Need Help Please! Best DSLR Camera Video Settings

[TheSmokingAndroid]

Okie dokie (does anyone say that anymore?) So i've been using my Rebel T3i for a while now to do my videos. I've been messing around with the settings FOREVER and still haven't settled on what works best.

I do tech reviews, so basically, even though there aren't fast moving objects, my hands are in the frame, and they tend to move around a fair amount, since i'm playing around with what ever product i'm reviewing.

Recently, i mucked around with the settings some more, and now my videos (in my opinion) look like crap compared to the way they were, say, a few months ago. And i can't remember for the life of me what those settings were, not that they were optimal or anything...

So i'm kinda back to square one in figuring out the best settings to use. I've never asked before, just tried to figure it out on my own by reading, reading, reading... But i've had it, to the point where i need the communities help! Before i rip out what little hair i have left!

Now, i'm assuming since all DSLR cameras have similar settings (manual/auto exposure, aperture, shutter speed, iso ect..) that folks with other DSLR cameras can chime in here too.

What settings work best for you folks to achieve the highest quality videos? I record in 1080p (my audience prefers it) and i have no problem rendering it on my PC because it renders videos VERY quickly.

Hopefully the feedback here can help others wondering the same thing, presently and in the future.

Cheers =)

 

[ghostlyrich]

go to a camera store and pic them up and play with them see which one is more comfortable and easy to play with get the sales guy to show you his preference and grow from there we all have a faves whether its from 1989 or 2013. I can't stress anough to play with it the t4i or d7

 

[unknown_user0004]

I'm on the t4i, I run 1080p at 23.98fps, record at 1/40, with an ISO of 800 and an f-stop of 4.5, on a 10-22mm lens, for the most part.

The settings are obviously going to change based on your environment. What, in particular, are you noticing is off?

 

[TheSmokingAndroid]

go to a camera store and pic them up and play with them see which one is more comfortable and easy to play with get the sales guy to show you his preference and grow from there we all have a faves whether its from 1989 or 2013. I can't stress anough to play with it the t4i or d7

I think perhaps you're a bit confused on what i was asking. I'm looking for input on the best DSLR settings, not what camera to buy. I've already stated that i use a Canon Rebel T3i... But thanks?

 

[ghostlyrich]

I think perhaps you're a bit confused on what i was asking. I'm looking for input on the best DSLR settings, not what camera to buy. I've already stated that i use a Canon Rebel T3i... But thanks?

sorry but i been driniking a little hah im looking at buying a dsr my self and playing with many settings. i think the coolest i found on my point and shoot is selective color

 

[TheSmokingAndroid]

I'm on the t4i, I run 1080p at 23.98fps, record at 1/40, with an ISO of 800 and an f-stop of 4.5, on a 10-22mm lens, for the most part.

The settings are obviously going to change based on your environment. What, in particular, are you noticing is off?

Aha, thanks for those settings! Well, i feel like it's just not as sharp a picture as it used to be. Seems a bit fuzzy and dull, not at all DSLR like quality, that's for sure. My good friend, who also does YouTube video, but with a prosumer camcorder, says it looks like the lighting is off and as if i'm recording at 60fps! And i think i agree with him. I'd post my latest review here, but i don't think i'm allowed to post videos, lol...

 

[unknown_user0004]

Aha, thanks for those settings! Well, i feel like it's just not as sharp a picture as it used to be. Seems a bit fuzzy and dull, not at all DSLR like quality, that's for sure. My good friend, who also does YouTube video, but with a prosumer camcorder, says it looks like the lighting is off and as if i'm recording at 60fps! And i think i agree with him. I'd post my latest review here, but i don't think i'm allowed to post videos, lol...

Hmm, I looked at your latest video, and I'm not necessarily seeing what you're seeing. It looks a little underexposed, bit not problematically so. I'd try shooting on an automatic setting and comparing footage - just to see if it's an issue with your settings, or an issue with the camera itself. But I'm not seeing any issues!

 

[TheSmokingAndroid]

Hmm, I looked at your latest video, and I'm not necessarily seeing what you're seeing. It looks a little underexposed, bit not problematically so. I'd try shooting on an automatic setting and comparing footage - just to see if it's an issue with your settings, or an issue with the camera itself. But I'm not seeing any issues!

Interesting! So in your personal opinion, would you say the video quality was relatively high? As in, what you would expect out of a DSLR? Aside from the exposure like you mentioned The very first 3 seconds, something went wrong during the editing, but, i dunno, it just doesn't look up to par to me. I've read one of your other posts on another thread, and you mentioned that your anal, lol, and i suppose i am too in that regard. Gotta get the best quality, considering we use above average cameras for video...[DOUBLEPOST=1366875637,1366875511][/DOUBLEPOST]I guess what i'm also noticing in my video that you looked at is the blurriness of my hands when they move around. They seem to get quite blurry!

 

[unknown_user0004]

Interesting! So in your personal opinion, would you say the video quality was relatively high? As in, what you would expect out of a DSLR? Aside from the exposure like you mentioned The very first 3 seconds, something went wrong during the editing, but, i dunno, it just doesn't look up to par to me. I've read one of your other posts on another thread, and you mentioned that your anal, lol, and i suppose i am too in that regard. Gotta get the best quality, considering we use above average cameras for video...[DOUBLEPOST=1366875637,1366875511][/DOUBLEPOST]I guess what i'm also noticing in my video that you looked at is the blurriness of my hands when they move around. They seem to get quite blurry!

Ah, I'm not noticing motion blur, but they are a bit out of focus when your hands are closer to the camera. You'll probably want to take the f-stop up a bit if that's the case.

Though if you're seeing motion blur issues, make sure your shutter speed is as close to double your frame rate as you can get it (e.g., 24fps = 1/50, 30fps = 1/60).

 

[TheSmokingAndroid]

Ah, I'm not noticing motion blur, but they are a bit out of focus when your hands are closer to the camera. You'll probably want to take the f-stop up a bit if that's the case.

Though if you're seeing motion blur issues, make sure your shutter speed is as close to double your frame rate as you can get it (e.g., 24fps = 1/50, 30fps = 1/60).

cheers, ya. I've set my f-stop to 3.5, but it likes to automatically switch to 4.5 sometimes and wont let me change it back... Don't know if there is an auto / manual control for that in the settings menu. It's been driving me nuts forever! I've also changed my picture style to standard, it was set to neutral before, apparently neutral gives a washed out look in most cases. I think i also need to figure out the best render settings in Sony Movie Studio 12. I've been watching a ton of videos on it via YouTube, but a lot of the video contradict each other at times. I've also read the sticky post in this forum, but it's from back in 2012 and isn't very specific and is quite generic. I'm going to have to keep reading up on it i think, or maybe make another post asking for assistance there too.

Thanks for your help dude! I'm going to try these new settings out in my next video tomorrow morning and see what happens.