Any tips for a newb?

[Chaos Network]

I gave my friend my old canon t5i a couple months ago with intentions to buy a Sony a6600 shortly after, well plans changed and I just now managed to get my hands on a second hand Sony a7sii. 
 

where is a good resource for me to learn the ins and outs of this camera? My main use is video, with a touch of photo. Luckily the guy I bought it from has it set up for video with some good color profiles and stuff, but I want to learn how to use this camera to its potential. 
 

the first video I got with it: 

 

biggest question is how do I reduce the haze around my headlights either on the camera during shoots or in post?

[Chris Pratt]

Let me preface by saying have no real experience in video, but the basic principles of photography are the same. You're shooting a dark scene with bright light sources. The first stumbling block you're running into is dynamic range.

 

Cameras of any sort have a dynamic range of light that can be captured. Even if it's HDR, you're still only dealing with a maximum of 12 stops. Each stop is a doubling of the light let in by the camera, and is controlled by the golden triangle of aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. 

 

This is where the video inexperience comes in. If I were shooting a photo of this scene. I'd optimize for a low ISO to reduce noise, and since it's still and not closeup, a low shutter speed and high aperture, to optimize the amount of light. Then, I would "shoot to the right", a technique for filling out the histogram, by essentially overexposing the shot. This captures more detail in the darker areas of the photo, but blows out the highlights. However, this means, overall, you've captured more data in the midrange. Then, though, I could pull the RAW into Lightroom and adjust the histogram back to the left. This would reduce the banding around the headlights as you've actually been able to capture more of the dynamic range in that area. I'd imagine shooting video would be mostly the same, just with different tools.

[LaFemmeEnVert]

2 hours ago, Chaos Network said:

I gave my friend my old canon t5i a couple months ago with intentions to buy a Sony a6600 shortly after, well plans changed and I just now managed to get my hands on a second hand Sony a7sii. 
 

where is a good resource for me to learn the ins and outs of this camera? My main use is video, with a touch of photo. Luckily the guy I bought it from has it set up for video with some good color profiles and stuff, but I want to learn how to use this camera to its potential. 
 

the first video I got with it: 

 

biggest question is how do I reduce the haze around my headlights either on the camera during shoots or in post?

1. Learn about exposure settings

2. Learn camera techniques

3. Learn about lighting

4. Learn how to block a scene 

5. Learn many other stuff 

 

there are many aspects of filming video, different scenes can be filmed using different camera techniques and different camera operators can have different approaches to how they will film with a camera.  Because of this a tip that can be helpful in filmingonne type of scene will not necessarily be helpful in filming another type of scene

[VFXGuy]

8 hours ago, Chaos Network said:

I gave my friend my old canon t5i a couple months ago with intentions to buy a Sony a6600 shortly after, well plans changed and I just now managed to get my hands on a second hand Sony a7sii. 
 

where is a good resource for me to learn the ins and outs of this camera? My main use is video, with a touch of photo. Luckily the guy I bought it from has it set up for video with some good color profiles and stuff, but I want to learn how to use this camera to its potential. 
 

the first video I got with it: 

 

biggest question is how do I reduce the haze around my headlights either on the camera during shoots or in post?

 I found a course on it the other day from a package I bought. (5daydeal.com/partner/JordyVandeput)

Obviously can't send it to you as that would be pirating and can't find where you can buy it individually. It might actually be cheaper as part of the package I bought (the entire package cheaper than the course).

[Electronics Wizardy]

9 hours ago, Chaos Network said:

Luckily the guy I bought it from has it set up for video with some good color profiles and stuff, but I want to learn how to use this camera to its potential. 

Id do a factory reset on the camera. Then you can start from the defaults

 

9 hours ago, Chaos Network said:

biggest question is how do I reduce the haze around my headlights either on the camera during shoots or in post?

What lens are you using ? 

 

It seems that the shot isn't in focus here. Id use manual focus here as auto focus normally sucks at night like this, and you can probably set the focus once and its good enough(this shot isn't gonna be super sharp anyways due to the noise)

 

I think the halos are due to the lens, some lenses are much better at this than others. Lenses aren't great at super bright things next to dark subjects and keeping the contrast high, esp on cheaper lenses.

 

What exposure settings are you using? Id try to get that iso down if you can as that noise is pretty nasty.

