sony z1 user guide.pdf

8/14/2019 sony z1 user guide.pdf

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Sony Z1 Users Guide and Important information

Contents and contacts... 1

Dos and Donts 2Visual Guide to the Camera 3,4,5

Power; Battery charging; Switching on/off. 6

Tapes; Recording a shot.. 7Playback; Recording Formats- HDV, DVCam and DV SP 8,9

Recording Formats; Aspect Ratio; Using the Menu..... 9

Using a Tripod....... 10,11

Manual Controls- Focusing and Zooming; Picture Controls. 12

- Iris, Gain & Shutter Speed. 13

- White balance 13,14

Timecode..14Sound Recording- Internal, External, Sennheiser 416.15

- Senn 416, Senn K6, Boom operating, Radio mics. 16- Radio mics, Lip mic, Camera setup.... 17

- Camera setup, Monitoring, Auto levels 18- Auto levels, Sound Devices 302 mixer. 18,19

Shooting language basics; Types of shot and how to do them. 20

Shooting for the Edit. 22

The Rule of Thirds (Framing) 23

Broadcast Lab staff contact details..23

[email protected]

6334 for Gatehouse office: Naomi Smyth or Richard Wood

[email protected]; [email protected]

5420 for Ashton Begents kit stores

[email protected]

6267 for Karen Coopers admin centre; keys for Broadcast Lab and other [email protected]

This guide was produced by Naomi Smyth.

Please email with comments, suggestions and congratulations.


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DOs and DONTs

DO:Hold the Z1 with two hands as much as possible.

:Hold the Z1 by the handle on the top AND/OR with your hand cradled

underneath it.

:Make sure that anyone you pass it to has a firm grip on it before you let go.

:Remove the Z1 from the tripod and put it in the case before carrying it any distance.

:Change tapes quickly and efficiently, making sure nothing gets into the tape slot.:Keep checking the lens for smears and particles and cleaning it if necessary.

:Fasten the tripod base plate firmly to the bottom of the camera using a coin totighten the screw.

:Tie or loop trailing wires out of the way and away from the floor.

DONT:Hold the Z1 by the LCD screen, the Velcro strap, the lens hood, the battery

or any other detachable or extendable part.

: Pass it from person to person with one hand, across a gap or while either

person is in a precarious position.

: Leave the camera unattended, or anywhere it could be kicked, knocked overor tripped over or have things spilled on it.

: Touch the lens with your fingers or anything except a fresh cleaning cloth.: Clean the lens carelessly or unnecessarily.

: Carry the Z1 by holding the camera while it is attached to a tripod. You

could rip out or otherwise damage the bottom of the camera.

: Leave the tape slot open for any longer than strictly necessary to change

tape.

: Force ANYTHING. If something does not click into place, chances are you

are doing it the wrong way. Ask a demonstrator to show you.

: Handle the camera with dirty or wet hands.: Take the camera outside in the rain or snow without waterproof protection.

: Leave or carry the camera with wires trailing off it.: Film alone. You need at least one person to watch your back in case you

become too involved in filming to see what is happening around you.

Accidents and thefts can easily occur otherwise.


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Guide to the Camera

Lens hood Internal stereo microphone

Lens cover release tab Accessory shoe

LCD screen

Manual focusing ring

Ring/ lever External mic

zoom switch holder

Zoom ring

Manual Iris dial Secondary Zoom

lever + record button

Neutral density

filter switch 6 Assign Zoom response switch

buttons Sturdy handle

Gain presets- H, M,L

White balance presets- Focus manual/ auto +

daylight, indoor + push auto controls

manual

Tape open/

Man/auto iris button eject lever

Man/auto gain button

Man/auto shutter speed

Man/ auto white

balance Hinged LCD viewfinder

Manual/ auto lock switch

Audio level manual control dials

Viewfinder Rubber eyepiece

focusing slider


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Guide to Camera

Lens hood release screw

External mic holder

release screw

S video, 2 XLR

USB + microphone/

AV outputs line inputs

under flap

Visible security mark

Primary zoom lever

Velcro

hand strap

Expanded

focus button

Headphone and servo

remote sockets under flap

Record button

Camera/ VCR/ Off

switch

Kit number

Battery release button

Firewire

socket


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LCD viewfinder with rubber eyepiece External mic holder

Mic holder release

screw

Record light

(also flashes when battery or tape is low)

Battery release button

Zebra switch- LCD will display

overexposed areas with stripes Peaking switch- LCD will display

faint outlines around the parts of the

Auto/Man picture that are in focus

audio level

switches Programmable picture settings

Audio

level

manual Main menu- to change most settings

controls

Long-life rechargeable

battery pack

To check settings- Personal menu- programmable shortcuts

especially audio- to favourite functions, etc.

while recording

Scroll wheel- roll to page through

menu functions and increase/

decrease shutter speed. Push to

select a menu function.


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POWER

1. Supply power.From Battery:

Take the battery with the arrow on the back pointing downwards, and fit it onto the back of the camera

below the viewfinder. Slide it down until you hear a click.

DO NOT FORCE THE BATTERY-it should slide down easily and if it doesnt you probably need to

readjust its position. It is easy to damage the terminals by forcing it and if this happens the battery can no

longer be used.

