Up, up and away with the Nikon ZR

Lightening the load

My first impression of the Nikon ZR was just how compact and lightweight it felt. As a photographer, I’m used to lugging around a backpack full of equipment, so I was pleasantly surprised by just how light it was. Without a lens, it’s only 540g, which is pretty impressive for a full-frame cinema camera. That made a big difference at the festival, as I was filming inside the relatively small basket, inside the balloon’s envelope as the burners filled it with hot air on the ground, and while moving around in the crowds. I also really liked the large, 4-inch vari-angle touchscreen, which made it easy to frame my scenes and check the footage back. Also, the five-axis in-body image stabilisation was another big plus, as I wanted to film handheld for most of the festival.

The perfect lens pairing

One of the biggest challenges of filming the festival was the sheer size of the balloons on the ground (they’re enormous!) and then having a completely different perspective once I was up in the air, with the other balloons floating far off into the distance. Thankfully, I had the NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II with me, which gave me lots of flexibility. At 24mm, I could capture the balloons being inflated on the ground, while zooming in towards 70mm was great for picking out individual balloons when I was up in the sky, as well as plenty of the landscape below. Plus, the constant f/2.8 maximum aperture was really useful in the overcast conditions during my flight at dawn.

Another thing I liked was the lens’s internal zoom mechanism, which means the barrel doesn't extend. Basically, the lens doesn’t get longer when you zoom, so its balance stays pretty much the same. That’s really handy if you’re using a gimbal, as you won’t have to keep rebalancing your set-up every time you change focal length. I also took the NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S and NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4–6.3 VR, which gave me even more options.

Taking control

One of my favourite scenes was a row of colourful, alien-shaped balloons. I wanted to capture them all in one clip, so I slowly panned across the entire scene. Thinking about where to start and finish before you hit record really helps, as does keeping your movement nice and steady. I also like to pause briefly at either end to give a moment to take the view in. Plus, those extra few seconds give you a bit more breathing room when editing the clips together.

Coming from a photography background, I’m much more used to working with shutter speed (than shutter angle), so I stuck with that mainly at the festival, but I’d definitely recommend exploring shutter angle on the ZR. It’s great for controlling how movement looks in your footage, and you can keep the same angle even when changing frame rates. A 180° shutter angle is a good starting point for natural-looking movement, but try a smaller angle such as 90° for a sharper, more dramatic look, or a larger angle such as 270° for a softer vibe. The ZR even lets you lock the setting so you don’t accidentally change it while you’re filming, which is really handy.

Just as with photography, focus is another great way to guide the viewer’s attention. In one sequence, I was filming a balloon in the distance when another passed much closer to the camera. I wanted to keep the distant balloon sharp rather than have the focus jump to the one in front. What I like about the ZR is that you can change the autofocus speed and subject tracking sensitivity, giving you more control over how quickly the camera adjusts focus or switches between subjects.

Working in challenging light

The Night Glow event was incredible! There was a row of several balloons lighting up alternately against the night sky in time to music. I’ve never seen anything like that before. I used the NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S for its wide angle of view and large maximum aperture, which helped in the low light. At ISO 4000, I was pleased with how little noise I noticed in the footage. And using a tripod kept everything stable.

One thing worth knowing about the ZR, especially if you enjoy filming at night, is that it has a Dual Base ISO of 800 and 6400 when recording in R3D NE with Log3G10. That means you can work at either base ISO and still get 15+ stops of dynamic range, helping to capture details in both the brightest and darkest parts of a scene. I really recommend trying this out if you’re filming in tricky lighting conditions, especially if you’re planning on colour grading your footage later.

Getting creative with colour

One thing I was really excited about was how much flexibility the ZR gives you when it comes to editing. It can record at up to 6K/60p, and there are several recording formats to choose from, depending on what you want to achieve and how you plan to use your footage. One that particularly stands out is the 12-bit R3D NE format, developed with RED. It uses RED’s renowned colour science, giving you much more freedom to play around with colours, contrast and exposure when editing. For anyone looking to take their filmmaking and colour grading further, I can see why having that extra flexibility would be such an advantage. After all, colour grading isn’t just about getting the colours right. It’s also about creating a particular mood and making sure the footage has a consistent look. And if you don’t want to spend too much time editing, or you’re still learning those skills, the ZR also has a dedicated Cinematic video mode and RED Picture Controls that let you experiment with different looks in camera.

More than just visuals

No matter where you go at a balloon festival, one thing you can’t escape is the noise! The hiss and roar of the balloon burners when they fire up are just as memorable as the visuals – and exactly the kind of sound that helps bring a video to life. I think capturing these natural sounds is just as important as the footage itself, as they give viewers a much better feel for what it was like to be there. The ZR’s built-in 32-bit float audio recording works with its own microphone, or you can use an external microphone, giving you more room to adjust sound levels during editing, particularly when the volume suddenly changes. At the festival, the difference was huge, particularly up in the air, where one moment it could be peaceful, without even a whisper, and the next incredibly loud as the burners fired up!

Just the beginning

Finally, there’s another feature that I really liked: the dedicated photo/video switch! It made it very easy to switch between filming and taking stills. It’s a really nice touch for photographers like me who are keen to explore filmmaking, and for filmmakers who occasionally need to take a photo, even if it’s just for reference.

Overall, though, what surprised me most was how easy the ZR was to take everywhere, and how much it packs into such a small camera. I’m still learning when it comes to filmmaking, but I can definitely see the appeal of having a dedicated cinema camera, especially for those already making videos who want to take their work more seriously. For me, it’s been a fascinating introduction to what’s possible, and I feel like I’ve only just scratched the surface of what the ZR can do.

Damien’s five top tips for filming hot air balloons

1. Pack a versatile lens: If you only pack one lens choose a zoom that goes wide enough to capture the enormity of the balloons up close, but also lets you zoom in on those flying further away when you’re in the air.
2. Keep movements smooth: Film slow and steadily, especially in the air, and pause for a beat at either end of a pan or tilt. I’d also recommend starting with a 180° shutter angle for natural-looking motion.
3. Make the most of the light: Record in R3D NE with Log3G10 and explore the ZR’s Dual Base ISO settings of 800 and 6400 to get the most from the available light.
4. Keep your subject in focus: Try AF-F (full-time autofocus) for moving subjects and adjust the ZR’s AF speed and subject tracking sensitivity to control how quickly focus changes between subjects.
5. Capture the atmosphere: Sound is just as important as the visuals, so record plenty of ambient sound to bring your footage to life. I’d recommend switching on 32-bit float audio recording for greater control in editing.