outdoor Video Recording?
I would like to shoot wildelife(mostly birds and ducks in flight) in all seasons/lighting conditions from a boat. will the folowing equipment be sufficient to produce a DVD that can be sold. stability ??lighting??
Sony HDR-SR11 60GB Hybrid High Definition Camcorder
SPK-HCD Underwater Camcorder Sports Pack
UV Filter
Circular Polarizer
Lexar 2GB Platinum II (40x) Memory Stick Pro Duo
Sony VCL-HG0737C 0.7x High-grade Wide Angle Conversion Lens
Pearstone Cold Shoe Adapter for Sony AIS
Sony ECM-MSD1 Stereo Gun Zoom Microphone – for Camcorders
Sony HVL-HL1 3 Watt Video Light
Sony NP-FH70 H Series Info-Lithium, ‘Super Stamina’ Battery Pack (8.4V, 1800mAh)
If you are recording from a boat, that is actually the wrong equipment – especially if you are recording migratory birds like ducks geese, and smaller species.
When migratory birds are in their migration patters, they are flying at high altitudes that the HDR-SR11 can not lock onto for solid video – especially in a rocking boat. You will need a professional camera with a long zoom and solid optical stabilization. Most of these setups cost several thousand dollars, but there are several affordable options available.
The HDR-SR11 will never be stable in your proposed setup. The focus is hard to adjust manually on long zoom with consumer cameras. Plus, a 3 watt light doesn’t provide enough light for that type of video. If you are trying to film this kind of activity in low-light conditions where you need a camera light, forget it. It won’t provide the quality video you need for production. No light will help you in this proposed situation – not even the professional lights. Not to mention, the lights may scare away the birds. A wide-angle lens also won’t help either.
If filming underwater, most of these accessories don’t apply. This is also an environment where only specific accessories are necessary such as the light and waterproof case, but the light needs to be 100 watt or more so it cuts through the water.
If you will be waiting for the birds to break migratory pattern and come down to lower levels to land or roost, then the equipment you chose will work. The wide-angle lens will help you get a large field or lake full of birds into one shot, but you can also do this by panning. You won’t need the light. Also, It is best if you are on solid ground with a Very Good tripod ($100 or more). You may need to make quick turns with the tripod (as the ducks fly by at 30-50 mph) while maintaining solid video stability. You will also have to limit your filming between daybreak and dusk (after sunrise to before sunset).
The biggest thing you will want to do is move up to the Sony HVR-A1 or another professional camcorder. This camera costs at least $500 more, but you will have that money because you won’t need most of the accessories you listed. This is one of the few professional video cameras that is very compact and can be broken down to a form factor similar to the HDR-SR11. The HVR-A1 also one of the rare professional camcorders to include Nightshot infrared capability. This is good if you want to do some short distance shooting in the dark or low-light of sunrise before daybreak – such as recording a host that is explaining the situation.
We have used this camera in similar settings to what you describe here, and its capabilities and quality impresses our clients. Other lower priced professional cameras you might want to look into are the Panasonic DVX100 (SD) and Sony HVR-Z1U – both cameras recorded most of the documentary, reality TV, and other cable TV shows you have been watching for the past decade. Also included in this list are the Sony HDR-FX1 (HD), and the Sony VX2100 (SD) – old popular choices for TV and internet news crews. Your most promising option will be the Canon series of GL1, GL2, XL1, and XL2 cameras which have recorded most of the wildlife videos you see on the Discovery Network; specifically the Animal Planet channel.
Adjust your setup by picking a proper camera out of the list provided. You will spend a little more money, but it will be worth every cent. You won’t need a light, but you will definitely need a high capacity battery and professional tripod (both available from Amazon.com). You may not be able to afford the waterproof setups for these cameras, but who needs waterproof setups when filming birds in flight? You might also need to get a bigger, more stable boat, or even better, film from land. It normally costs a lot less to film from land than from water. The biggest advantages to the improved setup we propose is not only better quality video, but also a lot less equipment to haul – just camera, tripod, and small bag of lenses and tape.
Look in your phone book for your local videographers. Visit them to check out their setups and get their advice. You may also be allowed to try out some of their cameras.
Good Luck
|
|
Panasonic NN-SN667W, 1.2cuft 1300 Watt Sensor Microwave Oven, White $149.99 Panasonic NN-SN667W Family Size Microwave Oven NNSN667W Microwave Ovens… |
|
|
Circulay Quay Sydney Night View Photo Mugs Sony Dsc…. |
|
|
Darling Harbour Sydney At Night Photo Mugs Sony Dsc…. |
|
|
Greatest Hits $6.90 All products are BRAND NEW and factory sealed. Fast shipping and 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed…. |
|
|
Pink Floyd – Pulse $12.37 At long last Pink Floyd: Pulse has arrived on DVD, and Floyd fans already know it’s a major cause to celebrate. The original VHS release was a milestone bestseller, but it seemed to take forever for the DVD to arrive, with numerous delays while Floyd guitarist David Gilmour and long-time Floyd producer James Guthrie labored to restore, re-edit, and remix this legendary concert video in 5.1-channel… |
|
|
Wasting Light $9.99 … |
|
|
Men in Black [VHS] $0.57 Product Details Actors: Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith, Linda Fiorentino, Vincent D’Onofrio, Rip Torn Directors: Barry Sonnenfeld Writers: Ed Solomon, Lowell Cunningham Producers: Graham Place, Laurie MacDonald, Steven R. Molen, Steven Spielberg, Walter F. Parkes Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DTS Surround Sound, Original recording reissued, THX, NTSC Language: English, Spanish Rated: PG-13 (… |
|
|
A River Runs Through It [VHS] $0.88 A lyrical and nostalgic film from director Robert Redford (Quiz Show, Ordinary People), based on the popular autobiographical novel by Norman MacLean, A River Runs Through It shows the best that modern filmmaking has to offer. The film chronicles two brothers coming of age in early-20th-century Missoula, Montana, under the stern tutelage of their minister father, played by Tom Skerritt (Top Gun). … |
|
|
A League of Their Own [VHS] $1.64 Penny Marshall’s popular 1992 comedy sheds light on a little-known chapter of American sports history with its story of a struggling team in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. The league was formed when the recruiting of soldiers during World War II resulted in a shortage of men’s baseball teams. The AAGPBL continued after the war (until 1954), and Marshall’s movie depicts the le… |
|
|
Wireless IP Pan/Tilt/ Night Vision Internet Surveillance Camera Built-in Microphone With Phone remote monitoring support(Black) $44.68 Specs: Image Compression Format: M-JPEG standard Image Resolution: VGA(640×480) / QVGA(320×240) Sensor: 1/4 inch CMOS, 300,000 Pixels Light frequency: 50Hz, 60Hz or Outdoor Audio compression: ADPCM Data rate: 802.11b: 11Mbps (Max.), 802.11g: 54Mbps (Max.) Ethernet: One 10/100Mbps RJ-45 Viewing angle: 67? Horizontal Rotating Angle: 0~270? Vertical Rotating Angle: 0~120? Alarm Mode: motion detection… |