From Mains: Plug in the charger, plug the mains terminal into it and connect the oblong terminal in the

same way as the battery. Be very careful of trailing wires. If the wire is tight, or it lies on a piece of floor

where people are likely to walk you must adjust your position or use another power point.

2. Removing the battery or mains terminal.You do this by pressing the batt release button to the right of the viewfinder. With the

button pressed, slide the battery or main terminal UP and off the camera.

YOU MUST USE THE BATT RELEASE BUTTON TO REMOVE THE POWER

SUPPLY.

3. Battery charging:

The Z1 takes L size batteries. The multi-purpose charger is designed so that L batteries slide on in one

direction and M size batteries in another.

Slide the battery from the middle to the left onto the L terminals on the charger. You should feel it clickinto place.

If the charger is correctly plugged in, it will make a noise when it is switched on. The length of battery

life will appear on the chargers LCD screen. When the battery is fully charged the LCD screen will show

FULL.

You do not need to use a release button to take it off- just slide it sideways and it should come free.

In order to maintain battery life, you should always use a battery until it is totally or very nearly totally

discharged. You should not use a discharged battery again until it is fully recharged.

The large Long-life batteries will give you approximately 6 !hours with the LCD screen closed.Using

the LCD screen considerably cuts down the amount of time on the battery- dont count on more than 4

hours if you are using the LCD screen a lot.Microphones that require phantom power (power from the camera) such as the Sennheiser 416 also take

a toll on the battery life.

SWITCHING ON AND OFF

Make sure the battery or mains terminal is safely and securely connected. Locate

the switch where your thumb would be if you were shooting handheld- it is part

of the record button. Push down the little green button in the middle of the switch

and slide it ether to Camera or to VCR depending which function you want.

To switch off, slide the switch to the central off position.


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TAPES

Always label your tapes clearly in a way that makes sense to you. It is best to label your tapes inadvance of shooting, perhaps with the date and a number. After recording, you might also want

to write some notes on the tape about what is on it.

Always store tapes at room temperature, in their cases, in a dry, clean location away from directsunlight. Do not store them too close to magnets, computer hard drives or other electrical

equipment.

Always insert a tape with the underside (wheels and screws) facing into the camera and the topside (tape brand, labels, smooth surface) facing out. The end with the green or red tab on should

be furthest from you.

If the green or red tab on the tape is in the closed/visible position, the tapecan be recorded over. A good way of protecting your footage is to push thetab to the open position after recording your footage onto it. That way it

cannot be recorded over by mistake.

INSERTING/ REMOVING A TAPE:

Use the lever marked Open/Eject. It is on the left side of the camera. Slide this

lever open, then pull the side of the camera gently but firmly open until it will go

no further.

NEVER DO THIS IN HASTE OR WITH FORCE.

Wait until the metal casing rises and pops open.

(If this does not happen, check that the outer side of the camera is firmly pulled as far as it will go. Then

if it still doesnt happen, check that the power is securely connected. If it is, the camera may be damaged.

Seek assistance.)Then, either insert your tape or remove the tape that was in there.

When your tape is inserted, use the outer casing to push the inner metal casing shut. Then wait.

The camera will check the tape for condensation or damaging particles. If there is nothing damaging on

the tape, the metal casing will move back down into place.

Close the outer casing back over the inner metal casing.

The LCD screen and/ or viewfinder window should register the tape and show its timecode on the display

as well as how much record time is available on it.

RECORDING A SHOT

I would encourage anyone who wants to use the Z1 to become familiar with its manual controls. I will gothrough those later in this guide. However, to start with, lets look at how to record a shot

and play it back, letting the camera take care of the other functions.

Switch on your camera in Camera mode.

Make sure the focus, audio levels and picture controls are switched to

Auto:

Open the lens cap using the switch on the left of the lens hood and frame

your subject using the viewfinder and/or the fold-out LCD screen.

You can zoom in and out using the rocker switch on the right, near the viewfinder.

When you are happy with your frame, press the record button to the immediate left of the function wheel.

When you are recording the indicator in the viewfinder will change from a green STDBY to a red REC.

The timecode numbers will start to run up. A red light will also come on at the front and back of the camera,

one below the viewfinder and one below the microphone. This means you are recording. These lights will


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flash if your battery or tape is about to run out in the middle of recording, or if there is another problem with

the camera.

To stop recording, press the Record button again. The camera will go into standby mode.

PLAYING BACK YOUR SHOT

First of all, it is best not to play footage back too often on the Z1. Playing back, rewinding and fast

forwarding wears out the tape heads- the bit of the camera that records the footage for you. So it is

very bad for future footage quality to use your camera as a VCR or for importing footage. The

University has purpose-built decks you can hire out, and if you have shot in DV SP you can even use a

Panasonic camera to play back and import footage.

But- if you just want to quickly check a shot in the camera:

Push the switch to VCR mode.

Open the LCD screen and use the VCR control buttons underneath.Rewind your footage a little way, stop the tape and play it back, watching it in the viewfinder or LCD screen.

