Hi Jan, I’m loving your channel more and more every day and haven’t missed any of your videos till date. What is the best part is your consistency in trying to teach bird photographers how to master the skill to get the best pics and now, also videos. For that am honest thanks. I have downloaded DaVinci but never found an inspiration to start learning, things may change seeing how you do it cos your videos are just stunning. Keep up the excellent work Jan, loving what you do.
Great tips Jan! You’ve definitely inspired me to add video to my time out in the field. Yes, please do make a video on video editing in the future. BTW…it seems like you planned the timing of the light change perfectly at the end of this one! Ha! Thanks for another great video.
hahaha! It was the only time that annoying light changed actually helped me! Usually it ruins the clip and I have to start again! So I was happy to keep rolling that time
Jan - Thanks very much for this installment on taking video footage while out in the field trying to capture award wining still images of wildlife. Every tip you provided is right on the money. On my part, for years I have been urging my bird photography friends to “remember to press the video button”. I have given presentations on making and using video footage at my local photo club and via zoom at a London UK photo club. There are several tips and explanations I typically give in addition to all the ones you covered. On the technical side I include discussions on why you need to have neutral density filters and how to make it easy to rapidly put them on and take them off the lens by using ones that attach/detach magnetically. A major rationale for taking video footage that I emphasize is that videos that include you best stills plus action video clips and audio is the very best way to tell a story. We have all heard the mantra that nature photography must tell a story. I also demonstrate that you can use environmental video clips to progressively lead up to inserting your best close up stills as an artistic climax. Your vertical (portrait) stills can be easily presented in pairs on the 9 x 16 HD screen format. And stills can also have motion added to them with with various editing techniques (especially Ken Burns). As you know Jan, there is much more to say about the value and process of including videography with one’s nature photography. I am looking forward to your video editing presentation (s). (BTW, I use Final Cut Pro X for my video editing as I am a Mac guy and Apple is constantly adding more features with no cost updates plus there is a huge user base that is providing very useful plug-ins.)
Thanks Jan, you continue to make some of the most helpful videos on the R5. I’m glad you recommended not using Log 3. I was going to try it but worried about my ability to edit it. Keep up the great work.
Glad to help! It's not impossible to edit, but harder on the computer. You can use LUTs to grade the footage in one click, but they don't always look good
Really good tips, Jan, and those fairy wrens are a joy to watch. I shoot only video, no stills, and it is really hard to find advice from a bird videographer. Thank you for doing this. I hope your autofocus advice helps when my Lumix GH6 arrives.
PLEASSSEEEEE YES to a video on video editing! I have premiere with the Adobe subscription, but I am still struggling to understand it! Thank you so much Jan!
Thanks so much Jan! You are really helping me film super high quality and well shot videos using my camera! Thanks to you I can film all the cool birds I see!
Thank you Jan for another very informative and fun to watch video. I've watched this one a number of times now, each time gaining some extra understanding about videoing native birds. This time I am exploring in more depth motion blur and the relationship between shutter speed and the frames per second with video... I just got distracted by the Kookaburra knocking at is refection in our office widow, they must be thinking about time the next round of nesting... It's a fun thing to play with using the 180 rule, and also trying out other ratios of shutter speed to frames per second. Your comparison of the Crested Pigeon at 1/400 second to 1/50 second (at 25 frames per second) was wonderful -thank you. By watching it repeated, I was able to get a really good understanding of the effect on motion blur of the different shutter speeds. Thank you. I've been playing with hand held filming of birds in flight... It's not easy, but I am starting to make some head way. What I have noticed is if I'm filming at 1/200 second or 1/400 second (at 24 frames per second), the motion of the wings of Long Billed Corellas and other mid sizes birds is a little weird or jerky, where as with following the the 180 rule the wing flapping appears more natural. I'm going to be very curious to see if this is different with smaller or larger birds, where the wing flap speed / frequency is different. Have you noticed a difference? Kind regards.
Yes whenever we have a lot of motion, the 180 is more important for a smooth look. With BIF I find the biggest challenge that at 1/50 you get so much motion blurr from panning that kind of everything is blurry. So maybe a higher shutter speed will help, but then it makes the wings look funny as you say. With birds in general it’s easier to get away with higher shutter speeds than humans, because with humans we really expect that motion blurr
Your channel is the best bird photography and gear review channel I have ever came across on youtube! Thank you, for valuable content every time. Actually, your review of R5 made my choice easier. I am now a happy owner of R5 since June this year. Perfect timing with this video, it was just what I needed to know. And yes, please, on editing video some time soon. If you ask me- you are an expert on making videos. Big fan of your work.
