Canon 550D Full HD video

[J Davis]

hey Babu thanks for clearing up the mystery (and being a positive contributor)

It's very frustrating to get it to work in video mode. But it can be done. You have to disable the aperture. After that is disable by either using nikon lens or the twist technique you lock the exposure. Once exposure is locked you can dial in desired exposure compensation. In which case because you don't have manual controls you can only get 1250 from 1600 and 125 from 100. It's not even worth trying on the T1i for video in my opinion. For photos it's a heck of a lot easier.

IMO that makes the t2i great for stills but crap for shooting video. In order to maintain a 180 degree shutter angle ISO increments become very important. It is possible to go half steps on an aperture ring which I do with my nikon AIS primes but any lens with internal aperture control on a t2i leaves you screwed if you want to control exposure and maintain 180 degree shutter. (I use 17-55/2.8 for IS handheld and slider work - t2i won't cut it with that lens, or the 11-16 or 24-105L for that matter).

 

[shaocaholica]

...but any lens with internal aperture control on a t2i leaves you screwed if you want to control exposure and maintain 180 degree shutter. (I use 17-55/2.8 for IS handheld and slider work - t2i won't cut it with that lens, or the 24-105L for that matter).

I didn't know this. I thought that all Canon DSLRs including the entry level ones had 1/2 and/or 1/3 stop increments for adjusting the aperture on EOS lenses?

Edit:

According to this page, the T2i can be adjusted to have 1/2 or 1/3 increments in exposure for shutter speed and aperture:

http://www.dpreview.com/previews/canoneos550d/page12.asp

So even though you're stuck with 1 stop increments with ISO, you can fine tweak your exposure using 1/3 stop increments of aperture which shouldn't change the image that much right?

 

[J Davis]

I didn't know this. I thought that all Canon DSLRs including the entry level ones had 1/2 and/or 1/3 stop increments for adjusting the aperture on EOS lenses?

They do? If thats the case it would really solve the problem. My 11-16 is nikon mount so I Q-tip it to adjust exposure. I rely on adorama rentals for 17-55. Next time I rent one I'll check.
edit: sh*t just realized my shoot next sunday we are renting that same lens so I'll check then

 

[J Davis]

I
Edit:

According to this page, the T2i can be adjusted to have 1/2 or 1/3 increments in exposure for shutter speed and aperture:

http://www.dpreview.com/previews/canoneos550d/page12.asp

So even though you're stuck with 1 stop increments with ISO, you can fine tweak your exposure using 1/3 stop increments of aperture which shouldn't change the image that much right?

You don't want to mess with shutter when shooting video unless thats you're intended look. 24p you want 1/48th (1/50th will do on canon) and 60p you want 1/120th (1/125th will do on canon) that way you are right on 180 degree shutter angle and movement will appear smoothest.

The article you linked to talks about 'exposure' increments. From my experience with other cheaper canon camcorders 'exposure' in canon language could mean the camera is adjusting shutter, aperture and ISO according to what priority you tell the camera.

 

[hish]

Why are people comparing the video in the T1i and the T2i? They are not the same. What ever procedure you do regarding aperture and exposure compensation on the T1i will not be necessary because the T2i has manual controls.

 

[shaocaholica]

You don't want to mess with shutter when shooting video unless thats you're intended look. 24p you want 1/48th (1/50th will do on canon) and 60p you want 1/120th (1/125th will do on canon) that way you are right on 180 degree shutter angle and movement will appear smoothest.

The article you linked to talks about 'exposure' increments. From my experience with other cheaper canon camcorders 'exposure' in canon language could mean the camera is adjusting shutter, aperture and ISO according to what priority you tell the camera.

Exposure increments applies to both shutter and aperture as well as exposure compensation (this is standard amongst all DSLRs including Canon). Yeah I know you shouldn't mess with the shutter unless you're going for a certain effect but with 1/3 increments for the aperture, you can easily compensate for not having as much granularity on the ISO. So at 1/3 increments, aperture values can be adjusted with granularity like this:

f/2 > 2.2 > 2.5 > 2.8, etc

So lets say you want to use ISO320 which is 1/3 stop above ISO200. Since you can't choose that value on the T2i, you can just open up the aperture by 1/3 of a stop instead. I don't think its that bad of a compromise.

 

[J Davis]

Since you can't choose that value on the T2i, you can just open up the aperture by 1/3 of a stop instead. I don't think its that bad of a compromise.

Assuming it can be done it is a really good solution to exposure control on newer lenses without aperture rings.

edit: but what a pain in the ass to do so when on a shoot

 

[shaocaholica]

Assuming it can be done it is a really good solution to exposure control on newer lenses without aperture rings.

??? Not sure what you mean. Newer lenses without aperture rings still have adjustable apertures. I'm sure every 5D/7D user on this forum with EOS lenses has set specific apertures for exposure purposes beyond "wide open". I don't see how this can be detrimental in any way.

 

[Babu]

hey Babu thanks for clearing up the mystery (and being a positive contributor)




IMO that makes the t2i great for stills but crap for shooting video. In order to maintain a 180 degree shutter angle ISO increments become very important. It is possible to go half steps on an aperture ring which I do with my nikon AIS primes but any lens with internal aperture control on a t2i leaves you screwed if you want to control exposure and maintain 180 degree shutter. (I use 17-55/2.8 for IS handheld and slider work - t2i won't cut it with that lens, or the 11-16 or 24-105L for that matter).

