Canon response on cinema5D

thekreative

thekreative

Veteran
Not too surprising. They see it as an slr that shoots video as a bonus. Just alot of people bought it as a video camera.

(not my letter just copied from cinema5D)

Good Morning Nathan ****,

Thank you for contacting Canon via email regarding the EOS 5D Mark II.
I have reviewed the Overview and Video Recording sections of the White
Paper for the EOS 5D Mark II. I also reviewed the camera s Manual,
Section 6 regarding Live View Shooting and Movies. The combination of
this information is clearly in depth and should answer your questions.

Regarding the question raised in your email please be advised that the
EOS 5D Mark II does include automatic features within the video mode
that need no adjustment, because the camera was developed to assist in
the video mode. While not the primary function of the camera, the video
mode is an additional function featuring 30 fps, 1080p FULL HD video
recording with sound.

There are 4 factors that contribute to depth of field: focal length,
aperture, sensor size, and subject distance. With the EOS 5D Mark II
you do not have control over sensor size and aperture. In a purpose
built video camera you have control over focal length and aperture. The
EOS 5D II is not a purpose built video camera. It is a professional
standard Digital SLR with a video mode. Your only method of controlling
depth of field is by manipulating focal length and subject distance.

The depth of field in movie mode can be effectively controlled by
manipulating subject distance and focal length. To increase the depth
of field in movie mode, move away from the subject and/or reduce the
focal length of the lens. To reduce depth of field in movie mode, move
closer to the subject and/or increase the focal length of the lens. With
portable video shooting, this is exactly how you may choose to shoot.

Unfortunately, there is no firmware upgrade available that will allow
the camera s video function to be controlled manually. Your suggestion
has been forwarded to the camera department to be reviewed for future
upgrades. We do appreciate you as a Canon customer and hope you
continue to enjoy your camera.

If you are looking for a professional level video camera, we would
suggest one of the following cameras: XL H1S, XL H1A, XL H1, XH G1S, XH
A1S, XH G1, or XH A1. All of these video cameras are capable of full
aperture control, allowing greater control over the depth of field.

We appreciate your comments.

Much Regards,
Frozine Boaz
Canon USA Customer Relations
 
I especially like the last paragraph where they say buying one of their small sensor cameras will give you greater control over depth of field. Oh really?
 
this Canon response is from no decision maker.
it doesnt resolve or hint towards anything one way or the other.
the big decisions will come from the top (be they helpful or hurtful to users)
and the guys replying to the customer service emails will be the last to know
they will then reply exactly as they are told to as they hold no decision making power and no involvement in corporate scheming whatsoever
 
They could have saved writing that whole explanation by just saying, "Add some 8x ND filters to allow you to have control over depth of field".
 
"To reduce depth of field in movie mode, move
closer to the subject and/or increase the focal length of the lens." or go and get yourself some nice nikon glass and a $10.00 adapter :))
 
Now stated by Canon, THEY ARE OFFICIALLY PROTECTING THEIR VIDEO BUSINESS. A manual, 24 FPS Mark 2 would hurt that side of the business inmediately. Well, Nikon, Panasonic, Scarlet?
 
alexandroff said:
this Canon response is from no decision maker.
it doesnt resolve or hint towards anything one way or the other.
Click to expand...


Agreed, I am not sure why anyone is reading anything into this, it's a form letter, I had the very same response (word for word, letter for letter) months ago, nothing new here that they have not already stated.
 
if canon is purposely crippling their dslr's movie mode to protect their pro line of camcorders they are making a mistake. they can't stop the train. dslr's are advancing quickly and in order to compete with each other and the scarlet they will have to give the customers what they want. if they don't, nikon and panny and sony will.

i kinda thought the red would kill high end video cams to some extent but panny is still selling varicams for more cash than what a red costs. i suspect that when the $4000 scarlet hits the market, people will still be buying $5000 hvx200s or whatever. not everyone is obsessed with shallow DOF. some people want a camera that is easy to use and doesn't require a film-like post workflow. not everyone is shooting film type projects. you will still sell your prosumer hdv line. don't worry.

wake up canon.

now with that said, when is some hacker going to write a new firmware for the 5d2? can't be that hard can it?
 
Canon can't stop the train, but they can delay it for sure.
We live in capitalism where big companies do *whatever they can* to earn more (on the long run).

Whatever they do is well analized not by one but a group of marketing brains, there is no such thing as they rushed out the 5D Mark II.

Canon have had the technology for full frame raster for a while, but they know how to keep their position in the market (stills and video).

Do you think that Canon is going to fall off the train? haha
they will be one step ahead, because they already are, and you (and me) are going to keep buying stuff (once you realize everything works that way, it stop bothering...for a bit at least)
 
As lee mentioned this is nothing new, we have been getting responses like this from canon since day one. The only time they will admit we should have manual control is the day after the firmware is released.

