Hello and all Help Appreciated!

[waday]

Once you turn the camera on, focus on figuring out how to get the camera into the different modes. Given your level of experience, you'll probably want to stick to either "P" or "A". "P" is a program mode, kinda like auto, but it should allow for shooting in RAW format. "A" is aperture priority, which means that you choose your aperture. The wider you open the aperture (the smaller the number), the more you'll be able to get a "blurry" background and isolate your subject (try this out with your 50mm). Keep ISO in the "auto" mode for now, maybe limit it to like 1600 (lower is "better IQ" but a clear picture is better than a blurry picture if decreasing your ISO makes your shutter speed too slow)? Play around with the different aperture settings.

When you get your flash, it's going to be a different ballgame, and you'll need to read through the Strobist link I provided earlier. This might provide some basic information, but I didn't read it so not sure what it provides: The Ultimate Guide to Learning how to use Your first DSLR

 

[photo1x1.com]

The basic use of any camera is almost the same no matter if photography or video. I wouldn´t mix up video with photo though in this thread.
First, you need the correct exposure (brightness of your clips). The factors that have an influence on the brightness are shutter speed, aperture and ISO (and of course the brightness of your scene). You can either use full auto mode, Aperture Priority or Shutter Priority. In Aperture Priority you set the aperture, and the camera tries to get a well-balanced exposure changing the other factors that determine the brightness of an image (Shutter Speed and ISO). In Shutter Priority, you set the shutter speed and the camera takes care for aperture and ISO. What you have to understand are the effects that aperture and shutter speed have on your image (video).
In video shutter speed isn´t all that important. Usuall,y you set it to 1/50sec (for Pal videos or 1/60sec for NTSC videos - pal is 25 frames per second recording, NTSC is 30 frames per second recording) to get a filmic look (smooth motion rather than the staccato effect you get from several action movies like "300").
That leaves us with the correct aperture. Before I explain too much - let me just link to one of my youtube videos:

(the effects of aperture) this and the two that follow should give you an idea how the aperture changes the look of your video. BUT: if you want that shallow depth I´m talking about, you will have a hard time with the a7sII´s focus - it won´t keep up.
So, you now know you need 1/50sec shutter speed and you know what aperture you want. If you set the ISO to auto, the camera will usually do a pretty good job exposing your clip. BUT: if you are out in the bright sunlight, you set your shutter speed to 1/50sec and you want your aperture at f1.8 - you will get a totally overexposed clip. Since there is no other way to darken the clip (ISO minimum is 100 for this camera, you can´t go lower), filmmakers use ND filters which are essentially sunglasses for your camera. There are different ND filters available that block more or less light.
The next important thing is focus. Up until recently, most serious videographers used manual focus because auto focus wasn´t reliable at all (except for some dedicated video cameras that have a very small image sensors and therefore very wide depth of focus) . There are several tools that help you with manual focussing like follow focus, etc. but that is something for the more experienced filmmaker. Your choice would be: either have a person that doesn´t move at all, set the focus once and leave it alone (but be aware that slight movements front - back can get your subject out of focus), or choose a camera that has decent auto focus for video (hence my recommendation in my first post and down below). Focus is critical for your clip, so is the exposure. If you get these two right, you are half way there.

However, let me once again recommend: if you can, do return the camera and get a a7 III or a7r II. Seriously!!! They have features like face detection autofocus and eye detection autofocus which is just amazing. While the a7s II was built for video use (up until recently, hardly anybody serious about video used autofocus, so this camera lacks a good autofocus) and for very low light photography (which hardly anybody ever uses). It does have features like slow motion (a7 III has that too), but you will probably never need that. So my advice is: change camera if you can. The other two aren´t much different to use, so the experience you gained during your weekend won´t be lost. I own all three of these cameras, so I am able to compare.

If that saves you 400₤, get a nice LED videolight to light indoor scenes with people.

I hope that helps.

 

[photo1x1.com]

In regard to video portraits of your staff: be aware that people behave totally different once they stand in front of a camera (in video soooooooo much more than in photography). Sounds weird, but it´s an absolute fact. I have seen experienced lecturers stammering as soon as I hit the record button. They won´t behave natural. Get them in some sort of interview situation where they don´t have to look straight at the camera, but rather talk to you standing slighly beside the camera. Give them some time to adapt (at best they should practice at home in front of their smartphone - that will help big time, trust me!!!). Make the whole experience fun for the people and you - that´s the secret of natural behaviour.

 

[coachmarino]

Once you turn the camera on, focus on figuring out how to get the camera into the different modes. Given your level of experience, you'll probably want to stick to either "P" or "A". "P" is a program mode, kinda like auto, but it should allow for shooting in RAW format. "A" is aperture priority, which means that you choose your aperture. The wider you open the aperture (the smaller the number), the more you'll be able to get a "blurry" background and isolate your subject (try this out with your 50mm). Keep ISO in the "auto" mode for now, maybe limit it to like 1600 (lower is "better IQ" but a clear picture is better than a blurry picture if decreasing your ISO makes your shutter speed too slow)? Play around with the different aperture settings.