Depending on the format you shot the footage in (HDV, DVCam or DV SP), the VCR settings

may need to be changed in order to play back correctly. The easiest way to make sure the camera will play

back all your footage is by selecting auto in the Rec in/out menu. Then the camera can detect what format

the footage is and alter its own settings to play that back.

RECORDING FORMATS

Before you start filming a project, you should decide which out of the three recording formats on the Z1 you

want to use, as well as the aspect ratio of your project. Here is some information about the options:

HDV

This format is a low-budget version of High Definition footage. Like most HD formats, it is native widescreen,meaning that widescreen (16:9) is the default frame size. It uses some complex maths involving pixel shape and

GOP (Group of Pictures) MPEG encoders. This enables the camera to record a picture onto ordinary DV tape

with a much higher resolution than DV SP or DVCam. It also uses only the same amount of tape as DV SP,

despite the improvements to picture quality. Quite a miraculous format.

Issues to consider-Equipment for editing, outputting and screening HDV footage has yet to catch up with the

technology for filming it.

-You can edit in HDV using Final Cut Pro 5, but things like applying effects and transitions can really slow

down the process. One option that can speed things up is to capture your footage at HDV resolution, edit in a

downgraded resolution and upgrade it all at once later. Then, in theory, you can hit the render button and go off

and have a cup of tea or six while the computer works it out.

-If you want to screen it at HDV resolution you will need a High Def monitor or projector, and a way of

connecting up your tape deck with it. Very few places have this facility, especially for HDV as it is in manyways quite a strange format.

-High Definition DVD burners are still not widely used in the UK and the college doesnt have any yet.

-The way the data is compressed onto the tape can cause problems if there is any corruption. The GOP format

means that an error in one frame will be spread across at least 9 frames, magnifying any possible errors. Errors

are not likely, but if they occur more of your footage would be spoiled than in another format.

What is the benefit of using this format?

-Future-proofing: when HD DVDs and other HD viewing formats are more widely available, your project

will be ready to be put on one of these in the highest resolution.

-It is better to shoot in the highest quality format available to you, because from then onwards the

capturing, editing and exporting process can gradually degrade your footage in minute ways. If you have started

with crystal clear images you are in a good position to end up with the best quality possible on your Standard

definition DVD at the end.


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DVCam

DVCam is basically the same resolution as ordinary DV. However, the footage is recorded onto the tape in such

a way that where 40 minutes of ordinary DV would take up forty minutes of tape, 40 minutes of DVCam

footage would take up the entire 60 minute tape.

Issues to consider- You cannot shoot or play back DVCam with an ordinary DV camera. For importing

purposes, you would need the special deck. The camera will play it back, and so will some other DV cameras

such as the PD150 and PD170. But it is best not to use a camera for importing or playback too often, as it wears

out the recording heads, which can reduce the quality of footage the camera can record.

What are the benefits of this format?

DVCam is a more secure way of recording footage. The way the data is spread out over the tape makes it safer

to store long term, as any corruption or damage will affect less of the footage.

Many people believe that the quality is greater. It is also considered a more professional format as only better

quality cameras provide it as an option. So often saying you have shot on DVCam will impress people more

than standard miniDV.

DV SP (Standard Play)

DV SP is the standard format for all camcorders that take miniDV tapes. Although cameras vary what audio

quality they use (12bit or 16bit, 32kHz or 48 kHz), the basic video recording and playback function is the same.The quality of the footage can still vary widely from camera to camera though- depending on the quality of the

lens, the number and quality of the sensor chips, how good the camera is at handling low light etc etc.

As a good quality camera, the Z1 takes much better DV SP footage than, say, the Panasonic Handicams that the

University supplies to beginners. If you mix footage from the two cameras in one project you will notice the

greater subtlety of colour and sharpness of line on the footage from the Z1.

Aspect Ratio

The two aspect ratios available to you on the Z1 are 4:3 and widescreen 16:9.

In HDV mode the default setting is widescreen and all the pixels are used.

However, in DV and DVCam mode, the camera will record a good widescreen image without visible stretching,

but in reality the image is anamorphic.

An anamorphic widescreen image means that it is recorded on the standard number of pixels for DV (720 x576). The standard frame size is a 4:3 shape but in anamorphic mode it squashes the picture so that later you

can pop it out into 16:9 for editing and screening.

Before you select the aspect ratio of your footage you should think about where it is going to end up.

If you want to screen your film in a cinema, widescreen would be best.

If you want to make DVDs for people to project at festivals or view at home, widescreen will probably be fine

for that too. Most new televisions are also manufactured with wide screens, and most standard (4:3) modern

televisions will letterbox widescreen DVDs (putting black bars at the top and bottom) to make the whole

picture viewable.

However, if your film is going straight onto YouTube, for example, the ideal size they specify is 320 x 240

pixels. That translates to 4:3. If you want to upload a widescreen film onto Youtube you will have to letterbox it

before you do so.

Also, if you are mixing footage from a Z1 and a standard DV camera, the standard camera will not be able torecord in widescreen. Therefore you should set the Z1 to record in 4:3 so that you do not lose any footage later

by having to crop the image.

You select your recording format and your aspect ratio, along with many other settings, by using the

Menu.

USING THE MENU

Press the Menu button on the back of the

camera.