@@jan_wegener enjoying big time! You keep the mood and spirit up. It is extremely dark in Denmark for the last month, at least. We haven’t seen sun for a very long time. Big, dark grey never ending overcast. I guess, darkness is also some kind of light 😁 Snow would help a lot. How does winter season “looks” in Australia?
Hey Jan, I really enjoy your channel. I am glad I found it. I learned a lot from this video. I have an R5 and want to start to make bird and wildlife videos. You gave us great info on camera settings. I think it is really cool how the birds you photograph are so much different than what we have here in Wisconsin, USA. And yes please show us your video editing!
Thanks for another cracking video Jan. I for one appreciate the time and effort that people such as yourself, Duade and Glenn among many others take to film and produce them. I know you'd probably rather be taking photographs but these videos certainly help level the learning curve for people like me. Anyway, I now have my R6, RF100-500 and 1.4x TC. I'll be a world renowned wildlife photographer in no time (in my dreams). All the best, Brian.
i have to say you are easily one of the best channels to watch Jan! your photos are sensational and your tips even better! great stuff keep it up! thankyou! :)
Your tip about exposing video to the left instead of the right is the first time I've heard that. It makes a lot of sense as I've sometimes struggled with hot skies in my videos. I'll definitely take that to heart in the future. I couldn't understand why when I did the quick switch to video with my R5, I always got slo-mo. It took me a while to realize that was because I'd assigned slo-mo to C3. I'll have to change it before I forget again.
Great video Jan! Thanks! and yes, it would be great to have video re editing by DR; and, even more in-depth videos of tricky settings for video recording.
Thank you Jan for a wonderful video. Funnily enough, I filmed some corellas rolling and fighting today, but it was over exposed. I came to your channel again for advice and here it was. I was using a 90d and it was impossible to see the LCD screen most of the time. I have just got an R7, and using the viewfinder looks a little better, but trying to not bump the camera, or pan smoothly is super difficult with the Tamron 150-600 G2. I have also been exposing to the right for video. Thankfully, you have helped to clarify this in the video. It is a huge learning curve, so I am extremely appreciative of your informative videos. It is also highly addictive. Many thanks once again. Matt P.S. Those coastal rocks look a lot like my area.
Great tips!! I'm new to video and started a YT channel over a year ago and want to film more professionally. I got overwhelmed by all the log specifications so I shoot in standard profile. I would love to see a video about editing (basics in Davinchi) and your editing workflow as well. I usually end up with so many clips and haven't got a clue where to start and it takes so much time to go through all the material. Do you make a shotlist? Many thanks!
Yes, going through the footage is the worst, but you need a lot of footage to be able to have enough BROLL etc. I usually make folders with clips in order before importing to DaVinci, so it's easy to put it in in the right order
Love these helpful tips Jan - Ty!! And yes, PLEASE do a video editing video!! I always learn so much from your vids! I started out doing primarily photography but now do about 50/50 photo and video since starting my RU-vid channel - you’re so right - video definitely adds a fun way to capture the birds and other animals that may not have come across as well in a photo. And I find it quite challenging in my creativity - keeps me on my toes and always learning! Thanks again! So helpful!
great overview Jan as always! sure is inspiring to do more videos. You are always presenting useful material in a very clear way. Thanks for sharing these great tips!
Well done again Jan. I have been filming birds for 20 years and you have summarised so much in this short video. Your clips are stunning. I have mainly had to use manual focus for years as my cameras have not been reliable enough on auto-focus with moving targets. This has lead to many failures. The new camera's including the R5 are a game changer and the Sony a7IV looks promising too. Also, I had not even considered filming without a tripod, which would be a game changer for mobility and speed to adapt to different circumstances.
Your video is so informative. Thank you! It also made me feel better about the fact that I recently bought the R5, not knowing that (pretty soon) Canon will release the R5c, which (supposedly) resolves the 8K overheating problem. I am referring to your comments about the editing process with the enormous 8K files. Now I don’t feel like I’m missing out or regretting the choice!
My R5 has never overheated, but I had the warning a few times. The R5c will be a video centric camera, so not really something you'd want if you also want to take photos.
Thanks, Jan. Will have to give video a go now. No excuses. Yes, definitely consider doing a piece on video editing. PS The Pro-Pack has been a godsend after struggling with the Photoshop profiles with my R5..
I'll have to admit that I've had my R5 for nearly a year and have not taken a single video clip (except for the time I accidentally hit the record button). Maybe I'll try it later today. Thanks for the inspiration!
