Nikon D7000 tips

[Grandpaw]

Jeff,

I'm wondering if you (or any other reader of this forum) could advise with respect to VIDEO recording with the D7000. To be more specific in my case:

I currently had 2 32Gb cards in the camera (they will be empty to start with) and I plan to film at HD(720p) - not 1080.

My very basic questions are:

1). Are you aware of a (more of less) recording time for each card? I know that there's a maximum of 20 mins per "take", but I'm referring to a TOTAL time per card.

2). What really happens when card 1 fills? Is the video actually split between the 2 cards and, if this is the case, is it easy to recover it (I mean, to store it as just 1 video on a PC).

3). As I have to film a dance type show (I mean, with normal theatre lighting but with a lot of movement on the stage - i.e. jumps, leaps, and God knows what else!!), would you still advise to recording simply in live view and "auto"? If not, are there any basic rules to what you would recommend?

The only reason that I've posted this here now as I feel sure that there are many of your readers who, like me, would appreciate guidance on this subject.

Keep up the great work on these hints and tips - for me at least, they are already proving very useful.

Regards to all,

Raymond

Raymond, I do not take a lot of video but I will give you two suggestion that may help. First in concerning knowing how much time is remaining for your video I would refer you to Tip #55 that will cover that and tell you how to do it. By setting up your camera to have the video saved to card slot #2 you will always know exactly how much time you have remaining to record your videos.

What I have found as far a video is that leaving my camera in manual focus works much better for me because the camera does not keep refocusing continually which causes problems not only with the video but you can hear the focusing in the audio portion also. I have found that my camera can auto focus much better than I can manually focus so this is how I proceed when recording video. Before I go into video mode I just point my camera at where the action will be and take a auto focus reading because I do not seem to do a very good job in focusing in manual. Once the camera has acquired the focus I turn the auto focus OFF, and now I am ready to turn on live view and get ready to record. This gets me the focus that I don't seem to be able to get manually and it also eliminates the camera continually refocusing and also eliminates the sound that is picked up each time the camera refocuses. Now I am ready to turn on the live view and start recording.

This is what I found that works for me but I will have to mention again that I do not do a lot of video and someone else may have some better suggestions than I am able to give you. When recording, if you need or want to move your camera around for different views be sure and make all your movements slow and smooth so that your picture does not look jerky from the movement. Good luck with the video and I would HIGHLY SUGGEST doing a little practicing BEFORE the night of the show. Jeff

[Raymond_K]

Jeff,

Thanks for that tip about focussing automatically first and then turning off the automatic focussing and just staying in manual - to be honest, I would never have thought of that one!!!

I will give it a try and certainly practice before trying to video the show as it's of my daughter's dance company and I would hate to let her down with a bad video!!!

Final question for you (for the moment, at least!) is that, if one ever wants to upload a photo (or maybe even a video) to this site, there appears to be a very low limit (that of around 280Kb) and I was wondering whether you consider that has been set precisely to AVOID filling this site up with photos?

I just thought that it could be of interest for all to be able to, at times, post a video or photo so as to discuss it, get your personal opinion, get other opinions and even possible suggestions too.

Please let me know what you think about the "uploading" of photos and, once again, thanks for the tip about focussing - I'll let you know how I get on.

Many thanks,

Raymond

[Grandpaw]

A very simple but helpful tip when using your tripod

One of my favorite types of photography is nighttime or available light photography. When I get through shooting I have a tendency to remove my tripod from my camera and place it in the rear of my car and put my camera in front with me so I can take it in and check out my pictures when I get home. After looking at my pictures I remove the quick connect that attaches my camera to the tripod and it gets set on my desk to be put up latter. The problem with this method is several times when I went out to shoot the next time my quick connect was still on my desk. I had the tripod, camera and everything else but did not have the quick connect. This became a big problem and needed to be fixed

Here is what I did.

Now I have an extra quick connect that I leave mounted to my longer lens which makes it easy to attach to a tripod when needed. The thing that helped me the most, and the simple tip for this week, is remove the quick connect from the camera when your done shooting and attach back it to the tripod. I have gotten in the habit of doing this and now I never have a tripod without the quick connect right where I need it. I leave my tripod in the car and the quick connect on the tripod and have not had the is problem come up again. This is a very simple tip but one that has been very beneficial to me. You can have all the cameras, lenses and tripods you want but if the quick connect is not with you, you are can't shoot at night with your tripod. Jeff