SL2 Videos for dummies (me)

[raphaelmimoun]

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Hello,

I am shooting Surf tomorrow and was thinking about recording some videos as well, the matter being I’ve never done it before. So I am looking for a crash course, simple, straight to the point, couldn’t find anything on YouTube…

also I read the manual but can’t figure out why I can’t focus where I would want to, nor in MF or AF.

I am using a Sigma 150-600, when I turned the focus ring it just magnified the image.

Thank you in advance 

Edited July 11, 2022 by raphaelmimoun

[Luke_Miller]

The SL2 when in autofocus will shift to manual focus and enlarge the view if you touch the focus ring on the lens. So you can manually focus using the enlarged view.

I have not used my SL bodies for video, but I do a fair amount of video using dedicated video cameras.  I suggest manual focus for video, since continuous AF will occasionally hunt for focus during the clip. I hate shaky video so I am almost always using a tripod.  If one can hold very steady IBIS and lens stabilization can produce reasonably steady short clips, but for longer clips a tripod is very useful.  I also use manual exposure, since auto exposure changes during the clip are very distracting and often can't be corrected in postprocessing.  If you want smooth motion the correct shutter speed is important.  A little active subject motion blur makes for video we think of as looking normal.  So slow shutter speeds are the norm.  Unfortunately in bright conditions proper exposure requires fast shutter speeds so subject movement does not have any blur and appears a bit jerky.  This is why dedicated video cameras have built-in neutral density filters.  For surfers you might want to us an add-on ND filter.

[Photoworks]

I assume you are ok in doing some post on your clips.

my suggestion would be to have all your setting set and save a profile for video, so that you can recall it quickly.

my approach would be to shoot:

4k 60p or 1080 120p

I would shoot in L-log and use the LUT natural preview on the camera.

set one color temperature , probably sunny.

I would shoot at 1/500s so that you have crisp motion and can slow it down.

costuming the front wheel from iso to shutter time.

I would use auto iso. and the rest of exposure manual.

AF I would experiment. I probably start with setting the camera in M and use the joystick push in to focus before you record.
if AFc is your choice 1080 120p is probably best as it performs better, and select you movement mode in the AF setting, most likely they passing by from left to right.

Have fun.