Customer Reviews

Shooting Digital Video

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This book is a waste of money. You would be much better off doing a google search on equipment. Much of the technical detail on cameras is out of date and there is no information about how to shoot digital video, kind of a surprise based on the title. It is filled with endless close up photos of equipment which you don't own with explanations of how to use cameras that you don't own. It looks like the a pay back book from manufactures of the name brands that he writes technical manuals for. Skip this book and hope that he wrote the manual for the camera you do decide to buy at least then you would not have wasted the $25 bucks.

SHOOTING DIGITAL VIDEO is another great technical book from Jon Fauer, whose cinematography textbooks have become industry standards. This one is about how to choose a DV camcorder and then use it. It should be most helpful to students, advanced home users, independent filmmakers and videographers who want a thorough and carefully researched introduction to digital video and what equipment to use.

The book begins with a five-minute quick start guide to shooting on DV, using three scenarios as examples: a corporate event, a graduation and a student project.

Next, Fauer explains and compares the different digital formats: DV, Mini DV, DVCAM, DVCPRO, DigiBeta, and so on, along with basic theory. It's easy to read and not tedious.

The how-to section uses Sony's PD100a as an example of how to use a typical camcorder. In his usual informative and profusely illustrated (lots of photos) style, Fauer goes over each detail and function as if he were explaining it to a good friend. Lots of this information isn't in the official manuals that come with the cameras, and this is easier and more fun to read.

The middle section explains audio, simple editing, advanced editing, distribution and blowing up DV to film for theatrical release.

The book then discusses accessories and techniques, lenses, light and lighting, filters and matteboxes, tripods and heads, monitors and decks, rain covers, underwater housings, helmets, aerials, cases and shipping. There is a chapter with an overview of most of the DV camcorders currently available to help the reader choose the right one for the right job. Finally, a great appendix gives names and contacts of all the vendors and suppliers you could ever want to know about.

A terrific book on how to choose a DV camcorder and get started using it.

I'm a big fan of Jon's books on Arri film cameras. I' m deeply disappointed by this book, which proves again that filmmakers don't necessarily make for qualified video experts.

I found the book to be full of erroneous errors of fact and ill informed conjecture, particulary the discussions about color space, sampling and compression. Many of the explanations were just plain wrong or wrapped up in vague summaries that create more confusion than solutions.

Jon's discussion of the "film look" reveals a bit of film snobbery cloaked in outright misinformation. He dimisses aspects of psycho-optic theory that indeed contibute to the "film look" yet he claims exposure latitude as the one and only factor involved. Simply not true.

And by the way, countless non-linear editors are using Firewire Drives, contrary to the numerous reminders in the book not to use them.

This book is truly for beginners looking to purchase their first digital camcorder. This book explains how to use the basic functions of a camcorder along with listings of different camcorders, editing packages, filters and other accessories. Put together your camcorder manual and a few catalogs, then you have about 90% of this book. For the other 10% of this book, you can find more information by reading Digital Moviemaking by Scott Billups. I would only recommend this book to people who are clueless to the digital world of camcorders.

I knew little about video production and editing before this book; I looked and looked for a book or two that I could purchase to guide me through the basics of video recording and editing. This book got to the basics and explained them well. I made my equipment purchases after reading this book and felt significantly more confident in the decisions that I made. This book was by far the most useful book of three that I finally purchased. I have read it cover-to-cover, a couple of times. It now sits nearby as a frequently accessed reference material.

Like Jon's film-related books, he presents a lot of technical information in easy-to-understand language. People new to DV as well as those with experience will find this book useful as a manual and a source book. I especially appreciate the fact that Jon explains, in not-overly-technical terms, such topics as 4:2:2 vs. 4:1:1 and 4:2:0. The DV-to-Film sections are just great, full of of pertinent information that would take a long time to gather up. Ditto for the real-world $ and sense information and advice Jon has provided. I truly enjoy this book and recommend it for beginners and intermediate DV'ographers, as well as those planning to convert their projects from DV to film.

Jon Fauer takes his knowledge of professional cameras and filmmaking and applies it to the DV filmmaker. With DV becoming and easy to use and accesible capture medium, knowing how to apply the tools for DV filmmaking is a welcome read.

In easy to understand ternms, Jon takes the reader through the diference of film and DV, choosing a camera and understanding the process of going back to film.

It is a great reference for any filmmaker looking to use DV as their filmmaking format,beginner or profesional. With any new technology, it is great to have an easy to understand overview of how to make it work for the art form itself.

Lots of excellent information and help on how to choose a DV camera and how to use it. An easy read. The material was presented in a way that was never dry or boring. It's written from the perspective of a film cameraman venturing into the world of video--and avoids the usual technical jargon and preconceptions found in many other books. Concise and valuable information for documentary filmmakers, event videographers, students, prosumers and home users. Highly recommended.

This book has lots of information in easy-to-understand and well-written English.

Great for parents shooting DV for the first time: the class play, kid's first steps or softball game.

And when the kids are in 5th grade, they'll use this book for ideas on how to shoot the class English project in DV and how to edit it.

And when the independent filmmaker wants to learn about shooting in DV and transferring it to film, this book has lots of information.

Recommended for for beginners and intermediate filmmakers planning to shoot in DV.

A great book for anyone starting out in digital video, with enough theory, film history, anecdotes and helpful advice to keep you reading cover to cover. The beginning of the chapter "Five Minute DV Introductory Course" sets the conversational tone that distinguishes this book from so many dry texts: "Your daughter's graduation is in five minutes. You just borrowed a DV camcorder from a neighbor. Or, the CEO has just handed you a mini DV camcorder. He is going to make the speech of a lifetime, and asks if you could please record it. He plans to announce that you are going to be the new president of global DV marketing. Or, perhaps you are the gaffer on a student DV production. The Director of Photography has just been rushed off to the hospital for massive food poisoning from whatever he ate for lunch. Could it have been the left-over, day-old sushi that you innocently suggested he try? You have been asked to be the new Director of Photography. You have five minutes to figure out how to use the DV camcorder in your hand."