Putting together a mini-movie with dSLR at DVinfo.net

Matt Lomeli · September 26th, 2006, 10:20 PM

I know this is possible, I just can't figure it out on my own. Search didn't help much on this topic either.

I'd like to use my Canon 20D SLR camera to make a short 3-5 minute movie clip. What I can't figure out is how to shorten the length of each clip so it's 24 frames per second (give or take). I know it's going to take around 2000 clips for what I'm lookin' to do.

Any help with this is much appreciated. Any other advice with this topic is also welcomed.

thanks
Matt

Don Blish · October 5th, 2006, 02:50 PM

Many compact digital cameras make movie clips at 10 to 30 frames per second and store them as .mov or .mjpg files.

DPinfo.com does not indicate that your EOS 20d (or any other true DSLR) takes such clips. Were you intending to take multi-frame bursts to do the job? If so, I suspect you will have to deal with individual stills. Your D20 takes 5 per second, then each still should be set to cover 6 frames for 30fps video (NTSC-DV). Your can set the default still size to be 6 frames in preferences. (Note that a change in PPro requires you to exit the program and reenter to "stick"). Then alt-click in blocks of stills to the timeline, provided alpha order is the order you want them in the result.

Note that depending on your available RAM, the program may "stutter" previewing so many gigantic stills. Most of us make "proxies" beforehand of, say 1080x1920 (16:9) or 1440x1920 (4:3) to avoid this. You may be able to do this in some kind or batch process...or just set your camear to take them in, say, the 1600x1200 size. That should do for either standard definition or HD when the time comes.

Its worth a try!

Craig Chartier · October 5th, 2006, 10:09 PM

they used canon DSLRs to do Tim Burtons corpse bride movie. maybe some info on that.

Matt Lomeli · October 6th, 2006, 01:17 AM

Thanks for the info guys. Yeah, I'm planning on using the 5 frames per second to help. I'm not looking for it to be 100% smooth...otherwise I'd use my video camera. This would be more a creative movie type project.

Sheila Ward · October 6th, 2006, 10:20 PM

This might help you out:

http://www.izzyvideo.com/2006/08/13/...ame-animation/

Short vodcast and there are a few suggestions in the comments.

John C. Chu · October 7th, 2006, 02:24 PM

Some great information in this thread-- Thank you!

I really like that link, Sheila---I didn't know you can do that with Quicktime Player to open an image sequence as a movie.

Awesome.

I remember someone mentioning this link here in DVinfo a while back.

http://patrykrebisz.com/films_between.html

It really inspires me.

The first time I viewed it had the shutter sound for a soundtrack[which I liked better] the new version has a polished soundtrack.

Lawrence Spurgeon · October 7th, 2006, 06:20 PM

I have a Rebel XT, which shoots 3 frames per second. For a cool visual effect, I have shot ~5 second bursts, loaded thm into Ulead VIdeostudio to display for 1 second each, then accelerated the resulting clip by a factor of 3. Interesting stop-motion video that is very sharp.

John C. Chu · October 8th, 2006, 06:22 PM

Here's my little experiment shooting with a Nikon D50 that I did today after reading this thread.

Here is the link to my little test:

http://chung123.googlepages.com/dslr6fpsqtmovie

September 26th, 2006, 10:20 PM	#1
Matt Lomeli New Boot Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 17	Putting together a mini-movie with dSLR I know this is possible, I just can't figure it out on my own. Search didn't help much on this topic either. I'd like to use my Canon 20D SLR camera to make a short 3-5 minute movie clip. What I can't figure out is how to shorten the length of each clip so it's 24 frames per second (give or take). I know it's going to take around 2000 clips for what I'm lookin' to do. Any help with this is much appreciated. Any other advice with this topic is also welcomed. thanks Matt __________________ _______________ ml Last edited by Matt Lomeli; September 27th, 2006 at 12:06 AM.

October 5th, 2006, 02:50 PM	#2
Don Blish Major Player Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Portland OR Posts: 227	EOS 20d bursts to make a movie Many compact digital cameras make movie clips at 10 to 30 frames per second and store them as .mov or .mjpg files. DPinfo.com does not indicate that your EOS 20d (or any other true DSLR) takes such clips. Were you intending to take multi-frame bursts to do the job? If so, I suspect you will have to deal with individual stills. Your D20 takes 5 per second, then each still should be set to cover 6 frames for 30fps video (NTSC-DV). Your can set the default still size to be 6 frames in preferences. (Note that a change in PPro requires you to exit the program and reenter to "stick"). Then alt-click in blocks of stills to the timeline, provided alpha order is the order you want them in the result. Note that depending on your available RAM, the program may "stutter" previewing so many gigantic stills. Most of us make "proxies" beforehand of, say 1080x1920 (16:9) or 1440x1920 (4:3) to avoid this. You may be able to do this in some kind or batch process...or just set your camear to take them in, say, the 1600x1200 size. That should do for either standard definition or HD when the time comes. Its worth a try!

October 6th, 2006, 01:17 AM	#4
Matt Lomeli New Boot Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 17	Thanks for the info guys. Yeah, I'm planning on using the 5 frames per second to help. I'm not looking for it to be 100% smooth...otherwise I'd use my video camera. This would be more a creative movie type project. __________________ _______________ ml

October 6th, 2006, 10:20 PM	#5
Sheila Ward Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Arkansas Posts: 107	This might help you out: http://www.izzyvideo.com/2006/08/13/...ame-animation/ Short vodcast and there are a few suggestions in the comments. __________________ Sheila

October 5th, 2006, 10:09 PM	#3
Craig Chartier DVi Contributor Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Austin Texas Posts: 374	they used canon DSLRs to do Tim Burtons corpse bride movie. maybe some info on that.

October 7th, 2006, 02:24 PM	#6
John C. Chu Major Player Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Rego Park , NYC Posts: 665	Some great information in this thread-- Thank you! I really like that link, Sheila---I didn't know you can do that with Quicktime Player to open an image sequence as a movie. Awesome. I remember someone mentioning this link here in DVinfo a while back. http://patrykrebisz.com/films_between.html It really inspires me. The first time I viewed it had the shutter sound for a soundtrack[which I liked better] the new version has a polished soundtrack.

October 7th, 2006, 06:20 PM	#7
Lawrence Spurgeon Regular Crew Join Date: May 2006 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 31	I have a Rebel XT, which shoots 3 frames per second. For a cool visual effect, I have shot ~5 second bursts, loaded thm into Ulead VIdeostudio to display for 1 second each, then accelerated the resulting clip by a factor of 3. Interesting stop-motion video that is very sharp.

October 8th, 2006, 06:22 PM	#8
John C. Chu Major Player Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Rego Park , NYC Posts: 665	Here's my little experiment shooting with a Nikon D50 that I did today after reading this thread. Here is the link to my little test: http://chung123.googlepages.com/dslr6fpsqtmovie