[Scott Robart]

Unless you plan on learning to post-process (color-correct/grade sharpen, edit, etc), I’d say go with the Canon. The Canon will at least give you footage that you can use right off the sensor, with minimal editing. The bmpcc all but requires AT LEAST color correction due to the very flat picture profile. If you already understand and have the software for color correction, then I’d say go with the bmpcc, because it will give you FAR superior quality than the Canon.

If you think video shooting may be a passing phase, get yourself a cheap camcorder. You can get them for like $100-150 on the low end. The quality will be good enough for youtube and it will allow you to learn the basics, which are FAR more important than the camera used, imo. If you KNOW you want to shoot video, but it’s just for personal projects or maybe some work for friends, then get the Canon. If you plan on doing professional jobs, get the bmpcc or better.

I have seen some people who started out with the bmpcc and when they saw the video that they captured, they were seriously underwhelmed…but then seriously OVERWHELMED when they realized that for the footage to look decent, they had to color correct/grade it. Correction/grading isn’t difficult, but it’s something that you must learn to do. The video straight off the sensor of the bmpcc is extraordinarily flat. To most people, it just looks like crap. However, to someone who understands dynamic range and how to correct the colors, it’s nothing short of amazing. That flat, boring, not-very-sharp video that comes off of the bmpcc produces some STAGGERING results if you know what you’re doing. But if you’re not prepared to correct the colors, DO NOT get that camera, under any circumstances.

Someone else mentioned the GH3, which is a superb camera. The GH2 can be had for a bit less money and with the hacked firmware can give you some truly amazing results. The Canon 5D Mark II or III are also really great cameras for video, but they are much more expensive than the Txi and bmpcc. Also, strongly consider the Canon 70D, which is the first DSLR which has an autofocusing system that can be used for video. If I had to pick one camera for someone who wants to shoot video, but they’re just getting into it, the 70D is the one I’d choose. Not having to worry about your focus constantly would allow you to concentrate on getting the shot that you want. The 70D isn’t perfect, there will be times when you WILL need to manually focus, but it’s a lot less than any other camera out there. The 70D’s focusing system is truly a game-changer, in my opinion.

Good luck with whatever you choose.