Filming with your phone or tablet...

[Halcyon Yachts]

I have always preferred to use a dedicated video camera when sailing, but I have to say some of the modern phones and tablets have pretty amazing cameras!!!

This film was taken using a HTC smartphone. Not a particularly new one - I was quite impressed with the footage!

It is noticeably shaky in parts, but slowing it down a bit helps. The same crew are off to the Baltic to collect a new Moody, so I will have some more phone footage to edit soon - a much longer trip, so hopefully more to play with!

Are many others on here filming with their phones and tablets? What do you think and what sort of results are you getting? Maybe the stand alone video camera will be a thing of the past soon?

Phones now have good waterproof options, but they still seem to lack the image stabilisation which I really like on my camera...

Pete

 

[dylanwinter]

the images are great

I am sure you are right

you can make excellent films with them - I have seen some incredible work done with iphones

but two things about them


when the light is low - but still interesting - then they struggle to see what the eye can see.

Never yet successfully got a zoom you can use in shot from one of them

I have three cameras and on a good day I cannot tell the difference between the waterproof one and the proper cam

I can always hear the wind though so there is a massive difference in the way they deal with that

I assume an external mike - bluetooth - would solve that problem

how you overcome the problems associated with a tiny lens I have no idea

with a bigger lens you can get sharp focus from one side of the image to the other even in less than perfect light - dusk say

with a lens the size of an orange pip then it is a bit tougher

I do like to try to use sound in my films - it is a major part of sailing

I assume I am not the only person who closes their eyes when helming and attempt to sail the boat by sound and feel alone


I have no started mixing my films for watching on fat tellies with decent sound

I get the odd email from people who try watching and listening on their Kindle Fires - they tell me it is hard to hear

they are watching on a screen the size of an envelope and listening through speakers the size of grains of rice.

D

 

[petedg]

We're planning to try it this summer and your example certainly gives us some encouragement, although I think zooming and sound maybe a problem.

 

[GHA]

how you overcome the problems associated with a tiny lens I have no idea

Anamorhpic lense?
http://nofilmschool.com/2015/07/tangerine-sundance-iphone-5s-sean-baker-radium-cheung-interview

 

[dylanwinter]

Anamorhpic lense?
http://nofilmschool.com/2015/07/tangerine-sundance-iphone-5s-sean-baker-radium-cheung-interview

enjoyed that

very interesting

audio recording was done using top notch gear and then re-synched with the camera

they changed lens when they changed shots.

I think the dedicated video camera will be with us for another year or two

after that who knows what will happen

D

 

[Halcyon Yachts]

We're planning to try it this summer and your example certainly gives us some encouragement, although I think zooming and sound maybe a problem.

I think one of these would be worth while (or perhaps a small tripod):

It is really hard to get a shot that isn't shaky with a phone. With regard to the audio you could always get a separate recorder: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B005CQ2ZY6?keywords=zoom%20mic&qid=1457539820&ref_=sr_1_2&sr=8-2

As for zooming, it doesn't generally work well anyway. Here is a clip when I saw a whale near Dartmouth:

I couldn't help but zoom in! It's not too bad as I slowed the footage right down. But normally a shot that requires a zoom isn't worth it - just try and get closer to it!

Pete

 

[Spi D]

Since fairly good gear is in the hand of everybody it still puzzles me why sooo many videos on Youtube are of extremely bad quality.

Could it be in the hand of the beholder, waving the camera around while filming and screeming 'Oh Maah Godd"!?

 

[matt1]

This was filmed on an iPhone 5c. Helped that it was sunny. Not great quality but happy memories of the boat really shifting

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FxTb8WwqVrk

 

[dylanwinter]

Since fairly good gear is in the hand of everybody it still puzzles me why sooo many videos on Youtube are of extremely bad quality.

Could it be in the hand of the beholder, waving the camera around while filming and screeming 'Oh Maah Godd"!?

possession of pen and paper does not guarantee the prose of shakespeare

 

[ChrisRayner]

OTOH, if you have an infinitude of monkeys.....

 

[mjcoon]

OTOH, if you have an infinitude of monkeys.....

Shakespeare would (have been) be cheaper...

Mike.

 

[tudorsailor]

I do not have a dedicated video camera either. Rather than use my HTC phone, I can use my Canon 760 SLR which has image stabilisation.

Here's a clip that is on the water, but in fact being punted down a river in Jamaica. Considering the bumpiness as we went over the stones of the riverbed, the image remains nice and steady.

TS

 

[dylanwinter]

I do not have a dedicated video camera either. Rather than use my HTC phone, I can use my Canon 760 SLR which has image stabilisation.

Here's a clip that is on the water, but in fact being punted down a river in Jamaica. Considering the bumpiness as we went over the stones of the riverbed, the image remains nice and steady.

