Recently, I've been taking a fair bit of video on our Olympus SZ-17. It's an excellent camera with an amazing zoom and the ability to take HD quality footage.
Quality requires both equipment and technique though and all the pixels in the world don't make up for a wonky horizon. Keeping this level isn't easy when you are peering at the back on a sunny day.
The solution is to rob a spirit level bubble from something cheap, and epoxy it to the top of the camera - making sure it goes on level of course.
As well as curing wonkiness, watching the sensitive bubble encourages holding the camera very still so the resulting video is twice as good!
In the days of 35mm SLRs, I seem to recall some people using spirit levels fitted to flashgun "shoes" - similar effect, but no permanent damage to the camera body.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, in a fortnight's time, I could imagine some people using a slightly different type of spirit level - the sort that involves liberal applications of "the old Glen McSoak" (other names are undoubtedly available - albeit in increasingly limited quantities) ….
I'd imagine that some of these wannabe photographers might also achieve some very interesting effects with their footage … hmmm ….