550d + gear, is this the right kit?

S

studio1972

Well-known member
Hi,

Just looking for some advice. After trying out my other half's 5dmkii during a wedding shoot the other day, and loving the results, I've decided that now it the time to add a dslr to my video kit bag.

Unfortunately, she will often be using the 5d on the same day, so I need my own camera. I'm thinking the 550d is a good option due to the price and the option of 720p. I already have a HMC151 and often shoot 720p with that so it should cut together well I hope.

I will mainly be using the 550d as a second camera for weddings and for small scale promo videos etc. for the shallow DoF and low light performance. I will use the camera hand held (for 'reportage' style footage), tripod mounted occasionally and on the glidetrack for a few shots.

This is the kit I am thinking of using with it:

35mm f2 (maybe f1.4 later) lens
Glidetrack SD 1m (already on the way)
Velbon DV tripod as advised by Glidetrack (already have one of these)
Variable ND filter for outside
lens hood
rode videomic (I already have one of these, although I won't be using the 550d as my primary sound recording device)

Would really appreciate your thoughts on whether this is the right selection, of if I'm missing something?

Thx.
 
I've actually got the Canon 17-55 2.8 already, but I was thinking of selling it (Sarah's replaced a 40d + this lens with a 5d + 24-70 so the 40d and 17-55 are now surplus). It just seemed to me that a fast prime would be better (trying to achieve something similar to a fast 50mm on the 5d) due to the DoF.

I take your point though. Maybe I could keep hod of the 17-55 for a bit and see if I need it or not.
 
oh well in that case i;d say keep it for sure and see how u like it with ur new cam. And yeh the 35mm would be a good "normal" lens.
 
I expect that you already have an assortment of SDHC cards and batteries... Light reflector, a small LED panel and tripod/stand, perhaps something like a glidecam or a hand held rig from one of the various manufacturers to add a bit of stability to your run and gun shooting.
 
Hi Calomile,

I'd probably get a spare battery in addition to the one it comes with, and hopefully the class 6 cards I use with the HMC151 should be fine?

I have a glidecam which I use with the HMC, not sure whether I would set it up for the 550d, or just carry on using it with the hmc? Maybe shallow DoF might be too much of a problem on the glidecam?

I have seen a few DSLR rigs around, I'm slightly unconvinced that it's worth the extra bulk, I don't really intend to use it shoulder mounted. I found hand holding the 5d and operating the focus ring fairly easy so hopefully the 550d would be similar.
 
Stuart: I own a 7D so I can't tell you what storage I'd use for the T2i, the manual should tell you what speed of cards it recommends (UDMA rated cards, in the case of the 7D...)

In terms of the glidecam situation, it's all a matter of preference and operator skill. Personally I find hand holding the camera and pulling focus to be quite difficult to remain completely steady, even with the old elbows into chest trick. I'm sure you've seen loads of rigs like zacuto's DSLR gear (see here) which aren't necessarily shoulder mounted. I think if you're comfortable with the way you shoot already, then it seems pointless to spend the extra money on something like that.

In terms of the view finder stuff, consider Zacuto's Z-finder, the LCDVF and others (hoodman hoodloupe etc.) These are good because they provide another point of contact between your body and the camera, making hand held shots a lot steadier, as well as the obvious benefits of seeing how sharp your focus is and making on the fly adjustments that bit easier.
 
Thanks for the links, the LCDVF looks like a good option, and not too pricey. I like how it can easily be removed as well.

Regarding the holding steady whilst focus pulling. I guess in a run and gun situation I can live with a small amount of shake, that might not be acceptable for narrative work etc. Also I can usually just pick a few shots that work out so if some others go wrong it's not a big deal. For the ceremony my main camera will still be the hmc in any case, due to the longer record times.
 
Other thing with run and gunning is assuming you only have small shakes, you can film in 1080p, motion track to remove the motion you don't want, and crop to 720p. It's not the most desirable practice, but for web use you're only ever going to upload to the major sites in 720p anyway so it's an acceptable practice.
 
You might want to contact LCDVF before ordering one for your 550D. It's not listed as a supported camera in their FAQ:

http://www.lcdvf.com/contact.php

The Hoodman HoodLoupe with HoodMAG 3x magnifier does work with the 550D/T2i and has a diopter.

The Z-Finder Jr is another lower cost alternative to the Z-Finder:

http://store.zacuto.com/Z-Finder-Jr.html

BTW, keep the 17-55 2.8 IS..you'll be sorry if you don't. Add a Sigma 30mm 1.4 if you want a fast prime.
 
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