Understanding the status strip

Okay. You've made menu changes, and we'll cover more in a moment, when we start to set up the lens and the shot, but I want to point out one useful thing. When you're viewing the viewfinder, along the bottom is the status strip. This will give you all of the essential information. For example, this particular camera is recording with a DNX HD codec. When I press record, I can see that it's actually rolling, and that it's at 23.98. I'll see a counter indicating the current time, the ASA, or speed rating.

The shutter angle, the color temperature, and the amount of battery life I have left. As you make changes, say, to the recording format here, let's go to pro res. And I'll hit record. You see that it updates to show you that new info. If you're on a set, and you've attached out the HDSDI port, others can actually see this information. This helps them check details like the ISO sensitivity, or the white balance settings. Particularly useful if they're logging the shots.

Maybe for a standard production, but particularly useful in a visual effects workflow. Alright, I think you've got a good idea on how the menus work. Let's go ahead, hook up a lens, bring in an actress that we're going to be working with, and start to get some adjustments made, to get the proper exposure. And to get all the camera settings exactly right.