Video Interview Tests with my new Nikon D750 and 85mm 1.8 Lens!

[PegLeg Media]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow7nseC4cxo

I know there arent a lot of video tests with this camera (at least there weren't when i was deciding which full frame camera to purchase this summer) So i figured i'd post my first few interview shots with the d750 and the 85mm 1.8 lens.

I love the shallow depth of field. I think I am going to replace my panasonic gh4 with Nikon D750's because for corporate work that shallow depth of field is more important than a couple small features and a little bit of sharpness.

Does anyone else prefer the full frame DRSLs over the new 4k panasonics?

 

[sbrenner]

Were you shooting at f/1.8?
Seems like you'd still have shallow DOF at a smaller aperture and perhaps gain some sharpness.

 

[David W. Jones]

I keep a full frame camera on hand for when I need it, but to be honest a GH4/SpeedBooster combo along with f1.4 glass gets pretty darn shallow.

 

[egproductions]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow7nseC4cxo
for corporate work that shallow depth of field is more important than a couple small features and a little bit of sharpness.

This assumption is bothering me. Yes you want some selective focus in an interview but In my experiences corporate clients are looking for an image that is clear, clean and sharp and not one that is not overlery artistic/cinematic.

For interviews you are much better off shooting with a smaller sensor and using longer focal length. By doing this, you are narrowing your backgrounds field of view (providing a percieved shallow DOF) but actually gaining DOF around your subject. Contrary to popular believe, your aperture, as well as your focal length to focus distance ratio, are actually the only two factors that determine actual DOF (sensor size does not have a direct effect on DOF). So unless you care about seeing a wide FOV in your background (which does happen on occasion), for an interview, where you want your subject sharp and not moving in and out of focus, you will want to avoid big sensors (which force you to get closer to your subject for a given focal length), and wide apertures.

 

[PegLeg Media]

I keep a full frame camera on hand for when I need it, but to be honest a GH4/SpeedBooster combo along with f1.4 glass gets pretty darn shallow.

True, i purchased all my panasonic and olympus lenses before before speedboosters came out so havent tried that route. I do have a voigtlander .95 25mm which i dont like the bokeh to.

And egproductions, you said you have worked with clients that want sharp clear images, in my experiences freelancing ive been asked to get as shallow depth of field as possible (this was asked for Kathy Irelands business show last week and again by an ad agency i did talking heads for 2 weeks ago.) They were both disappointed even my 75mm 1.8 (150mm equivalent) could not get. This is why im starting to use my photography camera more for my interviews now.

I guess now i have both options but at a high cost. Id love to just get the panny 42.5 1.2 but thats expensive and since i do photography as well i cant put all my money towards the panasonic camera.

My post isnt to say Full Frame beats panasonics video, just saying nikon and canon are not falling behind as much as people are trashing them, and to give a quick video example of the d750 from a guy who used it for video for no more than 30 minutes.

 

[egproductions]

When I say sharp and clear I don't mean that it shouldn't have a blurred background but that the subject should be sharp and have a deeper DOF so that her/she isn't moving in and out of focus. As explained above the two aren't neccessarily synonymes. In order to achieve this, you are better off using a closed down aperture (or smaller sensor) but using a much longer lens with a narrow FOV.

They were both disappointed even my 75mm 1.8 (150mm equivalent) could not get. This is why im starting to use my photography camera more for my interviews now.

Maybe I'm not understanding but you say that the 85mm 1.8 is getting you shallow DOF but the 75mm 1.8 on a micro 4/3rds isn't? The two are very close in focal length. It doesn't matter what sensor size your working with 85mm on a full frame or on a cropped sensor will have the same DOF, it's your focus distance that might have changed. In fact the lens on a cropped sensor (assuming stepping back to achieve the same framing) will actually provide you with a narrower FOV creating more blur on your background but maintaining the amount of DOF on your subject.

 

[unadog]

I'd love to hear more about your experience as you explore with the D750. It is hard to balance the kit when we do both stills and video!

I've been shooting Nikon, Canon, and Sony side-by-side for about 7+ years. I just got my D750 in July. But I also moved to Panasonic from Sony at around the same time, so I have spent all of my time learning about and tweaking the Panasonic cameras in 4K. I have only really used the Nikon D750 for stills so far, aside from some quick tests.

On December 1st I'm going down to Florida to do wildlife stills & video for the winter. I should have a lot more time once I'm down there to work with the D750, along with a new D5500 (for extra "reach" with the long lenses. I also have a plain Metabones adapter for the Panasonic to Nikon lenses.) It should give me a lot of time to use and learn the D750, for both stills and video. I love the long, peaceful days spent outside, with plenty of quiet time to learn the new tools, and to experiment.

Cheers! Good luck with your kit.

Michael

 

[Michael Carter]

Looked soft to me, but that may be Youtube's fault. The Nikkor 85 1.8 is my go-to interview lens, but on super 35/APS-C. I don't like shooting interviews at 1.8 though - in your test, just his face is in focus - even the side of his collar and neck is soft. Too much riding focus for me, and it looks odd (but would a consumer pick up on that? Maybe not, though someone who moves/gestures while he talks will give you some focus pumping as you try to hold his eyes). I generally use it at F4 - 5.6, and I prefer how the lens sharpens up a bit.

I've yet to have a client express a desire for the "full frame look" - generally I show them on the monitor that I'm keeping the subject crisp and isolated, but holding a sense of the setting.

By the way, the Series E 100 2.8 is a great interview lens, even wide open, under a hundred bucks.

85 at F4: