New Camera. New Technology and Resolutions.

After much research, I went out and bought a new video camera and it can shoot UHD and 4K resolutions up to 60 frames a minute!

Maybe you are a bit of a gear head like me and ecstatic about seeing this and simply can’t wait to put the latest camera specs to work on your next video.  Or, perhaps you’re saying…huh?  What?  Why the bold type and exclamation point? What’s 4K and how important is it?  Unless you are in my line of work, or perhaps in the market for a new tv for your living room, you may not even know what those abbreviations mean and – it’s ok, relax – I’m not looking down my nose at you.  🙂  After all, it was just a couple of years ago that everyone was talking about shooting video in 3D.

For the uninitiated, the term UHD stands for Ultra High Definition and 4K is essentially having a horizontal resolution of around 4,000 pixels.  Wow.  Cool.  Essentially four times the resolution of standard HD!  And yes – the new camera is very cool and I’m very happy with the purchase and can geek out on its capabilities.  And there are streaming services that now offer UHD movies to watch on your new tv.  And we keep seeing more content shot & produced at these higher resolutions. But do I think you absolutely must shoot in 3840 x 2160 or DCI 4K for your next video project?

Before I answer that, let me say this. Gear does matter. But there are still many, many technical things that matter as much or more than simple camera resolution in my opinion.  First, start with the sensor size and the camera codec, or what compression format you are recording and how much dynamic range and exposure latitude the camera gives.   And does it give you creative lens choices?  But forget about geeking out on the gear for a moment. What about the story and the content? Does the person behind the camera know – or does the producer know what they are doing and have your best interest in mind?  Or is it more about their pre-conceived notions and learning on the job? And what about good lighting, good scripting, or dialogue – the story or subject matter essentially – and the way you communicate with your audience?  These are all tools of the trade that I personally think are more important than a camera’s resolution!

So, whether you want to hire Fischer Photo & Video to shoot in DCI 4K or in 4×3 standard definition, let’s talk first about what your message is and how best to bring it to life and how to deliver results. Your results – that fit your budget and needs.  And then we can talk about choices – for lighting, camera and sure, even resolution.  And then – if 4K is the answer and what you are looking for, we can geek out together on the absolutely beautiful images it produces as we view it on the big screen.

And just to prove resolution isn’t everything and HD is fun to watch, here’s an early test done with the new camera, in 1920 x 1080 HD resolution – but shooting at above 160 frames per second!  I was merely having fun, taking the new camera out for a test drive and getting to know how it functions better.  So, I decided to do a little over-cranking (slow motion) and to feature…. the family pets.  Enjoy!