General Think I made the wrong camera choice...

Status
Not open for further replies.
John, yup I got reeled in. Boy, did I get suckered in. Guess what? I sold my Zacuto equipment and purchased cheaper alternatives. Guess what else? the bargain-bin equipment I found gives me exactly the same results lol

(some zealous Zacuto nerd will lynch me for saying that)

It doesn't matter bro because we're not professionals, we're artists so we can do whatever we like. We have the freedom to experiment and make tracking systems out of drawers and trolleys. We dont have to worry about being judged by the suits or a church full of wedding goers who want their "day" to look "cinematic"

To hell with 'em all bro, just express yourself. It's good for ya


I use a powerful laptop as an external monitor, the image quality is sharp and excellent. No SD issues AT ALL. It's a ***** to carry around but so what, I focus on the gain rather than the pain.

Whatever problems I find (and there's many) I develop embarrassing solutions for (trenchcoat over my head to cover both me and the laptop screen outside lol). Who cares, at the end of the day I get amazing footage and I'm happy. I'm living my dream.

Buy your T2i from ebay, you'll find an amazing bundle package deal. There's bundle deals on there where the camera will come with up to seven lenses in addition to a tripod and a few filters too.

For $2000 you could get everything you need to make video with this thing. Dont bother with brand name video tripods for now, buy a sturdy but cheap video tripod with a fluid head instead.

You can manually focus with the lenses BUT I wouldn't recommend it. I tried doing that, I tried everything to save money. A follow focus system is awesome, yeah it's basically a wheel you turn which adjusts the focus on the lens for you.

However, you can mark it. Like, you can write "number 1" on one focus point and "number 2" on another then do focus pulls and stuff like that without even looking at the camera. It just gives you more freedom to be creative.

I use lenses from the 80's and so on. If it's a bargain, I'll get it. You'll be told that you need a million prime lenses which cost an arm and a leg, that's hogwash too. Just plan your shots carefully and learn how to light things or shoot in light.

That way you can use slow lenses. I use slow lenses outside alot. It doesn't matter bro because we're not taking photo's, we're making films for the internet. With primes I have to use my Fader ND and that thing can be annoying to set up.
 
You'll get your DSLR and choose 24p shooting immediately lol everyone does that, you'll be told that you have to shoot at 1/50 shutter speed for 24p too. This makes the image darker, I like breaking the rules so sometimes I'll film at 1/30 shutter speed but only if I have to.

It doesn't matter because the video quality wont look amazing online anyway. The video will lag or jitter or do a bunch of other unwanted things because it's compressed. It'll have artifacts and digital noise.

You'll probably be filming with highlight tone priority on and using a "superflat" image setting. When you use highlight tone priority it steals ISO 100 from your camera. So you have to film at ISO 200 and upwards. This is okay if you use a Fader ND.

The superflat image setting looks boring and crap. It doesn't look cool until you color grade it later. So dont be disappointed when you film in superflat at first, plan your color grade BEFORE you film and everything will be okay.

Dude for $2000 you could get everything you need and more. Just think economically, think about your creative dream. Worry about the expensive equipment later, who know's, maybe you'll be the guy who makes a breakthrough movie with his DSLR. It'll be one of us who takes these things to the next level, the pro's are too snobby and set in their ways.
 
I keep using the word "cheap" alot, the equipment I'm buying is cheap but ONLY because it's cheaper next to the widely promoted brand-name equipment out there.


Here's the bottom line, I have spent thousands and suffered a great deal of frustration to make a DSLR camera suitable for video recording.

In the scheme of things, this makes me and everyone else a complete sucker for doing so.

They'll be a guy out there with a professional video camera laughing at us right now. He'll be uploading video footage to the internet and no one will care about it's quality.

But hey, like I said I'm an over-imaginative dreamer with an "artistic vision", it's in my nature to be a cheesebag.
 
The camera is only half the battle. Once you've won that one you have to get lights, that is currently where my money is unfortunately going.
 
TraumaBunny said:
You'll also need a Fader ND and a bunch of other gear too. Lot's of people online are making it seem like you just buy a DSLR and wham, you're now Stanley Kubrick. Without the additional equipment, flash cards, filters, lenses, editing/color grading software's and so on, forget it! lol just stick with a video camcorder.
Click to expand...


it aint the camera that made stanley great.
 
boulder said:
The camera is only half the battle. Once you've won that one you have to get lights, that is currently where my money is unfortunately going.
Click to expand...

One thing to note, don't go overboard. These cameras are so sensitive, I am using less powerful lights and glad I didn't splurge on more power than I needed!
 
TraumaBunny said:
John, it's cool bro. I hope I didn't appear patronizing! Like you and everyone else here I've been sucked into the DSLR filmmaking revolution too.

The pro's make it look easy because they're in a financial position to make it look easy. If I plugged a 50 dollar guitar with no name pickups into my $2000 guitar-rig it'd sound incredible and everyone would be like, "oh he's so talented..."

It's just trickery. The whole "it's not the equipment, it's the person behind the camera..." theory is hogwash when it comes to DSLR filmmaking. It's 100% hogwash because these things aren't video cameras.

Everyone is "talented" when they have a fancy rig of equipment behind them. Those idiots on Vimeo spending $$$'s on tracking systems and cranes just to film things in their garden are morons. In the long run, where are they going? What will they achieve? Nothing. They're just indulging an expensive hobby and being praised for it in the process by other hobbyists.

So ignore the videos on youtube and Vimeo. Dont listen to the professionals either, they're elitists and gear snobs. You know the T2i can produce amazing video just be aware that you've gotta climb a small mountain to get there first.
Click to expand...

