Shooting videos

21 Oct 2013

Gone are the days of the clunky video recorders to capture your family memories. Nowadays, one camera is all you need to take photos and record movies.

There are definitely models that are better for family movies as opposed to an aspiring movie director. However, there’s no denying that digital single lens reflex (DSLR) cameras are becoming more and more popular to use when shooting videos.

Using a DSLR means that if you’re capturing the moment in still format, and decide there’s something that needs to be filmed, it’s a simple switch of a button. And you’ll still get high-quality footage.

You no longer need to carry around two cameras.

There are still many things to consider when deciding which DSLR to purchase if you want to film, including how you are going to use the camera, whether you care about manual focus and what kinds of features you want.

There’s also the cost to consider.

Nowadays you can get relatively cheap DSLRs with video capability, but if you’re looking to do more serious work, it may be worth a larger investment.

Features

When choosing which DSLR to purchase, there are a number of features you’ll need to understand.

Screen

The size of the screen may matter to you, especially when filming outdoors as a larger screen may help with glare. A flip-out screen is also handy when it comes to changing the height of shooting. If you want to shoot from lower down, flip out the screen, turn it upwards, and you can see what you’re capturing. Without a flip-screen, you’ll need an external monitor, or you’ll need to bend down with the camera.

Focus assist

There is a specific feature on DSLRs that helps focus on specific subjects, depth and areas. Without this, you’ll mostly be relying on your eyes which can sometimes be tricky, especially with different light and varying subjects.

Record length

If you want to leave your camera going for the duration of a family event, concert or interview, it’s definitely worth checking to see how long certain cameras are able to record for. Many DSLRs have a limit to how much they can record at one time so you’ll have to be on hand to re-start the recording process.

Do you film home-movies? What camera do you use? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page.