You can navigate through the menus by

scrolling up and down with the wheel marked

sel/push exec (the same wheel that

controls the shutter speed). Push the


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wheel in to select an option or enter a sub-menu.

Pressing Menu again exits the menu.

USING A TRIPOD

The tripodyou are likely to use with the Z1 is the Manfrotto 501/525. Its a very good tripod and easy to

use.

Its a good idea to get your camera onto a tripod early on, unless you are shooting handheld. Even then it

can be useful. You can always take it off later, and you can adjust the settings and sort things out withoutworrying about dropping it or putting it down.

Start by getting out the tripod and unclipping the legs. Pull them out so that the spreaderlies flat on the

floor.

Then unclip the large catches at

the bottom of each leg, and pull

up until the top of the tripod is

roughly at chest height. Make

sure the legs are roughly the

same length, and do the catches

up again.

Remove the base plate

- the

oblong at the top with the screw

sticking out of it. You do this by loosening the screw-catchon one side, pressing the red release button

on the other side, and sliding the base plate off the tripod.

Carefully turn the camera upside-down. There are two holes, one plain and small, and one larger and

screw-threaded. These correspond to the plain post and the larger screw on the tripods base-plate. Fit

them together and tighten the screw. For the last few turns you should use a coin or keyto make sure it is

firmly fastened.


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Then slide the base plate back on.

If you cant get the red catch to

click as it slides on, or the base

plate sticks, try putting it on

another way. Have patience with

this part, as it is not always easy

to start with.

Do not force anything. If you

have to force anything you are

doing it wrong.

When the red catch clicks, line up the edges of the base plate with

the head of the tripod and tighten the screw-catch.

If you need more height, you can use the large catches on each leg at

the top or bottom. It is easier to adjust the top catches, so always

extend the bottom ones first. That way you can do small adjustments

with thetop

catches

and you dont have to lean down in the

middle of filming.

Never extend the legs or move the tripod

by pulling up on the camera. All tripod

adjustments and movements must be done

by holding the tripod itself. If you drag on

the screw that holds the camera you could put massive strain on it and possibly rip the bottom out.

Once you have your height right, look at the head of the tripod.

At the top of the legs there is a small circular spirit-level.You can make sure your shot is level by reaching under the

legs and twisting the post under the head to release the bowl

the head rests on. Hold the camera steady by the handle on

the top while doing this.

When you have centred the bubble in the spirit level, tighten

the post back up.

Tripod movements: The fluid headof the tripod will allow you to move the camera from side to side

(pan), up and down (tilt) and a smooth combination of the two.

You can adjust the position of the pan handle by loosening and tightening the screw holding it in place

and moving it to a comfortable position for you.

You can increase or decrease the fluid drag on either axis-so you can have quick, whippy loose movements or slow

steady ones.

The fluid drag controlfor the pan axis is underneath the base

plate.

The fluid drag controlof the tilt axis is on the right of the

head just below the base plate.

You can also lock off either axis or both and have it completely

fixed.

The lockfor the pan axis is behind the camera by the spirit

level.

Thelock

for thetilt

axis is on the right hand side of the tripod.

Never try to pan or tilt with the locks on- this can damage the threads.

Always lock off the tripod- especially on the tilt axis- before letting go of the handle.


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MANUAL CONTROLS

Focusing and zooming-

Auto/manual switch- within manual mode, this switch can be pushed down to set focus

to Infinity- use this if filming something on the horizon or a general wide view shot

with nothing in the foreground.

When in manual mode, you can control the focusby eye using the focusing ring

However, it can be hard to tell if your subject is

really in focus. A useful way to do it is to use the

Push Auto button. Hold the button down

until the focus comes clear. The LCD will show

you the focal length and go back to manual mode.

Always zoom all the way in before focusing manually. Zoom in, focus on your subject

(if it is a person focus on their eyes), then zoom out again. If you keep the switch set to man

the camera will hold your focus as you zoom out again.

You can control the zoom with either of the rocker switches on top of the camera. The main one ispositioned so that your forefingers reach it if you are shooting handheld. It can be slower than youd like.

If you want to control the zoom manually, you can push the switch on the side of the lens to ring

and use the zoom ring (the one behind the focusing ring.)

If you cant zoom in as far as youd like to focus on your subject, you can use the Expanded focus button next to

the zoom rocker switch. This gives you a second or two of extra close-up in which to quickly focus before reverting

to the maximum amount of zoom available. You cannot record in Expanded Focus mode.


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Picture controls-this row of buttons switches between auto and manual modes for each function.

The switch can be set to auto lock, which means ALLfunctions are automatic;

To the central position which enables individual adjustment of functions;

To hold, which will freeze the current settings until released.

When a function is under manual control, the settings will appear on the LCD screen or viewfinder

window.

Audio levelsIris Gain Shutter speed White Balance

When the function is under auto control, the camera will not display the settings to you. They will

constantly change depending on light and sound levels and the colour of the light at the time.

Iris: The Iris controls how much light reaches the sensors in the camera. This is known as the exposure.

The information is displayed with an F and a number. The number increases as the iris closes and lets less

light in. So the more light there is in the room, the higher the f-stop (a photographic measurement of light)

and the narrower the iris has to be.

