Connecting Two Cameras In Sync Together

This aint for me but for someone else who uses Premiere Pro and wants to know how to lock two cameras up with the same time code so when he edits he can get better angles for continuity. is there a wire you need to get?

 

I don't know of any direct system for doing that, I think it just comes down to the power of editing.

If you had your cameras recording at exactly the same time, then just layer the footage on top of each other and work through it that way. Really though, it sounds like he'd be going through a lot more trouble by trying to get some kind of rig set up for this.

Editing rules. Why rush it?

 

Though I think it's primarily used for audio sync, you could also use a clapper board (or whatever you choose to accomplish this task--could be two random boards as far as I know) that is in view of both cameras. That way when the clapper closes you can see it in all the angles that you want to use and sync up footage that way. Hope that helps!

 

It depends on the camera. Some are set up to do it and I think all you need is Firewire between them.

And Vapor, it's good for audio sync, as said above, or for cutting together live footage that needs to be continuous time across a cut (not necessarily for a narrative film), or for syncing up two cameras recording the same performance to make it easy to cut between.

M. Scott

 

With a clapper though, or some other means of lining them up within the shots, it just seems like it could be done right in the editing program rather than needing a multi-camera setup.

Even with live footage, say a rock concert for example, you could have one audio setup playing the whole time, but if you have one event that all the cameras catch and line it up exactly, then you just splice out the footage where you don't need it, and keep what you want, and it'd all still keep continuity.


Perhaps I'm not understanding exactly how having the two cameras plugged in would work.

 

For a live performance, this sort of setup is a godsend.

 

Okay thanks everypne. That clapper is a good idea and I'll pas it n but I think they were thinking of something like a device that we'll hook up two the cameras. Is it a special wire?

 

Generally just firewire cable, but I can't help but think you're doing this for perhaps the wrong reasons. Why, exactly, do you have two cameras going? For what kind of shoot is it?

 

I said its not for me its someone who films skimbaording and sports videos.

 

Ah, okay.

But if these movies are put together in the postproduction editing process, what's the point? Connecting the cameras will just lessen your options in terms of angles.

 

Have a production studio with switch board set up like mine, and press a button

 

The trick is to never stop recording.

I've edited weddings this way. I get all three camera angles on the time line and line them all up to the same moment. From then on, they are playing in sync and I can cut to any of them. The problem arises if you had paused recording at any time. Then that clip is out of sync because it is missing time that the others didn't.

As far as your actual question, There is something called Genlock. It syncs cameras and other equipment (switchers, decks, etc.) to each other with a common time code. It is not available on any consumer grade cameras (not even the XL-1). Even then, If you pause your tapes while recording, you will still have to line the clips up later in post.

Your best bet is still to record the event from different camera angles and never pause the recording.

 

During college I worked for a cable access station and shot original programming using the methods suggested above. We would take two or three cameras to the field for a remote, hook audio into one and just run them all non-stop. We'd use a clapper to get the sync and just line them up in post. I've done friends weddings using a similar technique, only with a camera flash to sync the video.
As long as none of the cameras stop you're in good shape. It may not seem high end but hey, if people see you with a clapper they'll think you're big time.

 

most people barely have any idea what a clapper is for, which is what I find funny about the intimidation of clappers.

But syncing film if you want to save tape would best be done with a clapper. I can't think of any mechanical way that consumer cameras would support.

~JW