K-5 Video mode

So, now I've been out and used my K5 in anger with video..... I'm distinctly nonplussed.

Yes, it works quite well. I'm focussing using the "turn to P, press the shutter all the way through to take an AF shot, set to MF and then turn back to video" method today and it's been OK. I'm not *that* impressed with the resolution, but the 24-70 makes for a really nice pairing.
The Zoom H2 works well too, on a clamp on the tripod, but it really needs a windsheild, which is somewhere else.

I didn't realise until tonight that Camtasia is a full-blown editing suite; I've been using it for all sorts of other stuff and now I have a half-decent video. I'll post up a link shortly.
Tip, though: put your audio together into one track via e.g. Audacity and compress it to 0.5 on Chris's compressor (it's more flexible than the internal one) and that way your sound won't distort. Which is nuts, but I think this is some QuickTime thingy...

Bret

I'm very interested in hearing more...

here a link: http://vimeo.com/19901309

Note that QT appears to have stolen / dropped some frames! I'll create another version shortly and see what that does.

One comment: It's stupidly difficult to focus in bright sunlight: the LCD isn't bright enough and therefore LV doesn't work. Maybe a Loupe really is a good idea....

I'm also not happy about not always being sure when it's recording - there's no real indicator apart from the "REC" on the aforementioned difficult-to-read screen.

Having said that, it performed faultlessly in -20C.

Bret

hmm, the frames are only missing when not viewing in fullscreen ?!

Strange, will have to work on that one.

Bret

Now I've done the weekend's filming, without further processing:

- I HATE THE AUTOEXPOSURE adjustment! it's crap!
- Why can't I have 60fps in 720p?
- Why no *really* obvious indicator that it's recording?
- I killed one battery over a day in -20 or so; the camera works well at those temperatures without any problems at all
- AF is slooooow with LV on, but kinda usable if you can read the screen
- I've got a bunch of shots where I didn't know I was shooting.....

The sound is awful but SR rocks hard, dude. I'll post up some footage including a husky ride over significant drops and the camera just soaks up the bumps. Very nice.

Don't like the autoexposure at all. I now lock it, every time. Stupid, stupid. Please let those of us who want to set exposure do so - or, better still, ramp it slower or make the ramp speed settable. Or let me change EV compensation while recording because not being able to do it stinks.

I'm almost impressed (though I'm far more impressed with my Zoom H2) with the K5; 400mm with SR means I can touch the lens and I get *minimal* shake without using a focus puller, and this is on a 222 head. If I were to use, say, a 501, then I think I'd get close to zero. Not bad at all.

34GB of video over the weekend, which is about what I was expecting. The 10min limitation is a pain - it would be rather good if it decided to autostart the next file.....

Bret

After having processed and looking through and uploaded... I need a 501HDV or so. Really really.

OTOH, this is "just" a hobby - and the results are OK. I still want a better tool, but this will do for the moment.

'Final' video right now is here: http://vimeo.com/20354916

I'll probably try and cut something else together using Final Cut Pro at some point in the very near future.

Comments welcome!

Bret

The video seems fine, certainly at the size shown on the web. Not so sure about the music though - it doesn't follow the action and seems disconnected from it. I also found the stop-start nature of the music track a bit irritating.

I watched the first 6 minutes.Some nice shots.

C&C's : I liked the music, but I dod feel the clips shouldreflect the dynamics of the music. When the fast track kicked in I wanted the clips to switch faster and without crossfades or faster crossfades

I've only taken one video with my K-5 and that was late at night after a few red wines and feeding the dogs tit bits. It was rubbish.

I was trying to get away without using paid-for music and I found it extremely difficult to get even close to what I wanted.... I have some soundtrack for some things, but it doesn't always fit with the on-screen action, so it was left out.

I'll leave it at "this stuff is a *lot* more difficult than it looks"

Thanks for the comments, I've taken them on board for the next video.

Bret

Oh I do understand.

I spent years recording music with the all the elements of performance, production, arranging, mixing and mastering that requires.