[Clay Couch]

Yes, that is probably the main reason for me going with 60D, besides the newer internals and flip out screen. Not to mention cost.

Buddy

[Clay Couch]

Cool Phil, thanks for the additional information. I have H4n now and its audio is phenonimal for something so small. I will do seperate audio myself(obviously). This is supposed to be one of the cool things about Final Cut Pro X, the fact you do not need plural eyes any longer. We shall see. I do agree with you though, many old schoolers seem to hold some contempt for HDSLR. I am just glad I ran across the very inspiring series that Shane Hurlbut did on his experience with Canon filming.

Buddy C

[Clay Couch]

I was linking this site in another thread about 60D vs 7D and it will get you thinking when you look at this comparison.

60D vs 5D

75 vs 72, 3 points worth 1800 bucks? You decide.

[Clay Couch]

I had this same question, and I did some in depth research. Phil is correct on all points made imo. I went with 60D instead of 7D pretty much because of the flip out screen, processor is newer line, not to mention cost. Check out the website below which gives you a very good direct comparison between the two and pretty much gives 60D the nod. Also you can buy a nice lens for the price difference. What many do not realize (not saying you do not) is that glass is WAY more important than box. Box will last 3 to 5 , but lens will be there for 10 to 15.

I have Sigma 2.8 70-200. Its a monster lens, but I wanted 2.8 across the zoom in addition to a good zoom in general. It makes some fantastic videos and shoots superb photos. BTW the most important part about the flip out to me is not the fact that I can shoot at low/high angles. Protection of my amazing screen :). Sure I can put clear cover on it, but who wants to ruin their beautiful screen by doing that. I am confident when I close it, that my screen is fully protected until next use.

Buddy C

[Clay Couch]

I think it really depends on what your after, look at the link below and listen to the bottom two.

My ears do not detect a huge amount of difference when using Rode Videomic on both. On board mics, sure there is some difference. How much you do you want to put into is the question for quality gained. Do you here 200 dollars worth of difference in the bottom two? I am not saying the H4n isn’t better or even the Tascam DR100. Just pointing out bang for buck. Many people want to talk about the build quality of H1. My argument for that is I take extreme care with my equipment and do not just toss it into a bucket when I am done. Sure I could drop it, but I could also drop H4n on its XY mics as well. Plus portability of H1 is extremely nice.

H4n vs H1 article/

[Clay Couch]

Phil,
I respectfully disagree with you. There are many filmmakers doing amazing things with them. It just takes practice to master the focus and such. As far as quality of the shoots…I have seen some amazing stuff.

You do realize House, SNL, I am missing some more, as well as many famous filmmakers are using HDSLR. Its all about the glass. The combination of the effort Canon put into the video plus the 20k in glass many professionals had. It was a perfect marriage.

In addition people do not like change that threatens their current way of life/business. I say embrace change as it will always come to you whether you want it too or not. These HDSLRS are only the beginning, they are doing good stuff now, but think in 5 years. All studios in Hollywood will have converted by then. The quality will be there and the price is much much lower. Think of it in the terms Walter Biscardi explained Final Cut Pro 12 years ago. If it wasn’t for FCP, the lower end editor could have never started his own shop. LINK to this article The current hardware/sofware solutions of the time were 100k plus. Its no different with the HDSLR revolution.

Bottom line in the hands of an expert, what they can do is phenominal. Check below for a very interesting read.

An article by

Kurt Lancaster, PhD, is the author of “DSLR Cinema: Crafting the Film Look with Video, Focal Press, 2011.” He teaches digital filmmaking and multimedia journalism at Northern Arizona University’s School of Communication.

Read why Kurt Lancaster PhD no less switched from RED to Canon 5D

Portion of article below where head of Lucasfilms postproduction was interviewed.

Later, doing additional research, I came across Jared Abrams’s (Cinema 5D news) interview with Lucasfilm’s head of postproduction, Mike Blanchard, who felt that DSLR footage wouldn’t hold up to the big screen — but then discovered otherwise:

“Certainly when we just look at the footage and put it on a big screen it holds up way better than it has a right to,” he says. A lot of people get caught up in the numbers game, comparing one type of camera to another, he continues, such as the argument that film is 4K, blah, blah, blah. You know, it’s really not, because nobody ever sees a projected negative. So by the time you do a release print and [put it] through its paces, it’s no way near [what] a lot of people claim that it really is. So the great part about working at Lucasfilm, for people like Rick [McCallum] and George [Lucas] — working for them — is that you just show them things and that’s where it ends. We don’t do little charts about how it doesn’t have that or it doesn’t do that. We make it work. And that’s just a beautiful way to do work, because it opens up everything. (Interview with Jared Abrams, 15 April 2010).

We make it work. And that’s just a beautiful way to do work, because it opens up everything.

I love that statement.

Buddy C

[Clay Couch]

LOL David..okay okay. We shall see I guess?

I promise I will come back in 6 months if NOTHING has changed and apologize. I just do not see “nothing” happening. Putting six month schedule in my Blackberry now :).

See I bet most of you thought I had an Iphone in left hand tweeting “Apple is great” and reading it with an Ipad in my right hand.

Anyway have a good evening.

Buddy C

[Clay Couch]

Well this is true, but that is a firmware hack :). Also they didn’t have that out for 60D until recently I believe. I have considered doing it myself, but with 60D manual audio controls (reason I would do it on say other cameras to disable AGC) wasn’t really needed I didn’t think. Haven’t researched all of the benefits of it yet.

Buddy

[Clay Couch]

Thanks for your input. Much appreciated.

Yes I knew they spend their $$$ R&D on sensors and lens, then they put a 2 dollar recorder inside hehe.

Buddy

[Clay Couch]

Sulley,
I use Sigma 2.8 70-200 but that can easily blow out a lens budget haha. I went with it because the bokeh at full zoom is phenominal imo. Plus I wanted 2.8 across the entire zoom. I had read probably 50 reviews comparing the sigma to the canon version. Everyone basically summed it up this way. If you want the white version to “look” cool, then get the Canon. If you want same performance for half the price get the Sigma. I have been very happy with it outside of its immense size and weight.

My 2cents
Buddy C