3 The Video Camera and Support Equipment © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only. Explain the differences.

3 The Video Camera and Support Equipment

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

• Explain the differences between the various video cameras available.

• Identify each part of a video camera and note the corresponding function.

• Differentiate between the focal length and the focal point related to a zoom lens.

• Explain the interrelationship between f-stops, the iris, and aperture in controlling light.

Objectives


• Identify the challenges and benefits involved in using hand-held camera shooting.

• Recognize the types of tripod heads available and cite the unique characteristics of each.

• Implement the proper procedures for cleaning and storing video equipment.

Objectives


Types of Cameras

• Studio camera• Camcorder• Convertible camera


Studio Camera

• Remains in studio• Unsuitable for field work because of:

• Size• Weight

• Paired with • Camera control unit (CCU) or• Remote control unit (RCU)


Tripod with Dolly

• Dolly has three wheels with tripod legs that fit into it


Studio Pedestal

• Vertical column with base and three wheels on bottom

• Heavy• Pneumatics or

hydraulics assist movement

• Has wheel to steer it as it moves

Vinten Broadcast Ltd.


CCU/RCU

• Two names for the same device• Controls technical specifications of video

signal from camera to match images from all cameras– Color– Tint– Contrast– Brightness– Iris


Camcorder

• Contains camera and recorder in one unit• Lightweight and portable• Sits on tripod or rests on operator’s

shoulder• Records on variety of digital tape and other

media• Usually can be directly connected to editor

to download footage


Camcorder (Cont.)


Convertible Camera

• Camcorder that can be accessorized to become studio camera• Larger viewfinder• Rear controls for lens operation• CCU/RCU may be added

• Less expensive than studio camera and more versatile


Parts of a Camera

• Many parts are interchangeable, allowing user to customize camera to exact needs

• Camera head• Viewfinder• Camera lens


Camera Head

• Actual camera• Contains all the electronics needed to

capture image• Light enters camera and hits target• Target is front of

charge coupled device (CCD)• CCD converts light to electrical signal• Professional quality camera has three CCDs• Consumer quality camera has one CCD


Gain Control

• Feature found on higher-end cameras• Allows strength of video signal to be

increased or decreased• Used when image is too dark or too bright• Has negative effects

– Entire image becomes increasingly grainy– Brighter areas begin to glow unnaturally

• Should not be activated without supervisor approval


Viewfinder

• Small video screen that lets camera operator see image that camera is obtaining• 1” screen with eye cup for operator with camera

on shoulder• Small screen (3.4”/4.5”) that unfolds from side

of camera used when camera is on tripod • Larger screen (5”–7”) separate unit attaches

above studio camera head


Diopter Adjustment

• Adjusts magnification on 1” viewfinder for operators who wear glasses


Zebra Stripes

• Alert for camera operator • Stripes only appear on viewfinder when

camera is not recording• Diagonal black and white lines in areas of

viewfinder that are beyond set limits of video brightness

• Any area with zebra stripes will glow• Action is recommended to eliminate stripes


Camera Lens

• Assembly of glass discs on front of camera through which light passes into camera

• Focus–occurs when adjoining areas of contrast are as sharp as possible

• Auto-focus–optional electrical circuit that tries to automatically keep image focused• Professionals do not use auto-focus• Auto-focus removes possibility of creative focus

techniques


Zoom Lens

• Allows smooth transition from close-up to wide-angle shot

• Accomplished by moving zoom ring on lens assembly

• Transition from wide-angle to close-up—called zoom in, or tighten

• Transition from close-up to wide-angle—called zoom out, or widen


Optical Center of the Lens

• Also known as focal point• Place where the image inverts inside of lens• Wherever actual zoom lens is located


Focal Length

• Distance in millimeters between focal point and back of lens


Variable Focal Length Lens

• Another name for zoom lens• Since actual zoom lens moves back and

forth within zoom assembly, and since zoom lens is always focal point, distance between zoom lens and back of lens varies

• Therefore, zoom lens is variable focal length lens


Lens Control Rings


F-stop

• Settings on lens which indicate size of iris


Iris

• Metal blades form circle• High blades create thick circle and small

hole• Low blades create thin circle and large hole• Controls amount of light that reaches back

of lens/target of camera


Aperture

• Actual hole or opening in lens• Large hole lets in much light (fast lens)• Small hole lets in little light (slow lens)


Iris/Aperture


Relationship

• F-stop controls size of iris, which controls size of aperture


Auto-Iris Circuit

• Electrical circuit that automatically controls size of iris

• Good feature that professionals may use


Shutter

• Circuit that regulates how long CCD is exposed to light before sending signal to recorder

• Normal shutter speed is 1/60, i.e. CCD sends its signal 60 times per second

• Pro cameras can increase shutter speed to 1/8000+

• Higher shutter speed = clearer images when played back in slow motion

• Excellent feature for shooting sports


Camcorder Camera Mounts

• Hand-held shooting• Image stabilization devices• Tripod shooting


Hand-Held

• Should be avoided if possible• Produces good images for mere seconds• Otherwise, produces shaky camerawork• Never use zoom-in settings when hand

holding


If You Must Hand-Hold…


Image Stabilization Device

Glidecam Industries, Inc.


