Krummi
Well-known member
I'm going to allow myself to repost a reply to another thread. It is also relevant here, although in a little bit edited form:
The video mode in these DSLRS is really nothing more than a novelty add-on. Sure, you are getting awesome dynamic range, cool DOF effects, a lot of lens options and amazing low light quality.
But all that does not a movie making machine make.
Why not? A couple of reasons:
a) "crippled" functions, including automatic shutter, no 24p (and yes, 24p matters and will keep mattering long after film is gone, because we are ALL programmed to know that this is how MOVIES look!), automatic exposure (I think), limited recording time, limited recording format and so on.
more importantly:
b) It's a DSLR with movie recording capabilities. It's movie mode may be awesome in many core ways, but it's still a DSLR. After having shot with a lot of different SLRs and Video cameras (currently own a Nikon D200 and Sony PMW-EX1 and a whole Brevis kit) I simply cannot imagine shooting a whole narrative piece on a DSLR with an automatic shutter, automatic exposure, having hassles with sound recording, codecs, recording times and what not. You have to contend with a DSLR form factor, a DSLR button layout, menu access. It's just not the same animal.
When I upgraded my Nikon D50 to my current D200 a while back it wasn't because the pictures were lacking. The D50 was shooting beautiful pictures until the day I sold it. No, it was because of form and functionality. I had just started shooting commercially and was really starting to feel the D50's lack of on-body controls and advanced functions like DOF preview and commander mode for remote flash.
The point being. The image quality the D200 produces isn't really any different than the D50 unless you put it under a microscope. What is different is with what ease I can do what I need to do as fast and efficiently as possible
Does anyone remember the South Park episode where Mr. Garrison invents the worlds best, most economic vehicle....but to operate it you basically had to stick a dildo into your ass and mouth a stroke a couple of phalicshaped things.
I'm not saying that the DSLR movie modes are that bad, but it's in the same category.
Don't get me wrong, it's cool. It's a very cool feature on a, probably, pretty amazing digital photographic camera. For a do-it-yourself enthusiast who has money laying around, it's a dream gadget. I just don't think it's going to be very practical, or very popular, for serious Videography and/or filmmaking. It might catch on in the wedding business, but crippled recording times are still going to be a problem there.
This is probably going to be as good as it gets from Canon. They have a huge Video department to protect and they will not cripple themselves. They never have and won't start now. Nikon, on the other hand, has no such qualms. The best thing that can come from this is that Nikon listens to all this enthusiasm and makes a REAL Nikon mounted S35mm sensored VIDEO camera.
The video mode in these DSLRS is really nothing more than a novelty add-on. Sure, you are getting awesome dynamic range, cool DOF effects, a lot of lens options and amazing low light quality.
But all that does not a movie making machine make.
Why not? A couple of reasons:
a) "crippled" functions, including automatic shutter, no 24p (and yes, 24p matters and will keep mattering long after film is gone, because we are ALL programmed to know that this is how MOVIES look!), automatic exposure (I think), limited recording time, limited recording format and so on.
more importantly:
b) It's a DSLR with movie recording capabilities. It's movie mode may be awesome in many core ways, but it's still a DSLR. After having shot with a lot of different SLRs and Video cameras (currently own a Nikon D200 and Sony PMW-EX1 and a whole Brevis kit) I simply cannot imagine shooting a whole narrative piece on a DSLR with an automatic shutter, automatic exposure, having hassles with sound recording, codecs, recording times and what not. You have to contend with a DSLR form factor, a DSLR button layout, menu access. It's just not the same animal.
When I upgraded my Nikon D50 to my current D200 a while back it wasn't because the pictures were lacking. The D50 was shooting beautiful pictures until the day I sold it. No, it was because of form and functionality. I had just started shooting commercially and was really starting to feel the D50's lack of on-body controls and advanced functions like DOF preview and commander mode for remote flash.
The point being. The image quality the D200 produces isn't really any different than the D50 unless you put it under a microscope. What is different is with what ease I can do what I need to do as fast and efficiently as possible
Does anyone remember the South Park episode where Mr. Garrison invents the worlds best, most economic vehicle....but to operate it you basically had to stick a dildo into your ass and mouth a stroke a couple of phalicshaped things.
I'm not saying that the DSLR movie modes are that bad, but it's in the same category.
Don't get me wrong, it's cool. It's a very cool feature on a, probably, pretty amazing digital photographic camera. For a do-it-yourself enthusiast who has money laying around, it's a dream gadget. I just don't think it's going to be very practical, or very popular, for serious Videography and/or filmmaking. It might catch on in the wedding business, but crippled recording times are still going to be a problem there.
This is probably going to be as good as it gets from Canon. They have a huge Video department to protect and they will not cripple themselves. They never have and won't start now. Nikon, on the other hand, has no such qualms. The best thing that can come from this is that Nikon listens to all this enthusiasm and makes a REAL Nikon mounted S35mm sensored VIDEO camera.
