Shooting 1st Time with 5dMK II Help/Advice?

H

Homunculus

Carbonite Member
Hello everyone I'm DP'ing my first movie with 5dMKII as I previously used GH13. I never really used a Canon before other than at the rehearsal I familiarized myself with it (it belongs to the director), and most of the basic controls so that I at least know how to turn it on and shoot video etc and a bit of playing with the most important features like ISO, WB, etc.

My question is simply if any of you advanced users can give me some useful tips, hints, etc for someone that's never shot with a 5dmkii before and has only shot with a GH1. I will be shooting on all L series zooms.

For example, what's a good basic ISO, what are good WB profiles, any other "profiles" or settings of any sort that a 5d has that I should know, any things to avoid?

What's the best settings that everyone shoots at?

When you guys shoot do you mainly shoot and pull focus via the LCD screen or through the viewfinder? (For those of you who DON'T have external HDMI monitoring because I won't have one).

Will also have my Gh13 on set just in case ...

Oh and can GH13 and 5dmkii footage be intercut seamlessly or is it a noticeable distinction?


Thanks!
 
Homunculus said:
For example, what's a good basic ISO, what are good WB profiles, any other "profiles" or settings of any sort that a 5d has that I should know, any things to avoid?

What's the best settings that everyone shoots at?
Click to expand...

I find these work well

Sharpness all the way down
Contrast -2
Saturation -2
Color tone 0

Homunculus said:
When you guys shoot do you mainly shoot and pull focus via the LCD screen or through the viewfinder? (For those of you who DON'T have external HDMI monitoring because I won't have one).
Click to expand...

Youll need a follow focus and mark your spots. Pulling focus any other way on the 5D is difficult to do.
 
Noel Evans said:
I find these work well

Sharpness all the way down
Contrast -2
Saturation -2
Color tone 0



Youll need a follow focus and mark your spots. Pulling focus any other way on the 5D is difficult to do.
Click to expand...

Hi thanks for your response. Can you please tell me what you mean by mark your spots, you mean block out the scene and mark on the follow focus exactly where to turn it at any given moment of the shot?
And why do you say any other way is difficult with 5Dmkii, is this in reference to the ultra thin depth of field so that it's hard to pull focus at open apertures?
 
Homunculus said:
Hi thanks for your response. Can you please tell me what you mean by mark your spots, you mean block out the scene and mark on the follow focus exactly where to turn it at any given moment of the shot?
And why do you say any other way is difficult with 5Dmkii, is this in reference to the ultra thin depth of field so that it's hard to pull focus at open apertures?
Click to expand...

Correct on both counts.
 
thanks. I'm good with pulling focus though, I'm just wondering as long as I'm adept at it, is the canon 5dmkii LCD screen good enough to be able to see when it's in focus? I had problems with this with the gh1 cus the LCD seems lower quality/resolution so some shots came out unfortunately soft.
 
Homunculus said:
thanks. I'm good with pulling focus though, I'm just wondering as long as I'm adept at it, is the canon 5dmkii LCD screen good enough to be able to see when it's in focus? I had problems with this with the gh1 cus the LCD seems lower quality/resolution so some shots came out unfortunately soft.
Click to expand...

The onboardd monitor is 480 px less effective pixels which is 1/4 to 2/3 or the resolution of the footage, it cant help you focus too well

The HDMI output is 480 too when rolling

focus without previwing, marking or mesuring or haveing a non image based system is basically an action left to chance

the reason my 7 is my A cam
 
Sorry but you won't be able to shoot video through the view finder. There are tools like lcdvf and z-finder which "convert" your lcd to a view finder. I find that I can get pretty accurate focus by using the lcd and focus assist (magnify glass on top right of camera). Note: to get out of the focus assist mode you have to keep pressing the + magnifying glass. (You can't go from x5 to 0 or x10 to x5 . You have to go x5 to x10 back to 0.)

I feel a shoulder mount is a million times better than handheld. The form factor is just really awkward when using as a video cam, and I feel that the shoulder mount makes a world of difference.

There's a 4GB approx 12min limit.
I suggest using the custom WB. Take a picutre of white and then choose that image as the "white" in custom mode.
 
Homunculus said:
thanks. I'm good with pulling focus though, I'm just wondering as long as I'm adept at it, is the canon 5dmkii LCD screen good enough to be able to see when it's in focus? I had problems with this with the gh1 cus the LCD seems lower quality/resolution so some shots came out unfortunately soft.
Click to expand...

Noel Evans is giving you excellent advice. As are others. I suggest you heed it. Block your scenes, and mark your focus disk.
 
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