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OT: End of Prosumer Camcorders???
I work as a videographer/editor for a mid-sized corporation. I produce multiple training/marketing videos primarily shot with Sony HDV V1U camcorders.
The photographers in my department recently let me play around with their Canon 5d Mark ii. I had no idea that the camera shot 30fps Full HD video. I was still skeptical until I actually tried it out. The image quality BLEW what I have been producing out of the water. I took some of the footage I shot into Color and was able to get so much more out of the footage because of how much more color I was working with.
The most intriguing part of the footage was the shallow depth of field I was able to get. Canon just released the 7d that is supposed to be able to shoot 60fps Full HD on it’s next firmware release.
Granted, these cameras have their limitations, but a big plus is that they have an audio in jack. with a small mixer or an H4 recorder…you can work around this.
Do Canon/Panasonic/Sony prosumer camera even stand a chance with the advancements in SLR technology?
Brian
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51 Replies
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I think the 5D & 7D are complete game changers, you have to use these cameras to see the amazing quality. However there are some circumstances when they don’t work like shooting when other camera flashes are happening & the old dreaded rolling shutter wobble.
Take a look at this opener I edited for the Snooker. All shot on a Canon5DmkII by Colin Nuttall, amazing depth of field. No colour correction at all.
You can see the full 1080p version on Vimeo
Sunday Night Snooker Opener, Grand Prix 2009 from Idustrial Revolution on Vimeo.
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Nice work. I am still just blown away at the quality of the image. I really want to get my hands on a RED scarlet (if they ever come out) and see what they can do.
Brian
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one quick question for you…
Can you give me a quick summary of your workflow? I’m assuming you didn’t do the editing on an H.264 timeline…
Brian
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Brian,
I am writing some free compressor droplets that should help. Will post very soon
Peter
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Awesome video, Peter. It is extremely interesting because the apparently it was the BBC that released some kind of white-paper deeming the 5D unsuitable for broadcast. Certainly doesn’t look that way.
Also, on the 30p issue, Canon has announced they will be bringing 24p to the camera in a firmware update, in the ‘first half of 2010’. Many thought this impossible.
Tests on other forums seem to be showing the new 7D coming up short of the 5D. Others are talking about how the actual resolving power of even the 5D is low in comparison to real video cameras, and riddled with issues. But we keep seeing amazing footage. With 24p, I’m certainly going to be tempted to pick one up…
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And of course, no onboard audio and no easy way to sync it to a separate recorder. That in itself is a deal breaker for a good majority of us.
But yes, the quality is there for someone like Brian who very much know how to use it…
But why complain, it’s a still camera after all, with the nice added capability to shoot video.
Vince Becquiot
Kaptis Studios
San Francisco – Bay Area -
Dave,
Sorry but you are so wrong. I don’t care if it was a matchbox with a pinhole producing pictures, I’m going on what they look like.
Peter
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[Stuart Hooper] “It was the BBC that released some kind of white-paper deeming the 5D unsuitable for broadcast. “
Hi
Here’s some informal quotes from the guy that did the testing, from another forum:
“I have done formal tests on one and found out just what it does. 30Hz is a problem, but not the most significant one (the spectacular spatial aliasing, which makes it very difficult to compress well for broadcast at a sensible bit-rate)
There are lots of things about it that make it a walking disaster.On my tests of it for the BBC, we stopped early on in the tests because the first results were so disastrous that we didn’t need to complete them.
…makes some devastatingly nasty spatial aliasing as well.
…the pictures are very difficult to compress because of all the moving spatial aliasing. It’s dire.(Good results?) With a significant diffuser on the lens, I’ll agree.
Canon said that there was no plan for an upgrade that might ameliorate the problems. It’s banned for broadcasting.”
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[Dave LaRonde] “It’s a TV toy.
“Heard the same thing with miniDV and DVCam. “Not a real camera like Beta.”
Heard the same thing with FCP. “Not a real editor like Avid.”
The more things change, the more they stay the same…
Chi-Ho Lee
Film & Television Editor
Apple Certified Final Cut Pro Trainer
http://www.chiholee.com
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