To manually control the iris, you can use the control knob towards the front of the

camera:

Iris knob Gain switch

However, the LCD screen can be deceptive when it comes to light levels. You might not be able to tell if the

exposure is right.

For a safer way to get the exposure right: Press the Iris auto button, allow the iris to adjust automatically,

then lock it manually by pressing the button again.

-If you are filming a person, it is a good idea to zoom in and fill the screen with their skin before you press

the auto Iris button.

-When you have set the Iris using the auto function, you can then decide if you want it a bit brighter or a bitdarker- depending on what effect you are going for. But the auto setting should give you a good guide to start

from.

Gain: Gain is a way of digitally boosting the light levels in your picture without getting any more light into

the camera. As with all non-optical methods of brightening footage, it can cause graininess and a decline in

picture quality.

-Try not to use gain unless it is so dark that you absolutely have to. First you should try getting more light

into a scene, and if there is not much movement in the scene slowing the shutter speed can help too.

-For this reason, neverswitch the Gain to Auto unless you are filming a documentary where you have to

move swiftly between bright and dark locations and you absolutely cant stop to adjust the camera manually.

-Ideally you would be able to see 0dB on the screen at all times.


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Timecode is numerical information that is laid down to tape alongside the footage. Each frame in a piece of

video has its own timecode.

hours seconds

01:23:48:16

minutes frames

-When shooting in PAL (British television standard), there are 25 frames per second. So the numbers in

frames will go up to 24 and then to zero.

-In NTSC (USA TV standard) there are roughly 30 frames per second.

-The tapes the Z1 uses should record an hour at the most- though in practice sometimes they run for up to 63

mins.

-You can use the hours section of the timecode to distinguish between different tapes in the same project, if

you remember to alter the numbers each time you put in a new tape.

eg. First tape- set the timecode to 01:00:00:00Second tape- set the timecode to 02:00:00:00

And so on. Then, when you capture the footage to Final Cut Pro, these numbers will indicate the Reel

number- and every bit of your footage will have a unique timecode. This can be invaluable if you have to re-

capture in different formats or find a badly labelled piece of footage.

-You can set the timecode to free run- which will run from the moment you switch the camera on- or

rec run- which will run only when you are recording.

-Use Rec run most of the time. Free run is only really useful if you are recording something with a few

different cameras at once and you need to sync them up later.

SOUND

Choosing your location/ awareness of sound

Wherever you shoot, as long as you are not making a silent film, you will have to decide about sound.What sounds do you want in your film? What sounds can you put up with? What sounds do you definitely

want to exclude?

There is no point in choosing the lip of a waterfall for a dramatic dialogue scene if the crashing water is

going to drown out the actors voices. It doesnt matter how beautiful the shots would be- if the sound

doesnt work, the audience wont have a clue whats going on.

Roads, aeroplanes, power lines, computers, air conditioners, fridges- all can create unacceptable levels of

background noise. Listen carefully for these things when choosing a location.

Sound can be digitally adjusted in the edit suite, but as with the picture, the more digital tweaking you

have to do the more false and tinny the sound will be by the end.

What you want is a good strong signal with no distortion- not too much background noise, but enough to

establish the atmosphere of the location.

You should test out the microphones by ear and using the sound levels on the camera before you start to

shoot- so you know what you are getting. Even if you are using a mixer, you should always do at least a

quick check on the camera headphone socket, because that is the sound that will go down onto tape.

Internal Microphone

There is a stereo microphone provided on the Z1, just between the LCD screen and the lens. It is OK, but

it will pick up lots of atmospheric sound, not to mention camera noise. You can get far better sound with

external microphones, so we do not advise you to use the internal mic for serious work.

External Microphones and mixers-

We have a few mics that are suitable to use with the Z1. Which ones you use will depend on the purpose

they need to serve.External mics and mixers plug into the two XLR portson the Z1.


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If you are only using one mic, plug it into the top port (Input 1). Only use Input 2 when Input 1 is already

in use.

Make sure the XLR cables are pushed in firmly- its not always easy to tell so give it a controlled push

and make sure its in as far as it can go.

Some need phantom powerfrom the camera, while some run on their own batteries. You need to

know which is which, because there is a switchby the XLR ports to

provide or shut off phantom power, and if it is on the wrong setting your

mic will not work.

Also, some need particular equipment to attach them to the camera or

otherwise support them.

In order to use an external microphone, you will need to set it up in the

camera menus.

First I will go through each mic individually, assuming that it will be

attached straight to the camera. Then I will deal with setting up the camera,

using more than one mic and/or working with a sound operator using a

mixer.

Sennheiser 416This is a really good quality shotgun microphone. It is very uni-directional or cardioid, so whatever you

point the tip at will give you the clearest signal.

It requires phantom power from the camera.

It plugs in using an XLR cable.

You can attach it to the camera using an offset bracketscrewed to the base of the existing mic holder, or

a Rode mic support with a cylinder grip that slots into the existing mic holder. The offset bracket takes

the mic further from the noise of the camera and may be more stable, but requires unscrewing the existing

holder.

