Wildlife stories: making the move from stills to video

You're in the wilderness, patiently waiting to photograph a Siberian ibex. When the animal finally appears, you take a few photos and then decide you want to film this special moment. What do you do next? Flip a switch and start filming. That's how simple it can be to shift from stills to video with the Canon EOS R System.

As the demand for video footage increases – from publishers and for social media – wildlife photographers are discovering the importance of expanding their skillset and having the kit that enables them to switch seamlessly from one format to another.

Austrian wildlife photographers Christine Sonvilla and Marc Graf have travelled extensively documenting the importance of humans and animals learning to coexist, and they use both still photography and film to convey their message. Using a Canon EOS R5 or EOS R5 C camera, often paired with their favourite Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM lens, they have developed a unique style – photo trapping and filming wildlife for documentaries and personal projects.

The video you create will primarily be determined by who it's for and where it will be viewed – whether it's for broadcast, websites or social. For all but the simplest of projects, though, you will need a detailed storyboard, often involving additional research, plus sometimes relevant accompanying audio. If you're working for a client, you will need to know exactly what they are expecting, so ask for a detailed brief.

"There are three stages of making a film: the brainstorming phase where you're dreaming of what the film will look like, collecting footage, and then editing," says Marc. "Always remember that one photo can speak a thousand words, but one clip is not enough. Think about different perspectives, image size, and ensuring you have enough footage to cut to make something interesting. You need close-ups, wide angles, and maybe aerial shots of the animal."

You must also consider other elements, such as whether you need to interview someone for a wildlife project. "Our brown bears project focused on humans and bears living close to each other, so we had to interview people about it," explains Christine. "It's about thinking, 'How can I build the tension? How will I end the story?'"

When it comes to audio, there are a host of different options. Both the EOS R5 and EOS R5 C have built-in mono microphones and a multi-function shoe for external digital mics such as the Canon DM-E1D Directional Stereo Microphone. Directional mics pick up sound from the direction they are pointing, but you can also get omnidirectional mics that capture sound equally from all directions.

Christine and Marc carry an external microphone for their personal projects, but work with a specialist audio team on documentaries. They record specific animal calls and try to pick up ambient nature sounds, but this isn't always possible as it depends on the distance between them and their subject.

It's even harder to record audio underwater because the camera is inside an underwater housing. "I mostly shoot in slow motion so the recorded audio is also in slow motion, which isn't much use," says Aleksander. "You can use an external hydrophone, though, which can pick up the click of a sperm whale and record it in high quality while you're filming, and then edit it in post-production."

Sound travels faster in water, though, which offers up other possibilities. "You could give more context to your video that way," says Aleksander. "It might seem really quiet on the surface, but if you dive into the open ocean you'll hear the movement of a big freight boat when you're underwater."

"Wildlife filmmakers use longer lenses and with that comes the issue of stabilisation," says Christine. "If you make a slight movement, everything needs to be stabilised again." Marc agrees: "This is something you should consider if you're switching from photo to video in the field, and if you aren't perfectly rigged up."

The Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens that Marc and Christine favour features 5-stops of image stabilisation so their video footage is shake-free. Additionally, Dual Nano USM motors enable fast and near-silent AF so they can track animals with ease. The couple pair the lens with either the EOS R5 or EOS R5 C and say the EOS R System definitely makes it easier to transition from stills to videos. "There's a broad range of settings, and if you want to save them, you just press a button and it's all there," adds Christine

When your EOS R5 is in movie mode, you can assign your preferred video recording setup to the C3 custom shooting mode. This can then be triggered with the movie shooting button when the camera is in photo mode. "We occasionally switch from photo to video in the field if we believe a particular scene would look great in a sequence. If we need stills to promote the film, we switch to photo and get the shot," adds Christine.

Christine and Marc have also used the EOS R5 C to film a Eurasian griffon vulture in 4K 120fps immersive slow-mo (above). The lightweight and compact Cinema EOS camera is perfect for fieldwork and captures up to 8K DCI RAW video in 12-bit to give footage a cinematic look.

Being underwater, where movement is restricted, means Aleksander can't make many changes to his settings when he switches from stills to video. "I film the same way I shoot because when you have limited time, you have to be quick," he explains. "So I use the same exposure and I don't have to worry because the autofocus system on the EOS R5 is very good; it easily tracks jellyfish and other microorganisms.

"The EOS R5 enables me to shoot really high quality slow-mo videos in Canon Log 3," he adds. "It's perfect for underwater videography because it can shoot 4K 100fps for immersive slow-motion. Because everything moves slowly underwater, you can convey that feeling to those who can't dive themselves."

Aleksander pairs his EOS R5 with a Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM lens, which he believes is the ideal focal length for underwater stills and video. "You can't use a 50mm or a 200mm lens when you can only see the next 1-5 metres with bad visibility," he explains. "This lens gives you everything – great angles, and stable and crisp footage."

Marc hopes to soon be able to add Canon's first-ever hybrid lens, the RF 24-105mm F2.8L IS USM Z, to his and Christine's kitbag. Designed for both filmmaking and stills, and combining a versatile shooting range with superb image quality, this cutting-edge lens sets a new standard for hybrid content creators.

Fine-tuning your footage in post-production ensures a narrative flow and a consistent look. Colour grading can be as simple as changing levels or curves in Adobe Photoshop when working on stills, but if you're editing film footage, it's worth remembering that it can require a lot of processing power, so you will need a Mac or PC that is up to the task.

"This is the fun part," says Aleksander. "When you're recording in UHD, and you're sifting through to find that one perfect clip, you realise how beautiful these creatures are. Colour grading can take a while to master, but you'll really enjoy it, so don't be afraid to play around with what's available."

Christine and Marc have a specialist team for big productions, but they use Adobe Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve for personal projects. "Playing with colours and lighting to get it just right across each sequence so that the final product looks coherent is very important," says Christine. "How it all comes together is what makes the story what it is."

Just as you can create different crops of your stills in your photo editing software, you can adjust the framing of your video in the edit, zooming in or cropping to adjust the composition. You can also select different video formats depending on whether you're making a longer documentary for YouTube or short social clips.

All three experts agree that there are many options and setups available for those who want to try wildlife filmmaking. "For the first time in the history of photography, with the EOS R System, we have cameras and lenses designed for both professional photographers and filmmakers," says Marc. "So if you have a Canon camera, keep in mind that you also have a professional video camera in your hands, and it would be a pity not to use it."

Adobe, Photoshop and Premiere Pro are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe in the United States and/or other countries.

DaVinci Resolve is a registered trademark of Blackmagic Design Pty Ltd.

Canon cameras can only be used underwater in an appropriate third-party housing.