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From: MikeWhy on 19 Dec 2009 03:22
"clw" <clw(a)ohsu.gov> wrote in message
news:clw-79A4D5.07374918122009(a)news.isp.giganews.com...
> Anyone here use a DSL cameras video function?
>
> Is it any good or should I just get a separate video camera?

Google is plenty smart. It translated my search to "Did you mean _dslr_
camera?"

Since you're asking, the answer likely is you would be much happier with a
dedicated consumer video camera. The reason to use a DSLR for video is to
take advantage of the great optics, and a large sensor so it can make good
use of the good optics. DoF keeps coming up in every discussion, so why not
here as well? In the right hands, the very fine control and image quality
can produce excellent production quality footage. In my hands, the manual
controls makes casual video an oxymoron. I believe there is no such thing as
good casual video, just as good photos need some thought, knowledge,
preparation, and gear.

I can speak only from my short experience with the Canon 7D. Manually
fiddling the focus ring with one finger while twisting the zoom ring and
keeping the shot framed takes up basically my entire neural bandwaidth. I am
confident I will master this just as I long ago learned to chew gum without
tripping over my two feet. In the meantime, it is a bit of a challenge, but
"tape" is free. I can practice all I want, and it will take a bit of
practice.

Manual focus is a hurdle, but not a limitation. The 7D can be nudged to
refocus by pressing the AF-ON button, but is rather slow and fiddles back
and forth a few times before locking.

Exposure control is adequate. I can select the aperture and shutter speed;
the camera varies the ISO speed to control exposure. Or I can let it take
control of aperture and shutter speed as well.

Ball heads just don't work well for video. The fluid head doesn't lock tight
enough for good stills. If this keeps up, I'll need roller wheels to cart
around both sets of gear. I fought holiday shopping mall traffic today to
examine a Fig Rig at Calumet Photo. My hope is there isn't much more gear
needed to just take adequate, rather than spectacular, video.

The built in mono mic picks up unwanted noise from the IS motor, zoom ring,
and aperture wheel. It sounds surprisingly good otherwise, likely due to the
audio processing. The camera seems to peak sound levels. The IS motor sounds
very loud in quiet settings, almost like a furnace fan kicking on in the
same room. In more normal settings, it's just barely audible against the
background noise. I'm looking very seriously at a shock mounted shotgun mic
that sits in the flash shoe. And maybe also a directional, stereo mic for
other use, and a passive mixer should I wish to use them together, maybe
along with a wireless lavalier. So much for limiting the new gear. Don't get
me started on flash heads versus softboxes.

There's a whole genre of story telling combining video and stills,
previously the domain of wedding and event photographers. It's ripe now for
picking with stunningly good video in the same box you already hold in your
hand. But... I had just broken free a little from Photoshop with the 7D's
excellent in-camera processing. I'm a little loathe to embark on an even
more time consuming avocation of video editing. (Yes, I shopped prices for
Avid Media Composer.)

It would be simpler and cheaper to skip this slippery slope and get a
dedicated video camera instead. I hear some of them take pretty decent still
photos as well.

From: Lucas on 19 Dec 2009 04:39

"clw" <clw(a)ohsu.gov> schreef in bericht
news:clw-79A4D5.07374918122009(a)news.isp.giganews.com...
> Anyone here use a DSL cameras video function?
>
> Is it any good or should I just get a separate video camera?

Canon claims that their 5D Mark II is used as HD-video camera for several
scenes in Hollywood productions... can't be all that bad... At a seminar
they showed some footage....it was quite impressive!

L.


From: Tzortzakakis Dimitrios on 19 Dec 2009 09:20

� "clw" <clw(a)ohsu.gov> ������ ��� ������
news:clw-79A4D5.07374918122009(a)news.isp.giganews.com...
> Anyone here use a DSL cameras video function?
>
> Is it any good or should I just get a separate video camera?
You should get a separate video camera, IMHO. Because a specially tailored
for that purpose camcorder is just better. Especially if it's HD. Likewise,
most camcorders have a still function, but is nothing to write home about.
They are not that expensive, anyway.


--
Tzortzakakis Dimitrios
major in electrical engineering
mechanized infantry reservist
hordad AT otenet DOT gr


From: Ray Fischer on 19 Dec 2009 14:09
Lucas <cauwels(a)xs4all.nl> wrote:
>
>"clw" <clw(a)ohsu.gov> schreef in bericht
>news:clw-79A4D5.07374918122009(a)news.isp.giganews.com...
>> Anyone here use a DSL cameras video function?
>>
>> Is it any good or should I just get a separate video camera?
>
>Canon claims that their 5D Mark II is used as HD-video camera for several
>scenes in Hollywood productions... can't be all that bad... At a seminar
>they showed some footage....it was quite impressive!

It's not the quality of the video that's the question. If you use an
external mic, don't need to rely upon autofocus, and put the camera on
a tripod then you bet you can get nice results. But a lot of what
makes a consumer-grade video camera is missing or different.

--
Ray Fischer
rfischer(a)sonic.net

From: David Ruether on 19 Dec 2009 16:30

"Ray Fischer" <rfischer(a)sonic.net> wrote in message
news:4b2d24d3$0$1652$742ec2ed(a)news.sonic.net...
> Lucas <cauwels(a)xs4all.nl> wrote:
>>"clw" <clw(a)ohsu.gov> schreef in bericht
>>news:clw-79A4D5.07374918122009(a)news.isp.giganews.com...

>>> Anyone here use a DSL[R] cameras video function?
>>>
>>> Is it any good or should I just get a separate video camera?

>>Canon claims that their 5D Mark II is used as HD-video camera for several
>>scenes in Hollywood productions... can't be all that bad... At a seminar
>>they showed some footage....it was quite impressive!

> It's not the quality of the video that's the question. If you use an
> external mic, don't need to rely upon autofocus, and put the camera on
> a tripod then you bet you can get nice results. But a lot of what
> makes a consumer-grade video camera is missing or different.
> --
> Ray Fischer
> rfischer(a)sonic.net

The above is likely true, especially since I have NEVER, under
ANY circumstance, no matter how taxing for the HD compression
system, caught the Canon HDV (HD) HV20 camcorder showing
ANY indications of image compression failure. The same was not
true for the Panasonic FZ25 still camera shooting lower resolution,
lower data-rate HD video. It often showed major compression
artifacts with motion, and even with the camera still and on a tripod,
weird compression effects were sometimes visible (as with unplayed
keys on a piano "flickering" among different tones).
--DR


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