I don't typically use the word stunning but I don't really have a better way to describe this video. The following site is put together by 3 friends that are big Disney fans. There are some very nice HDR photos on their site but they also have a video page that has two videos on it. The first video is of the Disneyland Railroad.

Please be sure to watch this in full resolution. In order to watch in full resolution you have to press the full screen button at the bottom right corner of the video and then you will have the option of pressing the HD button. Enjoy!

http://www.toursdepartingdaily.com/p/cinemagic.html

very nice video

Probably the nicest collection of DRR footage that I've seen. What struck me was the lack of any live audio. Steam trains involve the senses, sight, smell, and especially sound. Would have liked to hear a chuff, hiss, or clank or three.

Beautifully done video. Certainly the nicest I've seen.

The only suggestion I'd make is to end with the Lilly Belle. Dinosaurs don't make as good a "dessert".

After reading their equipment information, they shot the video using a Nikon D7000 which is a digital SLR. That camera in the hands of the right person can achieve amazing resaults.

The funny thing is that I've been considering buying one of those but from what I've read, Nikon is about to announce an upgraded model sometime between now and the end of Septmber. That video kind of solidifies my decision but I have to wait and see what Nikon comes up with.

Not sure that I'll be able to do as good with it as they have done but at least I know the potential is there.

That's a good strategy but I honestly wouldn't recommend trying to stay ahead of the game in the digital SLR camera wars. They will always be raging on and when you buy one, it will become instantly outdated when you first turn it on. Just buy that you like and don't think about it losing value or becoming replaced by the next model. Digital cameras, unlike film SLRs are designed to be disposable, as sad as it sounds. (Side note: why do environmentalists make a huge stink about me using a simple plastic bag for my groceries when electronics companies like Apple, HP, Canon, and Nikon are elated with people filling up landfills with truckloads of obsolete electronics items that are, at most, two years old and perfectly functional?)

Despite what the camera companies try to claim, the camera means nothing in terms of taking a quality photo anyway. Thus, having the latest model isn't all that huge of a deal. It's better to spend the time and effort polishing one's photography skills with more shutter time instead of obsessing over the "latest and greatest" camera gear. A camera is just a tool, nothing more and nothing less. Good photography skills however, are irreplaceable and priceless.

As for me, I'll stick to my trusty Nikon F-100 and steer completely clear of the digital camera wars. Camera companies despise loyalists like me that keep the same gear, year after year!

I agree but Im in the market for a new camera and don't need it immediately so I'm waiting to see what the next model has to offer which only makes sense.


I never consider that. I'm using a 10 year old Nikon D100 and a 5 year old D300.


Again, still using a 10 year old camera which will be passed on to my sister and the D300 still has plenty of years left in it for me as a backup camera.


Wow! That could not be further from the truth when it comes to digital. As far as film cameras go you are 100% correct with the exception of shooting film with a crappy lens instead of a good one. When it comes to digital cameras, the single most important part of a digital camera besides the lens is it's image sensor. They have progressed so much in the last 10 years although that progression is slowing down. If I compare my 10 year old D100 to my D300, in low light there is a big difference between the two besides some added clarity in normal light. The image sensor in the older model had way more grain in lower light and at the higher ISO's it was nearly unusable at longer shutter speeds


That's debatable. You have to have the right tool for the job. If I have someone asking me to shoot video at 30 fps and I buy the D7000 today, I'd have to turn the person down. That model only shoots 24 frames per second. If I wait for the new model, it's said to do 24 & 30 fps.

Same holds true for low light photography. If someone needs a quality shot in low light without a flash and you have the choice of an inexpensive or older noisy image sensor or one that's newer with less noise, if it's in your budget, you have to go with the one with less noise.


I agree wholeheartedly.


Film is still the best format due to the latitude that you have in low light situations. I'd never tell you that's it's time that you switch to digital if you are happy with that. Digital image sensors have advanced to the point that they now rival film quality and they will only improve upon that. With that being said for the limited difference and in some cases better quality of a professional or prosumer model DSLR the workflow from start to finish cannot be compared between the two formats even if you develop your own film. The fact that the newer DSLR's can shoot video and stills in the same device is an added benefit if you do both.

We all have our own application for a camera and I didn't want you to discourage someone that may be considering going digital for the first time or buying a new digital camera. There is a lot to be considered aside from price. Your opinion would require only one model camera hanging on a hook in the store. From a film standpoint, that's almost do-able but the digital world is different and I agree that you don't need to upgrade every time a new model comes out but when you are ready to buy you want to make sure that you are getting the most for your money.

Now let's get back on topic.

Excellent video. I agree with CP 173--end with the Lilly Belle. The dinos are sort of jaring and seem mis-placed.

I absolutely love this video. The composition in most shots is well thought-out.



It's amazing what DSLR cameras, shooting video, can do. I've seen some short films shot only with cameras like these and they really feel like real-cinema films.

Over a year and half ago, I bought a Nikon 3100, which while was considered an "entry-level" camera, is one of the best investments I've ever done. I did a whole bunch of research on it, was pleased with the reviews, and even though a new model was coming out, I just went ahead and bought it. I shoot everything with it, travel photos, candid shots, portfolio photos, quick documentation video clips, to serious film set-ups. I've been more than happy with the results, despite the model already replaced with a newer version.

Another trick that video is using is color correction. In addition to using a lens that can achieve that depth of field effect is filtering the video. It's a careful balance of saturation, gamma, and hue to really give it that professional look. I've been messing around myself with this kind of thing. In the clips below, I put on a 50mm lens (a NON-DSLR lens, mind you) onto my D3100. Later I applied a few color correction nodes in Apple's Shake (a program later replaced by Nuke). So far, it's pretty neat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7BEbSKV_pI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOKpem60NTg

I really love the video and I too agree on having that the video should end with the Lilly Belle or the Caboose would be a better option than to end with something none train related - DINOSAURS!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!! and I was a bit let down that they would not put in the engines sounds in with the music with the Whistles, Steam Exhaust etc... But other than that, it was one of the best Disneyland Railroad Films I've seen in HD.