Nikon D7000 Info.

[Lost Canadian]

Did anyone want any .NEF files?

I'll second that, by the way Michael, nice little film with your dad.

I've been doing a lot of playing around, but nothing serious yet. One thing is certain with HDSLR's, you don't stop spending at the camera. So far, I've picked up Zoom H1 to record stereo, ordered a Jag Field Runner, a couple 16GB 20MB/s Lexar cards, and I still need to get a LCD viewfinder. Things certainly start to add up when you get into video.:Wow1:

As for the camera itself, I couldn't be happier with its performance. The image and video quality is excellent up to ISO 1600, and after further review, I would revise my earlier opinion and say I'm comfortable shooting stills in half decent light up to ISO 6400, 3200 under more challenging conditions.

As I think Michael was alluding to in his original post, this camera could become very popular with the overland type crowd because it offers exceptional still and video IQ, along with awesome metering and AF systems, in a small, light weight, well built little package. There's not much more one could ask for in a $1200 camera body.

Here are a couple more sample images. These were all hand held, for 1/30's at ISO 3200, with no PP done to them, including no noise reduction. I can email the RAW NEF's to anyone who wants to view them.

Here`s another low ISO sample image I could provide the RAW for if anyone is interested in seeing the detail this camera captures.

 

[Michael Slade]

It might be a little thing, but I am SO glad to see that you're not using the Nikon strap. I hate those damn things. I have never used one on any camera I've ever owned. I am using the Domke gripper, and have been for 15+ years...the one on my D2x is pretty thrashed. I'm digging that Ex-Po-ish leather strap on yours.

I looked at the Jag site to check out your rig. I am curious to see what you think about it. I actually canceled my order on the Zacuto finder, so I am also very interested in Jag's LCD magnifier. I think that my shooting style will fit it nicer than pressing my eye up to a viewfinder.

Getting the Zoom was a great idea. Now you will learn how damn hard audio is...I am getting my *** kicked on a daily basis by how hard it is for me. Wow.

I'm meeting today with a producer and then on Thursday with an art director to go over some scripts for commercials that we hope to be filming within the next few weeks. We have committed to using the D7000, so this will be interesting.

I am also going to get that home-made steady-cam made for this production, I think it might come in handy. Also thinking about a rail system as well.

Dang...what a can of worms...

 

[Lost Canadian]

I'm digging that Ex-Po-ish leather strap on yours.

Gordy's Camera Straps. He'll make you a custom one, fit to your specified length or you can get an adjustable one. He has different styles of straps as well. They're not cheap but they are hand made in the USA and are of the highest quality.

I actually canceled my order on the Zacuto finder, so I am also very interested in Jag's LCD magnifier. I think that my shooting style will fit it nicer than pressing my eye up to a viewfinder.

I'm thinking of getting this viewfinder off ebay. I've read good things about them, someone even suggested they come out of the same factory as the much more expensive LCDVF. They are both made in Poland so who knows. The Zacuto was just to rich for my blood.

Getting the Zoom was a great idea. Now you will learn how damn hard audio is...I am getting my *** kicked on a daily basis by how hard it is for me. Wow.

The kicker for me with the audio, at least with the Zoom, is getting it synced. I'm happy with audio quality, but but having a seperate audio file is a bit of a pain.

I'm meeting today with a producer and then on Thursday with an art director to go over some scripts for commercials that we hope to be filming within the next few weeks. We have committed to using the D7000, so this will be interesting.

Good luck. Hopefully you'll get some good stuff to share with us.

Dang...what a can of worms...

You can say that again.

 

[Michael Slade]

Here is a short test-clip that I did yesterday.

Home-made turntable test

Here's another.

 

[Michael Slade]

I bought this camera to shoot video with, so I have been shooting and editing a LOT of video.

This latest piece might be of interest because I shot it at a higher ISO, 400, and it's entirely naturally lit. 400 is high? Well, for me it is. I am just now getting comfortable with the idea of higher ISO in a digital camera, so I am taking baby-steps.

A lot of these shots are lit with one lightbulb and are in a very dark barn.

D7000, 12-24, 28-80, Manfrotto 501HDV head, Gitzo carbon fiber sticks.