[Chaos Network]

34 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

Id do a factory reset on the camera. Then you can start from the defaults

 

What lens are you using ? 

 

It seems that the shot isn't in focus here. Id use manual focus here as auto focus normally sucks at night like this, and you can probably set the focus once and its good enough(this shot isn't gonna be super sharp anyways due to the noise)

 

I think the halos are due to the lens, some lenses are much better at this than others. Lenses aren't great at super bright things next to dark subjects and keeping the contrast high, esp on cheaper lenses.

 

What exposure settings are you using? Id try to get that iso down if you can as that noise is pretty nasty.

A Sony 18-135. I was using autofocus and the iso was at 2500. I think I was at f4.5. 
 

this is my first foray into manual video. On my canon I always let it just do it’s thing, and other than that I’ve really only used like gopros

[Electronics Wizardy]

17 minutes ago, Chaos Network said:

A Sony 18-135. I was using autofocus and the iso was at 2500. I think I was at f4.5. 
 

this is my first foray into manual video. On my canon I always let it just do it’s thing, and other than that I’ve really only used like gopros

Is auto focus on? Id set the focus for when the car is near the end, whats when its the most noticable.

 

That noise is probably a lot from youtube, 2500 should look pretty clean on a a7sii.

 

Do you have any better lenses you can test? My guess is that lens isn't great and causing the halos.

 

Also is that lens for aps-c cameras? Your probably only using half of that sensor, Id get full frame lenses here for better low light and quality.

[Chaos Network]

2 hours ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

Is auto focus on? Id set the focus for when the car is near the end, whats when its the most noticable.

 

That noise is probably a lot from youtube, 2500 should look pretty clean on a a7sii.

 

Do you have any better lenses you can test? My guess is that lens isn't great and causing the halos.

 

Also is that lens for aps-c cameras? Your probably only using half of that sensor, Id get full frame lenses here for better low light and quality.

It’s the only lens I have, and I believe it came in a kit with the camera when new but I could be wrong

[Electronics Wizardy]

1 hour ago, Chaos Network said:

It’s the only lens I have, and I believe it came in a kit with the camera when new but I could be wrong

Yea Id try getting new lenses, as I think thats a aps-c lens.

 

Then set focus right, the second half of the shot is out of focus. EIther tweak the autofocus, or set it manaully.

[Chaos Network]

3 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

Yea Id try getting new lenses, as I think thats a aps-c lens.

 

Then set focus right, the second half of the shot is out of focus. EIther tweak the autofocus, or set it manaully.

This is the exact lens that it is

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1383463-REG/sony_sel18135_e_18_135mm_f_3_5_5_6_oss.html

 

SEL18135

[LaFemmeEnVert]

lmao amateurs giving advice to amateurs.  the only other good comment here is get a new lens because the lens used right now is a a lens for a cropped sensor and the a7sii is a full frame sensor

you need to learn cinematography.  the a7sii is a capable camera with a number of advanced features and the only way to make full use is to learn cinematography and learning what the camera can and cannot do.  as an example of something you need to learn and develop a understanding, since it's a sony camera with SLog2, SLog3 and other cine profiles by Sony, you need to understeand the behavior of those different profiles and how to correctly set the exposure for each profile to the scene or subject you are filming

there are online resources where the behavior of things like slog 3 or differnet versions of xavc codec in various sony cameras are discussed and explained in great detail, quite a lot of it researched and tested by filmmakers like Alister Chapman

 

filming involves a entire pipeline of differnet processes from having a script and storyboard to planning your shots to editing in post to get the final result

 

the video you shot of a car driving on some road at night:  what's the purpose of that shot? to me it looks like some random shot you made to test if the camera's recording butting worked or something. 

are you trying to shoot a shot of a car for tracking scene?

are you trying to shoot a shot of a car for a chase scene?

are you trying to shoot a shot of a car for a establishing scene?

