camcorder for technique videos?

I am thinking of getting a digital camcorder to make technique videos.
Any suggestions? I assume that optical zoom is critical, unless I also
want to buy a snowmobile. I remember seeing Ken's V1 movies taken from
the front, when Sharon zoomed out every other Ken's V1 step or so. How
deep should optical zoom be? I found a budget panasonic one with a 30x
zoom.

20 zoom is probably ok, depending on the location you are shooting at
and the distance they travel in one shot. But more impotrantly I would
get a tripod with a fluid head for smooth movments. Also make sure the
zoom toggle switch on the camera is a varriable speed one with smooth
zoom speed adjustment. This must be tested by using the camera, and
cheaper cameras usually don't do this well at all. A manual zoom can
work once you get practiced but few cameras come with this option.
There are programs that can edit the shake out of videos to make them
easier to watch but you may then want to start with HD video so you
don't loose too much quality as the shake reduction reduces the size of
the imge/resolution. If you cant swing HD i'd at least suggest a 3CCD
camera. It produces much better color and dynamic range.

In article . com,
wrote:

I am thinking of getting a digital camcorder to make technique videos.
Any suggestions? I assume that optical zoom is critical, unless I also
want to buy a snowmobile. I remember seeing Ken's V1 movies taken from
the front, when Sharon zoomed out every other Ken's V1 step or so. How
deep should optical zoom be? I found a budget panasonic one with a 30x
zoom.

I am doing a technique video this winter... the camera I use is a Sony
HVR-Z1U HDV with a 12x optical zoom, and both manual and variable speed
rocker-switch zoom controls. The camera is great, and some of my
footage will be posted shortly (highly compressed for web download). I
would also recommend, in addition to the fluid head tripod, a stedycam
rig of some sort... I use the Glidecam 2000 and Glidecam Smoothshooter
body vest.

Good luck with your project... Up here (Northern Ontario) we are having
our worst winter in years for skiing (hardly any snow), but we got four
or five inches last night, and I'm hoping to get some good footage later
on this week.

Glenn

Andre,
I don't think you really need a huge zoom range - it's really just a
distraction while videoing for technique. Of course, all video cameras come
with 20 or 30x, but my point is that the camera position is more important
than the zoom range. The camera needs to be set off to the side of the
skier's path by at least 20 feet. Maybe more. Then, you set the zoom to fill
the frame with the skier along side the camera position. If you're out on a
random trail, the camera operator needs to stomp out into the snow a ways
and you need a place without trees in the way.

Let me know if you need a camera operator. I just took a video clinic at ASC
for classic technique. It was a blast and very helpful. Enjoy.

Bob

wrote in message
ups.com...
I am thinking of getting a digital camcorder to make technique videos.
Any suggestions? I assume that optical zoom is critical, unless I also
want to buy a snowmobile. I remember seeing Ken's V1 movies taken from
the front, when Sharon zoomed out every other Ken's V1 step or so. How
deep should optical zoom be? I found a budget panasonic one with a 30x
zoom.

Don't get hung up on the type or amount of zoom. I've done video
analysis with two or three excellent teachers/coaches. I haven't seen
that the amount of zoom is the limiting factor. The most important
considerations, from my experience a

location of camera to get a clear view of the skier, as close as
possible to minimize need for zoom (will be steadier), while still
giving a good wide shot when zoomed out. Of course, having a huge zoom
would make this more flexible, but a huge zoom is usually not necessary
- More important, if you need it, you'll probably have quality issues
because the larger the zoom you're using, the more steady the camera
has to be. Just operating the zoom in those situations can cause
unsteadiness even with good tripods.

Along with that, selection of terrain to emphasize the technique you're
trying to analyse (often slight to moderate uphill) with wide open
field of view so the camera can follow the skier for quite a ways -
coming, side view, and going away. I think the side view is often the
most important so if you can get that view for as long as possible.

a good solid tripod. A *solid* tripod that can be tall enough to use
in the snow is not a given - be sure to take care to get a good sturdy
one.

Good hand held technique is often as good or better than a flimsy
tripod (plus it's easier to warm up the camera if it's not attached to
a tripod). Sometimes sitting in a solid chair helps if you're going
hand held - but make sure you can get the range of panning you need.

WARM, WARM clothes - head to foot- for the camera operator including a
way to keep the hands warm and still operate the camera. Ski clothes
are nowhere near warm enough. Think ice fishing without a shack.

A good system of communicating between camera operator and skier so
skier knows when to start.- hand signals.

A way to warm up the camera if necessary. It's very tough to do a lot
of video when it's cold - say below 10F. You might consider trying to
do it when it's fairly warm - for the camera, the cameraman and the
skiers who could stand around a lot. Sometimes you have to take the
camera off the tripod and warm it inside your coat for a few minutes (a
reason to consider hand held). This might be part of the routine.

Other than the above, the type and power of the zoom or specific camera
characteristics hasn't ever been an issue that I've seen. You might
just want to take some gloves into the store and check out the variety
of video cams available to you and see if there is one that is more
friendly in that regard.

Better yet, just do some videoing with the camera you have or that you
can borrow (careful - don't drop it in the snow!!). Then you might see
features that you would look for.

Good luck and have fun.

Modern digital cameras have video capability that's more or less good
depending on the model. Someone did some of me rollerskiing with a two
year old Olympus at 320x? by hand (no tripod) that were quite
satisfactory and more recent ones do higher resolution quite well. You
can watch it right there on the ~2" screen or dump it onto your
computer. A memory upgrade is needed from the stock camera, but those
are inexpensive these days.

Gene

wrote:

I am thinking of getting a digital camcorder to make technique videos.
Any suggestions? I assume that optical zoom is critical, unless I also
want to buy a snowmobile. I remember seeing Ken's V1 movies taken from
the front, when Sharon zoomed out every other Ken's V1 step or so. How
deep should optical zoom be? I found a budget panasonic one with a 30x
zoom.

wrote:
I am thinking of getting a digital camcorder to make technique videos.
Any suggestions? I assume that optical zoom is critical, unless I also
want to buy a snowmobile. I remember seeing Ken's V1 movies taken from
the front, when Sharon zoomed out every other Ken's V1 step or so. How
deep should optical zoom be? I found a budget panasonic one with a 30x
zoom.

I can't knock the tripod recommendations, but something I find
indispensable is built in anti-shake technology.
gr

Thank you, all, for the responses! Hm, perhaps they just should have a
cameraman for hire (or a camera and a tripod for rent) at major skiing
places. Cause otherwise it gets complicated. I'd pay, say, $25 for a
nice video shot (heck, we pay more than that for low-resolution photos
taken at the Birkie).

It's not compliated. You bring your camcorder and film the skier. If
the skier is you, you have someone else film you. NBD -zeke

On 20 Jan 2006 12:19:10 -0800, wrote:

Thank you, all, for the responses! Hm, perhaps they just should have a
cameraman for hire (or a camera and a tripod for rent) at major skiing
places. Cause otherwise it gets complicated. I'd pay, say, $25 for a
nice video shot (heck, we pay more than that for low-resolution photos
taken at the Birkie).

I always thought it would be cool if ski areas had some sort of
large/low-tech plastic mirror on an easy part of the trails, where
skiers could see themselves ski by. Dance studios have mirrored walls
to let people see their movements -- that'd be good in skiing too.

JFT


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