Nikon D7000

[Steve Bowman]

Thanks Chris / ordered the Zacuto / expensive but have a good reputation for their gear.

[Eric Pascarelli]

Originally Posted by Chris Leong

I'd like to know about exposure monitoring too, actually, Reed. So what Eric said, since the D7k seems very lacking in this department.

Right - I think it would be useful. Unfortunately the D7000 does not have a clean HDMI option, so you would be waveform monitoring lots of status displays along with the image, but better that than nothing.

[Chris Leong]

Yeah, I"m using the old DV rack software on a laptop with an HDMI input and a splitter to the monitor. Setup seems to work very well.

But actually, if you think about it, mostly people set their focus, apertures, etc up before the shot. Then they shoot.

So we can do this too - don't go into live view until you're ready for the shot. Compose, get focus marks, check exposures, etc., by taking stills, the way we used to do it with Polaroids. Then once everything's set, switch over for the take.

Cheers!
Chris

[Jim Forrest]

When I am in manual and shooting a still I am able to change the shutter speed, f-stop and ISO.
However while in LiveView which I use to shoot video, I can only change the shutter speed (which I keep primarily in 1/50) and ISO.
I have found no way to change my f-stop in manual Liveview.
Am I missing something here? My primary use of the camera is for video and not being able to change the f-stop while in manual and LiveView is going to be a problem. Not sure how it picks the f-stop but it doesn't change.
I guess the f-stop has to be all the way open in order to see in LiveView and the only control I have is over the ISO.

[Greg Laves]

The older non-G Nikon lenses had iris control on the lenses themselves. But those lenses had click stops at every f-stop. I have heard the lenses can easily be modified to remove the detent so you can have smooth and noiseless manual adjustment of the iris while shooting. Wouldn't that work on the D7000?

[Chris Leong]

Greg, hello!

Yes, certainly they will work. Duclos and others can do the iris mod, it's fairly easy.

Jim, hi!

I noticed that you're running an EX3.
Here's the thing.

The biggest difference between your D7K and your EX3 is that the D7K shouldn't be thought of as a video camera, but more like a Super 16 film camera. It doesn't replace a video camera at all.

I've written about this at length over at the Nikonians forums (under DSLR video) but in a nutshell you'll want to use manual everything when shooting Quicktime clips with these machines. AF-S/D glass or AIs glass works best. The G series and later don't do well because you're leaving your control up to the camera, and Nikon didn't design the camera to do that in video mode.

The way to work it is using film discipline:

a) in stills mode, establish your exposure. Nikon wants you to use it like an Arri or an Aaton. 24fps at 1/50 sec. That's it. Set your exposure, make your focus marks, start and end.

b) switch over to live action, take the shot.

c) switch back to stills mode.

Like that. Audio, external. Slow and fast motion, use Twixtor.

I don't know how much operating you've done, but in the film world about the only time we used to do aperture pulls is when we went from interiors to exteriors in the same shot. and that wasn't too often.

In the D7k, you can use the ISO and the gain setting while in live view mode to tweak the exposure while the camera is recording. But unless you're shooting video, why would you?

Think of this camera as a shallow DOF low light limited run time film camera. Very high quality pictures, but as a 100ft or a 400ft loaded film camera, limited shot length and limited shooting time.

You can tell that because Nikon didn't even plan to have a tandem battery system. Even the D11 battery pack only takes the one battery, and to access the camera's one you have to take it off again. Hardly the recipe for a video camera design.

In a nutshell, if you're shooting short clips for editing into a commercial, music video, short film or feature film, and you can plan and light and set up your shots manually, with an external exposure and a color meter, this is a camera for you.

If you're shooting long takes of conferences, weddings, events and the like, or news or anything unrepeatable, like reality, where you're not shooting film discipline (and I'd call that up to a 10:1 shooting ratio), or if you need or rely on automation of focus, aperture, shutter or anything else, then you'd be far better served with a real video camera.

If you need both in one camera, then use a Letus Elite and Nikon primes on your EX3. Even the relay lenses don't do the limited DOF thing well with wide lenses. The Letus/Nikon route lets you get the film camera look but retain the video shooting methods that most people have gotten used to.

Wanting the D7K to everything is like asking for an Aaton XTR for $3k or less - and then complaining it doesn't do sound at all. Jim Jannard's the only person who even thought about promising that one...

HTH
Cheers!
Chris

[Eric Pascarelli]

Originally Posted by Chris Leong

You can tell that because Nikon didn't even plan to have a tandem battery system. Even the D11 battery pack only takes the one battery, and to access the camera's one you have to take it off again. Hardly the recipe for a video camera design.

Chris,

Good points. But I think the D7000 is more versatile than you let on, beyond using it as one would an Arri 16SR. Of course it will never be as handy as an EX1/3, but in many cases, and especially with older AF-Nikkors (for manual iris) and a wireless audio receiver on the hot shoe, it's not a bad substitute.

And I tried battery swapping while recording using the MB-D11 battery. During the battery change, it switches seamlessly to the internal battery and then back to the MB-D11 battery without interrupting recording - that's pretty cool. Of course, as you imply, clips are still limited to 20 minutes by the camera itself.

