How to optimise your Nikon Z camera for video recording (plus tips for Nikon Film Festival)

Nikon Team •Videografia•06 nov 2024•6-minútové čítanie

The right equipment, optimised settings and mastering essential filmmaking techniques are key to producing standout short films

Short film is a popular medium for storytellers to showcase their craft, creativity and vision. Here’s exactly how to gear up for your submission to Nikon Film Festival, an event that encourages video creation and promotes the emergence of talented new filmmakers.

1. Plan your shots and storyboard

The writing and pre-production phase should not be underestimated as it will assist you in creating detailed storyboards and planning camera movements. Pre-production planning is essential for a smooth filming process. Create a storyboard and shot list to visualise each scene before you start shooting. This will help you to stay organised and ensure that you capture all necessary shots.

Finally, to control tempo, remember the common rule: one page of script should correspond to one minute of film. Cinema, like music or dance, is a medium that imposes its own tempo on the audience. Writing one minute of film per page of paper is a way of imposing this rhythm on the viewer and a way of knowing the approximate duration of your movie.

2. Choose the right Nikon camera

Selecting the appropriate camera is crucial for any filmmaking project. Nikon offers several models that are well-suited for video production. The Nikon Z6III and Nikon Z8 are excellent choices, offering high frame rates and exceptional low-light performance. The Z8 offers 8K RAW, while you can film up to 6K RAW with the Z6III. For those preferring a DSLR, the Nikon D850 is renowned for its video capabilities, including 8K time-lapse and 4K UHD recording.

The right equipment, optimised settings and mastering essential filmmaking techniques are key to producing standout short films

1. Plan your shots and storyboard

2. Choose the right Nikon camera

Nikon Team

What’s in our kitbag?

For remarkable, next-level shots

Z 8Fast, full-frame hybrid camera

Z6IIINext level, full-frame camera

3. Invest in quality lenses

With a wide aperture and a ‘classic’ filmmaking focal length, the NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.4 puts audiences into the heart of the action.

A versatile choice is the NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens, which is ideal for a variety of shots, from wide-angle to close-ups (or try the NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S kit lens with the Zf and Z6III).

For stunning portraits and bokeh effects, consider the NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S. If you need a wide-angle lens, the NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S is a great option for capturing expansive scenes.

4. Stabilise your shots

Stable footage is key to a professional-looking film. While in-body image stabilisation (IBIS) helps reduce camera shake (when enabled in the menu), adding a sturdy tripod to your kitbag will stabilise static shots further, while a gimbal ensures smooth and stable footage when moving.

5. Master lighting techniques

Lighting can dramatically affect the mood and quality of your film. Start with a basic three-point lighting set-up: key light, fill light and backlight. Portable lighting kits provide powerful and adjustable lighting, perfect for on-the-go filmmaking. Don’t underestimate the use of natural light. Nikon cameras, especially Z series, perform exceptionally well in various lighting conditions.

Winner Anna Apte at Le Grand Rex, Paris. ©Pauline Maillet

6. Capture qulity audio

Good audio is just as important as good visuals. Nikon cameras have built-in microphones, but using an external microphone will significantly enhance audio quality. The Sennheiser MKE 600 shotgun mic is a popular choice for on-camera recording. For more flexibility, consider using an ultra-compact and easy-to-use wireless microphone system such as the RØDE Wireless ME, which allows for capturing high-quality sound independently of the camera.

Navigate to the audio settings in the menu to adjust levels and monitor audio through headphones if your camera supports it.

The Nikon Z6III’s external mic input can function as a line-level input that lets you connect your audio recorder or mixer directly to the camera. You’ll be able to capture professional quality sound in-camera while filming, saving you precious time and money.

7. Edit with the right software

After capturing your footage, the next step is editing. DaVinci Resolve and Final Cut Pro are industry standards and support N-RAW. They offer a range of editing tools, including colour correction, audio mixing and special effects. Adobe Premiere Pro is popular for 10bit and ProRes formats. Make sure to back up your footage and organise it efficiently for a smoother editing process.

Winners of the 14th Nikon Film Festival, Le Grand Rex, Paris. ©Pauline Maillet

8. When ready, build your team

You need to adapt your project to the team you can build. Choose a simple idea that seems realistic if you’re on your own and take time to find people to help you with the technical and artistic aspects of your project if you have that ambition.

There are many online platforms where you can find technicians or actors to collaborate on projects of varying dimensions, so you can put together a team with suitable, motivated profiles. Filmmaking also means bringing people together and delegating to different roles.

9. Experiment and practice

Filmmaking is an art that improves with practice. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different techniques, settings and styles. Take the time to learn from each project and continually refine your skills. The Nikon Film Festival is an excellent way to learn, to see a project through to completion and to meet passionate people and professionals.

How to optimise your Nikon Z camera for video recording

To get the best out of your Nikon camera, it’s essential to optimise your settings for video recording.

Set your resolution and frame rate

To determine your resolution, think about your final output first. How big do you want your file? Nikon Z cameras offer various resolution and frame rate options. With the Nikon Z6III, record up to 6K/60p (RAW) and 5.4K/60p (YUV) for pristine footage straight from the camera, plus you can pull HD verticals for your socials. Or, with the Z8 and Z9 you can film up to 8K effortlessly.

Adjust the frame rate to match the look you desire. For cinematic quality, 4K at 25 frames per second (fps) is ideal. If you’re aiming for a slow-motion effect, you can opt for Full HD at 120fps (see video above for frame rates on the Z6III). Navigate to the video settings in the menu to select your desired resolution and frame rate.

Use N-Log for post-production flexibility

With your Nikon Z6III or Nikon Z8, you can select ‘NLog’ format. It captures a wide dynamic range, preserving more details in highlights and shadows. This allows for greater flexibility in post-production colour grading, giving filmmakers a more versatile and high-quality base to work from.

If you don’t have 10-bit N-Log recording available, Picture Control allows you to fine-tune the look of your video. You can choose from presets such as Standard, Neutral, Vivid or Flat. For maximum flexibility in post-production, Flat is often recommended as it retains more detail in highlights and shadows. You can adjust Picture Control settings in the shooting menu.

White Balance

Accurate White Balance is crucial for achieving natural-looking colours in your video footage. To set it on your Nikon Z camera, you can use Auto White Balance for convenience but, for better consistency, consider using preset options ‘Incandescent’, ‘Fluorescent’ or ‘Daylight’ based on your environment.

For even more precision, manually adjust colour temperature using the Kelvin setting or set a custom White Balance using a grey or white card. This ensures that your colours remain true to life regardless of the lighting conditions. You can set this in the shooting menu under White Balance.

Assets for Nikon magazine for John Bogna's A guide to filters

Use ND Filters

Neutral Density (ND) filters are essential for shooting in bright conditions while maintaining a shallow depth of field. ND filters reduce the amount of light entering the lens, allowing you to use wider apertures and slower shutter speeds without overexposing your footage. See above for the difference using a polarising filter on a car window.

Check your battery and storage

Video recording consumes a lot of power and storage. Make sure your batteries are fully charged and carry spares. Use high-capacity, fast SD or XQD cards to ensure you don’t run out of storage space mid-shoot.

For Z6III users, you can also use a power battery pack MB-N14 for 1.9x more operating time with two batteries in the grip.

Preparing your Nikon Z camera for video recording involves more than just pressing the record button. By carefully selecting your lens, adjusting your settings and ensuring stable and high-quality audio and video, you can elevate your video production to professional standards. Camera, lights, action!

Learn more about Nikon Film Festival here.

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