Subjective Camera


Tripod

• Three legs• Length of each leg can be independently

extended• Sometimes has vertical column in center which

can be raised and lowered• Pedestal column• Handle that raises and lowers pedestal is

pedestal control, which should not be used when camera is recording, or hot, to avoid audience seeing shaking screen


Tripod Head

• Attaches to top of tripod• Camera attaches to tripod head• Head allows pans and tilts to occur• Head has one or two pan handles attached

so operator can stand behind camera and move it with handle


Tripod Head and Pan Handles


Fluid Head

• Two pieces of metal, separated by grease, screwed together

• Professional• More expensive• High quality because grease allows varying

degrees of pressure to cause varying levels of resistance (drag) when panning and tilting


Friction Head

• Two pieces of metal mashed together by tightening screw

• Unprofessional• Inexpensive• Low quality because drag is either fully on

or fully off• Offers poor resistance when panning and

tilting


Jib

EZFX Inc.


Lens Cleaning Do's

• Use lens cleaning paper to wipe lens• Use canned compressed air to blow dust off


Lens Cleaning Don’ts

• Don’t blow on lens with mouth• Don’t touch lens with bare fingers• Don’t use saliva to moisten lens before

wiping


After Use of Studio Camera

• Lock pedestal and tripod head of camera• Close iris and place lens cap on camera• Move camera to safe location in studio• Coil camera cable as instructed


After Use of Camcorder

• Remove tape, if present, from camcorder• Close lens and attach lens cap• Power down camera• Detach camera from tripod• Fold up tripod• Secure camera in case • Coil and secure cables where instructed


• United States Department of Labor• Occupational Outlook Handbook• Television, Video, and Motion Picture

Camera Operators and Editors information page

• http://www.bls.gov

Career Page


Why is a convertible camera a good investment?It can serve as both field camera as well as studio camera. In a pinch, it could be a “spare” in either environment.

Review Question


What is the function of a CCD?Light goes through lens, hits target on front of the CCD. Then CCD converts that light into electrical signal and sends it on to be recorded after electronics of camera head completes image processing and refinement.

Review Question


Why is a hand-held not the camera of choice?Produces shaky camerawork and low-quality images.

Review Question


Name and describe the different tripod heads.Friction head–Unprofessional, inexpensive, low quality, offers poor resistance when panning and tilting.Fluid head–Professional, expensive, high quality, allows varying degrees of resistance when panning and tilting.

Review Question


What is another name for optical center of lens? What is another name for variable focal length lens?Optical center of lens is also known as focal point. Variable focal length lens is also known as zoom lens.

Review Question


Name the parts of a video camera and their functions.Camera head–Actual camera, target is front of charge coupled device (CCD).Viewfinder–Video screen that lets operator see image camera is displaying.Camera lens–Glass discs on front of camera through which light passes into camera.

Review Question


What is the relationship between the f-stop, iris, and aperture?F-stop indicates the size of iris, which determines size of aperture.

Review Question


Why are f-stop, iris, and aperture important?Aperture is most important of the three. F-stop and iris merely determine size of aperture. Aperture is gateway for light to enter camera. It determines amount of light that camera receives. Too much light and image is over-exposed; too little light and image is too dark.

Review Question


Why is auto-focus generally a bad thing to activate?It automatically tries to keep center of picture in focus. This prevents camera operator from performing creative composition of shots. It will cause important objects to be out of focus merely because they are not in center of shot.

Review Question


Which is better—a fluid head or a friction head? Why?Fluid head is better because it will provide drag when panning or tilting, which makes for more stable picture.

Review Question


Explain how to clean dirty lens.Use either compressed air from a can to blow away dirt or lens cleaning paper to wipe away dirt.

Review Question


Explain why you should not blow on lens with your mouth or use saliva to moisten lens prior to wiping it clean.Either method can cause saliva to touch surface of lens. Saliva is very acidic and will destroy coating on surface of lens. Lens is unusable after that happens.

Review Question


• aperture: The opening, adjusted by the iris, through which light passes into the lens.

• auto-focus: A common feature on consumer cameras that keeps only the center of the picture in focus.

