic advice. Anyone with a lot of nature footage experience out there? Thanks, and you will be seeing me around the forum from now on.

December 17th, 2004, 12:31 AM	#2
Grinner Hester Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: services world-wide Posts: 118	7 or 8 pina caladas otta help ya out with composition and creativity, Steven. Man, have fun. Get some nice footage but leave that badboy in the room one day and just keep yer toes in the sand. I envy you right now, brutha. I dig how you drink so deeply from the cup of life. Be careful and have a blast.

December 17th, 2004, 08:44 AM	#3
Steven Gotz Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Clermont, FL Posts: 1,520	Thanks Grinner. I think the Hawaiian drink is a Mai Tai. I'll save the Pina Colada for our trip to Acapulco in March. I am looking forward to shooting the cliff divers in HDV, but one vacation at a time, right? The beach is across the street from our timeshare, and there is a really cool blowhole in the lava flow just down the block. (We have stayed in this condo before.) We will be there 12 days, and I am only bringing 10 tapes. So there will be lots of time to relax. (Of course, WalMart stocks DV tape. :-) Actually, I have gotten pretty good at getting into "vacation mode". It use to take me a couple of days to unwind. Now I am in the groove when I step on to the plane and settle into my seat, and take the first sip of the Mimosa they serve on American Airlines before takeoff. As I sit back, exhale, feel my wife's head on my shoulder - that's it - I am "on vacation"! The place we stay is where people come from all over to watch the sunset. So I will have quite a few chances to get it right. But I have no idea how to set the ND filters for a sunset! Or the Iris!

December 17th, 2004, 01:23 PM	#4
Grinner Hester Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: services world-wide Posts: 118	Play at home with it in auto. Some cameras are better than others about bouncing the iris. If you see it doin the bright/dim dance, you know your gonna have to master riding it manually. Same with the focus. I havn't use this camera yet but I'd venture to say you'll be fine in auto. As far as filters, don't even use em... at least on this trip. A plain vanilla canvas will allow you more control back home when your editing wher you can make it look any way ya want. You'll find alot of times shooting with filters marries you to a look ya wish ya didn't have. Not cool when a dude does a belly buster from 200 ft. I say aim, shoot and zoom with the image stabilization.

December 17th, 2004, 01:43 PM	#5
Steven Gotz Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Clermont, FL Posts: 1,520	Ah, but from what I read in the manual, it complains if you don't set the ND filters correctly. And I did buy the clear and polarizer filter kit. I assum that the polarizer should be used in bright sunlight to avoid some reflections, but how to use it is a mystery. Also, I was hoping to try a lot of different things using identical footage. I just don't understand everything. I feel like a kid with a brand new driver's license being handed a Maseratti on a race track, and being told - go fast, don't crash. But Auto is my friend. This I know. With any luck at all, I can play the sunset footage on a TV in the condo and at least get an idea of who it came out. I'll post pics when I get back. Thanks.