topic Re: XF605 user tips and tricks in Professional Video

XF605 user tips and tricks

500mph — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 00:15:56 GMT

Hello,

Are there any other members here using the new XF605. I would love to start a chat group about tips and tricks and great ideas to get the most out of this great video camera.

Re: XF605

NickMDal — Sun, 13 Mar 2022 00:58:26 GMT

I'm using one heavily. Ask away 🙂

Re: XF605

500mph — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 15:27:17 GMT

Great Nick! Are you using an external camera monitor, if so, which one and how has it worked out for you?

Re: XF605

NickMDal — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 19:55:51 GMT

I use a Ninja Inferno, which is 7". Held onto Manfrotto tripod by 240 mini arm. They pair really well. The monitor and 605 both share view assist functions. The camera is able to keep (e.g. focus assist) separate from the footage stored, but monitors generally cannot. So point of caution. We are reshooting this week following baking the focus assist into the footage recorded to the Ninja.

The Inferno is discontinued. My only gripe with the Ninja 7" monitors (besides the problem above) is there are no good sun shades available as there are for the smaller V model.

The 605 is extremely flexible allowing you to route virtually any OSD to any arrangements of video out ports, so no need to make our huge gaff 🙂 At least not due to 605 limitations, which are few.

The monitor records 4k 10bit in apple prores, so easy to edit. Hope this helps!

Re: XF605

500mph — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 22:24:39 GMT

Great respone, Nick! Thank you very much, truly was helpful and interesting about the warning, I will add this our our Bag notes. Speaking of bags, I just purchased a Shape SBag (My other case was too small), its ok but I was wondering what you are using for any Run-n-Gun work?

Re: XF605

NickMDal — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 22:34:23 GMT

We shoot with 3 cameras and an audio recorder. All wildlife mini docs (Dallas Nature Channel). So we have a system of color-coded ski-caps (perfect for gear!). All gear (each in its own hat) go into backpacks!

Re: XF605

500mph — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 22:47:50 GMT

Wow, that is awesome, I would love to see pic's some day of your system, you have been very helpful! Thank you!

Re: XF605

reynoldss19 — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 18:15:48 GMT

Hi Nick, hope you’re well! I use an XF605 with my brothers for golf channel on YouTube. We shoot CLog3, F2.8-F4.5, fast shutter speeds for the action typically in the range of 1/500-1/1000, and ISO 800. Usually in good sunlight an ND filter or 2. However it feels like our film is pinched and not able to breathe if that makes sense? Would love to hear back about any tips you may have! Thanks,

Sam

Re: XF605

NickMDal — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 23:01:59 GMT

Hi Sam. Great camcorder choice! Are you using the built-in ND filters? Why the super high shutter speed? The 180 rule (frame rate/shutter speed ratio) is a rough guideline, but I'm guessing you're far from it. What framerate are you shooting at?

What do you mean by "pinched and not able to breathe." Maybe choppy? If so, that of course would be your super fast shutter, eliminating most motion blur, creating an unnatural look. Shooting at 1/500 and greater would probably eliminate the need for ND since the effects directly oppose each other. So you may be losing detail unnecessarily with the large SS light reduction, though your ISO/Gain is almost optimal.

Re: XF605

NickMDal — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 23:05:34 GMT

One day a Canon XC15 fell out of its ski cap and the backpack. The LCD panel ribbon was severed and so >$700. 😖

We bit the bullet and bought 4 Tenba video bags and life got great!!! However, they are $$$. So if you're using backpacks or something less secure, be careful!!!

Re: XF605

500mph — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 00:03:47 GMT

Good stuff, Nick! Thanks!