[Jim Forrest]

Thanks Chris-- Excellent explanation!
I come from an ENG background where I used company cameras, not anything like film productions.
The only film camera I used ...going way back .. was the CP16 film camera but that was for news. But now I am retired and just do some small productions stuff.
I really just want to use the D7000 as ad in or peripheral video and primarily on a BlackBird stabilizer for some walking shots.
The EX3 will be for 95% of the shooting. If I were to get a stready cam type rig for the EX3 is would be too expensive for me. So the D7000 seemed like a option.
I may use it as a stand alone camera but in a limited way.

[Chris Leong]

Eric, hello!

How's the Holidays for you?

Yeah, well you're right, of course, and I didn't even add what a kick a** stills camera the D7k is. I lent mine to my DP for a couple days and he took it for the week to Florida (I'm in LA) to see if he can't give young Phil Bloom a run for his money... (i.e. he doesn't want to give it back :-)

My point was that if you think of it as an SR3 or XTR then you don't get caught up in the "Where's the intervalometer? Variable shutter? Ramp speed? Histogram? RGB parade? Auto this and that?" and all attention is where I feel it should be - on the photography. And if that means that people have actually to learn a bit of photographic theory, then so what? Worth the while, correct?

I think that 20 minutes on a single shot is almost impossible. But I recall shooting a commercial about a month ago with beach volleyballers in it - the actual scripted body of the commercial was storyboarded, prevized, rehearsed - we shot with an EX1 and EX3, both Letus. Around 15 minutes total footage, which is actually kinda high for me, but there was action and kids involved, and client was there in force, so...

... then we needed some quick background pickups of just people on a beach playing ball - and so that afternoon my DP and I went down to Manhattan beach - and shot a couple hours of footage each, all for around 3 seconds of insert material...

That's what I'm talking about.

And you have an excellent point with the battery system - I'm thinking old school where both batteries need to be used / loaded equally, but what's to say one can't use the onboard battery as the kinda sorta battery cache to keep everything going while changing out the "main" battery in the grip? Great thought, Eric, and thanks!



Jim, thanks for your kind words!

Really the D7k would be what one calls a film-look camera. So for commercials, music videos, short and feature length scripted work, you know? I think I'm going to try to shoot entire short films with the D7k before too long - my DP is testing the camera now. In think that it will match up with the images from my EX/Letus setup, so there's my A and B cameras, if I need them. However, in lower light or tighter quarters, I think the D7k will shine.

The Merlin is pretty good at around $550 street, less used. Depends on what you're loading, and also (we're back to it) how long you want to keep on holding it. Usually on a commercial you're just going for a 5-10 second shot. That's not too long. Also I've been using Phil Bloom's El Cheapo EX shoulder clip on my D7k with rods and monitor and it works a charm. Remember that from way back when, on this forum? $80 shipped?

My pal's shooting an indie on his D7k already, and I've a slew of shorts planned for the next three months while mine is prepping. Who knows? You might see the D7k on some film credits before long!

Holiday Cheers!
Chris

[Marcus Martell]

Chris good to hear this stuff from a guy like u about the new NIKON D7k!
Have a merry xmas

[Jim Forrest]

"Nikon D7000


"So far I like the image, very pleasing and low light is very good. It has manual audio, HD HDMI out whilst recording (but also turns off the LCD like the Canons), it records full HD but only in 24p mode. For 30p and 25p it’s 720p only and there is no 50p or 60p. There also seems to be an issue that I cannot figure out. Where is the exposure meter in live view?

UPDATE: I tried shooting with it but the lack of meter is frustrating me too much, which is a shame as I think the image is really nice, good in low light. But until that meter is displayed it’s too annoying to shoot with. Why would they miss such a basic thing? Also the inability to change F-Stop after rolling is just plain dumb. I use older Nikon lenses so am ok with that, although I do have two newer ones and they have this issue. Nikon need to fix these issues URGENTLY! "

[Jim Forrest]

The latest firmware has been posted on the nikon site. Was put up Dec 22.

D7000 firmware: A:1.01, B:1.01

However when I try and update the camera I keep getting ...'Battery low, can not update'

Not sure what is going on. Maybe someone else can try it and let me know why I am getting that and why it won't update.

[Jim Forrest]

Fixed the problem, Battery muct be fully and I mean fully charged to upate.

[Christopher Lefchik]

From reading through the thread I understand that it is possible to adjust the aperture in Live View using either the aperture ring (after changing the appropriate menu setting), or for lenses without aperture rings using the AE Lock Hold/exposure compensation/shutter button combination.

What I'm not clear on, though, is this: Can both these methods be used to change the aperture on the fly while the camera is in the middle of recording a video?

[Chris Leong]

Christopher, hello!
Chris here.
If you have a lens with a manual iris on it, then yes, you can change the iris in the middle of a shot. Also, you can change the ISO setting or the +/- as well, also in the middle of a shot.
The question is, why would you?
I assume you've been reading here and elsewhere the fact that the D7000 makes a very poor video camera if you're shooting long takes and putting things on auto, right?
If you're going to be doing a lot of that kind of shooting, best get a real video camera, because if you're looking for auto and change in shot, then the DSLRs really don't do that kind of thing well.

My preferred method for shooting a D7000 is to really shoot a stills photo take first, get the lighting, exposures, etc., set right, then remember the aperture setting (we really don't use many shutter speeds in film making, normally just 1/50th) and then shoot the motion clip.

Cheers!
Chris