What camera?

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Swadian Hardcore

Engineer
Joined
Feb 7, 2012
Messages
7,364
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On The Road
I would like to videotape my upcoming trip so I need a camera and I need to buy it fast. Cannot order it online, won't arrive in time. Looking for a cheap and reliable HD camera with sound, tripod or bipod optional. Don't need complicated lighting options etc.

I've also found that everytime I try taking a still picture out the front windshield, there's loads of glare and you can't see anything. I have never taken a video on a moving vehicle, so I don't know how it will be.

Thanks in advance.

Edit: minor error
 
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I've got a Kodak Playtouch. Here's the first video I took with it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9ViOhqIhUY. It's quite easy to use. To take a photo through the glass on a moving train, just hold the camera quite close to the glass so it won't be able to focus on the dirt, ha, ha! This works for any type of camera.

I see that you can still buy them at WalMart, quite cheap: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Kodak-Zi10/15118985

(It says "available at limited stores", just see what they have in stock)
 
Most cities still have a camera store that caters to professionals and serious hobbyists. I would strongly recommend that you go to such a place, so that you can try out something that will be comfortable for you. Generally, such stores have knowledgeable salespeople and competitive prices. Dunno what Praven has :) but here in Seattle, it would be Glazer's, and in Reno, looks like there's a place called Gordon's. Stay away from the discount stores and the big-box stores if you can, since their salespeople are not knowledgeable, as a rule.
 
Aloha

No camera that is uncomfortable in your hands is worth it. You need to go into a store that will let you handle them.

I personally prefer a heavy camera because these are easier to keep steady. Camera movement, unless following action, is the worst thing photographers do.
 
I'm so inexperienced at making a video that I have no idea what will be suitable for me, but I am quite versatile. The Kodak Playtouch looks simple and light enough to use, I think I'll go for that. I can't got to Gordon's, not enough time.

Currently I have a Sony Cybershot, but it takes terrible videos with no sound. The Playtouch looks quite similar so it should be a good option, however, it might be a bit too thin to handle, the same reason why I never bought a smartphone.

A bigger camera would look to be more suitable, I just fear it will be too heavy, clumsy, and expensive.

Any other ideas? Hopefully something similar to a Cybershot except for taking HD videos.
 
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I have no trouble holding the PlayTouch steady. Just hold it with both hands, elbows braced at your sides (or on your knee if you're sitting). Give it enough time at the beginning and end so the "bounces" when you tap the start and finish can be edited out. YouTube has enough tools to do simple editing like that.

BTW, I find the sound on the PlayTouch to be quite adequate, but my bird-feeding video had a lot of obnoxious wind noise, so I used music instead of native sound. I wish I had posted the video of my niece's jazz piano piece, it sounded great but was too long for my dysfunctional internet connection to upload, ha, ha!

I speak from experience. I am not a videographer, but I've been an amateur (and sometimes pro) photographer for 45 years. I don't see any difference between lightweight and heavy cameras in my ability to hold it steady, it's more the balance and hand-hold pattern. I've had everything from pocket digitals to 6x7 SLR film cameras. This one's easy to balance, with no lens sticking out the front.
 
Thanks, I think I might go for the Playtouch. Leaving tommorrow, I'll see if I have to time to get one, if not, then too bad. But I will surely take lots of pictures with my Cybershot and post them on Flickr.
 
But please, could someone help me with taking pictures out the front windshield. This is the same reason why I don't like oversized windshields, they make me nervous when I sit at the front. I have not problem taking pics out the side, but when I try the front there's always lots of glare, even when the sun is to the rear.
 
Is it impossible to get right up to the glass on the front windshield? Your best bet is always to hold the camera as close to the glass as possible, and if possible to also turn it at a slight angle so the angle you're aiming is not "straight through" (90 degrees to) the glass.

If the glare is from your flash, and it's daylight, you need to find the setting that stops your flash from firing every time it thinks you need it. My point-and-shoot digital camera has three flash settings: auto-flash, always on, and always-off. All three settings are available to me in the "program" exposure mode, but not in "auto" mode. I usually just leave it in "program" because I like being able to select the flash mode without any fuss. If shooting through glass, I always turn the flash off. It's not likely to have a long enough range to illuminate anything on the other side of the glass anyway.

Sometimes your only hope is a polarizing filter, which I've only seen available for cameras with a threaded front to the lens (so the filter can screw into the front of the lens). Many of the heavier, more expensive cameras have lenses that will accept polarizing filters. So that might be a reason to go with one of them.
 
Is it impossible to get right up to the glass on the front windshield? Your best bet is always to hold the camera as close to the glass as possible, and if possible to also turn it at a slight angle so the angle you're aiming is not "straight through" (90 degrees to) the glass.

