- Recommendations - Battery consumption - SoundRecording - Editing withFinalCutExpress - Quickcontrol button monitor displays - ImportantLCD - Manualfocus exposure recommendations - Shootingmode:manual menusettings - Movie recording switches, andbuttons - Importantcamera dials, - Equipmentspecifications - Checkout specifications asavideocamera - CanonEOS 7DDSLR - Equipmentusepolicy Content:

Canon 7D DSLR Equipment use policy

EQUIPMENT ACCESS: Access to the Media Center is granted to all students, faculty, and staff with a validated SAIC photo I.D. card. Reservations are recommended otherwise equipment may not be available. Remember to be prompt. Reservations are held for 30 minutes and then deleted. Allow at least 15 minutes to check out equipment. When returning equipment, wait until your checkout is cleared from the computer.

FINES: The school enforces a strict fine policy designed to give access of equipment to the maximum amount of individuals. Fines are enforced for lateness and equipment abuse. Those who receive a fine will be denied access to equipment until the fine is paid. Fines are calculated to the minute based on an hourly fine amount.

1 Canon EOS 7D DSLR Checkout as a video camera specifications

One of the main differences between the Canon 7D CHECKOUT DURATION and other Canon DSLR models available to you at 3 days per checkout (longer checkouts require the Media Center (30/40 and 50D), is the possibility a special request form and manager approval) of shooting HD video. As you may already know, DSLR video is “revolutionizing” HD video production. Reservation limit per w eek The large image sensors on these cameras yield for No back to back reservations longer lenses, resulting in images with an impressively Fine per da y shallow depth of field - similar to the “film” look. $50 per day (calculated to the minute These outstanding images contrast with some of the on an hourly basis) drawbacks when comparing video DSLRs to actual

video cameras. One major drawback is the shooting Location of E quipment time limitation: video clips cannot be longer than 12 112 S. Michigan Media Center, 8th floor minutes when shooting HD. Among other drawbacks,

DSLR cameras are not ergonomically designed contents of kit to shoot video, they don’t have built-in ND filters, Camera, lens cap, battery charger, and their built-in microphone may pick up camera 2 batteries, card reader, UV filter, case buttons noises. On the Canon 7D, the sound levels are only controlled automatically. The camera may get too hot when shooting video for long periods of time. Nevertheless, the images from this camera are motivation enough to work around these factors.

2 3 Equipment Important camera dials, specifications switches, and buttons

media format: one 16 GB compact flash card. max. resolution: 18 Megapixels approx. lens: EFS 18-135 mm - f/3.5-5.6 still image file formats : RAW, JPEG, RAW +JPEG

Image Format & File Size Pixels Print Size Print Size MAIN dial Quality

RAW 25.1 MB (5184 x 3456) A2 or larger 620 MODE dial and M-RAW 17.1 MB (3888 x 2592) Around A3 916 ON/OFF switch S-RAW 11.4 MB (2592 x 1728) Around A4 1380

JPEG Large/Fine 6.6 MB (5184 x 3456) A2 or larger 2372

JPEG Large/Normal 3.3 MB (5184 x 3456) A2 or larger 4676 MULTI- JPEG Medium/Fine 3.5 MB (3456 x 2304) Around A3 4488 CONTROLLER JPEG Medium/Normal 1.8 MB (3456 x 2304) Around A3 8712 dial

JPEG Small/Fine 2.2 MB (2592 x 1728) Around A4 6956

JPEG Small/Normal 1.1 MB (2592 x 1728) Around A4 13188

MOVIE SHOOTING Movie Recording File Type: MOV switch and START/STOP Compression: MPEG-4 AVC (or H.264) button

QUICK CONTROL dial and switch enabler Frame Rate Image Size File Size Total Recording Time (NTSC)

1920 x 1080 (Full HD) 30 330 MB/min. 49 min (4 clips of 12 min approx.)

1920 x 1080 (Full HD) 24 330 MB/min. 49 min (4 clips of 12 min approx.)

1280 x 720 (HD) 60 330 MB/min. 49 min (4 clips of 12 min approx.)

640 x 480 60 165 MB/min. 1 hr. 39 min (4 clips of 24 min approx.)

4 5 Movie recording Choose NTSC for United States compatibility. menu settings

Enable movie shooting by switching to the camera icon.

Turn the camera ON and Using the Main Dial, navigate to the left towards the click on the Menu button: Shooting Menu Options (red camera icons) and stop on the fourth tab, the Movie Recording Shooting Options.

