Does 5D record in H.264 format?

5

5dcam

New member
Hi,
I've heard that the 5D records movie in H.264 format, which is lossy.

But I've also read some news that 5D was used in making commercial films.

So my question is...
Is it possible to make a commercial movie or TV series with 5D Mark II?

I am curious because I've met some people in the film industry
and they prefer uncompressed or loseless compression.

Thanks in advance for your answers.
 
Yes it does record H.264 which is a gawdawful codec

Yes is is possible to make commercial films on a 5DII and has been done

Others will chip in with a higher level of knowledge (I hope)

Dave
 
I have shot regional spots with the 5d.

THis was before I had the AF-100.

If given the choice, I would not do it again now that there are better options for large sensor video cameras.

It certainly would not be my choice for a tv series.
 
5dcam said:
I am curious because I've met some people in the film industry
and they prefer uncompressed or loseless compression.
Click to expand...

Given the option, almost every one would prefer RAW or uncompressed or lossless compression but for most of us it's simply not an option. The budget for the camera alone needs to my multiples of most people's total equipment budget, including glass, mounting, lights etc etc. So, at this point, don't worry abut it. Shoot what you can afford.
 
Well... both the 5DMKII and 7D have been used heavily for big budget commercial work and films. You might be surprised actually by what's been shot with these cameras.

As it is, the 5DMKII is really sort of a specialty camera, I'd say. Its depth of field is epically shallow and certainly not suitable for everything.

Some people have dabbled in DSLR and have moved on. Some have embraced the DSLR and have flourished with it. Some look at it as just another tool to use when they feel it's appropriate.

Anytime you rely on a sub $5K camera, you're dealing with drawbacks and compromises. That's just the way it is, but if you get educated about the tool and get dialed in with it, it can be a pretty powerful tool.
 
Well said Chris S.
I'd do some research 5dcam. Just type in 5D or DSLR into Vimeo and you can see what these cameras can do.
With that said, the cameras coming out today... could easily be used for commercials, TV shows, and some movies. And still cost under $2000.
Keep in mind, you need to KNOW the camera, how to work it, and the limitations as well.
 
h264 isn't the big problem, low resolution is. These cameras are *not* 1080p. Check out the latest zacuto shootout, they compressed it nicely so you can actually see the major resolution difference to a Canon DSLR, and a real 1080p camera.
 
These DSLRs *are* 1080p in the sense that they record a full raster 1920x1080 raster in progressive mode. However they don't *resolve* the whole 1080p, I think Barry said it was barely 720.

Dave
 
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