Best Dual videocamera setup

[Kenneth Tong]

I have 2 video cameras (one XM1 and one cheap canon 1 ccd dv cam). I would like to use them both for video a performance. I do not have any assistance to help me. What is your advice?

[Don Palomaki]

What kind of performance? How long does it run?

You could set up one camera as a cntinuous runing wide shot of the full stage and use the other to zoom in on the performers, use the wide shot to cover camera movements.

Best to capture sound using directional mics in front of the audience clise to the performers, or perhaps from house sound board if that is a viable option.

Will the images from the two camcorders match fairly well in terms of color amnd light perforamnce (e.g., noise content). If not, the edit4d video may not look all that great.

If you can, try a practice session, perhaps a rehersal, and experiment with camera placement, exposure, etc. to find out what works in that venue for your artistic intent.

[Kenneth Tong]

Thank you for your adivce!

It was a school kid drama (Fiddler on the Roof) production which lasted for 40 minutes.

I have set up 2 cameras with one wide angle and one close-up. The wide angle cam on a tripot and the close up cam on a monopot. The one video cam for close up has an eterrnal mic and the sound is clearer(less sound from audience).

I edit them using Windows Movie Maker. I just cut away the shaking parts and the zoom in zoom out parts. In the final product, the sounds from 2 cams are a bit different but acceptable since one is just a bit louder than the other.

However, the colour of the footage of the 2 cams are rather different. The colour of the XM1 is vivid but the one from the one chip cam is dull. I only used the auto white balalce during recording. Whould it help if I use a white card to do the white balance before the show??

Besides, it is difficult for me to look after 2 cams at one time(change batteries & tapes). Next time I will set up both on one tripot using a T shape bar.

[Len Imbery]

I recorded our band playing a concert with $0 budget, hence the low quality....but I used a Sony D-8 at the sound board with an audio feed from the board, a Panasonic 3 CCD(don't know the model) beside it with a shot of the singer and a guy using my GL2 on and infront of stage for closeups....The GL2 footage really looked great while the panasonic's really was disappointing for a 3 chip camera, and the my old D-8 in hindsight should not have been left on auto exposure but rather in spotlight mode?....videos can be seen here:
http://www.acidplanet.com/artist.asp...s=407574&T=220
Len

[Dale Guthormsen]

Len,

I live just down the road from you, a scant 90 miles sw to mossbank.

I went to the link you mentioned and there was nothing about fiddler, or is it a different video you refer to??

I have shot a lot of footage with a digital 8 and they are at their best in good light. My wife uses it now to film her students doing things in her classroom.

the gl2 does a great job if adjusted properly.

Curiously, how was the audio of the d8 coming straint from a mixer? I would think the audio would be useable.

[Kenneth Tong]

When I know how to put my video on the web, I will put the "Fiddler on the Roof" for you to comment.

I have seen the concert. Very good video! The combination of close up and wide angle are good. Better than mine. I hope As a viewer, I would sometimes want to see details of the concert, e.g. hands playing instruments, feet tapping and even the back of the performers.

[Don Palomaki]

I do not know the capabilities of Movie Maker, but with a standard NLE it is possible to address some of yor problems.

You could use sound from one camera for the full perforamnce and jsut video from the oteh camera for the cut-aways.

You could use color correction features of the NLE to get a better match for the image, but the low color saturation you mention is characteristic of 1-CCD cameras, especialy at lower ambient light levels.

If the performance is 40 minutes long, there should be no need to change tapes or batteries mid performance.

Try getting a friend to mind the second camcorder and position them for best image perforamnce, which probably means not on the same tripod using a dual camera rig. Moving/panning/etc. one will no doubt impact the other camera's image.

[Len Imbery]

[ I went to the link you mentioned and there was nothing about fiddler, or is it a different video you refer to??

Ken is the one who is doing Fiddler on the Roof....my site has a couple of clips of my band....

Curiously, how was the audio of the d8 coming straint from a mixer? I would think the audio would be useable.[/QUOTE]
It was going through a Beachteck-like (studio-pro xlr box) that will take a balanced signal...
Len
...say hi to everyone in Mossbank!<G>

[Kenneth Tong]

When I used sound treck just from one cam, there is lip sincronization problem, the sound does not match with action. It takes a long time in post edit to solve it( in Movie Maker). It is easier to use the original sound treck from the 2 cams. If the transition by sharp cut is too akward, I use fade in-fade out.

Thank you Don!

[Harold Schreiber]

Hi Kenneth,

You don't say which model your other single chip Cam is, so I don't know its abilities or what adjustments you can do to it.

Be sure to use manual focus on both Cams.

So, If you can't change Cams to a closer match, then:

Dum down the XM1 Cam to the Color level of the other Cam.

Or get a better NLE that can make better corrections for you.

As for white balance, put both Cams in "Indoor Mode" as stage shows will be all over the place in color temp. If they use lots of Spot Lites and low stage lighting, use SpotLite Mode on Cam that you get close-ups with.

I recently did a Variety Show that went for 2.5 hrs. Edited it down to 2 hrs. 14 mins. on DVD's. Show had poor sound reinforcement, low stage lites and major use of Spot Lites. Had almost no practice time. Used my Sony TRV 950. I was at the back center of rather large school auditorium. Tough to do, but got lucky with decent result.

Harold

[Kenneth Tong]

Hi Harod!

My cheap cam is a Canon MV450i. Besides the day light & indoor mode, it has a low light mode but the motion of the people is a bit strange in that low light mode.

I will try to set both cameras on indoor mode on next shooting occasion. I will also make better use of the 20X of my XM1 to take some super close ups

The advantage of a 2 camera set up is to cut away all the zoom in & zoom outs. I am busy in looking after 2 cams but it pays as the finished video is better than a one cam production. (at least I feel better)

As I did not have the chance to see the show beforehand (e.g. rehearsals), I know very little about the movements of the actors on stage. I sometimes missed them in close ups. But the 2 cam set up compensates this as the wide angle cam can cover all.

Thank you for your advice!

Kenneth

[Lynn Earl McDow]

Kenneth,

On using Movie Maker 2, right click on the sound track of a clip. You can Mute, Fade in, Fade out, and adjust the volume of each clip.

[Kenneth Tong]

Hi! Lynn.

I didn't know I could also adjust sound for each clip!. The different levels of sound of the footages from different cams really upsets me. I will try that in my next edit stage.

Thank you!
Kenneth