Talk to me about video

zilly

zilly

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Ok guys from a business point of view I need to get back into doing video (its what I trained to do back in college.) I'm fine with the process side of it its just the gear has moved on from the last time I shot anything.

as I see it I have three options the rebel - the 7d and the 5d mkii, now its never going to be used for shooting stills, just video, any reason why I should be going for a £1,500 over a £600 body, thoughts?


p.s I know this is a photography forum but it relates to DSLR's so thought it would be appropriate if any one knows of any relevant 35mm video forums it would be appreciated

Thanks
 
Cool, so, you've got the skills, presumably built up with sony Z1 / Canon XL2 kind of cameras? Not too much to learn, but just because of the usual lower dof than with those 1/3" chip cameras, and no AF to speak of, you've got to be more on the ball with focus, and need a follow focus unit, and all of the associated gubbins to attach it.

This article says there's no difference in the video modes between the two - makes it an easy choice on paper I guess if it's never going to be used for stills.

Means you can spend the rest on the crazy amount of money that you'll need to spend on grip, sound and lighting...

If I were starting a production company right now, I'd be looking at 2 EX1 cameras, a 7D, a 550D, fluid head tripods for these cameras, one follow focus and dslr shoulder rig, 2 lilliput external monitors (about £150 each, HDMI in...meant to be great), a glidetrack microdolly, standard set of lenses, a couple of the chinese Kino Flo imitations (meant to be good), maybe a HMI, and small LED litepanel imitations, 2 senheisser wireless sets, couple of boom mics, fieldmixer/solid state recorder, a couple of reflectors and stands, maybe a lastolite skylight kinda thing, and a couple of gopro HD cameras for those unique angles and crash cam usage :)

Or at least work up to it... anyone wanna buy me that lot for christmas? :P

oh, check dvxuser and cinema5d forums. There's a few of us video lot on here too though :) *cough mods give us a forum cough*
 
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I used to use a z1 with a redrock ground glass system that makes it a 35mm style film experience, was the only way to get "affordable" 35mm film in the days before dslr video.

So its not a big step to shooting currently, just the system is a lot more compact has a hirer res and doesn't cost quite such a fortune.

Likewise post work is all fine.

What you've mentioned is somewhat over kill, however you have highlighted some interesting things I hadn't thought about.

Just out of intrest if they are both the same for video, why a 7d and a 550d instead of two 7d's or two 550d's? And any reason not to be looking at the 60d?

I'll have a poke through those links, thanks
 
zilly said:
I used to use a z1 with a redrock ground glass system that makes it a 35mm style film experience, was the only way to get "affordable" 35mm film in the days before dslr video.

So its not a big step to shooting currently, just the system is a lot more compact has a hirer res and doesn't cost quite such a fortune.

Likewise post work is all fine.

What you've mentioned is somewhat over kill, however you have highlighted some interesting things I hadn't thought about.

Just out of intrest if they are both the same for video, why a 7d and a 550d instead of two 7d's or two 550d's? And any reason not to be looking at the 60d?

I'll have a poke through those links, thanks
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Yeah, my list was more daydreaming than a recommendation list!

You've used dof adapters so next to no change for you, nice, other than that you can get away with a hell of a lot less light than you can with adapters!

No reasons not to be looking at 60D iirc, and I put 7d and 1 550 purely for money reasons. I'm a nikon shooter, but do like the 7D, so I'd want one ;) Swivel screen on the 60D looks quite neat, quite a lot of people bodging viewfinder loupes to it and sticking it out the side when using shoulder rigs, so they don't have to lean in to put their eye to it...

few more links for you, phillip bloom and vincent laforet post a load of stuff, as does Sebastian Wiegärtner. The blog 'cheesycam' has some good advice on lower cost LED and kino lighting, and cheap rigs.
 
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For video I would go for the 60D, the variangle screen and manually adjustable audio levels make it more useful than the other models unless you want the low light and/or DoF advantage the 5DII would give.
 
Hi,

Sorry, am I missing something, if it's never going to be used for stills would it not be better to get a dedicated video camera instead of a DSLR stills camera that has a video mode. Seems you'd be spending money for a a lot of features that you are not going to be using surely.

I know some TV shows have shot the odd episode using DSLR's but most surely are not.

Not having a go or anything, I'm just confused :thinking:

Paul.
 
Hey Paul

Logical question. What you get from shooting on a dslr is the benefit of it being a 35mm sensor, which gives depth of field (as we know as photographers) this with a 25fps gives a very filmic style to it. To recreate this look using traditional film cameras costs a lot more, (think the price of a luxury BMW) ok so the Dslr has issues and it's blacks are frankly crap but it's a great way to shoot filmic style movie on a budget.
 
Zilly
hi i have a similar thread going as i asked about using dslr as a replacement for a dedicated camcorder, not proffessional but for holiday. the replies where mixed but some interesting points of view and some great examples of video from d5.

dslr for video is the thread still knocking about at the minute. biggest prob seemed to be jelly shutter.
 
dslr for video is the thread still knocking about at the minute. biggest prob seemed to be jelly shutter.
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nope. jelly shutter is a problem that is overexaggerated and not a /massive/ problem in real life. The big problem for family videos is manual focus only, can't just wave it about and capture the family moments, it takes dedicated effort keeping it focussed.

buy a dslr, and a cheap handicam, or flip video...
 
Hi
I am a newbie, my point was biggestg problem that appeared on the thread was jelly shutter i dont no either way.

the videos on that thread i think sort of prove focusing isnt an issue for family snippets, but it seems the this thread is about pro or semi pro stuff so he prob wants a pro video camera.

As i said i dont know just going on the feedback from my thread.

cheers

john
 
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