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DSLR users: how do you optimize footage quality?

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MADDECENT
Posts: 5579 - Karma: 951
I've been filming with a T2i for a while now, and have always noticed my footage just isn't quite as crisp as the "big" editors I've seen (Will Start, Braunstein, etc.)

I've got a 17-40 f/4L, so I know thats not the problem, and my focus is usually pretty on point. Even shots I take a while to set up and ensure the focus is absolutely perfect don't come out as well.

My editing settings in Premiere always match my footage, I correct histogram levels in AE, to me it seems like I'm doing everything I can.

I guess I'm just looking for any possible tips from people as to how you make your footage look the best it can be.

Thanks to everybody, +K.

Heres a video I recently made for reference if you think it may be my exposure/anything else.

13 years ago
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JStrathern
Posts: 8747 - Karma: 1,536
Well the aperture changing with the focal length is not optimal, that is a downside to whichever lens you're using. A variable aperture lens is usually cheaper and lighter than a lens with a fixed aperture for example an 11-16 f/2.8 where aperture will not be dependent on focal length.
13 years ago
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Mag
Posts: 8155 - Karma: 14,798
Sorry, I'm explaining myself badly, why is there arpetute setting on the lens if you just set it through the camera? If you set It to 15 on the camera that had a 3.5 arpeture lens on, would it be different to if it had a 5.6 lens on?
13 years ago
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JStrathern
Posts: 8747 - Karma: 1,536
You don't set the aperture on both, just one or the other. Are you saying you have lens with an manual aperture ring? Sorry if I'm not answering the question I just don't really get what you're saying.
13 years ago
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Mag
Posts: 8155 - Karma: 14,798
No, I don't currently have a camera with arpeture, sorry it doesn't matter, il figure it out when I actually have one haha, but thanks anyway
13 years ago
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WillStart
Posts: 3955 - Karma: 3,192
I think I get what you're saying. the aperture value on the lens (say you had a lens that was 50mm f/1.4, for example), that simply means that the WIDEST it can open is 1.4. That doesn't mean that the aperture of the lens is fixed at 1.4 The reason they tell you the widest it can go is so you know how shallow the depth of field will be and how it will perform in low light. Assuming it's a Canon lens, the aperture will actually be adjusted through the camera.

is that what you meant?
13 years ago
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WillStart
Posts: 3955 - Karma: 3,192
and to add to this: say you have the Canon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6. This means that the widest the aperture can go actually changes depending on how much the lens is zoomed it. Say you have the lens at its widest focal length: 18mm. The widest the aperture can open is f/3.5, but it can be closed all the way to f/22. Then, once it is zoomed in to 55mm, the aperture can only open to f/5.6 at the widest. But it can still be closed all the way to f/22. Ideally, you want a lens with a non-variable aperture so that the lens can open the same amount regardless of how much it is zoomed in. My 17-55mm f/2.8 can open to f/2.8 at 17mm through 55mm, it doesn't matter.
13 years ago
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Mag
Posts: 8155 - Karma: 14,798
Cheers will, that's exactly what I meant.
13 years ago
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MADDECENT
Posts: 5579 - Karma: 951
Thanks.

They are 9 and 11 if I'm not mistaken. They both just won nationals for their age groups. They're a family friend, thats why I had to make the video. I am pretty happy with the way it came out. It wasn't the most interesting thing to start with, so I didn't really get super into filming it, but the video didn't really come out quite as boring as I thought it would.

Also, I'm very happy with the footage quality I got. Changing my aperture and getting an ND filter did wonders.

Thanks to everybody that has given input so far, It helped a ton.
13 years ago
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