If you are filming outside at all, you will need to protect it from wind noise. This currently means you

will need a Rycote coverwith a shotgun grip and/or a boom poleattached. With the kit we have, you

cannot yet have a wind-protected mic mounted on the camera. *

*(Keep checking, as there may soon be Rycote Softie wind covers that can be camera mounted.)Unless you are filming somewhere completely static and can leave it on a mic stand, this means you will

need a boom operatorin your team.

Check that the Rycote cover you have fits the mic. On some of them the supporting hoops are too big for

the 416. Also check that all the rubber bands are in place and the mic doesnt wobble or knock against the

cover.

You can open the Rycote cover by twisting one end, it should come loose. Then you can loosen the

screws underneath by the handle and slide the supporting structure out of the tube to snap the mic into it.

Make sure the XLR cable slots into the gap at the back of the tube so you can close it again.

Sennheiser K6 System

This is another good mic, this time with interchangeable attachments. The cardioid shotgun attachment

ME66is very similar to the 416. There is also an omnidirectional mic attachment ME62which is betterat picking up atmospheric sound.

It is self-poweredby a battery, so check that your batteries are in and charged and turn off the camera

phantom power.

It is slightly wider than the 416, so it fits the Rycote covers with wider support hoops. Otherwise the

mounting and boom mic instructions are the same.

Boom operating/ Sound people

For both the above mics, a boom operator will be useful- even inside. You can mount the mic on the

camera, but it may pick up the noise of the tape mechanism. You may also want the mic pointed in a

different direction to the camera lens.

The boom operator will need a boom pole, a Rycote, a long XLR cable, plus headphones and a few

extender cablesfor the headphones. If they have a few mics to deal with they will probably also use a

mixer and become thesound person.


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The boom operator needs to hold the mic as close as possible to the desired sound without getting the mic

in shot. This can be difficult and tiring, so allow time for a new boom op to practice and get used to it.

You also need to allow time to get mic positioning just right. Its no good to start shooting if the boom

ops arms are going to get too tired and collapse halfway through a shot!

With enough practice, the boom op can also swing the boom to follow a character as they move and

speak or follow some footsteps passing.

The boom op will be connected to the camera during recording. He or she needs to be able to keep their

XLR cables and headphone cables as neatly looped as possible and available to be extended when

necessary. Trailing cables are messy and can be dangerous on a shoot. Always disconnect the boom op

from the camera when changing your setup.

Radio mics

Radio mics can be attached to actors or interviewees so that their voices can be recorded as they move

around without getting a mic poking into shot.

The radio mic kits are self-powered, so put the batteries in and make sure theyre charged. When you

have finished with the radio mics the batteries should alwaysbe taken out again. Turn off the phantompower on the XLR input.

Try to tuck the wires in and stash the transmitter packsomewhere on your subjects body where it will

not be seen, crushed or knocked. Clip the little micto their clothing at the neck, as near to their mouth as

possible while remaining inconspicuous.

Monitor the sound coming into the camera. If there is too much rustling from clothing you will have to

adjust the mic placement.

Attach the receiver packto the hotshoeon the top of the camera or clip it to the velcro handleon the

side.

If the radio mics are switched on and seem to be working, and the inputs are correctly set on the camera,

but you are not getting any sound- it may be that the radio frequenciesare out of sync. You can change

these using the buttons on the packs. Make sure they are the same for transmitter and receiver.

Lip mic

We have one mic that is designed for recording clear

voice-overs in a noisy environment. It was designed

for sports commentators.

The lip mic should be held as close as possible to your

mouth without affecting the way you speak. You

should check by speaking into it that you are getting a

decent level. You should be able to get a good level

speaking normally with the mic right up against your

mouth, so if it is any further away than that the signal drops off rapidly.The lip mic will still record other sounds, but they should not be at a level where they will interfere with

the clarity of the voice recording.

If you want no other sounds at all you should find a very quiet place to record. A small space with a soft

lining to the walls is ideal- a wardrobe or coat cupboard perhaps!

Setting up the camera for external mics

Go into the menu and select the musical note icon for the Audio submenu.

Scroll down to Mic Select, and select XLR.

Then go back to the Audio submenu and scroll down to XLR set.

If you are using one external mic, select Ch1,Ch2. This means that the monoinput from the one mic will

be duplicated onto both tracks of the stereoaudio on the tape.

If you are using two external mics plugged directly into the camera, select Ch1 + Ch2. This will lay

down each mic input as a separate track on the tape.


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There are various other controls for the mic inputs, like the Limiter (best left on) and Wind sens (as low

as possible if shooting outside). Its worth trying out what difference it makes to change the settings, but

only if you have time to absorb the information. Just before a vital shot is not the time!

Monitoring and levels control

You can monitor each track through each side of the headphones, but also by looking at the

levels.

If your audio levels are set to Manual on the switches at the back,

the levels for both channels will be visible on your LCD screen at all

times. You can control the levels with the wheels on the left, behind

and below the eyepiece.

A peak level three-quarters of the way up the level is a good level to

shoot for. Test the likely sound levels in your scene before recording

to set the levels appropriately.

If the levels do peak into the red, you will have distortion. Digital

sound distortion sounds awful and there isnt much you can do about

it afterwards.

Auto Levels

If your levels are set to Auto, you wont be able to control them. You can still check up on them by

pressing the status check button at the back of the camera.