Hey J Davis,
The T2i will function the same as the 7D in my opinion. I was answering that with the T1i it's possible to get the incremental ISO selections. So on the T2i with manual controls you can select your aperture, shutter and ISO manually then probably dial in the exposure compensation which would effect the ISO only. The T2i will be as fully functional as the 7D. The only concern I have is whether the manual WB will be a dial in kelvin or not.

 

[xxxxx1]

Manual

Manual

http://docs.google.com/viewer?url=h...gds/9/0300003169/01/eosrt2i-eos550d-im-en.pdf

Skip to p.127.

 

[J Davis]

http://docs.google.com/viewer?url=h...gds/9/0300003169/01/eosrt2i-eos550d-im-en.pdf

Skip to p.127.

I read that carefully and I don't see any extra information other than what we have been discussing. I'm inclined to think that in movie mode when on manual you are limited to 1 stop ISO increments as per the specs on dpreview and canon website. My understanding from Shaocaholia's posts is that to get 1/3rd stop ISO increments you need to adjust canons 'exposure' setting. (Aperture priority or Shutter priority).

If this is the case then practical shooting at 180 degree shutter means manual lenses only.

 

[Michael Olsen]

If this is the case then practical shooting at 180 degree shutter means manual lenses only.

Which isn't such a loss...it opens the door for some very sturdy build quality, nice long smooth focus throws, and (oddly) less breathing than I've seen in EF lenses.

 

[J Davis]

Hey J Davis,
The T2i will function the same as the 7D in my opinion. I was answering that with the T1i it's possible to get the incremental ISO selections. So on the T2i with manual controls you can select your aperture, shutter and ISO manually then probably dial in the exposure compensation which would effect the ISO only. The T2i will be as fully functional as the 7D. The only concern I have is whether the manual WB will be a dial in kelvin or not.

Exposure compensation is a term I haven't seen before on other canon cameras I've owned - would need to play with one. I don't know about kelvin adjustments although I don't often use that when on 7D shoots.

 

[Michael Olsen]

Exposure compensation is a term I haven't seen before on other canon cameras I've owned - would need to play with one. I don't know about kelvin adjustments although I don't often use that when on 7D shoots.

I hate to be "that guy" - but the 7D features exposure compensation.

Here's a highlighted screencap of the 7D spec information from Canon.

At this point in time, I feel like this is a dead issue. It's something no one can really say anything about because no one has handled the camera and run through the menus and tried to make it work how we need to. We can speculate based on the t1i, but that was a bit like speculating on the 5D for the 7D. Stuff is just different, and we have to wait to find out what and how so.

P.S. Happy Valentines Day.

 

[J Davis]

Yeh its a dead issue till someone can check for sure. Wow I had no idea my camera had exposure compensation. I don't exactly know what that does or how it works. Is that for the non manual modes? I might have to read my 7D manual (not really read it yet).

 

[shaocaholica]

Yeh its a dead issue till someone can check for sure. Wow I had no idea my camera had exposure compensation. I don't exactly know what that does or how it works. Is that for the non manual modes? I might have to read my 7D manual (not really read it yet).

I think there some confusion over what I said and exposure compensation in general. What I said has almost nothing to do with exposure compensation. What I said is that both shutter and aperture values are independently adjustable in manual mode on the T2i in 1/3 or 1/2 stop increments depending on how you have it set. That does not have anything to do with exposure compensation.

Exposure compensation is measured in stops and is not assigned to any specific adjustment (shutter, aperture, ISO). When in manual mode, exposure compensation is meaningless because the camera is not in control. Exposure compensation only works when the camera picks the exposure for you. When the camera auto exposes, it will take the exposure compensation value and adjust what it thinks is good exposure by whatever you have exposure compensation set to.

Since shutter, aperture and exposure compensation are measured in stops, they are all affected by the menu setting talked about earlier which states how big the increments are.

 

[shaocaholica]

If this is the case then practical shooting at 180 degree shutter means manual lenses only.

This depends on what kind of lens. A Canon EOS lens would still work since the camera can set its aperture electronically even though this kind of lens is not a "manual lens". A nikon G lens would not work well unless you have the expensive type adapter that has the mechanical aperture linkage. A Nikon AF lens with aperture ring would work but I wouldn't really call it a "manual lens".

 

[ROCKMORE]

hey Babu thanks for clearing up the mystery (and being a positive contributor)




IMO that makes the t2i great for stills but crap for shooting video. In order to maintain a 180 degree shutter angle ISO increments become very important. It is possible to go half steps on an aperture ring which I do with my nikon AIS primes but any lens with internal aperture control on a t2i leaves you screwed if you want to control exposure and maintain 180 degree shutter. (I use 17-55/2.8 for IS handheld and slider work - t2i won't cut it with that lens, or the 11-16 or 24-105L for that matter).

A half stop ND may help in that situation, but I agree that a manual aperture ring is the real solution.

 

[shaocaholica]

A half stop ND may help in that situation, but I agree that a manual aperture ring is the real solution.

Maybe I'm the one confused here but the three lenses mentioned by J Davis all have full aperture control down to 1/3 stop increments on any Canon body even though they don't have a physical aperture ring.

17-55/2.8, 11-16 and 24-105L

 

[J Davis]

FYI - I've been shooting solidly with canon FD's, AIS and various nikon F mount lenses since last summer on the GH1 and since last fall on the 7D. When it comes to EOS lenses I rent. Both cameras got set to Manual as soon as I got them and they stayed that way so forgive me if I am ignorant of any camera functionality like exposure compensation etc. I still haven't read my 7D manual yet! (too lazy)