If the glare is from your flash, and it's daylight, you need to find the setting that stops your flash from firing every time it thinks you need it. My point-and-shoot digital camera has three flash settings: auto-flash, always on, and always-off. All three settings are available to me in the "program" exposure mode, but not in "auto" mode. I usually just leave it in "program" because I like being able to select the flash mode without any fuss. If shooting through glass, I always turn the flash off. It's not likely to have a long enough range to illuminate anything on the other side of the glass anyway.

Sometimes your only hope is a polarizing filter, which I've only seen available for cameras with a threaded front to the lens (so the filter can screw into the front of the lens). Many of the heavier, more expensive cameras have lenses that will accept polarizing filters. So that might be a reason to go with one of them.
Technically I could get up the the glass of the front windshield, but my path is blocked by the driver shield. Thus it is impossible for me to hold my camera less than 30 inches from the windshield unless I have some sort of extension arm, which would probably freak out the driver if I tried to stick it out to the right of him. It's also harder to turn at an angle when you're so far away on a moving vehicle.

My best bet right now is to check the instructions book of that camera again to see if I can turn off the flash. I've never used the flash before, eveytime I take a picture in the dark, the picture is very dark and the only thing you can see are the lights outside.

I'll try my best, but it's really hard.
 
Just a tip -- the night photos are very dark because your flash is not powerful enough to reach out to the distance where the subjects are. If you can manage to turn off the flash, you'll get a "shake" or slow shutter speed warning, but then all you have to do is hold the camera as steady as possible -- the light meter will do its thing and give you a proper exposure for the ambient lighting. My motto has always been: "a little blurry is better than so dark you can't see anything."
 
Actually turned out that my Cybershot is not that bad. I got some really good pictures but I failed to get a good picture of the CZ that ran right by me or the D4500CT that ran right under me, which would have both turned out to be awesome shots. My poor skill is to blame, not the camera.

I'll post my pictures on Flickr sometime soon and then link it here.
 
But please, could someone help me with taking pictures out the front windshield. This is the same reason why I don't like oversized windshields, they make me nervous when I sit at the front. I have not problem taking pics out the side, but when I try the front there's always lots of glare, even when the sun is to the rear.
Have you tried a polarizing filter? When positioned at the proper angle they are amazing at reducing/eliminating reflections.
 
But please, could someone help me with taking pictures out the front windshield. This is the same reason why I don't like oversized windshields, they make me nervous when I sit at the front. I have not problem taking pics out the side, but when I try the front there's always lots of glare, even when the sun is to the rear.
Have you tried a polarizing filter? When positioned at the proper angle they are amazing at reducing/eliminating reflections.
What's a polarizing filter? Some kind of shade?
 
But please, could someone help me with taking pictures out the front windshield. This is the same reason why I don't like oversized windshields, they make me nervous when I sit at the front. I have not problem taking pics out the side, but when I try the front there's always lots of glare, even when the sun is to the rear.
Have you tried a polarizing filter? When positioned at the proper angle they are amazing at reducing/eliminating reflections.
What's a polarizing filter? Some kind of shade?
Aloha
Here is a quote from Tiffen supplier to Hollywood films.

Polarizing Filters

Polarizers provide color and contrast enhancement. Reflected light often shows up as whitish glare that washes out color in an image. A Polarizer corrects this problem producing deep, dramatically blue skies. It also removes glare from non-metallic surfaces, such as windows and water. Color saturation in general, especially outdoors, can be improved significantly.

Polarizer/Circular Polarizer

Essential general-use outdoor color filter

Produces deeper skies and minimizes reflections in black and white and color photography

Combine a Polarizer with a Red 25 for incredibly dramatic black and white landscapes

Can be rotated to achieve desired effect

Use the Tiffen Polarizer with the enhancing filter for more dramatic effects

Available for Wide Angle lenses

A Circular Polarizer has the same effect as a Polarizer and is used on cameras with beam splitting metering systems commonly found on auto focus SLR's (for most 35mm auto-focus cameras see your camera manual).

Area of sky most effectively polarized with a Circular Polarizer:

Point your index finger at the sun. With your thumb extended at a right angle (90°), rotate it around the axis of the index finger. It will point out the band of deepest blue from horizon to horizon.
 
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I've got a Kodak Playtouch. Here's the first video I took with it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9ViOhqIhUY. It's quite easy to use. To take a photo through the glass on a moving train, just hold the camera quite close to the glass so it won't be able to focus on the dirt, ha, ha! This works for any type of camera.
I've found that using the "Landscape" mode helps reduce focus on the dirt, raindrops, etc. that may be on the window. I also find that filming away from the sun gives me the best picture, although that's not always possible depending on where you're seated, the direction of travel, and how mobile you can be. At the very least I try to keep the lens out of the sun (I'm guessing that's the part of the function of the rectangular cover over movie cameras), even if I have to use my other hand to shade it.

