SaintDemure
Member
x
Last edited:
Shooting a feature with the EOS 7D?
- Thread starter SaintDemure
- Start date
Jean Dantes
Well-known member
Since the producer is usually concerned mainly with money, the only reason I could see for choosing a 7D over a RED ONE (for shooting a independent feature film) is money, not image quality.
depends on the script and the director to me.
Maybe they don't have a lot of money and they think you can move faster with the 7d,
Maybe they're stealing a lot of locations t hat you couldn't steal with a red,
Maybe there are shots in the movie that they couldn't get with a red,
Maybe it really is a budget issue.
If you do shoot with a 7D just make sure they give you time to test out everything and screen it to make sure everyone is happy and you know how to light for it.
Maybe they don't have a lot of money and they think you can move faster with the 7d,
Maybe they're stealing a lot of locations t hat you couldn't steal with a red,
Maybe there are shots in the movie that they couldn't get with a red,
Maybe it really is a budget issue.
If you do shoot with a 7D just make sure they give you time to test out everything and screen it to make sure everyone is happy and you know how to light for it.
mastermind
Well-known member
I'm shooting my feature with the 7d coming january. the reason i chose to go 7d is not because i couldnt afford RED rentals rather because the majority of my film is exterior nights and theres no way i'm going to light the scenes "professionally" within my budget. so yes i can afford the red rental however i cant afford the support equipment to properly light my exterior night shots, especially considering that 70% of the movie takes place there. I've DPed about 20music videos to date on RED and people underestimate the amount of light to PROPERLY light an exterior night scene. Lighting the subject is not an issue, the problem lays in actually being able to get a workable exposure in the background.
So yeah, i say budget is definitely an issue IF shooting in the kind of scenario. If not, its not really a budget issue as it costs close to nothing nowadays to rent a red for a feature.
So yeah, i say budget is definitely an issue IF shooting in the kind of scenario. If not, its not really a budget issue as it costs close to nothing nowadays to rent a red for a feature.
Barry_Green
Moderator
I'm with you six thousand percent. An SLR can grab a few good shots, but when it comes to actually working with it, there's no question that a proper digital cinema camera is going to be easier and better to work with, and regardless of what your producer might think, the Red is capable of far superior imagery over a $1700 SLR.
William_Robinette
Shallow Member
I think you will find shooting hand held on the 7D less then pretty. Wide IS lenses seem ok but move into anything close to a medium and the little micro jitters get ridiculous.
I would rather throw a 40lb RED rig on my shoulder any day of the week. And twice on Sundays
.Barry_Green
Moderator
Well, yeah, if the budget prohibits using something like the Red, then you have no choice.
I just object to the producer's characterization that the 7D "looks better" than the Red, and that therefore it is a "better" choice. Simply put -- no way.
I just object to the producer's characterization that the 7D "looks better" than the Red, and that therefore it is a "better" choice. Simply put -- no way.
salils
Well-known member
Your producer might have seen raw red footage which is very flat vs 7D footage which is much more contrasty (without picture styles). If he/she had seen properly graded red footage they would not be saying this (unless it was in low light).
Thomas Lew
Well-known member
I feel like you can pull off an amazing 7d short film if done right.. but a feature seems a bit too challenging.
:bath:
:bath:
Barry_Green
Moderator
True, anthing can be done if you are willing to jump through the hoops that it takes to do it. There is no technical reason you couldn't shoot a feature-length production on an ipod nano's video camera. It's all about how much hassle you're willing to put up with.
NoahK
Hottie Mod
Like it or not there have been dozens if not hundreds of low-budget indies already shot on the 5D, Nikon D90 and 7D. Just check out any recent copy of IndieSlate or Filmmaker magazine and you'll see it's not a question of 'if' it's a question of 'do you want to do it that way'.
Here's a bit more info:
http://quezada-dardon.blogspot.com/2009/07/in-last-four-months-i-have-written.html
So yeah it may not be the ideal movie making tool (what is really?) but can you make a feature that looks good with a 7D or a 5D- absolutely.
Noah
Here's a bit more info:
http://quezada-dardon.blogspot.com/2009/07/in-last-four-months-i-have-written.html
So yeah it may not be the ideal movie making tool (what is really?) but can you make a feature that looks good with a 7D or a 5D- absolutely.
Noah
Peter J. DeCrescenzo
Veteran
Hi Noah: As long as the DP & producer, etc. are aware that DSLR "HD" video is not capable of resolution much better than pro SD or poor 720p HD. As long as that's acceptable/appropriate for their production and how they plan to distribute it.
I hope the DP and his producer understand what Barry describes comprehensively in his "Aliasing" must-read article:
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=187503
... and in his "executive summary" post here:
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showpost.php?p=1787293&postcount=23
As long as one goes into _any_ "HD" video project using a DSLR with one's eyes open, so to speak, it's all good. Kinda. Sorta. :smile:
Not bashing, just an FYI for the OP & others.
NoahK
Hottie Mod
I dunno- it's an FYI couched in some subjective observations. I've seen some incredibly sharp imagery from prime lenses on the 5D Mark II. Is it as sharp as an F950 or a RED, not really. Is it sharper looking than SD and many prosumer 720p shots I've seen- without question. And besides, if you're only going out to SD DVD or even to Blu-Ray you may never even note those differences as you might say burned out to a 35mm print on a 60 foot screen. We were talking about film prints off of DVX100s in 24p a few years ago with a straight face so why are we suddenly so critical of apparent sharpness. It's there more than enough for my eye.
When you throw in the dirt cheap costs of these cameras compared to... well pretty much anything that could shoot anything even close in terms of imagery I think you owe it to yourself to do a lot more than just take someone else's word for it. Even someone I respect as highly as Barry. Grab a camera and see for yourself. Heck you can even 'audition' one from Best Buy and Amazon risk free. There's no downside.
Noah
When you throw in the dirt cheap costs of these cameras compared to... well pretty much anything that could shoot anything even close in terms of imagery I think you owe it to yourself to do a lot more than just take someone else's word for it. Even someone I respect as highly as Barry. Grab a camera and see for yourself. Heck you can even 'audition' one from Best Buy and Amazon risk free. There's no downside.
Noah
slimjimmed
Well-known member
The right camera is the one that fits the project. What will elicit better subject material is 100 times more important than resolution, dynamic range, etc....Some of the best photographs I have ever seen have been taken on a consumer Polaroid or Holga.
If you asked somebody which was the better stills camera, a 5d or a Polaroid, most would undoubtably say 5D. But they get you different things because of their form factor. People respond much differently to Polaroids than they do a 5d(subject and operator).
People do not get more emotionally stirred in HD over SD, etc.
If you asked somebody which was the better stills camera, a 5d or a Polaroid, most would undoubtably say 5D. But they get you different things because of their form factor. People respond much differently to Polaroids than they do a 5d(subject and operator).
People do not get more emotionally stirred in HD over SD, etc.
Zak Forsman
Major Contributor
Things change. When Robert interviewed me for this I was ready to go with the D90. I knew it intimately and the story had been crafted to make great use of available resources. This project has been pushed however. If I shoot early next year, it will be on a 7D. If an S35 Scarlet happens to be available, I will shoot with that.
I know most video shooter hate the DSLR form factor. As a writer/director who likes to operate, I love it!
I know most video shooter hate the DSLR form factor. As a writer/director who likes to operate, I love it!