Re: XF605

reynoldss19 — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 00:12:49 GMT

Thanks for the reply! Could I send my video quality compared to the video that we want it to look like? We use the same camera as the channel we want it to look like.

in regards to the fast shutter that is to gain that blocky looking movement. However, if having that fast of ss AND a built in ND filter applied makes detail be lost then I will lower that down closer to 1/200 which has been good for us when used. We shoot at 30 FPS

Re: XF605

reynoldss19 — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 00:15:02 GMT

Also you believe our ISO is correct?

what we want it to look like - https://youtu.be/Z0JL0rR0Utc?si=LoPPwVSs385L-pDn

what ours looks like -

https://youtu.be/3pvuy1gQwEM?si=eQsEEEjP-jz6NNwj

Re: XF605

reynoldss19 — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 00:17:07 GMT

Also the pinched and not able to breathe part, I believe I’m trying to say that maybe the camera is trying too hard to capture every little detail which almost seems to result in not clear/sharp detail. Again hard to explain maybe you’ll see in our film.

Re: XF605

reynoldss19 — Sat, 10 Feb 2024 17:48:38 GMT

Hi Nick! I was just curious if you got around to checking the videos I sent over? Hoping you can help!

Re: XF605

NickMDal — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 06:49:45 GMT

Not yet, but I will shortly. I'm interested and will respond here.

Re: XF605

reynoldss19 — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 23:11:26 GMT

Hi Nick, I think I may have figured out why my video was never able to "breathe"! Would it make sense that a standard IS has better quality and more full frame than a dynamic IS? I just flipped from dynamic to standard, and I think I notice a big difference in picture. It seems that dynamic IS starts out a little zoomed in already, making my picture feel pinched and less quality off the bat. Hopefully I'm not crazy, as I think this may have made the difference!

Re: XF605 user tips and tricks

NickMDal — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 03:25:41 GMT

Hi again. I watched your video and can see the problems. Low light and high detail combined together are the most difficult conditions for video. Additionally, you're shooting in Winter so that there is an enormous amount of detail in the branches and twigs of the dormant trees. This means that the camera has to compress an enormous amount of information per frame with a minimal amount of light.

The result is always a lifeless looking image. The other scene was shot in summer and in sunlight. Direct sunlight, properly exposed with ND will always give the best image. So I would say in that situation, it would be virtually impossible for you to match the crispness of the image you're comparing two.

Yes image stabilization does crop the picture a bit. However, handheld, especially in that situation demands IS. The best you could have done in that situation is to go with a low aperture (in order to soften the complex background) and have your subjects agreed to some softened fill lighting.

I am confident in that camera. It is arguably the best camcorder on the market. Here is a video that was filmed mostly with a 605. All the wildlife footage was. In these scenes, we used a Raynox 1.8x teleconverter and still produced stunning results.

Regarding framerate, learn the 180 rule and follow it, until you have an advanced understanding.

When I first started out, I was always frustrated with low-quality imagery like yours. Since we shoot mostly wildlife, the circumstances were often just like yours. So you have to learn how to optimize your footage by choosing your dates, locations, angles and things I mentioned above. Thanks for sharing this! I'm happy to see that others are having to face a similar learning curve 😄

https://www.dallasnaturechannel.com/videos/dallas-winter-wildlife-birds/

Re: XF605 user tips and tricks

reynoldss19 — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 04:35:39 GMT

Hi Nick, thanks so much for the response. That was some awesome film. Those colors are really popping! Really some amazing shots. Something I did tonight was notice that when I was in dynamic IS, the angle of view was quite pinched and zoomed in to begin with (like I said earlier). When going to a standard IS, I noticed it zoomed back out to full frame, resulting in clearer picture. Also, I applied the 180 rule to my shots, and that definitely gave my film a more life like motion. I believe the standard IS will greatly assist with zooming in on the golf ball. In the end I completely agree, picking your spots is key. I greatly appreciate your help, and I am sure I will make my way back to this conversation in the future😂 Be well, and again thank you very very much. Sam

Re: XF605 user tips and tricks

500mph — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 18:00:32 GMT

Hey All,

We have been using the RODE Wireless Go II and PRO for a while and I am just asking what wireless systems everyone else is using. The RODE products are ok (depending on Lav mics used), just looking for a little bit better quality.