One other tip is to go to a fabric store and buy some "fur" to put over the microphone(s) to cut down or eliminate wind noise.
 
Here is a quote from Tiffen supplier to Hollywood films.
Polarizing Filters

Polarizers provide color and contrast enhancement. Reflected light often shows up as whitish glare that washes out color in an image. A Polarizer corrects this problem producing deep, dramatically blue skies. It also removes glare from non-metallic surfaces, such as windows and water. Color saturation in general, especially outdoors, can be improved significantly.
Hmmm... interesting. I've been trying to do the same thing colorizing during editing. Even though I've come up with a preset, it increases the render time tremendously, I get a slight purple tint on darker shots, and I'm not a colorist (obviously, if I'm using a preset for every shot). Could save some time. I'll check that out. :D
 
Good luck Mr Swadian... just enjoy your ride as best you can and don't fret too much about the pics... Concentrate on the experience while it is happening, the ride is the real adventure, the pics will just help you to remember the trip in the future.

Ed. :cool:
 
Good luck Mr Swadian... just enjoy your ride as best you can and don't fret too much about the pics... Concentrate on the experience while it is happening, the ride is the real adventure, the pics will just help you to remember the trip in the future.

Ed. :cool:
Yeah, I know, but sometimes I'm just sitting there and I want to take a pic out the front and it gets all messed up. This is what happens when I take such a picture: http://www.flickr.com/photos/95851032@N07/9958622425/.
 
Yeah, I know, but sometimes I'm just sitting there and I want to take a pic out the front and it gets all messed up. This is what happens when I take such a picture: http://www.flickr.com/photos/95851032@N07/9958622425/.
Aloha

That is caused by the level from the brightest to dimmest being greater that the film or sensor can handle most film is limited to 2 F stops, and digital mostly allows 3 F stops. Some digital software can control the difference and save the shot.
 
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The light meter in the camera is setting the exposure for what it sees most of in the frame, i.e. the inside of the bus which is darker. If you could use your zoom, or at least prop your camera on the top of that seat in front of you so that most of the frame is filled with the outside (as seen through the windshield), it would come out better. As the poster above indicates, you may be able to use the photo software in your computer to adjust the brightness of the photo - BUT - I played with this photo a bit, and the highlights are so overexposed that the detail outside the bus just isn't there to enhance. So somehow, you need to force the camera to expose for what you want to see in the picture. The simplest way is to frame the photo so that it does not include a lot of material that is very much brighter or darker than your subject.

Here's another thing to try -- now that I see exactly what you are talking about. This sometimes works for me: I know I said in an earlier post to turn your flash off - BUT (another "but"), you could try using the flash as a "fill flash" to brighten the foreground. This works ONLY if you do not shoot straight into the glass (if you shoot straight at the glass, it will act like a mirror and reflect the flash right back at the camera lens). Try it once, and use your image preview to see if it worked. Set your camera to a mode where you can manually turn the flash to "always on" (on my little Canon, that is Program mode, and the flash setting on the control ring will cycle through "auto flash," "always on," and "always off"). The flash will up the exposure level inside the bus, and in many cases this will equalize the lighting with the outside.
 
The photo says it was taken with a Sony Cybershot. Which model number? Some of them have a lot of manual controls but you have to go through the menu system to get to them, cumbersome but worth it. For instance, you may be able to change the metering to spot instead of an area or several areas. If you don't have any manual controls, you can sometimes "trick" the camera to expose and focus the way you want. For that shot, you could try pointing outside the side window (to get distant and bright), hold shutter down partway, then frame as you did and press the rest of the way. This takes experimentation to get to know what works for the shots you like to take. Also, if you have different "scene" settings, you might take a look at the manual to see what each of them actually does, sometimes what you want is not obvious.

What oregon pioneer said about flash might work for two reasons, what she said about lighting up the inside to reduce contrast, and also because turning on the flash changes the settings. In fact, some cameras and shots work best with the flash on for scenery so far away there is no way for the flash to actually be doing anything, but it changes the camera settings.
 
I'm not a photographer so I have no idea what I'm supposed to do. Just for the record, I have a Sony DSC-P31 Cybershot. Does this one have manual controls to help out? The flash is a bit buggy on mine, when I seemingly select it, I still can't take a picture in the dark.
 
I'm not a photographer so I have no idea what I'm supposed to do. Just for the record, I have a Sony DSC-P31 Cybershot. Does this one have manual controls to help out? The flash is a bit buggy on mine, when I seemingly select it, I still can't take a picture in the dark.
Aloha

A Photographer is someone that sees, and learns how to convey what they see to share with others. All it takes is practice, and patience. It will come.
 
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