CAMERA TECHNOLOGY
BASIC CAMERA TECHOLOGIES AND KEY CONCEPTS

Why know technology?
• Understanding tools critical to producing desirable final product
• Video/film are technology intensive enterprises
• Great sound, visual images and editing don’t ‘just happen’
• Painters must know which brush, type of paint, sculptor must know stone and chisels - exception: film is a team process

CHIPS
Pick-up device - "retina" of the camera
• Senses light, changes light energy into electric energy, 3 chips are better than 1
• 'charged-coupled device' CCD, chip
• durable, permanently registered
• no blooming, cometing
• old cams w/"tubes" were great, but bulky and delicate

IRIS
• metal leaves which control amount of light entering the camera
• aperture is the opening
• measured in "f-stops" 1.2 - 22 (1 stop open, doubles amount of light coming in)

IRIS
• f1.4 = wide open
• f16 = small opening
• if smallest f-stop 1.4 = fast lens (good low light)
• if smallest f-stop 4.0 = slow lens (poor low light)

AUTO IRIS
• "auto" iris - standard setting
• camera "averages" the light reading and adjusts the iris accordingly
• causes problems with areas of high contrast or w/large dark or large light areas
• sports event w/harsh shadows, people shot against dark/light background

MANUAL IRIS
• "manual iris" - optional setting, switch often on "grip"
• manually set the iris so that it won't change
• aim camera at area you will be shooting, zoom in (not too close).
• (Goal, setting the iris to pick up your subject accurately)
• Reframe your shot, iris will remain where you set it

LENS
• focuses light beams on the chip
• most video lenses are variable length (zoom lenses)
• several elements (concave and convex pieces of glass that slide back and forth to create lens length and focus)
Viewfinder
• small TV monitor mounted on camera
• .5 to 1 inch TV (studio viewfinders bigger)
• adjust to be comfortable
• tilt up and down
• slides closer and farther from camera
• eye-piece can be adjusted or opened to allow full view of the viewfinder from a distance
• Check before recording, set the contrast, brightness controls

Other elements of the camera. . .
Special Controls (will vary with the camera)
• manual/auto focus - only on consumer models, can be problematic, use manual focus
• low light tools
• gain control - boosts sensitivity of chip normal, +9db, +18db
• use only when necessary, creates grainy pic
• Some cams have a ‘low lux’ setting also

Depth of Field
• Key to controlling and creating depth in film, video and still photography
• By controlling several interrelated variables, shooter can manipulate depth of field to:
• Add depth to a shot
• Make shot more interesting
• Control viewer’s eyes
• A MAJOR concept!!! Know it.

Depth of Field
• Area in focus in front of camera
• Variables affecting DOF:
• lens length: shorter lens = greater DOF
• aperture/iris: smaller iris = greater DOF
• light: more light = greater DOF
• shutter speed: faster speed requires more light, shallower DOF
• Manipulate DOF to keep part of the frame out of focus
• Rack focus
• Foreground framing

Control
• Know the effect you want to achieve and attempt to control as many variables a possible
• Take control of the production location
• Control lighting - location, intensity, direction
• Control sound - eliminate unwanted sound, enhance desired sound Control of Production Setting
• Purposefully decide on talent, camera and lighting location before setting up.
• Control as many elements as possible.
• Control comes through professional preparation and communication.

Color Temperature
• Light temperature measured in degrees Kelvin
• Outdoor light = 5600o Kelvin BLUE
• Typical studio/field video light = 3200o degrees Kelvin REDDISH/ORANGE
• Fluorescent light is 4900o K

Color Temperature Issues
• Be aware of the light situation where you are shooting
• 1) SOURCE - sun, field lights, outside/inside, color temp?
• 2) DIRECTION - overhead, behind/from front?
• 3) INTENSITY - strong/intense or diffuse?
• Control as many variables as possible, try to use uncontrollable variables to your advantage.

White balancing the camera
• Proper color temperature can be attained through adjustments to the camera (white balance settings), camera filters and lighting gels.
• Color balance - tells camera what "white" looks like under existing lighting conditions.
• Most cameras have 4 white balance settings:
• Automatic - camera automatically adjusts to the light temperature.
• Inside - 'light bulb' icon indicates tungsten light balance (3200K)
• Outside - "sun" icon indicates outside light setting (5600K)
• set it manually if at all possible

Manual White Balance -
• 1. set master switch to 'manual'
• 2. fill screen with white surface
• 3. push white balance button, when it stops blinking, camera is balanced.
• hold white object under existing light MAKING SURE THAT DOMINANT LIGHT SOURCE FALLS ON white object

• some cams require you to hold the button down until indicator stops blinking
• others, just push button, release, wait for "OK" signal in viewfinder
•
• Professional cameras require that the proper internal filter is selected BEFORE setting the white balance.
• 'Manual' is the preferred method as it guarantees proper balance.