Here’s some test footage I shot in Laguna Beach, CA with my Pilotfly H1+ stabilizer. The camera is a Panasonic Lumix GH4 with the Panasonic 12-35 mm lens at 12 mm. Optical stabilization in the lens was turned on. I shot in 4K and in a couple of clips I zoomed out to full HD in post (i.e., started at full 4K resolution with the shot cropped; then, zoomed out to contain the whole frame as shot, scaled down to 50%).
Bad Parameters Can Disable Pilotfly H1+ Gimbal Stabilizer
To fully utilize the Pilotfly H1+ 3-axis stabilizer you really have to invest some effort in learning its features as well as its support software. And, in the process you have to read between the lines and take care not to break anything. As I delved into my H1+ I discovered that it’s all too easy to make a change that can end up disabling your device. My failure to heed the warning below led to a week of downtime with my H1+.
Switching from Carbonite to Acronis True Image
I recently decided to switch from Carbonite to Acronis True Image as my backup solution. I had been using Carbonite for several years and it has saved my system on several occasions. However, as I’ve previously written, I’ve had problems with both its functionality and the user interface. Recently, I upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows 10 and was hoping to use Carbonite to assist with the transition. Frequently, when I reinstall Windows (something I do once or twice a year) I’ll find that there are files somewhere on my C: drive that I forgot to backup before reinstalling Windows. (Almost all of my data is on other drives but Windows and some apps insist on storing preferences, customizations and other info on the C: drive.)
Orange County for Climate Action Video
Here’s a video I shot and edited for Orange County for Climate Action this week. This is from a rally in Orange, CA which was one of dozens across the United States that were organized by People’s Climate Movement. This video consists mainly of excerpts from short, impromptu interviews I did with the rally participants.
Panasonic Warranty Woes
I love my Lumix GH4 but I hate Panasonic’s customer support. I recently discovered a very noticeable spot that appears in some images & videos. After an initial phone conversation a Panasonic support technician recommended that I send the camera in for warranty repair work. I did that and, after nearly a month, I received my camera back this week. And the problem is not fixed. Now, after two phone conversations the repair facility is ignoring me.
Photo of a blank sheet of white paper showing the spot; taken with Panasonic 12-35 mm lens
The spot doesn’t appear under all shooting conditions but when it does appear it’s very noticeable. Through some testing I determined that the problem is worst at very small apertures and in images with a light background. The spot appears starting at around f9 and it gets progressively darker the more I stop down.
Lightroom/Photoshop Integration Woes, Continued
I’ve just been through another of the masochistic experiences that I seem to impose on myself every time a new version of Lightroom is released. Ever since Lightroom 3 was released I’ve been trying to find a way to incorporate LR into my Photoshop workflow. And every time I’ve tried I’ve ended up throwing in the towel. I’ve previously written about my experiences on seven different occasions and the major problem I’ve encountered is that there has been no true round-trip Lightroom-to-Photoshop workflow.
Pilotfly H1+ Gimbal Stabilizer
The Pilotfly H1+ is a small, lightweight gimbal stabilizer which provides the ability to hold & move a small video camera with one hand while still getting smooth footage. The low cost of this and similar devices is bringing Steadicam-like footage to the low-budget filmmaker and the small size is providing opportunities for getting smooth footage in tight situations where it wouldn’t otherwise be possible.
Shooting with the ikan VH7i-2 Video Monitor
Much more detail is visible in the monotor than in the smaller LCD screen. But also note that the colors are different.
I’ve been shooting a lot of live performances recently and have been having some trouble maintaining good focus. It’s tough keeping up with performers who are frequently moving around the stage and changing their distance to the camera. With my Panasonic GH4’s small LED screen it’s impossible to accurately determine whether a shot is in focus. (Focus assist auto-zooming doesn’t operate while recording.) So, I’ve been spending a lot of time with my eye glued to the EVF. But that quickly gets tiring and also pretty much eliminates my peripheral vision.
Audio Level Padding to Prevent Distortion
Recently, I shot a live performance and, afterwards when reviewing the footage, I found that I had audio overload problems. I had used my Lumix GH4 with the Panasonic DMW-MS2 microphone and this simple setup just wasn’t equal to the task. The problem was the great dynamic range of the show which included actors and a singer. It was a small venue and when the singer was up close during a crescendo the recorded signal was very loud and badly distorted. Conversely, during quiet moments when the performers were at the other end of the stage or facing the opposite direction the level was too low.
You can clearly see where the waveform has clipped (the current time indicator is right in the middle of a clipped section).
You can clearly see where the waveform has clipped (the current time indicator is right in the middle of a clipped section).
Of course, one thing that would help in a situation like this would be to mike all the performers and set appropriate levels. In this case, that just wasn’t an option. And, it still might not have solved the dynamic range problem completely.
Two-Level Audio Recording
Red arrow shows the switch that turns on/off the juicedLink preamp’s -16db padding feature
Left channel on top, right channel below was recorded automatically at -16db
I’ve tried this a couple of times and it’s worked out well so far. I just choose whichever channel is better, copy it, and paste it into the other channel. It does create more work in post but everything is a compromise, right?
Problems with the Panasonic DMW-MS2 microphone
In my particular case my solution presented another problem beyond the increased workflow complexity. What I didn’t realize when I ordered the preamp is that my Panasonic mike won’t work with it (or any other analog preamp). The DMW-MS2 is designed to be plugged directly into the camera. When connected directly to the camera it offers some nice features like software selectable response patterns (shotgun, super shotgun, stereo, or lens angle tracking). But, as far as I can tell, the microphone only works when plugged directly into a compatible Panasonic camera like the GH4.
For me, this means I have to use my backup microphone, a lower quality off-brand unit, when I want to use the juicedLink preamp for audio bracketing. So, there’s a word to the wise if you’re considering the Panasonic mike. If you’re sure you’ll never need to use it with an external preamp or audio recorder it will probably work just fine for you. Otherwise, you might be better off with another microphone.
Promotional Video for the Stage Play South Pacific
Here’s my latest in a series of 17 short videos I’ve produced for the Camino Real Playhouse. It’s a promotional video for the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical South Pacific.
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