What do YOU video?

Hisgal2

Adventurist
I like to take photos to make photo books of the places we've gone. I have a nice camera that I call the "Big Camera" which is a Nikon DSLR and I also use my phone's camera. I have a Moto Z Droid that has a camera that attaches to the phone itself and then basically uses the phone as a storage device. It's a decent camera with the exception of low light photography......but that isn't exactly an easy thing on any camera.

I've been thinking about getting a video camera.....maybe some sort of GoPro.....and I'm wondering who here uses a video camera on their trips and what exactly do you video?? You don't actually video yourself driving down the road the entire time do you??? Do you just video when you stop to camp? ...or just when you hike??....or what? Or...do you kind of use it and make a kind of Vlog for yourself? I'm thinking that's probably the kind of thing we'd use it for.

AND---what do you actually DO with the videos? Do you actually have a vlog?
 
I like watching, but my videos are only ~25% "overland" so I didn't think they were worthy of @Mojoe Outfitters thread. :)

I like to take photos to make photo books of the places we've gone. I have a nice camera that I call the "Big Camera" which is a Nikon DSLR and I also use my phone's camera.
I do pretty much the same. As an art, a hobby, and work my interests are mostly focused on still photography which is handled with a DSLR more often than not (I call it the "big camera" too...heh). That's really where my passion lies, so it's always top priority, but if I already got the shot (or know there's no shot) I'll sometimes use the DSLR for video...sooo much better quality. The down side though is it eats through batteries and has no stabilization to speak of (HUGE difference between IS for still and IS for video).

I've been thinking about getting a video camera.....maybe some sort of GoPro.....and I'm wondering who here uses a video camera on their trips and what exactly do you video?? You don't actually video yourself driving down the road the entire time do you??? Do you just video when you stop to camp? ...or just when you hike??....or what? Or...do you kind of use it and make a kind of Vlog for yourself?
Yes. :D

A certain vlogger once said "don't create, document." It's good advice for forgetting the camera and keeping things authentic, but it's also a good strategy toward not missing anything. I don't go quite so far as recording the entire time, but if I think something might happen in the next 20-30 minutes I'll roll the camera. It makes for a lot of footage to sift through during edit, but minimizes those "gee I wish I'd captured that" moments.

Yes on the deliberate shots as well: things that move the story along like approaching camp or the trailhead or putting the canoe in the water. Add to that occasionally talking to the camera as if cruising with a friend or giving a lecture (depending on what's going on). Videos are really no different than a written article—they both need the same components to draw the viewer through the story.

AND---what do you actually DO with the videos? Do you actually have a vlog?

I do vlog, but on no particular schedule. I'm not after money or attention with it, just interested in video and vlogging seemed like the best way to learn. Creating is pointless without sharing, so when there's enough footage for an 8-10 minute video it goes up on YouTube.

 
I like watching, but my videos are only ~25% "overland" so I didn't think they were worthy of @Mojoe Outfitters thread. :)


I do pretty much the same. As an art, a hobby, and work my interests are mostly focused on still photography which is handled with a DSLR more often than not (I call it the "big camera" too...heh). That's really where my passion lies, so it's always top priority, but if I already got the shot (or know there's no shot) I'll sometimes use the DSLR for video...sooo much better quality. The down side though is it eats through batteries and has no stabilization to speak of (HUGE difference between IS for still and IS for video).


Yes. :D

A certain vlogger once said "don't create, document." It's good advice for forgetting the camera and keeping things authentic, but it's also a good strategy toward not missing anything. I don't go quite so far as recording the entire time, but if I think something might happen in the next 20-30 minutes I'll roll the camera. It makes for a lot of footage to sift through during edit, but minimizes those "gee I wish I'd captured that" moments.

Yes on the deliberate shots as well: things that move the story along like approaching camp or the trailhead or putting the canoe in the water. Add to that occasionally talking to the camera as if cruising with a friend or giving a lecture (depending on what's going on). Videos are really no different than a written article—they both need the same components to draw the viewer through the story.



