After returning from the Galapagos Islands I did a review of my Galapagos Photo and Video Workflow. With about six months to go before heading to Peru, I thought it would be a good idea to do the same kind of workflow review for the South Africa trip.
The Nikon D750 holds two SD memory cards. For the South Africa trip I brought along two 64 GB Lexar Professional SDXC Class 10 cards and two 32 GB Lexar Professional SDHC Class 10 cards.
SD Cards in Nikon D750
Each 64 GB card holds about 1,500 12-bit NEF files. (At about 21 MB per image for 12-bit versus 26.9 MB for 14-bit files, I was willing to trade of the slightly smaller file size of a 12-bit file versus the slightly improved detail of a 14-bit file. See 14-bit vs 12-bit RAW – Can You Tell The Difference at Photography Life.) I used a 64 GB card in slot 1 of the D750 to store raw photo files. In slot 2 I used a 32 GB card with the D750 set to store Large size JPEG normal quality backups at about 6.7 MB per image.
About 10 days into the trip, as the cards filled up, I swapped out the initial set of cards for a second set. At the end of the trip I ended up with 1742 picture files. That’s a shooting rate of 116 per day – more than my average of 100 photos per day on international trips, and a direct result of shooting nearly 350 pictures during each of the two safari days in Kruger Park. In addition to JPEG backups, I used the slot 2 card for movie files and ended up with 394 files totaling 1 hour and 28 minutes, more than the 1 hour and 11 minutes I recorded in the Galapagos Islands.
During the Galapagos Islands trip I used the Eye-Fi SDHC card for slot 2 JPEG backup and movie file storage. I also used the Eye-Fi iPhone app to download pictures from the D600 to use in my daily trip blog updates. Since the D750 includes built-in Wi-Fi, I decided to change that part of the workflow for the South Africa trip. With the Nikon Wireless Mobile Utility installed on my phone I could connect to the D750, select pictures to transfer to the phone, and then easily incorporate those photos in the daily trip blog updates using the WordPress Mobile App.
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom CC
My standard workflow for photos and video is largely the same since the Galapagos Islands trip. I’m still working with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom for photo management and editing – using the Creative Cloud Photography plan. The simplified version of the workflow is:
Table Mountain Media in Final Cut Pro X
Video files are digitized using Apple Final Cut Pro X to events named by date and location. FCPX takes care of renaming files by date and time. On import I don’t transcode to high quality media, instead leaving that for later in the edit process. I do review each shot and delete any unneeded or duplicate material.
With all trip photo and video files transferred I confirm onsite and offsite backups are complete (using CrashPlan to manage both backups) and then reformat the SDXC cards for use on the next project. As usual I’m way behind working on the photo gallery and the trip video. I’ve got some work to do to meet my goal of completing these projects before heading to Peru and beginning the next adventure!
Did a one day trip last week to the US Open tennis championships at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City. Traveling from Dulles to JFK and back in one day meant packing light. So the only camera I brought was my iPhone 5s! During the day I shot a few timelapse sequences and some slow motion as well. On the flight back to DC I edited the sequence together using iMove on the phone.
My real-time video downlink for the DJI Phantom 2 is now comprised of the ImmersionRC 5.8 GHz video transmitter, the DJI iOSD mini on-screen display, and the Flysight RC801 Black Pearl LCD monitor and receiver after initially using the 5.8 GHz Video TX RX Set FPV system from RC Logger for live video from the DJI Phantom. There are several online sources for a pre-made cable so the VTX and OSD can be installed without any soldering. Video quality with this setup is good. I don’t fly particularly far away, so I’m not too concerned about range, but I have installed the BlueBeam Ultra Antenna Set for improved reception. As expected with a 5.8 GHz video system, I get occasional video interference as the signal path is blocked, but this is intermittent and doesn’t get in the way of flying.
However, more annoying has been the presence of rolling bars in the downlinked video signal. My video production background tells me this is some kind of a grounding problem – but other than checking connections and rearranging cables, I don’t have enough of an engineering background to troubleshoot a solution to the rolling bars interference.
But I did find a brilliant solution to the problem on YouTube. It’s in Dutch, but includes a visual of taping over certain connections on the ribbon cable that runs from the Zenmuse H3-3D to the GoPro USB connector. Take a look:
Blocking the power connections on the ribbon cable eliminates the rolling bars while allowing the video to pass from the GoPro, to the Zenmuse, and on through the video transmitter. The result is outstanding, interference free, downlinked video! It’s not the best visual – but here is a before and after comparison:
Zenmuse H3-3D Before and After Comparison
The downside of this solution is that the Phantom no longer provides power to the GoPro to recharge the GoPro battery. But the reality is that while flying and recording the GoPro always depletes its battery at a faster rate than the Phantom can recharge, so I don’t think this is much of a compromise. I’m finding that a GoPro battery is lasting as long as a Phantom battery. So with two Phantom batteries I fly, land, swap GoPro and Phantom batteries, and fly again. To speed up the process of changing the GoPro battery I’m using the Shapeways GoPro Zenmuse H3-3D Bracket. Fly safe!
It’s something of a ritual. On the Saturday at the start of the Memorial Day weekend, Paola and I meet to make sure the pool, clubhouse, and lifeguards are ready to go for the upcoming pool season. The pool and pool deck looked great, so I took advantage for a quick flight with the DJI Phantom 2.
Technical details …
Back at home:
After an early morning flight to DC it’s time for look back on the South Africa trip and begin to sort through the photos and video. Here are a few of my favorites from Johannesburg, Kruger National Park, and Cape Town:
A lion at the Rhino and Lion Park Nature Reserve
Photographing Bryce River Canyon at the Three Rhondellas
Elephants crossing the road in Kruger National Park
A zebra in Kruger National Park at sunrise
Safari sunrise in Kruger National Park
Clouds over Cape Town from Table Mountain
Derrick Basson describes daily life as a prisoner on Robben Island
Nelson Mandela’s cell on Robben Island
Another amazing adventure complete! As always a huge thank you to Dr. Craven and the great travelers of Milford, to Shannon and Peter for their wonderful hospitality at the beginning and end of the trip, and to our new South African friends who shared their lives and experiences of this country in transition in Johannesburg, Soweto, Kruger, Cape Town, and Robben Island.
Next year’s trip to Machu Picchu is coming up quick – so it’s time to get to work on the photos, video and book. I’ll update the blog as those projects are completed.
Michael S. Liberman