Help! 7d or 550d as 2nd video cam?

S

seanwin

Active member
Hi all,

I currently shoot mostly weddings using a 7D, and my xha1s for the ceremony and reception.

My problem is when getting shots with my 7d the quality is just too different side by side.

So I am looking at selling my xha1s and buying a 2nd slr.

The 2nd cam will only be used for video and not stills, so would u say go for a 550D?

Are they both pretty much the same when it comes to video?

And also what are some good options to get better audio once my xha1s is gone.

Cheers.
 
the IQ and features are the same for video and stills. the 7D is just a much better body if your shooting photographs.

to me there is no reason to spend the extra money for the 7D....except that the T2i is brutally small if you try to handhold it without the grip. i bought the "grip" for mine and its a lot nicer to hold if not on my shoulder rig. even the 5DmkII is nicer to hold with the grip as well.

save the money and buy another piece of useful gear with the money you will save. in fact you can almost buy another T2i just for a backup for the same money of the 7D.

david
www.davidprobst.com
 
Before you take the plunge and ditch the XH-A1, consider what you'll be missing out on by not having a proper videocamera. It really is a good idea to have a camera that runs constantly because the DSLR's can be like playing with fire. I'd consider getting a 550d AND a small handycam like the HFS20 so that you still have a continously recording camera with good auto-capabilities wihch can be reliably left in a corner somwhere without having to stop and restart it.

As for audio, the Zoom H4n is the most popular choice. You'll need to sync sound in post (for every 12 minute clip!) but it's alot better than using an XLR adaptor. If you really want to use on-boad audio then make sure you get an XLR adaptor which has the AGC disable feature, otherwise you'll still be at the mercy of the camera's auto-gain controls.

As far as the differences between the 7d and 550d, I can't say much cause I've only used a 550d. I've handled a 7d and can tell you the wieght/size difference is significant, but thats about the only direct comparison I can draw between the two from personal experience.
 
deltoidjohn said:
Before you take the plunge and ditch the XH-A1, consider what you'll be missing out on by not having a proper videocamera. It really is a good idea to have a camera that runs constantly because the DSLR's can be like playing with fire. I'd consider getting a 550d AND a small handycam like the HFS20 so that you still have a continously recording camera with good auto-capabilities wihch can be reliably left in a corner somwhere without having to stop and restart it.

As for audio, the Zoom H4n is the most popular choice. You'll need to sync sound in post (for every 12 minute clip!) but it's alot better than using an XLR adaptor. If you really want to use on-boad audio then make sure you get an XLR adaptor which has the AGC disable feature, otherwise you'll still be at the mercy of the camera's auto-gain controls.

As far as the differences between the 7d and 550d, I can't say much cause I've only used a 550d. I've handled a 7d and can tell you the wieght/size difference is significant, but thats about the only direct comparison I can draw between the two from personal experience.
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Posted by a user on these forums http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=215507
Let the fear go , just let it go........ This was all done on Canon HDSLRs




As long as you have a couple of guys with you (2 + you) , you will be more then fine. HDSLRs are the present and future!
 
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A GH1 will allow you to run continuously, and it's similar enough to match up well in most situations. If that is a concern to you.

Personally, I think HDSLR's are perfect for weddings, and have switched to using them exclusively. Image quality is part of it, an even bigger part is that large, professional looking cameras are a bit intimidating- it might make us feel better about ourselves to have them, but it puts the subjects on guard pretty often. It's worth the sacrifice of not having a proper video camera.
 
Cieloent said:
Let the fear go , just let it go........ This was all done on Canon HDSLRs




As long as you have a couple of guys with you (2 + you) , you will be more then fine. HDSLRs are the present and future!
Click to expand...

Great video. Not everybody works in a team of 3 though. I'm a 1 man band and I find the combination of a HMC151 and 550d works great. The 151 for speeches and ceremony, the 550d for shallow DOF clips. I actually prefer the 151 for glidecam shots, as the greater DOF allows more freedom of movement without going out of focus.
 
I would say 5d mkii and use your 7d as a second camera. But it's full frame and the 7d is not so you'd have to get different len's. So I'll say get another 7D
 
Cieloent said:
As long as you have a couple of guys with you (2 + you) , you will be more then fine.
Click to expand...

But many people don't, and from the OP's post it sounded as though he is working alone.

Even if you are working in a team, it is cheap and easy to at least have a small camcorder recording continuously. What if you are shooting with 6 DSLR's during the ceremony, and the AC inside the church dies in the middle of a hot summer afternoon, causing the church to turn into a giant sauna and all 6 DSLR's overheat simoultaneously? This is an exaggerated example but the truth is DSLR's are nowhere near as reliable as regular camcorders and you need to always plan for redundancy.

The video you linked to doesn't work for me but I'll take a guess and say that it's a really good wedding video shot with a DSLR. But if so it's only a highlights reel and doesn't tell the full story. Besides, I'm not arguing that the DSLR's can't produce good quality wedding videos. I'm saying that you need to cover your arse for the times when (not if) something does go wrong.

DSLR's may be the present, but they are definitely not the future. The future is large sensor, interchangeable lens camcorders with proper pro features such as the upcoming AF100.
 
Thanks everyone for your input, as deltoidjohn put it, I so work a lone with sometimes an assistant but usually just solo.

I think everyone has made a good point that having a video camera is def a safe move.

One good point is on a hot summer day I may run into a problem which is not something I had previously considered.

Seems I have a decision to make, thank you all for your input.

Sean.
 
If you have the time to match up the two cams (XHA1S) (7D) you can get them so close they cut together flawlessly. I do it all the time, but it takes time, and you have to pre plan the settings for the enviornment your shooting in. So there's not one setting that will work for all types of lighting situations. if your shooting inside a church and know how it will be lit, you can write down the settings so you can quickly match the two. Obviously you have to get the looks of the two similar before making the final tweaks. And it's usually the color temp that gets it very close.(ALONG WITH SOME OTHER BASIC SETTINGS) I wouldn't sell the A1, your going to take a fairly big hit on the price, plus it's a traditional video cam.
 
differences between the 7D and 550D:

"The biggest difference is that the 550D doesn't have the same autofocus system.

-The sensors are slightly different.
-8 fps vs 3 fps
-The 7D has a better shutter.
-7D uses CF while the rebel uses SD.
-Weathersealing
-Magnesium-alloy vs plastic body"

If you don't need the fast AF and the fps and don't mind having the smaller, plastic body, then you should be fine with the 550D....but I'd go for the 7D.
 
Vince K said:
differences between the 7D and 550D:

"The biggest difference is that the 550D doesn't have the same autofocus system.

-The sensors are slightly different.
-8 fps vs 3 fps
-The 7D has a better shutter.
-7D uses CF while the rebel uses SD.
-Weathersealing
-Magnesium-alloy vs plastic body"

If you don't need the fast AF and the fps and don't mind having the smaller, plastic body, then you should be fine with the 550D....but I'd go for the 7D.
Click to expand...

Ultimately everything you listed has nothing to do the actual video quality which are basically identical.
 
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