Still Camera - Ideas for getting a better quality photo are Using a Tripod and reduce movement The use of a tripod often makes a dramatic impact in the quality of the final movie. This is because keeping the camera steady reduces subtle differences between frames and therefore improves the temporal compression of the video. You should use a tripod for your camera. If you plan to move the camera during filming, you should move it very slowly and as smooth as you can. A jerking camera motion is hard to compress. Avoid hand-held shooting if possible. If your camera has an image-stabilization option you should turn this function on. Generally using this feature will reduce subtle changes between frames from camera motion. Filming for display on the internet Keeping the detail within the scene to a minimum will help the video compress better spatially. It will also make the video easier to see when the movie is reduced in size for web delivery. Painted or plain backdrops are a good idea. If there is much detail or movement behind the subject, you can throw the background significantly out of focus to simplify the image. Trees are often used as backdrops for filming. The excessive detail of the leaves poses a challenge for compression and should be avoided if possible. If you must film against a tree, using a shallow depth of field to defocus the leaves will often improve the final movie. Beware of trees moving in a breeze