Using a Zoom Motion Effectively With Digital Camcorders

Moving the camera around while you are actually filming is dangerous because you never know what you’re going to get. Most types of camera motion are based around physically moving the camera from one location to another or pivoting it on a tripod or other type of stand. One type of camera movement, which is often done for stylistic purposes or visual direction, is the zoom.

If you are employing the zoom to follow the movement of one of the characters in the frame you need to make sure that the camera is fixed on them and that the camera itself does not move. This means that really you should only use the following zoom when someone is walking pretty much strait away from the camera. Do not hold the camera and zoom like that, mostly because the more you zoom in the more obvious camera shakiness is.

Try to use the normal zoom instead of the digital zoom, which simply amplifies the size of the picture. It does not make the viewable image larger, but just maxes out the current image. This lowers the resolution exponentially and will look terrible on final film. Digital zoom is only good for very slow and short zooms that need the precision that does not come from hand controls. If you are going to do this it is just as good to do it in post-production, where it is much easier and more precise.

Only do one consistent zoom, with one speed that goes to one framing. Do not zoom in and out, or zoom one location then another. These are the distracting markings of an amateur and will end up looking terrible on your consumer camera. Even the most high end studio film cameras have trouble with this, so avoid it at all costs.

If you are trying to use the zoom to capture someone’s movement you should try to either match the zoom speed with their movement speed, or reverse zoom at the same rate as their forward motion. Each one depends on whether you want to follow them close or make it obvious that they are walking out of the frame.

If you are looking to use it as an effect you are in for a real challenge. Make sure you know exactly what you want before you try this, and it would be advisable to watch some professional films that use this before jumping ahead. Try using it to focus in on faces, move the scene to look at an object highlighted in the script’s subtext, or for a weird disorienting feeling.

Make sure to get to know your controls before you do this, and if there are more than one set of zoom controls on your camera try both to see which is more intuitive. You can definitely move the camera while you are zooming, but this is difficult and not for beginners. The best way to learn a camera technique is to try it out and see what works.