Stop Motion using Video Camera

[Takor Arrey]

Hi Guys,

Please treat this question as that from a child; Is it possible to use a video camera e.g (Red Dragon, Sony PMW F5/55) for stop motion videos like this example below, by Youtuber Daniel Schiffer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7C3_bC7iZgo&t=50s

If It is possible, what do I need to do to accomplish the stop frame effect?


Thanks,

 

[Mark A. Jaeger]

First, thanks for posting the link. I watched Schiffer's explanation of what he did with considerable interest.

Schiffer's technique is essentially time-lapse combined with motion video.

As the Red DSMC2 cameras will take stills and motion video (=Digital Stills Motion Camera !!) you would be good-to-go with a DSMC2. Obviously, tripod(s), motion control gear, lighting, back-drops, props, etc are all in the equation.

I recommend you watch the Schiffer video again, maybe several times, taking notes of what he says and demonstrates. Then, setup something REALLY simple; like a coffee mug on a table. Shoot stills as you rotate the mug. Put the stills together into a video sequence and see what you got. Be critical - was lighting OK, was the incremental motion OK, etc. Then do it again and improve the product.

 

[Takor Arrey]

Thank you very much Mark. That means only a camera capable of shooting still frames is capable of pulling this?

 

[Brandon Veen]

You can use a video camera to the same effect as seen here, the main thing is even if you’re recording clips instead of individual pictures for each frame, you still have to treat it as you would stop motion (freeze between shots). Otherwise the motion will look off from the intended effect.

By recording clips you’ll just be adding an additional step where you have to export frames. Which is fine, but just be aware.

Or if you’re using a DSMC/DSMC2, in Stills mode you can get it working either by taking a single-shot per frame, or in Advanced Multishot, you can keep triggering frames that’ll all be under one file (which might save some time vs importing frames individually).

Plenty of different options. Really, unless you wanted to use flashes, there’s no reason you couldn’t use a video camera.

 

[Scot Yount]

I just have to say...that of all the YouTube kids out there with a ton of followers (most of which don't know what they are talking about) Daniel Schiffer is a gem. He seems genuine, comes from a good place and I learn good valuable stuff from nearly every video he does. He makes great videos that are about the craft, not about the crafter. He is worth paying attention to.

 

[Takor Arrey]

Thank you Brandon for your clarity. now I see why it is easier to use a stills camera.

Also, I agree with you Scot, Daniel Schiffer always dishes out relevant content.

 

[Michael Tiemann]

I just have to say...that of all the YouTube kids out there with a ton of followers (most of which don't know what they are talking about) Daniel Schiffer is a gem. He seems genuine, comes from a good place and I learn good valuable stuff from nearly every video he does. He makes great videos that are about the craft, not about the crafter. He is worth paying attention to.

Indeed. To recap: while he did spend a little time showing the HOW of stop motion, his fundamental premise was the WHY of stop motion. Namely, it provides an opportunity for creatives to avoid the significant drop in production values that result from cameras that can shoot 6K/12bpp/RAW in stills mode but only 4K/8bpp/MPEG in video mode. Given that premise, the idea of trying to use a generic video mode in order to shoot stop motion completely ignores the premise of his video. Also, given the premise of RED's DSMC and DSMC2 camera lines, it ignores the premise from the opposite direction: RED cameras have the same image quality whether shooting stills or motion.

There are much better videos to teach the how to make a stop motion production, which focus not only on camera and lighting and shooting technique, but also planning, models, rigging, motion tricks, etc. If you want to learn to make stop-motion videos, you should find a how-to that aligns with the kind of elements you'd like to work with. But if you are trying to understand how to make stop motion using video-camera based codecs, that actually contradicts the very premise of Daniel's video.