When you get your flash, it's going to be a different ballgame, and you'll need to read through the Strobist link I provided earlier. This might provide some basic information, but I didn't read it so not sure what it provides: The Ultimate Guide to Learning how to use Your first DSLR

This is a great start thank you so much!

 

[coachmarino]

The basic use of any camera is almost the same no matter if photography or video. I wouldn´t mix up video with photo though in this thread.
First, you need the correct exposure (brightness of your clips). The factors that have an influence on the brightness are shutter speed, aperture and ISO (and of course the brightness of your scene). You can either use full auto mode, Aperture Priority or Shutter Priority. In Aperture Priority you set the aperture, and the camera tries to get a well-balanced exposure changing the other factors that determine the brightness of an image (Shutter Speed and ISO). In Shutter Priority, you set the shutter speed and the camera takes care for aperture and ISO. What you have to understand are the effects that aperture and shutter speed have on your image (video).
In video shutter speed isn´t all that important. Usuall,y you set it to 1/50sec (for Pal videos or 1/60sec for NTSC videos - pal is 25 frames per second recording, NTSC is 30 frames per second recording) to get a filmic look (smooth motion rather than the staccato effect you get from several action movies like "300").
That leaves us with the correct aperture. Before I explain too much - let me just link to one of my youtube videos:

(the effects of aperture) this and the two that follow should give you an idea how the aperture changes the look of your video. BUT: if you want that shallow depth I´m talking about, you will have a hard time with the a7sII´s focus - it won´t keep up.
So, you now know you need 1/50sec shutter speed and you know what aperture you want. If you set the ISO to auto, the camera will usually do a pretty good job exposing your clip. BUT: if you are out in the bright sunlight, you set your shutter speed to 1/50sec and you want your aperture at f1.8 - you will get a totally overexposed clip. Since there is no other way to darken the clip (ISO minimum is 100 for this camera, you can´t go lower), filmmakers use ND filters which are essentially sunglasses for your camera. There are different ND filters available that block more or less light.
The next important thing is focus. Up until recently, most serious videographers used manual focus because auto focus wasn´t reliable at all (except for some dedicated video cameras that have a very small image sensors and therefore very wide depth of focus) . There are several tools that help you with manual focussing like follow focus, etc. but that is something for the more experienced filmmaker. Your choice would be: either have a person that doesn´t move at all, set the focus once and leave it alone (but be aware that slight movements front - back can get your subject out of focus), or choose a camera that has decent auto focus for video (hence my recommendation in my first post and down below). Focus is critical for your clip, so is the exposure. If you get these two right, you are half way there.

However, let me once again recommend: if you can, do return the camera and get a a7 III or a7r II. Seriously!!! They have features like face detection autofocus and eye detection autofocus which is just amazing. While the a7s II was built for video use (up until recently, hardly anybody serious about video used autofocus, so this camera lacks a good autofocus) and for very low light photography (which hardly anybody ever uses). It does have features like slow motion (a7 III has that too), but you will probably never need that. So my advice is: change camera if you can. The other two aren´t much different to use, so the experience you gained during your weekend won´t be lost. I own all three of these cameras, so I am able to compare.

If that saves you 400₤, get a nice LED videolight to light indoor scenes with people.

I hope that helps.

Thank you...will see what is done here. I'm hesitant to return because I've now used it a bunch (to self learn) and it took us 10 months to get to this point...but will take all advice.

 

[coachmarino]

In regard to video portraits of your staff: be aware that people behave totally different once they stand in front of a camera (in video soooooooo much more than in photography). Sounds weird, but it´s an absolute fact. I have seen experienced lecturers stammering as soon as I hit the record button. They won´t behave natural. Get them in some sort of interview situation where they don´t have to look straight at the camera, but rather talk to you standing slighly beside the camera. Give them some time to adapt (at best they should practice at home in front of their smartphone - that will help big time, trust me!!!). Make the whole experience fun for the people and you - that´s the secret of natural behaviour.

The only people that will be in the videos to start will be professionals who've been in front of camera before. Not that they will need NO coaching, but we just did a media training with our PR company, so not only have they been in front of camera before, the media training helped as well.

Thanks!

