[Adrian Pagus]

One of, if not the most common workflow for 7D / 5D footage on the Mac is transcoding your footage to ProRes 422LT (422HQ takes up quite a bit more space with no tangible benefit) using a free utility like MPEGStreamClip (downloadable at https://www.squared5.com/). You can transcode using Compressor but in my experience the process takes about twice as long on average. ProRes422LT will preserve your picture quality while giving you manageable file sizes your CPU will be able to handle.

[Adrian Pagus]

Max, as previous posts mentioned, the main benefit of HDSLRs is picture quality (wide dynamic range and shallow depth of field) due to their large sensors. In the right hands, results can be quite stunning. If you need convincing, check out vimeo.com for endless streams of eye candy, especially the work of people like Phillip Bloom, Vincent Laforet or (for something different) Robert Chiu. Depending on your needs, please be aware that purchasing an HDSLR (such as Canon 7D) is only the beginning. You’ll need to invest in decent lenses, audio gear and handheld solutions, data storage and backup. Costs can add up pretty quickly. I, per example, own a 7D. It has a smaller sensor than its famed predecessor (5DmkII), however it has some dedicated video features which make it more flexible (and faster) to work with, such as dedicated video / photo switch, frame rates (24fps and 25fps in 1080p, and 60fps in 720p). I invested in Canon’s L glass (35mm f/1.4 and 24-105mm f/4) with the idea that some day I will use it on a full frame camera (keep in mind that camera bodies come and go, glass is forever 🙂 Audio on Canon HDSLRs is currently plagued by problems tied to Canon’s internal Auto Gain Control (AGC). There are hardware solutions (such as JuicedLink’s DN101 used in conjunction with their CX pre-amps) or Magic Lantern firmware upgrades (for 5DmkII only, at this time), but this will add roughly another $300 to the cost of the camera. Hope these tips help. Good luck.