Expensive cameras

[Arnt Mollan]

Hi everyone.
I am not much of a forum writer. More a reader. My bad english to blame.
But after reading the thread http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=75172 by 14 year old Gabriel, I was thinking there must be a lot more boys and girls out there, who want to start our expensive hobby or profession.

Just wanted to say to all of you that wants to start with nature
and wildlife photograpy, that you do not need to start with a Canon and
looong lenses like Per Johan and others on this exellent forum have. An ordinary off the shelf camera can do the job for you.
BUT you have to move around more. Use a tent or a shelter. On your knees and stomack.
"Hunt" the wildlife with your camera. Get close without scaring them.
Eleminate long distance fog and shake if you can.
Dont let the expencive cameras stop you from filming wildlife!
Most of us started with unexpencive equipment and the "wildlife" in our backyard.

The video "Safari Kenya" on http://www.mollanmedia.com/Bilder/Fl...mer/video.html
was enterely shot with a small camera with 10x optical zoom and a monopod.
No add-on optics. Made just for fun, after my wife an I had been to Kenya for the holiday of a lifetime.
Highly recommeded.

But some animals requier long lenses. Like the musk oxes Per Johan is filming.
I guy sat half a day and half the night on a cottage roof because he got too
close to the same musk oxes. (But he got some stunning photos from the roof top).
Excellent job Per Johan.

Get out there. Get close to the nature. With what you got.
Keep up the good work and happy filming.

[Gabriel Yeager]

Thank you, Arnt!
You have inspired me even more. It is such a great feeling, being able to have people that I can talk to and get influenced by. Thank you all! I can't wait to get my camera and head out there and start shooting!

For those of you wondering what I am going to get... I don't know. I only have $220 cash right now and if I sell my fish tank (Which would give me another 150) tomorrow, then I'll get an Elura 100. If I don't sell it, Then I think I might get the ZR500.

Thanks for reading my post!
~Gabriel~

PS: Thats a very good film! Some beautiful shots! Do happen to remember what camera you used?

[Alexander McLeod]

Good message, Arnt. Get as close as you can to nature with what you have. Perfect! Gabriel, go for it. We do what we can with what we have.
Sandy

[Gabriel Yeager]

Thanks, Sandy(?). I will. And I'l be sure to keep you all updated with what I am doing.

~Gabriel~

[Grant Sherman]

I found some old footage that I took with a philips toucam webcam attached to my telescope. The image quality isn't great, but I like the interaction between the two birds.

http://www.returntickettonature.co.uk/bjaaaaa.htm

scroll down to videos ;-) .wmv (231k) and .mov (220k) versions available


The telescope cost £300, the webcam and adaptor was £100. The magnification is something like 100x (with 1300mm focal length). It's a relatively cheap way of getting close-ups of cliff nesting birds.

[Per Johan Naesje]

Originally Posted by Arnt Mollan

But some animals requier long lenses. Like the musk oxes Per Johan is filming.
I guy sat half a day and half the night on a cottage roof because he got too
close to the same musk oxes. (But he got some stunning photos from the roof top).
Excellent job Per Johan.

LOL - good that the guy survived the meeting with a lovely animal! They don't look harmful but watch out, they are extremly fast when they decide to attack you!

Arnt, liked your video "Safari Kenya", wish I could go there myself.

Gabriel, nice to hear that you will try out with the camera of your choice. It's much wildlife to shoot without using any looong lense. Arnt give you some good advise here.

[Arnt Mollan]

Gabriel: I used a Sony DCR HC90,
and I hope you find a camera for your needs.
If I had to pick my first camera today,
I would not have consentraded on the best picture. As strange as it seems. I would pick a camera with prority:

1. manuall focus
2. mic inn
3. And then the picture/optics.
4. handling
5. headphones
6. manuall light
7. 16:9
8. Second hand price. (Because we will all have to replace the camera with something better someday)

I am sure others have different priorities.
We can cover up a bad picture with good sound, but we can seldom cover up bad sound with pictures.
And we cant use music all the time. I always take a minute or five sound- recording as soon as possible, for background repair.
And you will need a good mic. The onboard mic is usless when the wind is blowing, and is'nt it always?

Thank you all for comments on my film "Safari Kenya". Wish you where there.

[Gabriel Yeager]

Originally Posted by Arnt Mollan

Gabriel:
1. manuall focus
2. mic inn
3. And then the picture/optics.
4. handling
5. headphones
6. manuall light
7. 16:9
8. Second hand price. (Because we will all have to replace the camera with something better someday)

The camera I am looking at does have, Manual focus, Mic in, good picture, and 16:9, plus, I can ad filters and telephoto lenses. Is it really all that important to have a headphone jack? The only thing that the camera I plan on getting does not have is, Headphone jack, sound control, manual gain, and thats all I can think of that it does not have... You can see it here.

Thanks for all the encouragement!
~Gabriel~

[Arnt Mollan]

Originally Posted by Gabriel Yeager

Is it really all that important to have a headphone jack?

Hi Gabriel
Yes it is!
We have to monitor the picture in a viewfinder or a monitor, and it should be as natural to monitor the sound on a peak meter and headphones. Wind noice, background noice and a bad contact in mic cables is easy to find with headphones. Hard to notice without. And then all the noice we dont think of.
Some time ago I edited a movie for a friend, where he had held the camera against the zipper in his jacket.
He had destroyed most of the sound-track. If he had used the headphones he would have heard the noise the zipper made.
The more we can control, the better results we get.

[Gabriel Yeager]

Ahh I see. Thank you! I found out that you can plug your headphones into the A/V out jack, and it works just find. So that should take care of that...

Originally Posted by Arnt Mollan

The more we can control, the better results we get.

This is true. Very great words!
Thanks a bunch!
~Gabriel~