advice on doing videos of calculator operations

[Don Shepherd]

(07-09-2014 03:42 PM)Dieter Wrote:  

(07-09-2014 01:56 PM)Don Shepherd Wrote:  I would like to do a Youtube video of my 17bii calculator running an equation, but my tripod is not up to the task. I essentially want the camera to look straight down on the calculator while it rests on the desk and I push the keys and talk. This device looks like it might do the job, but I was wondering if others have experience doing this kind of thing. My camera is a small digital SLR with the standard screw tripod mount, and it can do movies.

In general, a copy stand is a suitable solution here. However, the one you refer to looks a bit small and light to me for a "serious" DSLR. I would prefer something more solid for this task. Don't you own a decent tripod with a head that can be tilted 90 degrees downwards?

There are other aspects that are important for a decent video: in any case set focus, exposure and white balance to manual so that they will not change during recording. Nothing is more annoying than a movie with continuously changing focus and exposure due to some weird automatic control. Then, provide decent and even lighting. Never mix different light sources like incandescent and fluorescent lamps and/or daylight. Do not use sound recorded by the camera and add your comments later with a separate microphone during editing. If your camera offers HDMI output you may connect it to a computer display or TV for much better control while the camera records.

And finally: even if the calculator is less wide than high – make sure the camera is mounted in landscape orientation. ;-)

Dieter

Thanks Dieter. Actually, I do own a very good tripod, the Veblon VS-3, with all kinds of adjustment possibilities, but in the couple of videos I have made using it I just couldn't get the camera quite where I wanted it.

My camera is a small digital, Fujifilm Finepix S8200 series. It is rather compact and I thought it would work well with this stand. Some reviewers say you need a shutter release when using the stand, but I imagine that advice is for still pix, not videos, which is what I am doing. Yeah, I know to lock-in the focus so it doesn't keep auto-adjusting during the video.

Thanks again for the good tips.