How can I zoom smoothly with the 70-300mm and my 60D

stringereyes

I have 60D and I'm planing to shoot video soon. So my question is...can I zoom in smoothly like other video cameras?

PBked

Hi @stringereyes - First, can I clarify one thing...the 60D is not a video camera, it is a stills camera with video capability. Once you think of it in these terms then it's use to capture video has to be thought out.

Most video cameras have motorized zooms, which enable you to zoom in and out smoothly. Any zoom you fit to the 60D will be manually operated.

With the camera mounted on a tripod and a zoom of your choice, rotate the lens to the point where you need to reposition your grip. My guess is you will have zoomed about a third of the way through the zoom range, this is the amount you can zoom smoothly with and even then it takes practice to twist at a constant speed.

I mentioned this before on an earlier post, but people over rate the use of zoom in their movies. Watch a real movie and see how much zooming goes on. Very little, right? Films are made up of segments filmed at different angles and zoom ratios and then tacked together into one. The zoom ratios are set before the segment begins and usually does not change until a new segment with new angles and zoom ratios comes along.

I don't mean to sound pedantic, but a little time spent on studying film technique will only make for the best of your 60D when making films. Regards - PBked

Auston

@PBked - I can see and understand the point you are making. I agree with the point of the 60D is not a primary video system. I have shot several series of video clips and had not thought about putting them together. Could you suggest a program for that function?

Auston

@stringereyes - When filming, it is suggested to shoot in short chunks. This is because the sensor in the 60D is not ventilated like that of a digital camcorder. That makes the imaging sensor prone to over heating which can damage the sensor. I also wouldn't use any SD card smaller than a SDHC 16GB class 10. Anything lower than a class 10 will cause choppy play back. Cheers.

PBked

Hi @Auston - Yes you are right about the overheating aspect, but, regarding my post above, this actually makes you think of filming in short chunks rather than one continual video which is for the good.

Here in England I use a video editing program by a company called Serif, but there are many similar programs in the USA. Even the most basic editing software usually enables you to stitch chunks of video together and add a few fades which you can use to go seamlessly from one chunk to another.

The point I was really trying to make was that zoom should be used very sparingly. My cousin's recent video of his toddler went something like this - wide angle shot of toddler + new trike -zoom in on toddler - zoom out again - zoom in on trike - zoom out again - toddler gets on trike zoom in again and so on. After 5 minutes I felt as though my eyes were on springs. Terrible!

I also agree with you about the SD card. Regards - PBked

Moose

Howdy @stringereyes - Unfortunately my expertise is tied directly to digital photography. I'm still very green when it comes to recording HD video with a DSLR. You might check out the 60D video forums over at Vimeo.com. They may be able to point you in the right direction. Happy shooting! :)

Moose

@PBked and @Auston - Thanks for your input! :)

stringereyes

Hi Guys... @PBked - Thank you so much! It's really valuable information for me. If there are any sites that can help me more regarding the film technique please let me know. @Auston - Many thanks! I already purchased a 64GB Class 10 SD card.