Nikon Learn & Explore
Intermediate

HDSLR Video Tutorial: Getting Started with Your D-Movie Camera

HD-SLR Video Tips: Getting Started - Tips for shooting video with your HDSLR camera. (2:00 min.)

Shooting video with your Nikon HDSLR camera is easy, once you set a few basic settings.

  1. Set your camera to PROGRAM, allowing the camera to set the exposure.

  2. Go into the MOVIE SETTINGS and choose the quality/frames per second. Most videos are shot at 1920x1080/30p. This is Full HD, recording at 30 frames per second. If you want to give your movie a more cinematic or filmic look, choose 24p for 24 frames per second. HD is 1280x720. The higher the image quality, the larger the file.

  3. Set the ISO to AUTO to allow your D-movie camera to make changes to the ISO as necessary.

  4. Set the Focus Mode. Depending upon the subject you are shooting, you may want to set a specific Focus Mode. For general video shooting, AF-S will suffice. AF-S is good to use for subjects that are not moving, AF-F is ideal for moving subjects. The other choice is MF or Manual Focus, which you may want to try as you get more experience shooting video with your HD-SLR.

  5. Set the AF Area Mode. Choices are: Face Priority, in which the camera will focus on faces; Wide, Normal and Subject Tracking, which is good for moving subjects. Normal should work for most subjects.

  6. Turn on Live View.

  7. Press the Record button and you’re shooting video.

Remember to check your HDSLR camera’s User’s Manual for instructions on its particular menu navigation and dial layout.