Can someone please, please help me understand?

Markw · Jan 29, 2011

Hi everyone. Usually, I can figure things out on my own..or with a little research. I am having a terrible time trying to figure out how to do anything at all with the video on my D300s.

Is there any way at all to alter the exposure while taking video? Aperture, etc? I just can't seem to control anything. Now, maybe Im missing something..but I can't seem to control anything at all besides focus. does this seem right? What am I doing wrong?

Mark

Markw · Jan 29, 2011

I find it hard to belive that no one has ever shot a video with a Nikon DSLR...

I had a go around today with the video as I can use it now. Worked well for macro. I'll post the results once Im done editing. Id still love to hear something from someone..

Mark

RockstarPhotography · Jan 29, 2011

i don't think there is. I seem to recall a demonstration of it at b@h photo awhile back and if i remember right they said a downfall of the video was no way to adjust exposure....but i'm not sure...

Markw · Jan 29, 2011

Darn. The camera does a good job of it itself, but I would just like some flexibility with aperture!

Mark

Josh66 · Jan 29, 2011

Maybe some old MF lenses would be better for video... You have to MF anyway, right? At least they will let you manually adjust the aperture...

Markw · Jan 29, 2011

MF lenses do not have the little thing on the bottom tat makes them automatically open to the largest aperture? If not, that is a much more feesible option than what I was thinking I was going to have to do...

Mark

Josh66 · Jan 29, 2011

Don't they have an aperture ring that you just turn to change the aperture?

I never shot Nikon, I just kinda assumed they were all like that...

Markw · Jan 30, 2011

My 80-200/2.8, 50/1.8, 10-20/4-5.6, 105/2.8, 180/3.5, and 50/2.8 all have the aperture rings. They all also have a little black part on the bottom of the lens that, when pushed, opens the aperture blades to their most open position. This is pushed when the lens is turned onto the camera body. From there, the blades stay open to their full extent until the shutter is released. Since this does not happen while shooting video, it has no effect and the lens stays wide open.

I'm thinking I may have to get some kind of an adapter that would detatch the entire lens contacts from the body. Kind of like the adapters that connect lenses and bodies of different models.

Mark

o hey tyler · Jan 30, 2011

There was a hack that I saw where a guy was using an old manual lens, and he bent the pin that engaged the diaphragm to change during the shutter rolling. So that essentially you were constantly holding down the depth of field preview button while being able to adjust the aperture with the ring. The camera will still compensate for a change in the amount of light let in, but you'd have control over the DoF. Not sure if it works for Nikons, the hack I saw was for use on a T1i.

Markw · Jan 30, 2011

The DOF preview button had to be held down the whole time video was being taken? That's a no-go for me. Anything that makes more shake just isnt going to work for me..

Mark

Markw · Jan 30, 2011

Kinda like one of these: Dom Bower Photo Blog: Nikon lens to Canon EOS camera adapter

Not that particular one, of course, since that's for a Canon body..but something that would work similarly for my Nikon body. Think that's a good option?

Mark

Drake · Jan 30, 2011

I've never seen a nikon to nikon adapter, and even if you find one, it would change the distance between your lens and the sensor, which my result in not being able to focus to infinity I suppose.

o hey tyler · Jan 30, 2011

Markw said:
The DOF preview button had to be held down the whole time video was being taken? That's a no-go for me. Anything that makes more shake just isnt going to work for me..

Mark

No, not at all. Modifying the pin on the mount just allows the aperture diaphragm to be engaged (like using the DoF preview button). But you really don't have to hold any buttons, as the pin would be bent and permanently engaged.