Choose a Recording Size and decide if you want to record sound as well. When shooting full HD (1920x1080), you have two frame rate options: 24 and 30. Choose 24 frames per second for a more “film By using the Main Dial in the front, navigate look” (affecting how movement is portrayed). to the second tab on the Set-Up Menu Options. Scroll down to Video System using the Quick Control Dial press Set.

6 7 Make sure the switch - - below is enabled so you can Shooting mode - use this dial. Remember that the smaller the aperture manual exposure (f/3.5, f/4.0), the shallower the depth of field, recommendations and vice versa.

If you want to control the exposure, always choose the Manual Mode. All other shooting modes will result in automatic exposure.

In the Manual Exposure Mode you can control Shutter Speed, Aperture, and ISO. ISO: choose between 100 to 6400 ISO (12800 when ISO expansion is turned on). The higher the number, the less light you will need to achieve a correct exposure, but the trade-off is an increase in image noise. Choosing Auto ISO, will result in a kind of Auto Exposure/Aperture Priority mode, that will adjust the ISO rating to changes in brightness or changes in the aperture value. Shutter Speed: If you want a “film look”, use a shutter speed close to 1/50th of a second (most film Change the ISO rating, by pressing the ISO button cameras work at 1/48th). This will give you enough next to the LCD panel and by using the Main Dial . movement blur, characteristic of the “film look.” Faster shutter speeds will start eliminating movement blur, resulting in “video like” images.

To change your shutter speed, use the Main Dial located in the front.

Aperture: control the aperture by using the Quick Control Dial in the back of the camera.

8 9 Manual Important LCD focus monitor displays

Manual focus is the most reliable way of achieving Electronic Level helps you straighten your precise focus. This precision is crucial, especially when shots. Green lines will show when the camera is shooting HD, and even more with an image sensor of leveled. Press the Info button to view/hide it. the Canon 7D’s size. Time Info: Remaining time shows more standby. Elapsed time shows when recording. Magnify Button

Note: the maximum remaining time display is always 29:59, even if you have more space on the card. After 30 minutes you will see a more accurate display.

Mask: This semi-transparent mask encloses what is actually being recorded. The size of this mask changes depending on the recording size you are using. Be aware that dark backgrounds make it Multi-controller difficult to see this mask.

Exposure Simulation Icon: When this icon Before recording, make use of the magnify button appears in white, the image’s brightness on the LCD to zoom in on your image and accurately focus your monitor is close to what is actually being recorded. subject. Use the multi-controller button to navigate

around the image. Recording Signal

Electronic Level

Time Info

10 Exposure Simulation icon 11 Auto Lighting Optimizer: The brightness and Quick Control button contrast of the image are automatically “improved.” Choose disable if you don’t want any changes to the Through the Quick Control button you can directly image, especially if you want a darker exposure. access the following settings: Auto Lighting Optimizer, Still Image Format and Quality, and Movie Recording Size. Use the multicontroller, the Quick Control Dial or the Main Dial to navigate.

Quick Control Button

Quick Control Button Multi Controller

Still Image Format and Q uality: You can shoot still images while recording a movie. You will get an interruption for about one second. Change the file format with the Quick Control button if needed.

Movie Recording Size: Without going into the menu, change your movie recording size.

Quick Control Dial

12 13 To use the log and transfer option in FCP, Editing using the Compact Flash card from the camera needs Final Cut Pro 7 to be mounted in your computer as a drive.

2 . Open Final Cut Pro and set y ouR The Canon 7D records QuickTime movies that use Scratch Disk Preferences MPEG-4 AVC (or H.264) compression. This is a highly compressed delivery format meant for web due to its small data rates. Editing directly from these 3 . In Final Cut Pro go to F ile > Log and T ransfer files, even though possible, is not recommended.

The limited information that these files carry, along (A) Select the clips you want to transfer, or (B) with the amount of processing power they require create sections by marking in and out points. (C) for decompressing, (you will spend a lot of time Re-name clips, and/or add any logging info if desired. rendering) is not the best option. (D) Choose your Import settings (select if you want to import video and/or audio). We recommend converting these files to a format with an “editing” codec such as Apple Intermediate

or Apple ProRes. 4 . Choose the T ransfer/Import PreferenceS Click on the settings drop-down menu in the log and transfer window and go to preferences. Choose the Canon EOS Movie option and click on the up and down arrows to select the Target Format in which you will transcode your files.

