ND filters are essential for creating professional-looking videos. ‘Why?’ you ask? The video settings of the GoPro are simply too limited for always achieving the best possible exposure for the lighting conditions one’s in. Especially shooting in bright daylight can be a challenge.
In this video I go over my cinematic video setting for the GoPro Hero 9 and how to use ND filters to get the best possible results – professional looking video.
You can get the Freewell Standard Day ND Filters I use in the video here: https://geni.us/FWSD4K
Creating time-lapse video is super fun! A sequence of single images are being combined to a video that shows your scene change dramatically over time. This could be the movement of clouds, stars, or even the day turn to night.
In this video, I am going over the settings for creating a professional-looking time-lapse video with the GoPro Hero 9. Here are some shooting intervals to get you started:
1 second Moving traffic Fast-moving clouds Drivelapses
1- 3 seconds Sunsets and sunrises Slower moving clouds Crowds
15 – 30 seconds Moving shadows Sun or moon across sky Stars (15 – 60 seconds)
1 – 3 minutes Growing plants Construction sights
Once you are done shooting your image sequence, follow the steps as outlined in the following tutorial to create your final video clip.
The GoPro isn’t the ideal low light camera. There are better alternatives out there, if shooting video at night is your thing. However, given the right settings, the results with the GoPro HERO 8 Black can be decent. In this video I go over my recommended setting for shooting in low light and show you some test clips as well.
Just in case you are interested in more than 30 minutes of GoPro Hero 8 Black test footage, I got you covered. All clips are unedited footage straight from the camera. Happy low light shooting.
I am sure most of you use the GoPro for shooting videos only. However, the GoPro is a capable camera and with the right setting it can take amazing photos. In this video I go through my preferred photo settings and also show the difference between Standard, HDR, SuperPhoto, and RAW output formats.
I am LOVING my new Sony RX0 II, but in order to get the most out of your new little camera, you would want to tweak the settings slightly. In this video I am going through how I setup the Sony RX0 II for filmmaking. Let me know, if you have any suggestions!
You want to give your live stream a professional cinematic, filmic look? No problem, I’ve got you covered. I created a set of filmic LUTs for OBS Studio and this video explains how to set up OBS Studio. Have fun!
Photography/Cinematography filters are glass elements that get typically screwed onto the front of the camera lens. While some use filters to simply protect the front elements of the lens, there are a variety of filters available that allow for artistic control over the photo or video. Using filters is common among DSLR/mirrorless shooters, however, filters can be easily used for shooting with your GoPro also. They are a lot of fun!
In this video I explain how to easily attach a filter to your GoPro. Further below you’ll find an outline of what the different filters do and how they are being typically used.
UV Filter:
Primarily used for protecting the lens. However UV filters can help with:
Boost contrast when shooting outdoors
Removes UV light and blue cast in very bright sun light
CPL Filter:
Reduces the polarization effect caused by sunlight:
Enhances the color of the sky
Eliminates the reflection visible in water/glass
ND Filter:
Blocks light, so that less light passes through the lens reaching the sensor:
Allows for creative control over the shutter speed
Allows for maintaining a 180 angle shutter speed in bright sun light for video
Graduated Filters:
Adds artistic effects to photos/video:
Orange: to intensify the orange and red of a sunset
How to best setup the Sony a7III for filmmaking you ask? Well, here you go! After I spent one week with the a7III, testing all its features, I am finally done setting it up for shooting video. Watch the video in which I go through most of the menu and explain the different settings and why I setup the camera the way I did. Take it as a starting point and tweak your setup further to your linking. Have fun!
These are my favorite settings for shooting video with my Sony a6500. If you want to get cinematic looking footage without the need for color grading your footage extensively, try setting up your camera like I did.
Over the last 2 years I have been shooting with the Panasonic GH4. Recently I bought a Panasonic G85, which I used as a secondary camera. After I sold the Panasonic GH4, I realized that I need a two camera setup.
I immediately thought about the Panasonic LX10 – a poketable 4K shooter that got praised as an ultimate vlogging camera. On paper the camera looked promising, so I picked one up and tested it thoroughly on a trip to the Angkor temples in Siem Reap in Cambodia.
The camera offers some great features, however, it falls short of expectations in some crucial aspects; mainly the lack of an ND filter. The lens of the Panasonic LX10 only offers an aperture of up to 11. With my other lenses I can dial up the aperture to 22, which allows me to get the exposure right. In order to get an ND filter on the Panasonic LX10 you have two options available: the Magfilter Adapter, or the Lensmate Quick-Change Adapter. Let me show you how it works.
Now with the camera having an ND filter as well as a windscreen, let me demonstrate how to best setup the Panasonic LX10 for shooting video. With the right settings, the shortcomings of the camera – especially the weak auto-focus – won’t be so much of a problem for filmmaking and vlogging.
With some simple changes and the right setup, you can make the Panasonic LX10 a serious video shooter. Perfect for anyone who wants to start out with YouTube, or as a secondary camera for your video setup.
Reha Alev 