I would also like to point out that the canon rep was wrong, there are only 3 things that control DOF...aperture, focal length and distance. The sensor size increases or decreases the focal length based on the lenses you are using (FOV is a different story). Point is, this guy isn't the authority on DOF control for the 5D.
 
cheezweezl said:
if canon is purposely crippling their dslr's movie mode to protect their pro line of camcorders they are making a mistake. they can't stop the train. dslr's are advancing quickly and in order to compete with each other and the scarlet they will have to give the customers what they want. if they don't, nikon and panny and sony will.

i kinda thought the red would kill high end video cams to some extent but panny is still selling varicams for more cash than what a red costs. i suspect that when the $4000 scarlet hits the market, people will still be buying $5000 hvx200s or whatever. not everyone is obsessed with shallow DOF. some people want a camera that is easy to use and doesn't require a film-like post workflow. not everyone is shooting film type projects. you will still sell your prosumer hdv line. don't worry.

wake up canon.

now with that said, when is some hacker going to write a new firmware for the 5d2? can't be that hard can it?
Click to expand...

No kidding! I would even pay money for firmware as i am sure anyone with the 5D would as well.
 
Er, i read this letter months ago on another forum this just seems to be the a standard letter they send when ever they want to reply to someone, it doesnt mean nothing,


See must of been a response to a lee wilson letter =]
 
octopi_films said:
No kidding! I would even pay money for firmware as i am sure anyone with the 5D would as well.
Click to expand...
Screw that! I paid a lot of money for 5D Mark IIs and I'm not about to put more money out on a firmware upgrade.

A firmware upgrade is the least they can do to keep me from returning my cameras and waiting until the 500D. Granted the 500D's frame rate for 1080p is laughable but the 720p looks good.

By Canon coming out with an $700 dollar camera with 15MP and 720p 30fps recording, the only way to keep the people with a $2,700 5D Mark II from returning their cameras to the store is to come out with a firmware upgrade that sets the 5D Mark II $2,000 dollars apart from the 500D. Otherwise I'll get my RMA tomorrow.
 
StormFactory said:
Screw that! I paid a lot of money for 5D Mark IIs and I'm not about to put more money out on a firmware upgrade.

A firmware upgrade is the least they can do to keep me from returning my cameras and waiting until the 500D. Granted the 500D's frame rate for 1080p is laughable but the 720p looks good.

By Canon coming out with an $700 dollar camera with 15MP and 720p 30fps recording, the only way to keep the people with a $2,700 5D Mark II from returning their cameras to the store is to come out with a firmware upgrade that sets the 5D Mark II $2,000 dollars apart from the 500D. Otherwise I'll get my RMA tomorrow.
Click to expand...


There is not going to be an firmware upgrade. These are STILL cameras, with the "extra" of HD recording. You can return whatever you want and wait for whatever you want to wait, these are the facts (even Canon said it clearly)
 
Who said it clearly? A CSR with a headset and email instructions? Canon is not dumb future success depends on how they deal with current customers. Their response will be risk/reward based. Do we risk our filmmaker customers who buy our camcorders saying F'u after we screw them on the 5d? Because ultimately there will be other choices one coming in June, and don't think they don't see the buzz behind the GH1, don't think Nikon who's not in the camcorder game is licking their chops behind the huge amount of d90's they moved. Bottom line is maybe they'll acquiesce and give us some manual control, maybe not at the end of the day these cameras are revolutionary and i'll be damned if I go back to strapping on an adapter, gaffer taping my focus ring, and throwing my back out lifting the damned thing.
 
cinebuddy said:
Who said it clearly? A CSR with a headset and email instructions? Canon is not dumb future success depends on how they deal with current customers. Their response will be risk/reward based. Do we risk our filmmaker customers who buy our camcorders saying F'u after we screw them on the 5d? Because ultimately there will be other choices one coming in June, and don't think they don't see the buzz behind the GH1, don't think Nikon who's not in the camcorder game is licking their chops behind the huge amount of d90's they moved. Bottom line is maybe they'll acquiesce and give us some manual control, maybe not at the end of the day these cameras are revolutionary and i'll be damned if I go back to strapping on an adapter, gaffer taping my focus ring, and throwing my back out lifting the damned thing.
Click to expand...


The problem is that the current Canon video customer that got the 5D M2 are forcing themselves to believe that this is a HD video camera and Canon on the other hand is saying that it is a Still camera.

When Canon comes out with an *HD video camera* full frame, manual controls and interchangeable lenses, i would like to see if those "unhappy" customers are not going to jump on the new beast.

Anyway, as i said, you can wait for whatever you want... but you better wait seated
 
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