Thanks. I have discovered that by using manual focus and 'manual assist' mode ... and turning off a lot of other automatic camcorder settings ... that I believe a much better video is possible. I just need to get lucky and make it happen.
I'm thinking of setting up several cameras to get a video which I can then edit together ... thinking of bring back in my Flip UltraHS and my daughters new Samsung E10 ... and then combining it all in Vegas.
Its also a lot harder to film 2 houses when your neighbor and his large extended family are coming and going, cars parked in the driveways or on the street or they leave on the coach lights, the bright white Christmas tree in the front room ... while trying to get your own teenage daughters to not turn on their bedroom lights either. And then there are the people who just drive up in the middle of any early filming attempts.
It would be hard enough just getting the photography part down ... but the intangibles are a lot as well. I guess one requirement is just simple: LUCK !