Live Nativity At Morgan Farm

 

[crawldit]

Love the information in this thread. I've been thinking hard about upgrading my D3000 to the D7000. I had read reports where people bad mouthed the grain with higher ISO's on the D3000. Coming from Arizona there is plenty of light, so I was usually shooting with my ISO at 100 and never ran across that problem. Up here in Alaska the lighting is much more difficult. I've had to bump my ISO up at times and I found out real quick that anything above 400 is garbage. Even at ISO 400 I get alot more grain than I like. I'm shooting a Nikon 80-200 f2.8 and a Nikon 35mm f1.8, which are pretty quick/sharp lenses.

 

[JayGannon]

Here`s another low ISO sample image I could provide the RAW for if anyone is interested in seeing the detail this camera captures.

Hey could I get the NEF of that?

jay-at-thefactory21.com

What lens what that taken on?

Cheers in advance

 

[JayGannon]

The kicker for me with the audio, at least with the Zoom, is getting it synced. I'm happy with audio quality, but but having a seperate audio file is a bit of a pain.

http://www.singularsoftware.com/pluraleyes.html

Will save you a lifetime in audio syncing.

 

[Michael Slade]

We finished a rough edit for this commercial on Monday. There's still some contrast and color balance issues to work out, and there's an animation at the end with a sound-effect to add, but we're pretty happy how it turned out.

Here's a low-res version of the almost-finished product.

There's also a compression/ratio issue that came from Final Cut that I am not happy with. I will make a slightly different edit in Premiere for my own reel.

D7000
Nikkor 28-80 2.8
Nikkor 105 2.8 macro

 

[Lost Canadian]

Hey could I get the NEF of that?

Uploading the file as I type this.

 

[Michael Slade]

Here's the final edit of the iFrogz commercial I shot last week and turned in for the final project on Monday. This is for my video production class I just finished at Utah State University.

Watch it here.

If anyone would like a link to the high-rez version, I would be more than happy to provide it.

 

[nwoods]

Here's the final edit of the iFrogz commercial I shot last week and turned in for the final project on Monday. This is for my video production class I just finished at Utah State University.

Watch it here.

If anyone would like a link to the high-rez version, I would be more than happy to provide it.

Interesting video. My thoughts are this:
1. Cuts are quite long enough, seems a little jumpy to me.
2. I couldn't hear any audio?
3. At 0:19 the young lady looks like she's about to puke. Without audio, no idea why other than too many cupcakes? Not sure the connection to getting nauseous is effective for a commercial?
4. The colors in the cupcake store seems a bit flat and/or undersaturated. Perhaps you were limited to using available light?
5. No clue what the phones were doing in the end of the video, but the depth of field was a bit too shallow there. I think product shots should be extremely sharp, unless they are macro...
6. I have never shot video, have no appreciation for how hard it must be, and my comments are not too be taken seriously.

 

[Michael Slade]

This version might help.

version with text and sound

I wanted to do a slightly different edit, so I re-cut it.

Your comments are great. Thanks for the input!

 

[nwoods]

This version might help.

version with text and sound

I wanted to do a slightly different edit, so I re-cut it.

WOW did that make a difference! I did not even get the product tie-in the first time around. But then, looking at all the typo's in my "critique", its appearant that I was not firing on all cylinders on my first go-round.

With the music, it's terrific, the changed vantage point on the model as she looks a bit "chagrined" is much better than before. In my first viewing earlier today, I meant to state, "cuts are not quite long enough", but this time through, it all worked, and now I have the added benefit of understanding that its not an ad for a bakery!

Also, now that I understand the color theme you are going for, the slight pastel color tones in the bakery scene totally makes sense.


I think you nailed it. [edit:] Almost. I watched it again. At about the half-way point the model's tongue is swiping the frosting off the cupcake....it's not necessary to see that. Comes across as a bit glutonious. The preceding scene where she removes her finger from her mouth is much more effective. Cleaner, more wholesome, and yet sexier too. Suggestive instead of demonstrative.

 

[Ash]

Anyone tried the Focus screen from Katzeye?
http://www.katzeyeoptics.com/item--Nikon-D7000-Focusing-Screen--prod_D7000.html

Ash