The Open Camera Resource Page and Other Ideas

There are two core features that a still camera or video camera needs to do: Lock Exposure and Lock Focus - Open Camera performs these two beautifully (get Open Camera App in Play Store).

Back in the day, here were was no ‘auto exposure’ or ‘auto focus’. A photographer would have full control over what ended up on the film.

These days, everything is automated, which can be easy but rarely delivers a polished (or measured) result.  

On using Lock Exposure and Lock Focus together - I am not quite sure ANYONE watching your video will know what camera has been used - whether a mobile like my Moto E at $75, a $1,000 DSLR or one of the Pro Range like a $50,000 Red.

The challenge I have is to put your ‘mind and planning’ FIRST.

After that, straight forward ten second clips recorded from your mobile (without moving the camera) are very easy to carry out.

still image from the demo video

As an example, I was passing a location and made a demo video. I used six video clips - and it took me all of 4 minutes to film the lot. Quite quick post edit on Moto E with PowerDirector and saved at 1080p 60fps. Watch it below ..

In previous posts I’ve listed resources for PowerDirector and RecForge II.

What we need to do, produce a set of skills that place the creative process at the top of the production list -- NOT the hardware we use.

Look at any famous writer - would they pen a novel better using using a Biro than a $100 fountain pen? The value is in the idea.

That said, hand writing on paper, typing using a vintage typewriter or typing using a desktop/laptop is a worthy debate.

All have benefits and shortfalls. I still have at least three types of paper pads, pencils and pens on my desk - could not do without them.

For those who believe in balance and how life is merely a see saw, then to ‘achieve this balance’ there must be opposite ends.

I would class that as purist old school ‘straight photographers’ at one end and selfie obsessed vloggers at the other.

Another debate is the die hard ‘video journalist’ who will use their own voice to narrate a video story, but NEVER (or very rarely) be seen on camera.

Contrast with the TV news reporter who always does a ‘stand up’ at a scene where nothing is happening (or had happened eight hours before). Or how a news conference is held outside a building in a noisy street.

They all make no logical sense. Yet I bet the, ‘We’ve always done it that way’ echoes around the production room.

In summary, this post is not really about a Lock Exposure, Lock Focus at all - but a What Happens If .. if we start to use a mobile phone effectively.

Not for talking or texting, but for the intricate micro designed powerful tool that is ‘could be’ ...

There is now an Open Camera video Playlist ..