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100 in 100: Video Clips With Your Digital Camera

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100 photography tips in 100 days: Day 58

By Jon Sienkiewicz

November 6, 2007

For more tips, go to the 100 in 100 homepage!

Do you regularly use your digital camera's Movie mode? Typically, folks try it once, use the wrong settings, get poor results, and never fool with it again. Too bad. Making "mini movies" can be fun. Here are a few words of advice to make ‘em nice.

First, use the highest quality setting. Many current cameras offer VGA (640x480) resolution at 30 fps (frames per second). That's essentially the same quality and smooth action that you'll enjoy from a DVD.

Camera: Olympus Stylus 770 SW.
Video still © Davida Resnick

Second, keep the video clips short.

Third, keep the camera close to the subject, so the tiny microphone can pick-up the audio clearly.

Finally, hold the camera still, and keep it horizontal.

What should you do with your creations? You can share them on YouTube™ (Casio even makes one camera with a YouTube movie mode). Or, you can insert movie clips into a PowerPoint to spice up business presentations.

Camera: Olympus Stylus 770 SW.
Video still © Davida Resnick

You could also edit several short clips together into a longer production using ArcSoft's DVD Slide Show or other video editing software. Caution: movie files can be large and fill up a memory card fast.

Experiment, and you'll unlock a feature that you may find truly rewarding.

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