Aug 29 2008
Flipping Out
Yesterday, Cindy Shebley, author of Easy Auction Photography, hosted a free webinar to demonstrate the amazing versatility of the Flip video camcorder. I was her guest, and I put together a few videos illustrating some of the techniques she described.
Although most people will just grab the Flip and begin shooting, the video below offers proof of why that isn’t always the best strategy. Of course, spontaneity is a big part of Flip videos – and you don’t want to sacrifice that. But if you know you’ll be filming, a monopod or an inconspicuous tripod can dratically improve your shots.
HANDHELD vs TRIPOD
For a small camera with a very small lens, the Flip has a surprisingly good image stabilization system. The Flip invites you to grab your camera and start shooting on the run. It’s great for instant video.
However, if you want to improve the quality of the videos you shoot with the Flip, the first thing you should do is stabilize the camera. Whether you use a Gorillapod style tripod, a monopod, or a traditional tripod, the shot will always come out better. The image will be crisper. And your viewer won’t get seasick.
For this demonstration, we mounted one Flip on a tripod. Standing right next to the tripod, the photographer handheld a second Flip. You can see the difference. Pay attention to the small section of seawall showing in the bottom of the screen. It seems to be floating, even though it is a massive, concrete wall.
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