My 1st Video edit.

[KmH]

I took a short train trip last Monday and shot some video.

I finally got around to taking my 1st steps at editing video.
I made the 1280x720 24 fps video using a Nikon D300s and AF-S Nikon 18 - 55 mm f/3.5-5.6G lens (no VR) on a monopod.
I had the D300s in LiveView tripod mode so the camera was doing contrast detect AF. I had the built-in microphone turned off. At some point in the future I'll get an external mac.

For this video I used Photoshop CC 2014 for the editing.
Once you have trimmed your clip most of the other editing is just like editing a still photo.

I made the following adjustments to the video using Photoshop filters and adjustment layers - Sharpened(USM filter), Curves, Levels, Vibrance adjustment layers.
I used a transparent Text layer with fade in - fade out at the beginning of the video for the title.

 

[Parker219]

Since you give feedback on other peoples posts, I feel you should get some feedback...

My first thoughts were...

1. I know you want the text to stand out, maybe its the font or...I don't know, I kind of wish the text was a little better....easier to read.

2. The first 20 seconds are shaky. I don't mind the shake as the train passes, to show speed, but I feel the first part should be steady. You said you used a monopod, if I were you, I would go full on tripod.

3. Yes, definitely think it would be better with sound.


Its an interesting subject and the quality is pretty good, so overall I still liked it.

 

[fjrabon]

exposure/color feels a little washed out to me.

 

[KmH]

Tripods aren't allowed on the boarding platform, making the monopod next best, but better still than hand holding.
Part of the problem too is the rolling shutter so many DSLR's with CMOS image sensors (D300s included) have to use for shooting video.
Vertical lines (lots of them on that platform) in a video exacerbate rolling shutter artifacts.

No doubt the light was less than ideal contributing to it being a bit washed out.
Had the train arrived on time - 9 AM - instead of 3 hours late (noon), the light would have been just about as good as it was going to get that morning.
The side of the train I was recording from would have been sunlit at 9 AM, instead of being in shadow at 11:59.

I adjusted the Curves, Levels, and Vibrance as much as I thought I could get away with and still have it all look decent.

 

[tirediron]

Amtrak sure uglied up that train!

 

[KmH]

Complain to the US Congress. I do.
They provide the limited funds Amtrak gets.
Many US Congressmen think national American passenger trains need to go away.
But Amtrak gets way less government subsidy money than what most other industrial countries give to their national passenger railroads.

The first 2 locomotives 158 & 159, GE Gensis P-42DC's are approaching the end of their service life.
The next 2 (369 & 386) are brand new ACS-64 locomotives deadheading from California to the North East Corridor (NEC) which uses catenary, or overhead electrical lines.
Those 2 locomotives have their pentagraphs collapsed. The pentagraphs reach up from the train to the catenary power lines above the tracks.
The car right behind them was built by the Budd company in 1961 as a coach car, but was later converted to a baggage car.
New baggage cars are being delivered and put into service as we speak, so those old baggage cars are about to become scrap.

This train was eastbound, and started out in Emeryville, CA 2 days before it got to Ottumwa, so it's dirty and dusty on the outside rather than fresh from the train wash. A wash job wouldn't help that old baggage car. It's safe to run on the tracks but it's ready to retire.

After the old baggage are bi-level Superliner cars - transition dormitory (crew sleepers/crew lounge) coach/baggage car, coach, Sightseer Lounge car, Dining car, sleeper car, sleeper car.

 

[runnah]

Good tip for video on dslr is to keep the shutter speed at 30 increments. So 30, 60 and 120. I really try not to go above 60 when shooting video. This keeps from things looking jittery.

Also using a lens with VR and hand holding can produce a very stable image.

Lastly look into adding frame blend to the video as it well blends thing together to create a smoother video.

Lastly again it's best to set any picture modes to their lowest values. For example I get way sharper images using premiere than the in camera sharpening setting. So setting all of those to their base or lower settings is the best.

 

[bribrius]

too much processing not enough interest. they aren't doing anything, lacks content. for example :

 

[KmH]

Good tip for video on dslr is to keep the shutter speed at 30 increments. So 30, 60 and 120. I really try not to go above 60 when shooting video. This keeps from things looking jittery.

How?
This video is 24 fps, and the video frame rate should determine the shutter speed if shutter speed is in fact used to control exposure.
In Live View mode (making a video) the D300s doesn't use shutter speed to control the exposure. It uses variable sensor gain instead.

Also using a lens with VR and hand holding can produce a very stable image.

I may get a lens that has VR then. I'll be on the train for 6 days (3 going, 3 returning) and will again have to use the monopod to shoot video while on the train.

Lastly look into adding frame blend to the video as it well blends thing together to create a smoother video.

I'll do that.

As far as interest, the video was made more as fodder for an exercise in editing video using Photoshop CC 2014 than in content, hence the title.

 

[Designer]

I am traveling on the California Zephyr June 17 and returning June 21.

Can I get a woop-woop?

Big woop!

 

[runnah]

Good tip for video on dslr is to keep the shutter speed at 30 increments. So 30, 60 and 120. I really try not to go above 60 when shooting video. This keeps from things looking jittery.

How?
This video is 24 fps, and the video frame rate should determine the shutter speed if shutter speed is in fact used to control exposure.
In Live View mode (making a video) the D300s doesn't use shutter speed to control the exposure. It uses variable sensor gain instead.

Also using a lens with VR and hand holding can produce a very stable image.

I may get a lens that has VR then. I'll be on the train for 6 days (3 going, 3 returning) and will again have to use the monopod to shoot video while on the train.

Lastly look into adding frame blend to the video as it well blends thing together to create a smoother video.

I'll do that.

As far as interest, the video was made more as fodder for an exercise in editing video using Photoshop CC 2014 than in content, hence the title.

Frames per second and shutter speed are two different things that are not directly related.

So you can have the shutter set for 1/600 but it just mean that like an image it only exposes the sensor for the 1/600 of a second but 24 times a second.

Essentially the file format is basically 24 Jpegs a second combined into a video.

 

[scoop2622]

The text is bad the stoke looks terrible. what I would to is create a black box the size of your sentence lower the opacity of the box to like 30% and use white text with a 1 or 2 pixel black stroke. also the content was boring. Im all for shooting just to shoot but maybe try and get shots of people sitting waiting for the train and then getting on that way it would be more of a story for lack of a better term.