14 15 B Select Apple Pro Res 422 if you want a balance between good quality and disk space. Click OK. A 5 . Process the selected files Select the files. Then click Add“ Selection to Queue.”

B

D C D

Log and Transfer window

Settings drop-down menu

Log and Transfer window

16 17 Unfortunately, Canon has not released a plug-in for the Log and Transfer option in Final Cut Express. To work around this, convert your H.264 files using

Select Files Add Selection to Queue a MPEG streamclip before importing them into Final Cut.

1 . Connect the camera v ia USB or use a CF card reader: Programs such as Adobe Bridge or iPhoto will let you get the files from the camera into your computer or you could read directly from the Compact Flash using a card reader.

2 . Open MPEG -Streamclip: This is a free software already installed in most computers at school.

You can also drag the selected files into the “drag Log and Transfer window files”Drag window. files The process of transferring and converting the files from the Canon 7D can take a long time, depending on the length and the amount of clips you have. File size will also increase. 3 . Select your files and the Ex port Important Note: If your purpose is to apply visual settings effects or to composite work, you may want to use Apple ProRes 4444 for higher quality, plus an alpha - Go to List > Batch List. If you recorded at different channel. You may also want to check out this website, sizes, repeat the same steps for all sizes. for an alternative way of transcoding your footage: - Click on Add Files. Select movies of the same size to http://rarevision.com/5dtorgb/NB: Computers at apply the same settings. school do not support Apple ProRes 4444. - Next, choose Export to QuickTime. - Choose a destination folder - On the compression drop-down menu, choose Apple Intermediate Codec for HD movies. Editing using - Choose Apple DV-NTSC if you shot 640 x 480 Final Cut Express

18 19 640 x 480 and Final Cut Pro 7

Canon 7D recording sizes 1920 x 1080 1280 x 720

(only applies to FCExpress users). 640 x 480 - Quality should be set at 100% for editing purposes. - Choose the same size as the original movie. - Make sure the Interlaced options are deselected. - Send To Batch list and click on Go when you are ready. 4 . Import the resultin g files into F inal Cut Express and choose a sequence preset that matches the size of your video recordings. Frame rates are limited to what FC Express offers.

20 21 Final Cut Pro users: The Log and T ransfer option Even though the Canon 7D has a mini-plug stereo in FCP will not recognize 640x480 movie files. Use mic input through which you could potentially MPEG-Streamclip to convert these files to the editing connect XLR micophones, be aware that the audio codec of your preference. Adjust your sequence levels in this camera will be controlled automatically. settings as needed. The best way to approach synchronized sound in a video project when using the Canon 7D is to use Final Cut Express users: The closest sequence a separate sound recorder, such as a the Marantz preset offered by FCExpress for 640x480 movies is compact flash recorders, available to you at the DV-NTSC is 720x480 rectangular pixels. Be aware Media Center. You may need some extra help, but this that up-scaling will reduce the resolution. option will open the possibilities of controlling audio levels and utilizing XLR microphones. Remember to use something like a film clapper to synchronize your audio tracks to the video image later.

The Canon 7D also has a built-in microphone that can Sound record a mono audio track. Despite the microphone size, the quality of this audio track can be impressive, recording but it may contain some camera noises.

Battery consumption

When shooting video with the Canon 7D, you will

22 23 be using the LCD screen constantly. This represents from saving some battery, you will avoid causing a a great deal of battery consumption, so pay close decrease in total recording time. attention to how much power is available before and during shooting. Refer to the battery display - If using personal Compact Flash cards, make on the LCD panel located on top of the camera, or sure their writing speed is fast enough for movie check the battery info option on the third set up tab recordings rates. An indicator will appear for cards of the menu. A fully charged battery pack in good with slow writing speeds. condition will last about one hour. It is recommended you charge batteries the day before use, because they - When inserting a CF card, make sure you position lose their charge over time. the card the right direction. If not, you can damage the camera. some tripod heads will block the camera’s battery compartment, forcing you to remove the camera from - If a thermometer icon appears on the LCD, let the tripod and replace an empty battery. This could the camera cool down. If you keep shooting, become inconvenient, especially when re-framing a the image quality may decrease or the camera difficult shot. may stop recording.

Notes and - Do not point the camera directly into the sun or recommendations extremely bright lights. This will damage the camera sensor. - When recording movies using a tripod, turn off the Image Stabilizer switch located on the lens. Apart

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