TS

I agree a good still camera will now do excellent video

while a good video camera does okay stills

when I have played with SLRs that did video it was hard to get a zoom movement that you can use in in a video. a camera optimised for video can do it smoothly without losing focus. Some SLRs will lose focus as the zoom is being used,

I used to make a living taking stills

I miss having the time to frame and expose a shot

but video has its advantages

D

 

[tudorsailor]

My previous Canon became effectively fixed focus when used for video

This new camera remains in focus as I zoom and the exposure remains perfect. I did not upgrade for the video capability but can see myself using it more and more as it is so good

TS

 

[sand_dune]

I think the video by the OP was beyond terrible in terms of video quality, and headache inducing. I wish I never have to see anything like that ever again (wishful thinking). I do not say the filming and editing was badly done. Some people, including me sometimes would watch a bad quality video just for the sake of a sentiment. But to intentionally produce footage of this quality would mean either: no better equipment was available at the moment due to various reasons, including poverty, or the author did it to prove a point (which failed). Otherwise such videos show disrespect for the viewer. Nobody will want to see this quality except for a sentimental reason if their eyes can see difference between a glove and a rat.

Even the absolutely newest top of the range phones that cost quite a lot cannot produce acceptable results in all conditions and a far cry from a cheap dedicated camera overall.

There are relatively inexpensive ways to film exceptional quality videos
Panasonic LX100 £300+
Sony RX100 IV £500+
Sony RX10 II
Panasonic FZ1000 £450+

All these cameras have no problems with autofocus. But they are not waterproof.

They also have superior anti shake function.

Why people bother with all kinds of woeful gadgets, if you can film for £300 like this:

 

[doug748]

"I think the video by the OP was beyond terrible in terms of video quality, and headache inducing. I wish I never have to see anything like that ever again (wishful thinking). "

Blimey, I thought it was ok. It's got music, pictures colour etc.

I think most people probably don't give a stuff, if they are not paying for it or trying to view it on a 72in TV.

 

[sand_dune]

"I think the video by the OP was beyond terrible in terms of video quality, and headache inducing. I wish I never have to see anything like that ever again (wishful thinking). "

Blimey, I thought it was ok. It's got music, pictures colour etc.

I think most people probably don't give a stuff, if they are not paying for it or trying to view it on a 72in TV.

You don't have to go far for a comparison. Youtube has zillions of videos. Part of them are good, part of them are filmed with inadequate cameras.

In this thread we clearly don't have a case of "look at my best effort to capture the amazing time I had".
Instead we have a "look this 8 year old smartphone, or this 4 year old rock bottom priced smartphone can film as good as anything"

Well it can't . And please film with something else. As younger people find this footage borderline criminal.

 

[Halcyon Yachts]

"I think the video by the OP was beyond terrible in terms of video quality, and headache inducing. I wish I never have to see anything like that ever again (wishful thinking). "

Blimey, I thought it was ok. It's got music, pictures colour etc.

Thanks for your support Doug. It is certainly hard to please everyone!

Film making is a difficult art and takes lots of time and training to master. You only have to look at the credits on any professional production to see just how many people and how much money is involved. The equipment used is also very extensive and wouldn't easily fit in your sailing bag!

The film I posted was filmed on an older smart phone by a crew member who has never filmed anything before. I edited the footage he sent. I am a professional sailor and owner of a small business. I have had no training with editing or filming, I am just an enthusiastic amateur! I was inspired by Dylan several years ago and started documenting some of our deliveries. This is one of my favourite films from last year, taken during an owner assisted yacht delivery to Spain.

It was filmed by one of the crew using a very basic video camera. Again, his first real attempt. I liked it...

Pete

 

[Halcyon Yachts]

You don't have to go far for a comparison. Youtube has zillions of videos. Part of them are good, part of them are filmed with inadequate cameras.

In this thread we clearly don't have a case of "look at my best effort to capture the amazing time I had".
Instead we have a "look this 8 year old smartphone, or this 4 year old rock bottom priced smartphone can film as good as anything"

Well it can't . And please film with something else. As younger people find this footage borderline criminal.

Camera technology is improving all the time. A good camera doesn't necessarily equal a good film though. Some of the best feature films ever were filmed before they could record in colour.

I enjoy filming and editing as a hobby and I hope I am slowly getting better. Our crew don't always have the latest equipment, but I do think the results from ordinary phones are6+ rapidly becoming very acceptable. I remember getting my first camera phone, one of the old Nokia's, it was terrible! I am amazed at how much it has come on in such a short period...

Here is one that might appeal to you a bit more? Filmed by a younger crew member with a gadget I don't recognise:

Pete

 

[sand_dune]

I was completely confident that most videos from Halcyon Yachts would be a good watch. I'm sure I've watched some.

Some poor bloke with an old smartphone filming the ride of his life is totally acceptable.

If the argument was that some smartphones on occasion produce acceptable footage I would have little to disagree. Even though one can get a way superior quality from a way cheaper device than a new smartphone, by using a right camera.

I did not judge the editing or music or filming, they were arguably pleasing. If one wants to sail safely they use an adequately equipped boat. Not a float. If they want an adequate level of footage, they throw away the potato-camera.