 

i can think of several different ways to film the same car movement on that road and each way will involve using a differnet lens, different camera operation, different approach to shooting the scene

you want to get a better image of this same scene so you have less noise and better image quality? film in day time and edit "day for night" style or set up the area with lights and then color grade in post to make the scene look the way it's supposed to look

 

 

you wont learn much about improving your skill or knowledge to maximize how you use the a7sii here, go look for discussion groups where people film with this camera and other sony cameras in the real life.  there you will find people who can tell you in great detail the strength and weakness of various cameras, how to use it, what to do and what to avoid doing and more.  join discussion groups where working professionals not just film, but work in different parts of the entire process from scripting all the way to editing.  a good camera operator also needs to have a good knowledge of post production and editing even if he or she doesn't actually work in the post production process. there's a few number of times in the past several months du to pandemic restrictions so I can't go to the location myself and had to rely on working with remote camera operators who provide me with footage I can't use for editing because they don't follow my instructions because they don';t understand why I am very specific with the formats they need to film or why the DOP is telling them to film something a certain way.

[Chaos Network]

49 minutes ago, LaFemmeEnVert said:

lmao amateurs giving advice to amateurs.  the only other good comment here is get a new lens because the lens used right now is a a lens for a cropped sensor and the a7sii is a full frame sensor

you need to learn cinematography.  the a7sii is a capable camera with a number of advanced features and the only way to make full use is to learn cinematography and learning what the camera can and cannot do.  as an example of something you need to learn and develop a understanding, since it's a sony camera with SLog2, SLog3 and other cine profiles by Sony, you need to understeand the behavior of those different profiles and how to correctly set the exposure for each profile to the scene or subject you are filming

there are online resources where the behavior of things like slog 3 or differnet versions of xavc codec in various sony cameras are discussed and explained in great detail, quite a lot of it researched and tested by filmmakers like Alister Chapman

 

filming involves a entire pipeline of differnet processes from having a script and storyboard to planning your shots to editing in post to get the final result

 

the video you shot of a car driving on some road at night:  what's the purpose of that shot? to me it looks like some random shot you made to test if the camera's recording butting worked or something. 

are you trying to shoot a shot of a car for tracking scene?

are you trying to shoot a shot of a car for a chase scene?

are you trying to shoot a shot of a car for a establishing scene?

 

i can think of several different ways to film the same car movement on that road and each way will involve using a differnet lens, different camera operation, different approach to shooting the scene

you want to get a better image of this same scene so you have less noise and better image quality? film in day time and edit "day for night" style or set up the area with lights and then color grade in post to make the scene look the way it's supposed to look

 

 

you wont learn much about improving your skill or knowledge to maximize how you use the a7sii here, go look for discussion groups where people film with this camera and other sony cameras in the real life.  there you will find people who can tell you in great detail the strength and weakness of various cameras, how to use it, what to do and what to avoid doing and more.  join discussion groups where working professionals not just film, but work in different parts of the entire process from scripting all the way to editing.  a good camera operator also needs to have a good knowledge of post production and editing even if he or she doesn't actually work in the post production process. there's a few number of times in the past several months du to pandemic restrictions so I can't go to the location myself and had to rely on working with remote camera operators who provide me with footage I can't use for editing because they don't follow my instructions because they don';t understand why I am very specific with the formats they need to film or why the DOP is telling them to film something a certain way.

What is a decent lens you would recommend for me then? The shot was more of a test shot if anything. But it’s what I would cal a flyby for me to post on tiktok or something. No story there. 
 

im solo, not really doing any scripting for anything. I’m shooting, and I’m editing. 

[LaFemmeEnVert]

19 minutes ago, Chaos Network said:

What is a decent lens you would recommend for me then? The shot was more of a test shot if anything. But it’s what I would cal a flyby for me to post on tiktok or something. No story there. 
 

im solo, not really doing any scripting for anything. I’m shooting, and I’m editing. 

if you are working solo or with others it doesnt matter.  if you are going to be editing you need to think about getting the right footage that is ready for editing and since you will be doing the editing you will benefit from talking with other editors and learn from them

there are many choices for a lens, if you want a allrounder lens for the a7sii for video work something in the medium zoom or prime lens range would give you something to start

[LaFemmeEnVert]

8 hours ago, Chaos Network said:

post on tiktok or something

if you are filming something for tiktok or other social media there is 1 very important thing you need to think

most social media audience watch the video on their mobile devices, usually in a vertical orientation of their screen so you need to think about framing the video in such a way that it maximises or optimizes the audience's viewing experience.  so some of our productions for social media destination, we film normally but knowing we will crop the video into a square format we make sure to keep all the key elements in a square safe area in the framing.  or we rotate our camera 90 degrees and film vertical if we need to delivery a vertical format video

you will find some information here  https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-video-specs-guide/