 

[photo1x1.com]

The basic use of any camera is almost the same no matter if photography or video. I wouldn´t mix up video with photo though in this thread.
First, you need the correct exposure (brightness of your clips). The factors that have an influence on the brightness are shutter speed, aperture and ISO (and of course the brightness of your scene). You can either use full auto mode, Aperture Priority or Shutter Priority. In Aperture Priority you set the aperture, and the camera tries to get a well-balanced exposure changing the other factors that determine the brightness of an image (Shutter Speed and ISO). In Shutter Priority, you set the shutter speed and the camera takes care for aperture and ISO. What you have to understand are the effects that aperture and shutter speed have on your image (video).
In video shutter speed isn´t all that important. Usuall,y you set it to 1/50sec (for Pal videos or 1/60sec for NTSC videos - pal is 25 frames per second recording, NTSC is 30 frames per second recording) to get a filmic look (smooth motion rather than the staccato effect you get from several action movies like "300").
That leaves us with the correct aperture. Before I explain too much - let me just link to one of my youtube videos:

(the effects of aperture) this and the two that follow should give you an idea how the aperture changes the look of your video. BUT: if you want that shallow depth I´m talking about, you will have a hard time with the a7sII´s focus - it won´t keep up.
So, you now know you need 1/50sec shutter speed and you know what aperture you want. If you set the ISO to auto, the camera will usually do a pretty good job exposing your clip. BUT: if you are out in the bright sunlight, you set your shutter speed to 1/50sec and you want your aperture at f1.8 - you will get a totally overexposed clip. Since there is no other way to darken the clip (ISO minimum is 100 for this camera, you can´t go lower), filmmakers use ND filters which are essentially sunglasses for your camera. There are different ND filters available that block more or less light.
The next important thing is focus. Up until recently, most serious videographers used manual focus because auto focus wasn´t reliable at all (except for some dedicated video cameras that have a very small image sensors and therefore very wide depth of focus) . There are several tools that help you with manual focussing like follow focus, etc. but that is something for the more experienced filmmaker. Your choice would be: either have a person that doesn´t move at all, set the focus once and leave it alone (but be aware that slight movements front - back can get your subject out of focus), or choose a camera that has decent auto focus for video (hence my recommendation in my first post and down below). Focus is critical for your clip, so is the exposure. If you get these two right, you are half way there.

However, let me once again recommend: if you can, do return the camera and get a a7 III or a7r II. Seriously!!! They have features like face detection autofocus and eye detection autofocus which is just amazing. While the a7s II was built for video use (up until recently, hardly anybody serious about video used autofocus, so this camera lacks a good autofocus) and for very low light photography (which hardly anybody ever uses). It does have features like slow motion (a7 III has that too), but you will probably never need that. So my advice is: change camera if you can. The other two aren´t much different to use, so the experience you gained during your weekend won´t be lost. I own all three of these cameras, so I am able to compare.

If that saves you 400₤, get a nice LED videolight to light indoor scenes with people.

I hope that helps.

Thank you...will see what is done here. I'm hesitant to return because I've now used it a bunch (to self learn) and it took us 10 months to get to this point...but will take all advice.

My pleasure. Drop me a note if you have any specific question about the cam.

 

[vintagesnaps]

Seems like even if this is for a small company if there's enough revenue it would make more sense to either hire a professional photographer/videographer or pay for you to take a course in photography. There's more to it than knowing what controls on a camera do what.

If you were tasked with this project maybe it would be better to show your company what goes into doing this so they realize you either need training first or they need to contract this out. Seems like a disservice to your company to jump into starting this instead of informing/educating them so the time frame can be adjusted.

If you want to learn how to use the camera, it's going to take using the manual, getting out doing test shots, and practicing. It's unrealistic with a new piece of equipment that someone will be proficient in using it in under a week.

 

[coachmarino]

Seems like even if this is for a small company if there's enough revenue it would make more sense to either hire a professional photographer/videographer or pay for you to take a course in photography. There's more to it than knowing what controls on a camera do what.

If you were tasked with this project maybe it would be better to show your company what goes into doing this so they realize you either need training first or they need to contract this out. Seems like a disservice to your company to jump into starting this instead of informing/educating them so the time frame can be adjusted.

If you want to learn how to use the camera, it's going to take using the manual, getting out doing test shots, and practicing. It's unrealistic with a new piece of equipment that someone will be proficient in using it in under a week.

Just not the way things work around here.

 

[waday]

I'm hesitant to return because I've now used it a bunch (to self learn) and it took us 10 months to get to this point...but will take all advice.

My two cents on returning coming from someone who works for a corporation... there is absolutely no way I would return it. The second that you tell your boss/superior that you need to return it for something different, it will (negatively) impact your career more than just getting this photo/video stuff done.

 

[coachmarino]

I'm hesitant to return because I've now used it a bunch (to self learn) and it took us 10 months to get to this point...but will take all advice.

My two cents on returning coming from someone who works for a corporation... there is absolutely no way I would return it. The second that you tell your boss/superior that you need to return it for something different, it will (negatively) impact your career more than just getting this photo/video stuff done.

Pretty much this.