Auto level works quite well, in that it more or less eliminates the possibility of distortion occurring.

However- for a scene in which the sound levels go up and down a lot, Auto level may provide some

unwanted effects.

For example, in a dialogue scene the auto levels might cope fine with a characters voice. But when that

character stops talking, the levels may attempt to boost in order to amplify whatever sound exists in the

room. What you intended to be a quiet pause can turn into the magnified sound of the tape running

through the camera as the auto levels attempt to boost up whatever sounds it can get hold of.

This type of thing is unlikely to ruin your footage- the internal sounds of the camera are just not that loud-

but it can create annoying glitches and mess with the smoothness of the sound, creating more work later.Having said that, if youre shooting with a reduced crew it can be well worth the risk. Its up to you.

Shooting with a Mixer

The mixers available are 302s from Sound Devices.

Make sure your mixer has three charged batteries inserted + end first, and that the cover is screwed on.

You can check your battery level by holding down the Batt button.

Select the powering method- INT (internal battery power) or EXT

(externally powered by DC link)

Plug each mic into one of the three XLR inputs, making sure the switches

next to the inputs are correctly set for your mics. The options are:

PH= Phantom: powers the mic. Required for the 416 and other mics

without their own power supply.

If you use phantom power you should check the voltage required. You canswitch between 12v and 48v on the mixer. It will most likely be 48v.


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DYN= Dynamic: For mics that do no require power from the mixer

T= For T-powered mics only. These are particular types of 12v mics and we dont have any as yet so dont

worry.

Setting up the Camera

Go into the menu and the Audio submenu.

Make sure the camera input levels are set to Line instead of Mic for both XLR inputs.

Plug the mixers XLR L and R outputs into the cameras XLR inputs 1 and 2.

Plug the headphone socket on the camera into the RTN socket on the mixer.

Monitoring

Plug your headphones into the mixer and adjust the

monitoring levels as required with the knob to the right. You

can select what inputs you hear through the headphones by

turning the switch to the left of the levels control. You can

listen to one input at a time, the left output channel, the right

output channel, (in Mono or Stereo) and RTN, which isthe feed coming back from the camera so you can monitor

what the camera is actually getting.

Please remember- changing the headphone settings does

not change the actual recorded sound!

You can also monitor for distortion using the levels.

You should be looking to get your sound levels peaking between -30dB and 0dB.

If the lights go into the red you may be getting distortion. If they peak all the way to the top, that bit of your

sound is probably ruined!

There are also PK and LIM lights next to each inputs Fader. These show you if your input is close to

overloading and, if you have the limiter on, whether the limiter is having to kick in to prevent overload.

Adjusting levelsYou should set the rough level using the Gain knobs. These can be made to pop out by pushing them in. Set

it once for each input, and push it back in.

From then on, use the Faders corresponding to each input to control levels.

Adjusting Pan

Use the switches next to each input marked L, C, R- Left, Right and Centre (equally split left and right)

More complex setups

The 302 has an obscure menu system that works with coded signals sent through the level lights!

If you need or want to know how to use it, book out a manual and learn how from that. We will try to keep

the mixers set up in the optimum way for the kind of shoots you will be doing.


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Shooting language Basics

The starter session is to teach you the basics of operating the camera and to cover some health

and safety stuff. You really learn how to use the camera when you take it out and start trying to

shoot a drama or documentary.

When that happens you also find out about style decisions and certain rules about creating an

imaginary 3D world- which is what a piece of moving image tries to do.

These rules are not unbreakable, and once you have had more practice you will find that

breaking them creatively can give great and sometimes unsettling effects. But when you start

shooting you will see why they exist and why most filmmakers abide by them.I will discuss a few of the rules later, but right now Im going to outline some useful terms that

will help you to plan, execute and discuss your filmmaking, both with other filmmakers and inassessments.

Some Basic Shots:WS- Wide Shot. eg. A landscape, a building, a street or a whole

room and everyone in it.

MW- Medium wide eg. A kitchen table and people sat round it.

Two-shot- eg. Two people in frame, often head to chest depending

how close they are to each other/ different heights etc.

OS- Over shoulder shot eg. In a conversation, you can see a bit of

one characters shoulder and the other persons head and

shoulders.

POV- Point of view shot eg. Imitating a characters point of view.MS- Mid-shot eg. A person from their head to their middle, with

some background.MCU- Medium Close-up eg. Someones head and shoulders


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CU- Close-up. eg. Someones head filling the frame

BCU- Big Close-up. eg. Someones face filling the frame

ECU- Extreme Close-up. eg. Someones eyes or mouth filling the frame.

Basic Camera movements and how to do them:

Pan- Side to side horizontal camera movement from a fixed point.How to: Fix the camera to a tripod, loosen the horizontal axis as much as you need and move

the pan handle smoothly from side to side.

Or:Stand very still, using your arms to hold the camera steady and rotating your waist.

Tilt- Up-Down camera movement from a fixed point.

How to: Fix the camera to a tripodand loosen the tilt axis. Move the pan handle up and down.

Or:Hold the camera steady and do the same movement with your body. It will be steadiest ifyou move from the waist with your knees slightly bent.

