Video University: Video University Forums: Digital Photography for Videographers: A simple oversight

VideoUniversity.com
Home	Free Library	Store
Free Catalog Please support VU by making your B&H purchases and links through this B&H ad. Doesn't cost a penny more.

See The New VU Postcard Catalog

To post in the forums see the Forum Guidelines.

Join or Renew Today.
New Benefits for all VU Members

Forum Guidelines and FAQ
Main Index	Search Posts
Who's Online	Log In

Home: Video University Forums: Digital Photography for Videographers:
A simple oversight

Brackish
Veteran

Jun 1, 2007, 3:19 AM

Post #1 of 9 (691 views)
Shortcut

A simple oversight	Can't Post

Just wanted to pass this along so it doesn't happen to you.

I took a few shots with the cam and put it away, in preparation
for a shoot I had a few days later. When the shoot came up
in a few days, I took out my cam from the bag and dead battery.
I had left the cam turned on when I put it away! It's
so easy to do because the still cams don't make any
sound and don't have any lights.

This has never happened with a video cam because, for
one, they usually make a noise what with the spinning heads.
Or some of the cams (like the VX) power down after a while.

So, for you newbies (like me) to digital photo: Remember
to make sure to check that the power is turned off when you put the
cam away or you could wind up with a dead battery
when you go to shoot next.

----------------------------------------------
"We'll always show up at the wedding with a gift bag for the bride. Inside we have these incredible fuzzy slippers in the teal of our branding."

Shadow
Veteran

Jun 1, 2007, 8:46 AM

Post #2 of 9 (675 views)
Shortcut

Re: [Brackish] A simple oversight [In reply to]	Can't Post

That's a bummer!

Is there an auto shut off on your camera? Maybe in the functions menu? Mine shuts off after a couple of minutes then to turn it back on I simply press the shutter button half way.

__________________________

RustyB
Veteran

Jun 1, 2007, 7:27 PM

Post #3 of 9 (644 views)
Shortcut

Re: [Shadow] A simple oversight [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

That's a bummer!

Is there an auto shut off on your camera? Maybe in the functions menu? Mine shuts off after a couple of minutes then to turn it back on I simply press the shutter button half way.

You can turn off the auto-shut-off, and set the amount of time it takes to shut off, in my camera as well. I thought I'd be a badazz, and turn off that feature completely. I switched it back on, after pulling the camera out of the bag with a dead battery, not long after. Laugh

the People's Video Collective blog
wedding video and the means of production

Brackish
Veteran

Jun 1, 2007, 8:06 PM

Post #4 of 9 (641 views)
Shortcut

Re: [RustyB] A simple oversight [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

I thought I'd be a badazz, and turn off that feature completely. I switched it back on, after pulling the camera out of the bag with a dead battery

Same here: I turned that feature off. One reason being is
I hate how the VX keeps turning itself off and I didn't want
that in a still cam.

----------------------------------------------
"We'll always show up at the wedding with a gift bag for the bride. Inside we have these incredible fuzzy slippers in the teal of our branding."

DarrenS
Veteran

Jun 1, 2007, 8:12 PM

Post #5 of 9 (637 views)
Shortcut

Re: [Brackish] A simple oversight [In reply to]	Can't Post

Yeah that sucks with the vx. It's one of the big differences between the vx and the pd. The pd doesn't do that.

I have the D200 set to turn off the metering and any lights after about ten seconds. The camera doesn't turn off. I've accidently left it on in the bag for days and it doesn't drain the batteries. If you program it to leave the meters on all the time it will drain them, thought.

Brackish
Veteran

Jun 1, 2007, 9:16 PM

Post #6 of 9 (627 views)
Shortcut

Re: [DarrenS] A simple oversight [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

I have the D200 set to turn off the metering and any lights after about ten seconds. The camera doesn't turn off.

I'll have to look and see what options my cam gives in this
regard.

One problem with the VX, too, is that if you see a shot but the cam
is powered down, it takes a while for it to get back
up and running again. I just don't want that delay in a still cam.

----------------------------------------------
"We'll always show up at the wedding with a gift bag for the bride. Inside we have these incredible fuzzy slippers in the teal of our branding."

Brackish
Veteran

Jun 2, 2007, 1:29 AM

Post #7 of 9 (608 views)
Shortcut

Re: [Shadow] A simple oversight [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

That's a bummer!

Hi, Shadow.

Well, it wasn't for an important shoot but best to find out these
little issues now before it happens on a paid gig.

What I did is go into the menu and set the cam to turn off
after 30 minutes; that should save me if I forget to
turn it off in the future.

----------------------------------------------
"We'll always show up at the wedding with a gift bag for the bride. Inside we have these incredible fuzzy slippers in the teal of our branding."

rodovideo
Enthusiast

Jun 2, 2007, 11:41 AM

Post #8 of 9 (601 views)
Shortcut

Re: [Brackish] A simple oversight [In reply to]	Can't Post

My Nikons (D50 & D80 -- I'm a real "PRO Tongue

") have settings to shut off/sleep. To wake them up in just a simple press of almost any button.... and it's fast, I don't think you can miss a shot because of the Nikon is in sleep mode.
I usually spend at least an hour going over things like batteries, blank media, maps/directions, times, phone numbers..... and all of that "stuff" the night before. Now I've had plenty of dreams (nightmares) of getting to a job with dead batteries , late , missing equipment or ..... the best part is waking up and knowing it was just a dream.

Mike R.

Look toward the Son, and you will not see the shadows

sample images from RODO PHOTO

Rodo Media BLOG

Brian Coe
User

Jun 3, 2007, 5:30 AM

Post #9 of 9 (570 views)
Shortcut

Re: [Brackish] A simple oversight [In reply to]	Can't Post

I bought the extra battery compartment for my D200.

This means that you already have two Nikon batteries in the camera and the camera will run down one first before it attacks the second battery.

It also means that if all fails you can insert 4 AA batteries and keep the camera going. This saved me one day when I went to a wedding convinced that I had one battery on 100% and the other on 50%. Whereas it was one on 0% and the other on 50% ! Spare AA batteries for the strobe saved me !

The extra battery compartment paid for itself that day.

There is also a second advantage, its makes the camera and us LOOK more pro compared to the digital slr's of the guests Wink

Brian
Elite Video Mariage
Paris France
http://www.elitevideomariage.com