GoPro HD Smart Car Rig

Another quick GoPro video with Director of Photography Osvaldo Silvera. In the first video he introduced you to the camera and a few of the accessories. In the second video Ozzie shows in detail in person kit that he has used on several well known reality shows and docu-series. In this video Ozzie puts the gear to work attaching the GoPro to the front windshield of a Smart Car using the suction cup mounts. He also puts the camera on the outside of the car with the same results.



Bottom line, this sub $300 specialty camera is a must have for any type of do it yourself Cinematographer or Videographer. The creative possibilities are endless. Just keep in mind that it is a specialty camera with the 170 degree fisheye field of view and is not something that you would want to film an nentire movie with, but for the special shots, or situations that prohibit a standard camera from being used the GoPro is the go to camera. We own a half dozen of them, and are gonna buy more. Now get out there and make videos!

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GoPro HD Pro Kit - DP Osvaldo Silvera

Here is another video on the GoPro HD Hero camera. This is the personal kit by Diretor of Photography Osvaldo Silvera. He's used this kit on many TV shows including two shows on BET and Syfy. His kit consists of (2) GoPro HD cameras, (2) additional housings, and an assortment of camera supports: Suction cups with articulated arms, and a variety clamps.

We recently used this kit on a commercial job and the client was blown away with the results of the camera and the perspectives you can get by being able to position these cameras in places where a standard type HD would never fit, and if it did it would probably be destroyed.

You can see my other GoPro HD review video here.



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GO PRO HERO HD Camera Review

One of the coolest HD cameras out there right now has to be the Go Pro HD Hero camera, and I was fortunate enough to get Osvaldo Silvera to do a video review of his Go Pro kit that he has used on several national TV shows including The Michael Vick project for B.E.T. as well as un upcoming series for the SyFy channel. Ozzie Silvera is one the top DP's working in television today and has as many as a half dozen TV series on the air at any given moment. That means if the Go Pro camera is good enough for him and the demands of Network engineers, its definitely more than enough for those of us working on online videos.

Go Pro markets their cameras as "wearable" cameras for the extreme sports world. You can attach the small cameras to surfboards or helmets and or anything else to get unique point of views recorded. Check out their website to see some amazing stuff people are doing with the little cameras.

Since these cameras shoot in full 1920 x 1080 HD Ozzie has modified his to kit eliminate the use for a big standard broadcast camera in situations where a full sized camera just wont fit. Like in the front seat of a car when shooting footage of the driver and passanger talking. Check out the video to see what he has to say about the camera and different methods of supporting the camera for production.

This is a small series and there will be more videos with Ozzie Silvera. If you are a camer person or videographer or even just a person that is thinking about buying one of these amazing cameras you will want to check these videos out.

GoPro Camera

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Why Shoot HD Q&A

News Videographer - Angela Grant posted a short piece about shooting in HD but working inside the SD workflow. Some good answers. There are alot more reason why I prefer SD to HD for Web based work, like the simplified workflow, less detail (we all aren't working with Megan Fox) SD is alot more forgiving. And mostly, the SD/Mini DV gear can be had for cheap! Long Roll Tape!

NEW CANON EOS 500D VIDEO? HAHAHAHA

THE ONLINE PHOTOGRAPHER just posted a piece on the new CANON EOS 500D DSLR camera that specs out with HD Video. The blog distanced itself from the video specs which was actually pretty cool. The article picks up steam in the comments section where readers are commenting that the 500D does 1080 video at 20FPS. Are you kidding me? What was Canon thinking? That Buster Keaton look is coming back? Or maybe you can change the shutter speed and get that Saving Private Ryan look? I don't think so. I think its a weak attempt at avoiding a full pit stop in this camera rat race that these manufacturers have placed themselves into. And its a stop gap replacement for an already overwhelmed and confused customer base. 1080 at 20fps is a waste of time. These camera makers really step up and make a video feature that is worth using, and that means 30P, 24P in drop and non frame drop modes and decent audio inputs and control. In other words, you aint gonna see me shooting video on a DSLR anytime in the near future.

YOUTUBE in HD

YOUTUBE keeps rolling out updates and new features. Today you can watch videos in HD. Im not really sure what that means but I'll take it I guess. They have included a FAQ for uploading questions. I havent really read through it but I will. I just dont see myself wasting time with HD for the time being. Its still good to know that Youtube is pushing their player closer to what people expect to watch entertainment on.

Viewers get a new system of Landing Pages, or at least thats what Youtube is calling them. Or it could be a push by the media giants to make their content easier to find in which case it sucks for us content creators.

Why You Don't Want To Shoot Videos With a DSLR

I can't keep up with every camera that comes out, but I hear things. I hear video is the on some flashy new DSLR's well congrats to all the Paparazzi. You guys got video know. We are all proud of you. seriously. Ditto you sports nerds and other still photographers. Otherwise those hybrid DSLRs are useless to me.

The DSLR thing has to suck as a tool for shooting video.
No audio, right?

Barrel zoom. No Controls and the thing is shaped like a DSLR.

Whats next a Rangefinder that shoots HD?

Gonna have to use a tripod at all times.

In other words why bother? Sure The HD Video Ready DSLR is a great tool for grabbing videos when you are shooting with a DSLR, but other than that I would always want a conventional video camcorder.

REASONS

Servo Zoom control.

Dedicated record button.

Stereo Microphone

Headphone Jack

This post isnt to bash whatever Nikons and Canons are flying off the shelves because of a hot rodded video setting. You want one of those cameras. Get one, they are bad ass. But if you want to shoot videos. Get a video camera. Its that simple.

YOU ARE SHOOTING HD VIDEO AND YOUR AUDIO SUCKS?

It drives me nuts when I talk to filmmakers and wanna-be filmmakers and they start talking about different cameras and formats. The conversation usually goes like this:

Yeah Im using the SONY/CANON/Whatever model and its the bomb. It does this and that and its totally better than anything else that doesn't have all these specifications

Then I ask them what they are using to acquire audio and they get that familiar look of confusion on their face and say: Onboard Camera Mic.

What? WHAT? You wanna talk about 1080P and resolution and how great it looks on the Samsung? And then turn your back on audio by using the built in condenser microphone? Its no wonder. The manufacturers emphasize the wrong features to an ignorant consumer base. All you hear about is HD and 720 and 1080 and you hear nothing about professional audio.