I do vlog, but on no particular schedule. I'm not after money or attention with it, just interested in video and vlogging seemed like the best way to learn. Creating is pointless without sharing, so when there's enough footage for an 8-10 minute video it goes up on YouTube.

Thanks for this. Part of my desire to kind of document our trip is because I really can't find anything on exactly what we are doing. It isn't "true" overlanding, but it isn't just camping. We will be pulling a pop-up camper because that is what works best for our family, but we aren't spending weeks at a time at a campground. In fact, longest we'll be in one place will be 3 nights that we will be in Acadia National Park. Other than that, we will be road tripping and finding out of the way places to stay for the night before packing up and going somewhere else. I haven't really found anyone who is doing that with a pop up. So, I want people to know that it IS possible to do! I want to show people how we are modifying the pop up to work in places that are a little beyond "dry camping", how we are making the pop up work for our family (myself, hubby, 9 year old daughter, 8 year old son) so that everyone is in a bed as opposed to someone having to sleep on a converted bench seat, etc.

The hubby said something about using the "big camera" for the video, but I'm kind of resisting it. The lack of stabilization is going to become a factor....especially when walking/hiking, climbing. Honestly, I want to hike The Beehive and I cannot even attempt to imagine trying to video with the DSLR while doing that hike.

Thanks for sharing your video, also. We've thought about trying to do the 52 hikes, but it gets soo wet here in PA during the spring, fall, and winter that I think it would be pretty miserable. Hiking the mountain paths around here really wouldn't be fun at all. :/
 
Nothing wrong with a popup in that scenario. In fact, I'm surprised more folks don't use them for the fuel economy advantage they offer. I get the desire to keep moving too. I think the longest we've ever managed to camp in one spot is two nights, and that was a very secluded spot that checked just about every box (dead end, room for one vehicle, on a river bank, hiking trails, forest, 3 minute walk to a secluded lake, etc).

I'd recommend a GoPro 5-series. Set to "protune" so you have better control of color, and "medium" angle so it doesn't have that ugly fisheye effect, they can come pretty close to looking DSLR in quality. Film in 1080P (instead of 4K) and the built-in stabilization is excellent. I'm a fan of the Session 5's cube profile and the resulting ease of attachment, but it's permanent battery drives me nuts so I'd recommend the Hero 5. That way you can run on a battery while two others are charging. I paired mine with my phone to dial in the initial settings, but haven't connected them since...hard to beat one-button start/stop simplicity.

Given your goals, it's probably also worth picking up a sturdy tripod so you can run the DSLR for anything you want to document or share while stationary. GoPros are great on the move, but nothing comes close to having the image quality, zoom, and shallow depths of field from a proper lens and camera. I'm thinking those sunrise/sunset beauty shots, campfire scenes, or details you want to share on how you're customizing the camper. MeFOTO is about the best bang for the buck right now in tripods—not cheap, but not overpriced like some of the big names are right now.

I've gotta agree on not wanting to hike while recording with the DSLR. Most of the time I won't even hand-hold it while doing video, the exception being with a wide angle lens (movement is less noticeable). Otherwise it's on a tripod or I'm using a GoPro.
 
Nothing wrong with a popup in that scenario. In fact, I'm surprised more folks don't use them for the fuel economy advantage they offer. I get the desire to keep moving too. I think the longest we've ever managed to camp in one spot is two nights, and that was a very secluded spot that checked just about every box (dead end, room for one vehicle, on a river bank, hiking trails, forest, 3 minute walk to a secluded lake, etc).

We've got a spot like that picked out in New Brunswick. It's down a little dirt road and will be about 500 feet from a nice lake. We'll be there 1 night. I found a nice secluded spot in a Wilderness Preservation area in Nova Scotia. There's a random road that goes way into it and then there's a kind of cul-de-sac at the end of it that will allow us room to camp for the night and then turn around.

