Camera Training

This week was my first week back at University as a second year! Scary right. Ultimately I am that type of person who will get themselves worked up and nervous about anything possible which I am stopping! The idea of becoming a second year and working on WINOL is very daunting, for the pure fact that to get a successful package out, the work has to be put in, and WINOL requires a lot of effort. This semester I am starting out in the field of features and production. For the whole time I have wanted to be a Journalist I have strived towards the feature side, especially fashion, so I am hoping that this chance will allow me to explore this and see whether this particular aspect of Journalism is in fact what I want to do. So, one of our first lectures this year was camera training, we are lucky enough to have brand new macs in TAB9 and a load of new equipment to use such as new lightweight/compact cameras, which are far easier to use (and hold) than the previous ones. In this post I am going to write up the notes I retrieved from this lecture as it will remind me in future when I have to attempt (emphasis on the 'attempt') to use the cameras, also it will hopefully help other second years if they are unsure of something. The aspects are put into bullet points as I believe it's easier to read and just to be even more helpful I will put the main words in bold so what you are looking for is easier to find!

- In the new camera the zoom is now buttons rather than the twisty bit of the lens, and is located on the side of the camera.
- The T - W button which is located on the screen, allows you to access the menu
- MF = manual focus
- AF = auto focus
- Manual focus is best to be on pretty much all the time however in worst cases and you have little time and the lighting is good, you can use auto. When we are in manual we are in control, which is ultimately the best position to be in, we run the camera, the camera does not run us.
- On the left hand side of the camera you will find the iris, white balance and gain
- Gain = can be put on high, medium or low. The more gain the more grain, so it is therefore better to have it lower
- Iris = located next to gain. Iris allows more light in, allowing for a better picture in some circumstances.
- White balance = next to gain also. To use white balance, put the camera into manual by pressing the MF button, zoom in on something white, put up the gain if it is too dark, press the AWB button at the front of the camera then zoom it.
- Shutter speed is located at the back of the camera. Make sure the frame rate is always 50 or above. Press the shutter, then move the button up and down to change.
- AE+ button is a quick way of changing the brightness when it is in auto.
- The SD slot is located at the bottom of the camera on the left hand side. 'Slot Select' will choose which SD card your shooting on.
- Zebra = 70/80 is skin colour. This button is beneath the screen.
- Menu/Thumb - T/W, use this joystick to move around
- Camera resolution should normally be 1920 x 1080
- Record mode =

• Normal - Simple Shooting
• Pre Rec - You are recording all the time, even more your press record. This type is good for things such as Football matches where you only want the goals but you still get everything is incase.
• Clip Continuous - Changes between the 2 SD cards you have in the camera 
• Frame Record - Stop frame animations, can have still frames. 
• Time Code - Record Run - best

- LCD  = focus assist if you put it on it, it draws a line around what is in focus. Everything out of the blue/green line is out of focus. Ultimately if there is no blue/green line, nothing is in focus!

- Recording in display shows what you are doing, recording in manual can then control the level of each channel.

Lastly, to see the clips you have recorded, you push down on the recording button (I think) and hold. Click on specific clips to watch them.

With these new cameras, are we are not using tapes like we had to do with the old ones, once we have transfered data to the computers to edit, we will probably have to wipe the SD card before giving the camera back to the learning counter! 

Hope this helps!