I would love it if you did a video on editing video. I am just learning this as well and find it very confusing This was very informative and thanks for that!
Thank you, Jan! This video was just what I wanted and explained some of my simple questions. I am just getting started adding video to my photography on my R5. I would be very interested in you making a video on basic editing of videos.
Awesome. What you covered in this video is exactly what I have been doing. You and I are always on the same page. Higher shutter speed for a 30 fps footage is a good tip. Yeah, it will be great if you can show us how you edit your footage. I am using Davinci Resolve 17. It is a great application, but it can be intimidating to newbies like me.
Great video! Would love to see a video about video editing. Would also like to know your thoughts on choosing editing programs. Premiere, Final Cut, Davinci etc.
Thanks Jan for another great video. It’s always a dilemma when you’ve got a camera that does great video and stills like the R5 to decide whether to film or take photos. Like you say it’s easy to flick between stills and preset video modes on the R5.😊
You have gotten me to at least think about shooting video in a more serious way, which is quite an accomplishment! I would be interested in videos on video editing "for a regular person" as you say.
Well now you've gone and done it! ... so based on the comments I'm looking forward to watching your upcoming video on editing basics, hopefully in Resolve! I was very surprised to learn that the R5's microphone was pretty good at capturing sound from the birds - I had often wondered how you got such great sound at a relatively far distance from the bird and would have bet that you were using some sort of shotgun or other mic.
Lots of great tips mate, my biggest issue is me shaking :-) and not being able to move the focus point through the viewfinder. I am also loving getting video now as well. Cheers, Duade
@@jan_wegener please help this noob out! Do you do video through the viewfinder or just with the flip screen? I haven't even found out yet if i can do video without the flip screen and just the FV to be honest. I am totally assuming all goes through the flip screen. It is just that I am than having difficulty holding the lens camera combo and operating the screen...
Thank you Jan for some great tips! I found handhold filming is quite a challenge to keep the footage not jumping all over the places, so when I am out without a tripot, I then use slow motion 100 f/s to stablise it. I also tried to repticate two back buttons for eye detection used for photo shooting, but somehow it doesn't work. However, R5's auto eye detection seems working pretty well. I use premierer pro for footage editing, but struggle a bit with using Effects. I would love to know how Davinchi works.
It is, I don't like slow mo footage as much, so usually stick with normal speed, but you have to have the right lens\camera combo and technique to keep it stable. Doesn't;t always work for me either. Yes, I mainly rely on the eye AF. If that doesn't work I find it quite complicated to focus
Jan, this is one of your best videos yet. I have been trying to improve my footage for a while and you have addressed all of the important issues brilliantly. Hopefully I can get a lot better at the video side now. The only thing I missed although you may have mentioned it is do you shoot fully manual?
Yes, I always shoot full manual, which I find even more important for video, since it's extremely hard to edit the video if your exposure changes halfway through a clip
From my understanding with frame rates was the best case scenario dropping frames is going from 60p to 30p or 50p to 25p because its directly halving (but there might be slight issues because 30p is actually 29.97fps) So like Jan said best to keep everything the same. But going from 60p to 25p or 120p to 30p for e.g. doesn't end well. Also goes the other way round, dropping a 25p clip on a 60fps timeline doesn't end well where its doubling un-even number of frames.
Thank you for this very informative video! Could you suggest a couple of fluid video heads, which are excellent quality and also lightweight? I want to use this head with my sony 200-600mm lens. Many thanks!
Really enjoyed this and got a lot out of it, Jan. 👍 I’m an experienced stills shooter, but am finding it difficult to find priers on shooting video alongside stills - sttings, tips etc. Would love to see anything you have to offer. Nikon set-up would be great, but I realize you shoot a lot of Canon. So any port in a storm, as they say 😎 Cheers
Yes please make a video or a series of videos on editing videos! I have not yet tried using my Nikon d500 for videos. Is the advise different for crop sensors versus full frame cameras?
Solid content as usual Jan. Why not use a (decent quality) variable ND filter, which would allow you to easily zero out the ND when you want to shoot photos? The 100-500 is (I think) a 77mm filter thread, so it should be easy to use on that lens. Agree shooting super-tele, there is no easy solution for ND - unless you have an EF lens and use the Canon mount adapter that features variable ND. We primarily use dedicated cinema cams (C70, C300iii) with built in ND - but our primary use case is video. Thanks for sharing your insights.
