Fotohacker » video

First ever DSLR movie… Nikon D-Movie

Jason — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:10:34 +0000

Nikon has a new camera hitting the shelves very shortly which I’m sure you’ve all had a chance to hear about. It’s called the Nikon D90, and it’s a 12.3 megapixel step up in their mid-range of cameras. This will be the successor to the D80. However, a few things seem to radically set it apart from the D80. First, it’s basically using the D300′s CMOS sensor… so you’ll get the kind of low noise the D300 has been enjoying. Still not as good as an FX sensor, but far better than anything that came before. It shoots at 4.5 fps – so it’s no slouch at capturing action.

But perhaps the most major new feature you’re getting… is the ability to take HD movies with the camera. Interested yet?

Because of the way an SLR works, which it’s mirror assembly and shutter mechanism, typically your recording surface (in the digital era, that’s the sensor) is hidden from view until you press the shutter release button, causing all that stuff to flip up and out of the way. This has been a bit of a technical barrier for doing something like Live View or movies.

In the last year or so, however, companies like Nikon have discovered ways around that hurdle. Modern Digital SLR’s are able to preview using the LCD screen and, with the Nikon D90 release… they can now take movies. This is a feature that many photographers, pro and amateur alike, may not immediately find appealing… but it’s huge. You see, not only does the D90 shoot video, but it shoots HD video (720p) and because it can use all the Nikon lenses, your D-Movie video can look better than most expensive camcorders.

Visit the Nikon D-Movie page and watch some of their sample video.

How lenses are made [video]

Jason — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 10:59:32 +0000

There’s a great show in Canada called “How It’s Made”, which airs on the Discovery Channel. They get invited onto the factory floor for all sorts of manufactured items. This video follows the process of putting together a lens on the JML Optical assembly line. As you would likely guess, the process will vary between manufacturers, but this might give you a little insight as to why those camera lenses are so expensive.

Making of Feist’s “1234″ [video]

Jason — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 20:18:25 +0000

I know this isn’t still photo related, but it does involve some pretty serious lighting considerations given that the whole thing is done in one take. This video gives a glimpse at the production work behind the very clever music video from Canadian singer/songwriter Feist. If you’re a lighting geek, you might enjoy it.

You’ve like seen a portion of the Feist video on the Apple iPod Nano ad. If not, you can see the original video here. Below is the making of video.