Glossary


• auto-iris circuit: A feature on many consumer and professional cameras that automatically examines the light levels coming into the camera and adjusts the iris according to generic standards of a “good” picture.

Glossary


• camcorder: A portable camera/reader combination

• camera control unit (CCU): A piece of equipment that controls various attributes of the video signal sent from the camera to the video tape recorder, and is usually placed in the control room or the master control room. Also commonly called a remote control unit (RCU).

Glossary


• camera head: The portion of the video camera that contains all the electronics needed to convert the reflection of light from the subject into an electronic signal.

• charge coupled device (CCD): A dime-sized component of the camera head into which light enters and is converted into an electronic, or video, signal. The video signal exits on the opposite side of the CCD and enters the rest of the camera.

Glossary


• convertible camera: A camera with a variety of accessory packages available to make it operational in a studio, as a portable field camera, or both.

• diopter adjustment: A knob or lever that adjusts the magnifier on the viewfinder to compensate for differences in vision.

Glossary


• dolly: A three-wheeled cart onto which the feet of a tripod are mounted. A dolly allows smooth camera movements to be performed.

• drag: Resistance to movement created by tripod head mount.

• fast lens: A camera lens that can produce a large aperture and let a great deal of light into the camera.

Glossary


• fluid head: A mounting assembly on some tripods that stabilizes the camera using the pressure between two pieces of metal and a thick fluid that provides additional resistance to movement.

• focal length: The distance (measured in millimeters) from the optical center, or focal point, of the lens assembly to the back of the lens assembly.

Glossary


• focus: The act of rotating the focus ring on a camera lens until the lines of contrast in the image are as sharp as possible.

• friction head: A mounting assembly on some tripods that stabilizes the camera using the pressure created when two pieces of metal are squeezed together by a screw.

Glossary


• f-stop: A camera setting that determines the amount of light passing through the lens by controlling the size of the iris.

• gain: The strength of the video signal.• hot: The state of a video camera when

the image captured by the camera is being recorded.

Glossary


• iris: A component of a lens that is comprised of blades that physically expand and contract, adjusting the aperture size.

• jib: A type of camera mount that allows the camera to be raised high over the set and swung in any direction.

• lens: An assembly of several glass discs placed in a tube attached to the front of a camera.

Glossary


• optical center: The physical location within the lens assembly where an image is inverted. Also called the focal point.

• pan handle: A device attached to the back of the camera when on the tripod head that allows the camera operator to move the tripod head while standing behind the tripod.

Glossary


• pedestal column: A column in the center of a tripod used to raise or lower the camera.

• pedestal control: A crank on the side of the pedestal column that twists a gear to raise and lower the pedestal column.

• shutter: A circuit on a video camera that regulates how long the CCD is exposed to light coming through the lens.

Glossary


• slow lens: A lens that is capable of small aperture settings and lets little light into the camera.

• studio camera: A television camera placed on a tripod or studio pedestal for exclusive use within the studio.

• studio pedestal: A large, single column on wheels that supports the camera and is pneumatically or hydraulically controlled.

Glossary


• subjective camera: A hand-held camera technique, in which the camera itself becomes the eye of one cast member. The viewers see the world through the eyes of that character.

• target: Photosensitive surface of a charge coupled device (CCD).

• tripod: A three-legged stand that supports a camera.

Glossary


• tripod head: The assembly at the top of the pedestal column to which the camera attaches.

• variable focal length lens: A lens in which the optical center can vary its position within the lens assembly, varying the focal length measurement as well. Also called a zoom lens.

Glossary


• viewfinder: A small video monitor attached to the camera that allows the camera operator to view the images in the shot.

• zebra stripes: A special function of some viewfinders that displays black and white diagonal stripes on any object in a shot that is too brightly lit.

Glossary


• zoom in (ZI): The act of rotating a ring on the zoom lens so that the center of the picture appears to be moving toward the camera. Also called tighten.

• zoom lens: The particular piece of glass within the lens assembly that moves forward and back, magnifying or shrinking the image accordingly. This individual lens is the focal point, or optical center, of the zoom lens assembly. Also called a variable focal length lens.

Glossary


• zoom lenses: A camera lens assembly that is capable of magnifying an image merely by twisting one of the rings on the outside of the lens housing.

• zoom out (ZO): The act of rotating a ring on the zoom lens so that the center of the picture appears to be moving away from the camera. Also called widen.

Glossary

3 The Video Camera and Support Equipment © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only. Explain the differences.

Documents

educational use

camera head actual camera

camera focusoccurs

studio camera head slide

camera operator stripes

convertible camera camcorder

handheld camera shooting

ccd slide