Track/ tracking shot- shot in which the camera moves, usually steadily in one direction

parallel to the ground.How to: Fix a tripod securely to standard tracksand dollysuitable for your camera- or

improvised tracking devices such as a bike, skateboard or trolley. Any tracking device on wheels

or tracks may make noise, be visible in the shot or cause sudden bumps and jolts.

Or:Use the GlideCamkit. You will need lots of practice and special demo sessions for this.

Or:use the circular Fig Rig, practice your ninja steps and hold the rig steady, walking very

quietly, steadily and slowly.

Finally: You can do plain old hand-held tracking shots but you have to practice your technique,

and at the end of the day they still probably wont be totally smooth.Whichever way you do it this will probably take some practice, so allow time in your scheduling

to set it up and get it right.

Jib- camera movement up or down vertical to the ground.How to: Attach your camera or tripod securely to ajibor cranesuitable for your camera. Use

the appropriate weights to balance it and move the jib steadily like a seesaw. You will need

special demo sessions and some practice before you use the jib or crane. It involves heavy

weights and large bits of equipment.

Or:You can also achieve a similar effect over a very small distance using the GlideCamkit. As

above, this requires special demo sessions and practice to avoid hurting yourself or the kit.

Jib shots will always take some practice, so allow time in your scheduling to set it up and get itright.

Or: Hold the camera and use your knees to make the up-down movement. You could use the FigRigto help smooth out arm shakes.

Or: Find a nearby escalator to provide you with a dramatic crane-like jib!

Tips for Shooting

Spatial Rules:

If your subject is walking or looking to one side of the frame, try leaving a bit of space inthat direction. If you pan to follow their movement, try anticipating their movement

instead of following it- that way they cant catch you out and leave frame before you catch

up with them.

Try thinking about how shots will cut together in the edit. If the next shot involves themcoming into frame or travelling across frame, think about the direction in which they left


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the last frame and which way they were facing. Having them come from a different

direction can be confusing and seem false.

If two or more characters are having a conversation, think about what side of theconversation you want to shoot from. Its best to decide and stick with it. If you change

sides mid-scene the characters can seem to switch places in the frame, which can be very

confusing. This is known as the 180rule and breaking it is called crossing the line.The line is the line of eye contact between the two actors as they speak. Imagine this line

extending indefinitely behind their heads- pick your side and stick to it. One of the few

exceptions is if you can cross it within the shot, by moving the camera.

Shooting for the Edit:

If you are shooting a documentary interview or dialogue scene, think about gathering lotsof different shots. It can be boring to watch one person talking for more than a few

seconds. Your documentary will look much more professional if you can cut to a shot that

illustrates what the interviewee is talking about, or even just cover a cut between two bitsof the interview with a shot of their hands or something in the room. There are different

conventions with drama but it can still be useful to have the option of cutaways during

dialogue scenes.

If you are going to shoot something for a documentary, its worth getting a few differentshots of it. Cutting from a wide shot to a slightly closer shot of the same thing from the

same angle looks jerky and boring, so try to get lots of shot sizes and angles.

For example: If you were filming a digger smashing up a building, you would want at

least a wide shot of the whole scene, a medium shot of the digger, a close up of the digger

operator, a close up of the jaws of the digger. Youd probably also do well to get other

close ups like the operators hand on the gearstick, rubble falling, wheels turning etc. The

more options you have, the more visual texture you can provide and the more smoothlyand enjoyably your film will come across.

Once youve decided on a shot, try to record for about 10 seconds at a time withoutchanging frame. That gives the editor leeway over how much to use. If you are planning a

shot with movement, try to think of it as three separate shots: the first camera position as

one shot, the movement as another and the final camera position as another. So you

should have 10 seconds of static frame at each end of the movement, plus as long as the

movement takes in the middle.

Framing:

To create a starting framework for pleasing, dynamic pictures, you should divide the

screen into a grid of three columns and three lines and line up the elements of your picture

roughly along those thirds of the screen.


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This is called the rule of thirds, and has been used as a standard of visual beauty in art

for centuries. Many of the worlds most famous paintings are based on this rule.

See below for a more detailed demonstration of the rule of thirds.

The Rule of Thirds (http://www.hippasus.com/resources/viscomp/RuleThirds.html)

For the rule of thirds, imaginary lines are drawn dividing the image into thirds. The most important

elements are placed where these lines intersect (see diagram a.)In addition to using the

intersections, it also helps to use a 2 to 1 ratio (thus dividing the image both horizontally andvertically into thirds) so that nothing is dead centre, which makes for a static image. Instead, when

placing the horizon line of a landscape, or the eye line of a person, use the lower or upper third as

an approximate guide.

diagram a


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image a image b

In image a, the subway shot, the most important person is the woman in the third on the left of the

image.

She could be the main character of a video, or she could be about to do something important that

will influence the story.

Image bis an extreme close-up of the eyes of a girl. They are placed on the line along the lowerthird of the image.

This image draws us in, we share the introspective moment that this girl has. In a video there could

be a voiceover narration telling us her thoughts, for example.

Any questions about this information or [email protected] call ext. 5420 or 6334 and ask Naomi, Richard or Ashton.

HAPPY SHOOTING!

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