Video Basics Chapter 5 Operating The Camera

Front 1

Pan

Back 1

To turn the camera horizontally

Front 2

Tilt

Back 2

To point the camera up or down

Front 3

Cant

Back 3

To tilt the camera sideways

Front 4

Pedestal

Back 4

To turn the camera up or down using a studio pedestal

Front 5

Dolly

Back 5

To move the camera toward (dolly in) or away from (dolly out) a subject

Front 6

Truck (track)

Back 6

To move the camera laterally by means of a mobile camera mount

Front 7

Arc

Back 7

To move the camera in a slightly curved dolly or truck

Front 8

Crane (boom)

Back 8

To move the boom of the camera crane up or down

Front 9

Tongue

Back 9

To move the boom with the camera from left to right or from right to left

Front 10

Zoom

Back 10

To change the focal length of the lens through the use of a zoom control while the camera remains stationary

Front 11

Jib Arm

Back 11

A small camera crane that can be operated by the cameraperson

Front 12

Mounting Head (Pan-and-Tilt Head)

Back 12

A device that connects the camera to its support

Front 13

Mounting Shoe (Quick-Release Plate)

Back 13

A small rectangular plate that attaches to the bottom of the camera. Makes it easy to attach a camcorder in a balanced position.

Front 14

Shutter Speed

Back 14

A camera control that reduces the blurring of bright, fast moving objects. The higher the shutter speed, the less blurring occurs but the more light is needed.

Front 15

Studio Pedestal

Back 15

A heavy camera dolly that permits raising and lower the camera while on air

Front 16

Tripod (Sticks)

Back 16

A three-legged camera mount

Front 17

Spreader

Back 17

A triangular base mount that locks the tip in place and prevents the legs from spreading no matter the weight put on them.

Front 18

Calibrate the zoom lens

Back 18

To present a zoom lens to keep in focus throughout the zoom

Front 19

Manual focus

Back 19

To ensure sharp, clear pictures. Stay in focus by turning a twist grip on the left panning handle.

Front 20

Auto Focus

Back 20

These work well save for very bright or low contrast scenes, or they can’t detect exactly which object to bring into focus.

Front 21

Shutter Speed

Back 21

Avoid image blur when shooting a fast moving object. The faster the speed, the higher the shutter speed. The higher the shutter speed, the more light you need.

Front 22

White Balance

Back 22

The adjustments of the color circuits in the camera to produce white color in lighting of various color temperatures (relative reddishness or bluishness of white light)