Shooting Digital Video

I knew little about video production and editing before this book; I looked and looked for a book or two that I could purchase to guide me through the basics of video recording and editing. This book got to the basics and explained them well. I made my equipment purchases after reading this book and felt significantly more confident in the decisions that I made. This book was by far the most useful book of three that I finally purchased. I have read it cover-to-cover, a couple of times. It now sits nearby as a frequently accessed reference material.

Lots of excellent information and help on how to choose a DV camera and how to use it. An easy read. The material was presented in a way that was never dry or boring. It's written from the perspective of a film cameraman venturing into the world of video--and avoids the usual technical jargon and preconceptions found in many other books. Concise and valuable information for documentary filmmakers, event videographers, students, prosumers and home users. Highly recommended.

Like Jon's film-related books, he presents a lot of technical information in easy-to-understand language. People new to DV as well as those with experience will find this book useful as a manual and a source book. I especially appreciate the fact that Jon explains, in not-overly-technical terms, such topics as 4:2:2 vs. 4:1:1 and 4:2:0. The DV-to-Film sections are just great, full of of pertinent information that would take a long time to gather up. Ditto for the real-world $ and sense information and advice Jon has provided. I truly enjoy this book and recommend it for beginners and intermediate DV'ographers, as well as those planning to convert their projects from DV to film.

Jon Fauer takes his knowledge of professional cameras and filmmaking and applies it to the DV filmmaker. With DV becoming and easy to use and accesible capture medium, knowing how to apply the tools for DV filmmaking is a welcome read. In easy to understand ternms, Jon takes the reader through the diference of film and DV, choosing a camera and understanding the process of going back to film. It is a great reference for any filmmaker looking to use DV as their filmmaking format,beginner or profesional. With any new technology, it is great to have an easy to understand overview of how to make it work for the art form itself.

SHOOTING DIGITAL VIDEO is another great technical book from Jon Fauer, whose cinematography textbooks have become industry standards. This one is about how to choose a DV camcorder and then use it. It should be most helpful to students, advanced home users, independent filmmakers and videographers who want a thorough and carefully researched introduction to digital video and what equipment to use.The book begins with a five-minute quick start guide to shooting on DV, using three scenarios as examples: a corporate event, a graduation and a student project.Next, Fauer explains and compares the different digital formats: DV, Mini DV, DVCAM, DVCPRO, DigiBeta, and so on, along with basic theory. It's easy to read and not tedious.The how-to section uses Sony's PD100a as an example of how to use a typical camcorder. In his usual informative and profusely illustrated (lots of photos) style, Fauer goes over each detail and function as if he were explaining it to a good friend. Lots of this information isn't in the official manuals that come with the cameras, and this is easier and more fun to read. The middle section explains audio, simple editing, advanced editing, distribution and blowing up DV to film for theatrical release.The book then discusses accessories and techniques, lenses, light and lighting, filters and matteboxes, tripods and heads, monitors and decks, rain covers, underwater housings, helmets, aerials, cases and shipping. There is a chapter with an overview of most of the DV camcorders currently available to help the reader choose the right one for the right job. Finally, a great appendix gives names and contacts of all the vendors and suppliers you could ever want to know about. A terrific book on how to choose a DV camcorder and get started using it.