@@jan_wegener hi Jan - yes the Canon built-in starts at 1.5 or 1 (I think). B+W and PolarPro make VNDs that start at less than 1 stop. We use Singh-Ray, which is spendy but well made - and has minimal distortion is our experience. A good VND will cost about US$200+ (Singh-Ray is more) but I wouldn’t go with a cheapo on this. Love your channel - keep up the good work!!
This video came at an opportune time for me. Thank you. I really liked it. I’ve just started to learn about video since getting the R5 and it was great to hear your tips. I’m in the UK where the problem is usually getting enough light so it will be refreshing to feel I’m in a good light situation more often. Hopefully can manage 1/50s! Not sure if it’s my imagination but the clip filmed at 1/400 makes the bird's crest look a bit odd to me. What is your experience of using 4k HQ 1.7 cropped at 1.7? Last night, I read this gave exceptional quality though I haven’t tried it myself yet. I assume you’re sticking with Resolve. I’ve just ( this week ) got Final Cut Pro X and I’ve started learning that. Look forward to hearing more about your journey in video.
You can push ISO a fair bit in video if need be to get to the shutter speed. Yes, that's the main difference on that clip. The crest has no motion blur anymore, so it looks a bit weird, but sometimes I still feel like that's a better compromise than stopping down a lot. AFAIK the cropped mode isn't 4k HQ, but either way, the quality was very good and more than usable. I have been using that from time to time when a bird is far. Yes, I have Resolve Studio version, but Final Cut is just as good or better on a MAC.
Hi Jan, a quick request. There are very few videos on the topic of filming wildlife, at least when compared to photography, so I decided to make my own one, from my perspective of starting out and I'm going to put section in it on videos Ive found useful, would it be OK to use a short clip of yours? I'm thinking a screen capture of it playing in for a few seconds in the window/not fullscreen, Ill obviously pit a link in the comments too!
I’ve almost been published in natgeoyourshot several times but in video I suck starting a YT channel so I’m on the ground floor looking up hopefully I’ll learn something some day
Nice simple tips! If you aren't using log, are you using some other picture profiles or just the default/no profile? Any Sony-specific tips? Also, an editing video sounds good.
Great content as always. Regarding video exposure settings I assume you always shoot in C3 if you intend to take video? If the light is constantly changing (sunny day with moving clouds) Im guessing you don't bother with video unless the subject has constant light for the duration of the clip?
Yes, heavily changing light is very hard to deal with, no matter whether you are in manual or automatic. It's very hard to edit and keep balanced. When I need super quick video I have CFN3 set up, but I have also saved the other two custom functions to give me different video modes
Great video Jan ! Many thanks ! Just one question more you didn’t comment : is it possible to extract a good photo from a video realistically ? What are pros and cons ? Thanks for your answer
I extract my YT cover from videos, but a real RAW file is much superior than a screen grab imo. The only decent way to do it might be shooting in 8k RAW with high shutter speeds, but I would always prefer a photo. and with 20-30fps on the camera, it takes almost the same amount of images as video
Do you experience really obvious decreases in your video quality when making a reel? If so, is there a way to prevent that? As always great & super informative video! I’m just starting to take more video so this was very helpful
Great video. I wanted to shoot wildlife too, but the shutter speed rule put me off, as I also didn't want anything else on my lens, as I am mainly photographing. I do have 2 questions though. 1. When increasing the shutter speed, do you just do it until it looks good, or do you keep the rule in mind and just duplicate the 25? Like 50 100 200... 2. I like to shoot sometimes slow motion, but then it won't record sound. Would that hairy external mic that's plugged in be good? Or should I look for normal external sound recorders? Or any other suggestion? I like it when birds sing and you can show the motion in their chest. Great channel, have a lot to learn, especially since I have the R5 and rf 100-500mm. All the best.
If you want sound for slow motion you’d need an external recorder, but the sound would never sync with the video anyways. In terms of shutter speed, if I go up, I look at the exposure to determine how high I have to go to avoid blown highlights
Jan. This video is hugely helpful to me as I am just starting to shoot video with my R5. Regarding the 180 "rule", you show that you went as high as 400 ss when using a 30 fps frame rate. I need to use a higher ss if I can in bright light and, like you, don't prefer to use an ND filter. Question is - does 400 compromise quality? How high can I safely go? Thanks, Lane
The shutter speed just make the video look less smooth. When I do photos and videos at the same time and ND filter can be a bit annoying and is also not always easy to use with bigger lenses. So sometimes I reluctantly bump up the shutter speed
Just bought your Masterclass - what a great course! I still have a question about filming birds. Would you recommend turning IBIS on/off or even on enhanced when filming?