I'd recommend a GoPro 5-series. Set to "protune" so you have better control of color, and "medium" angle so it doesn't have that ugly fisheye effect, they can come pretty close to looking DSLR in quality. Film in 1080P (instead of 4K) and the built-in stabilization is excellent. I'm a fan of the Session 5's cube profile and the resulting ease of attachment, but it's permanent battery drives me nuts so I'd recommend the Hero 5. That way you can run on a battery while two others are charging. I paired mine with my phone to dial in the initial settings, but haven't connected them since...hard to beat one-button start/stop simplicity.

Given your goals, it's probably also worth picking up a sturdy tripod so you can run the DSLR for anything you want to document or share while stationary. GoPros are great on the move, but nothing comes close to having the image quality, zoom, and shallow depths of field from a proper lens and camera. I'm thinking those sunrise/sunset beauty shots, campfire scenes, or details you want to share on how you're customizing the camper. MeFOTO is about the best bang for the buck right now in tripods—not cheap, but not overpriced like some of the big names are right now.

I've gotta agree on not wanting to hike while recording with the DSLR. Most of the time I won't even hand-hold it while doing video, the exception being with a wide angle lens (movement is less noticeable). Otherwise it's on a tripod or I'm using a GoPro.

Thanks for the recommendations. I'll pass those on to my hubby. :)
 
Chazz, Funny we are on the opposite side of video - I think 1-2 minutes is the perfect length, it is so tough to do interesting video for that length. In fact, I give a ton of credit to the Expedition Overland crew for pulling off 30 minute shows that didn't bore me!

To the OP - the tough thing about video, to be done right, it takes a lot of time. I don't do video on my vacation because I don't want to spend all my efforts and relaxing time shooting, planning, etc. I did that to my family a long time ago, up every morning for sunrise, no dinner till the golden light was done... they didn't complain, but it wasn't fair. I try to do a solo trip just so I can create for me, but even then, a major time suck.

I like the photo book, a shelve of trips is always fun to thumb through and remember... I rarely go back and look at videos.
 
Most of my videos are for a specific project, although I do try to shoot random family adventures video that I tend to use later. Really though video is just another form of story telling, personally I prefer to tell stories using still photography, but I do shoot some video. Point being is that you shoot video for whatever reason rattles around in your creative mind and who cares why others do it. Who even cares if others enjoy it if you enjoy it.


Some examples of my own goofiness to help spark your own.

This is my latest video project:


I made a couple of year end videos for my old unit at my previous career. Those were fun:



This is one I did last year that is more in line with the forum theme:

 
The idea of video is much different than stills and can go one of two ways.

In the first scenario, it turns out like Uncle Bob's slideshows from when you were a kid in the early 80s. Yes, I'm talking about the ones with the projector and the carousel that jams every 4th slide along with the issue of seeing your aunt in poses from Cancun that you shouldn't have seen when you were 9.

The flip side is the creation of something very compelling and a bit of story for your memories or others. This takes some effort and just a wee bit of planning. You can't just turn on the camera, point it and hope for the best. The sheer volume of footage to sift through will be but one cause of your nightmares.

A quick recommendation would be to pick up a copy of 'How to Shoot Video That Doesn't Suck'. It's a quick read, a great primer and will get you over the basics. From there, it's just practice and repetition. Learn your software, whether it's something basic like iMovie or something with more power like Premier or Final Cut.

For those with GoPros looking to stabilize, especially while walking/hiking, you can pick up a wearable gimbal that connects to GoPro's chest mount. Problem solved.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1170808-REG/feiyu_fy_wg_3_axis_wearable_gimbal.html
 
Most of my videos are for a specific project, although I do try to shoot random family adventures video that I tend to use later. Really though video is just another form of story telling, personally I prefer to tell stories using still photography, but I do shoot some video. Point being is that you shoot video for whatever reason rattles around in your creative mind and who cares why others do it. Who even cares if others enjoy it if you enjoy it.


Some examples of my own goofiness to help spark your own.

This is my latest video project:


I made a couple of year end videos for my old unit at my previous career. Those were fun:



This is one I did last year that is more in line with the forum theme:

Awesome video!
 
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