So the camera makers responded strongly to Canon’s dominance the last few years in the video production industry. With Panasonic’s AF100, Sony’s PMW-F3 and NEX-FS100, will this be the end of the DSLR revolution? Well yes and no. I myself could not be left out and got into the DSLR craze. To get an incredible image for such little money was too tempting. I believe that at least for me, the craze has run it’s course and now I will be shopping for a real pro camera. As much as I love the DSLR’s, it is getting quite exhausting dealing witht he limitations and now that the other guys have large sensor cameras with all the bells and whistles, I am ready to go back to the way it needs to be.
So if every professional feels this way (and they will) what will happen to DSLR’s? There is still a market for them for different situations for a professional and there will always be a market for independent film makers with low budgets and to the novice. I personally will not get rid of them as they come in very handy for some car commercials that I have done using a car mounts in tight places but I am ready to go back. XLR inputs, zebras, longer battery life, no overheating, multiple video outputs without losing your LCD and longer recording times. Ahhhhhhh, feels just right.
So yes the DSLR’s will take a hit but no they are not going anywhere. But it needs to be said… thank you Canon for forcing the other companies’ hands. Now it’s back to the pro side. No more workarounds.
PMW-F3
NEX-FS100
It is very hard to believe that Final Cut “Pro” X is actually engineered for pro users. In my opinion it was a very lackluster attempt to revamp the old interface. In short they just added more to iMovie and to the FCP professional this new interface might as well be an entirely new NLE. They have already started to issue refunds. What was Apple to expect when they did their song and dance at NAB and never really answered any questions? Did they really think everyone believed that for $300 this NLE was the latest and greatest pro tool?
Apple is a great company and I own a Mac myself (with Adobe CS5) but they dropped the ball on this one. Back to the drawing board for Steve Jobs.
http://9to5mac.com/2011/06/28/apple-issuing-refunds-for-final-cut-pro-x/
DSLR |
Posted by Kevin
January 12th, 2011
Rolling shutter comparison, Canon 5D mark II vs Panasonic Lumix GH2 @ identical panning speed, shutter roll, jello effect from Mike Kobal on Vimeo.
I personally have never found this to be an issue, why?
1. The only way this is noticeable is when you are panning very fast. I have yet to have a reason to pan so fast and if I did I think it’s a neat effect that would add to the illusion of speed.
2. Even if it is slightly noticeable at slower speeds will your client/audience notice it?
I personally shoot for my client not other video professionals. In the end if it looks good and it communicates the message clearly to your audience, you have done what you have been asked to do.
DSLR |
Posted by Kevin
January 12th, 2011
For hobbyist and aspiring film makers this is a no-brainer considering the low budget at which you can purchase DSRL’s these days. But for the video production professional the question still lingers.
For me it was an easy decision for some projects. In particular projects in a controlled environment where we could have another take if we didn’t like the first one. I purchased 2 Canon T2i’s and haven’t looked back since. As for events and other projects that require quick focus and longer recording times, I still use my reliable Sony FX1.
The decision to purchase a Canon DSLR came after much research. With a larger sensor, one 10 times bigger than the one on my FX1, it gave be great low light performance, shallower depth of field and a much better dynamic range. All these factors coupled with the ability to change lenses made the decision easy. Now I do not recommend selling all your gear and replacing them with DSLR’s because they do have their limitations.
- For starters with all of the Canon DSLR’s you are limited to a 4 GB file and that’s roughly 12 minutes of high definition. After that you have to hit the record button again.
- You don’t have the luxury of zebras but I have learned to use my eye and it’s actually trained me to spot problematic areas of exposure a lot quicker. Zebras can make your eye lazy.
- There is no manual audio control on the T2i. The 5D Mark 2 and 60D do come with manual audio controls and you can always install Magic Lantern on the T2i (careful you can brick your camera doing this) to get this feature but they have yet to be able to provide any way on any of these cameras to monitor the audio going into the camera. You can use an external mic and an mp3 recorder with a headphone jack but it is more production time and post.
- Overheating is an issue. This can vary because of all of the environmental factors but again this is a great camera in a controlled environment so you do have to be careful if you are shooting anything that is only a one time chance.
- No servo zoom. I have learned to live without zoom by using a dolly but sometimes there are instances where zoom is nice to have for a reveal shot or news-style shooting. Using the manual zoom on the lens is not very smooth and could vary depending on the type of lens you purchase.
- No built in ND filters. I use a variable ND filter that can get me wide open on the fastest of lenses even on a bright day but it’s not as quick as flipping a switch on a pro camera.
All these limitations aside the Canon DSLR’s provide you with a fantastic picture and it has opened the door to many shots that I was not able to get before. I most certainly recommend it as another tool in your arsenal and at $800 for the body you can’t go wrong.
After 6 years in the video production business and countless hours doing research, I figured it was time to share my limited knowledge with the world. I hope that you find this information useful and that this blog becomes a great resource for those have a love for production.