@@jan_wegener Do you use the standard IBIS or the enhanced? Because if I use the enhanced with crop mode, the subject is almost too close in the frame.
Frame rate: you must consider the final display device. The Sammy S6 tablet I am watching these videos on, the display is natively 60fps. Most phones screens are 60fps, and most computer monitors are.. you guessed it, 60fps. Why not just film on 60fps ? 60fps is soo smooth, and matches the frame rate of most display devices. Im an Ozzie, and I only film 4k60 120th sec, on my R5 - looks wonderful. When footage is 24, 25 or 50fps, it is quite noticeably juddery to me when there is panning, zooming, or other motion, played on my 60fps tablet, as I am so used to the buttery smooth 60fps. If data is an issue, film in 30fps, that is 2nd best for a 60fps display device, and looks ok. Btw, After Effects does not discard every second frame when converting from 60fps to 30fps, but... when would you do this conversion anyhow ? 60fps is where it is at. Do not, and I mean do not, film in 24, 25 or 50 fps if the display device is going to be 60fps (likely). The conversion to 60fps is not smooth. Best to avoid this conversion in the first place - just film in 60fps. Some youtube channels do it right, eg, Cleetus Mcfarland films in 60fps, and it looks buttery smooth. Wonderful.
Hi Jan. Excellent tips! I haven't beeb using video on my Canon EOS R5, but this inspires me to try it. How do you find Adobe Premiere as editing software? Thanks,and have a nice weekend. Jan, DK.
Never used it extensively, but it likes to crash a lot. I think Premier Pro, Davinci & Final Cut are all very good programs. For the average user, Davinci being free offers the biggest benefit
@@jan_wegener, thanks, I have watched that one and set up my focusing buttons the same. I don't recall any video settings but I'll have another look. A dedicated video would be great.
Thanks a lot my friend ! A few months after getting the R6, mainly intended for stills, I had done my first trials with video and this YT came at the perfect timing because it answers plenty of the questions I was asking myself. Like why 25/50/100 fps when you can do 30/60/120. And when it makes sense to record in Log. and and and ;-) So far I mostly enjoyed my 1k/100fps video of a great spotted woodpecker jumping around on a perch in the garden. And by using a SS of 1/1000 I could extract some nice stills. But for better resolution I should use 4k/50fps next time. Not sure whether it's the same on the R5, but in video I cannot define the 'eye-AF' to one of the backbuttons .. Should I then fallback to the full-zone plus tracking ?? For convenience when handholding, I set the recording action also to the DOF preview button which in such case is much easier/stable to touch as opposed to the red record button. And by storing my main manual stills settings in C3, I don't have to turn the wheel much between stills and video. As you said earlier customizing video is besides mp count the main gap between R5 and R6. As other viewers wrote, it would be a great follow up to explain in a next YT some basics of video editing. In the first place how to zoom and stabilize a video. Is the latter better done in post as opposed the in-camera digital video stabilization on top of IBIS ??
I usually use continuous focus and eye tracking for video, as I don't wanna fiddle around with things much. If the focus is too slow to find the bird you can first focus in photo mode and then switch to video, I usually stabilise in post, but the electronic stabilisation might work if its good. On the A1 for instance it made it worse tho when using it with the 200-600
@@jan_wegener thanks for this hint! Of course switching to video is easier on the R5. And the video in stills mode is only automatic .. is that actually any useful ? Does this allow triggering stills while recording video or would that simply be a neither fish nor flesh case which isn't good for anything ?
@@jan_wegener Indeed, the cripple hammer between R5 and R6 has only focused on easy video settings and video customization. Luckily this hammer didn't target AF and IBIS ! Good enough for me (even when more mp would never hurt) because it's the best I could afford (as long as there's no unicorn available)
Even 2 years later, this video is a treasure trove of information for someone (like me) giving wildlife videography a try now! Can I ask what kinda of tripod head you would use if you're planning on doing both photography and video on and outing?
@@jan_wegener thanks! I recently picked up a tripod gimbal to replace my ball head - thought it would make doing both photo/video a little easier. But now my tripod is too imbalanced and large to carry with my backpack! Lol
Hi Jan, thank you for the video... I was wondering if you ever made a specific Ytb video on the best video settings you can use to get the bet wildlife/birds video rendering on the Canon 5D Mark IV. Any insight welcome... Best.
@@jan_wegener Thank you for the reply Jan... And since you ask to post in comments, yes, a "video editing" video would be great (don't even know if you use Da Vinci or Premiere...)
