First Camera Tutorial

The first practical lesson of our media course featured the group visiting one of Hurtwood's filming studios. This was a blacked out room bearing a green screen wall and various different filming equipment. We were first given an introduction by Matt, a strong figure in the schools media department. It is him and a few of his colleagues who would be teaching and aiding us in a practical sense throughout the duration of the course.

After introducing himself, Matt then introduced us to the bulk of the equipment we will be using in our first year. The first of these was the tripod. We unpacked it from its package and were told how to construct it, and the intricate ways it could be moved and would therefore move the camera. Then of course came the camera. We were told that in our first year we would be using a Sony NX5 (pictured above). The NX5 is a HD camera that is very capable and can be used professionally but in comparison to others is fairly cheap. We were carefully instructed on how to correctly mount the camera onto the tripod and the way that it could be maneuvered. After this came a various different tutorials on the basic camera functions and the ways of operating its most basic features. The first of this was obviously how to switch the camera on which was with a button situated to the right of the eyepiece. Most of the buttons are well labeled so if you are to forget exactly which one you are to press it is not the end of the world. We were then told of the extendable and adjustable screen that erects from the camera which you can use if you prefer this to the eyepiece.

Next came any filming cameras most basic traits aside from recording, to zoom and focus. The controls to both these features are defined wheels on the lens of the camera only a couple inches apart. These were pretty much self explanatory to use. You adjust the camera’s position using the handle to the tripod, zoom in or out by turning the wheel to a distance you are happy with and then turn the second wheel until subject is in focus. As long as you remember which of the two functions is further away and which is closer then you should have no trouble. One extra switch Matt old us about away from the lens was the MD filters. This is a slider positioned on the side of the camera with three modes. With each mode it is like the camera putting an extra pair of sunglasses on. It is a ay of shading the camera from light if there is too much affecting the shot, it simply dims it down slightly.

The final thing we learnt how to do was changing the white balance on the camera. It was explained that changing the white balance is an essential part of obtaining a warmer looking shot with richer colours. Matt pointed out how in some of our frames the colors looked slightly pale and blue. Changing the white balance is a way of counter acting this. Firstly you must zoom in on something that is completely white so it fills the whole frame. Then we used the brightness wheel situated furthest back on the lens to adjust the brightness to make it as white as we possibly could. You then press the button entitled ‘WHIT BAL’ on the left hand side of the camera. There is a slight flashing on the screen for a couple of seconds before a change occurs. After this you can then zoom back out and refocus to find that the whole frame has been made much warmer and more aesthetically pleasing with the traces of blue being changed to oranges. Of course the things we picked up in this workshop are the most basic of features but it is these that we are likely to use every time we pick up a camera and will hopefully become second nature to us.