This analogy does not work in both directions. let me clarify. If you took a talented hardworking professional musician and handed him the 50$ guitar he will make it sound good. If you gave him a 5,000$ top notch guitar, it will sound amazing. You take an beginner, and give him a 50$ guitar and it will sound pretty awful. You give that amateur a 5,000$ guitar, and it will sound pretty awful. The reason the Professional has the "financial position" to use the better equipment and "make it look" easy is that they worked really really hard towards creating the best quality prouct they can. So take it from a "talented" "elitist gear snob" and pay your dues, get on sets, PA, learn, and learn some more. That is how you will find sucess.
 
TimurCivan said:
This analogy does not work in both directions. let me clarify. If you took a talented hardworking professional musician and handed him the 50$ guitar he will make it sound good. If you gave him a 5,000$ top notch guitar, it will sound amazing. You take an beginner, and give him a 50$ guitar and it will sound pretty awful. You give that amateur a 5,000$ guitar, and it will sound pretty awful. The reason the Professional has the "financial position" to use the better equipment and "make it look" easy is that they worked really really hard towards creating the best quality prouct they can. So take it from a "talented" "elitist gear snob" and pay your dues, get on sets, PA, learn, and learn some more. That is how you will find sucess.
Click to expand...

It goes even further than that as well.

Give a guy a $50 guitar that won't stay in tune, the neck is warped, and the action is too high including buzzing frets as well, and that person will loose interest because they don't understand why NOTHING they play sounds good. They don't have the experience to know better.

Give a guy a $250 guitar and at least he won't be fighting the equipment.

Give a guy a $2500 guitar and it isn't going to make him better than the $250.

What I am saying here is that you can cut corners, as quality in equipment is not linear. But trying to use say your iPhone for making a movie isn't going to look appealing. Part of being a beginner is doing enough research to know where you can draw that line where you have just enough to start learning without adding the headache of equipment that makes you waste a lot of time doing tasks that are not beneficial to the end product or your education.
 
^ I can't get behind all these music analogies, but I am loving these TruamaBunny posts.

More!

BTW, what amp costs 10 dollars????????
 
JohnFB said:
Dude, Trauma, I swear you're spot on with everything.
Click to expand...

oh dear.


John, please use DVXuser. This place is a resource. There are many different opinions, Traumabunny's included. Read on. Get in to the 7D/5D threads. Do your research, and learn everything you can. Understand why some equipment is more expensive, than other "similar" pieces of kit. Sometimes the differences are significant. The most valuable thing you will find on DVXuser, is the community. Take part in the DVXfests, team up with other film makers. This is the fastest and most effective way to learn the techniques, and theories behind filmmaking. Even if you only want to be a hobbyist, there is no reason to not learn as much as you can, and produce beautiful things.

All my best.
 
TraumaBunny said:
It's just trickery. The whole "it's not the equipment, it's the person behind the camera..." theory is hogwash when it comes to DSLR filmmaking. It's 100% hogwash because these things aren't video cameras.
Click to expand...

I'm confused - you said the above, but then you also go on to say (in numerous posts) that you choose to buy less expensive gear. Personally I fully believe the "it's not the equipment, it's the person behind the camera" theory. And honestly, from most of your posts it sounds as if that's kind of what you're saying - you repeatedly talk about how you don't need the expensive gear, you got rid of your zacuto stuff for less expensive options, etc etc.

You also pointed out that 'Planet Terror' looked "low quality" and "cheap" but no one cared and people loved the movie anyway... (I'm not sure I agree with either part of that statement, but that was your assertion). Point is, that would also lend itself to support the "it's not the equipment, it's the person behind the camera" theory.

Of course then you also went off on your Steve Vai analogy...which seemed to be arguing the opposite side, saying that the equipment makes all the difference.
Point is, in the end - though you've written a lot, I'm still not certain I have any idea what you're actually debating.

So ignore the videos on youtube and Vimeo. Dont listen to the professionals either, they're elitists and gear snobs.
Click to expand...

So who should we be listening to?
 
Why does someone being a professional, make them an "elitist" or "gear snob"? Do you seriously think those belong together?
 
Kholi said:
Since the "Revolution" began, you'd certainly begin to believe that they go hand-in-hand.
Click to expand...

Which revolution?
The revolution that happened when 16mm became available and got filmmaking out of the hands of the pros and into the independents?
Or the video revolution that made it more accessible?
Or the DV revolution?
Or the affordable HD revolution we saw when HDV came on the scene?
Or the revolution that 35mm DOF adapters kicked off?
Or just the latest DSLR one?

My point is - this is nothing new. Things have always changed... tools have always become more accessible, and the professionals of the time are always seen as the elitists of their day, even though they are probably using the tools that kicked off some revolution in the not too distant past.


(and let's not forget the affordable 4K revolution that RED spearheaded... of course I also skipped over Super8, Pixelvision, and any other number of 'revolutions')
 
Yeah, it'll be kind of funny when someone using a 5D is considered an "elitist gear snob" by someone who's trying to shoot on a T2i, which of course will be followed by the T2i shooter being considered an "elitist gear snob" by someone who's trying to shoot on a Nokia N8...
 
Luis Caffesse said:
Which revolution?
The revolution that happened when 16mm became available and got filmmaking out of the hands of the pros and into the independents?
Or the video revolution that made it more accessible?
Or the DV revolution?
Or the affordable HD revolution we saw when HDV came on the scene?
Or the revolution that 35mm DOF adapters kicked off?
Or just the latest DSLR one?

My point is - this is nothing new. Things have always changed... tools have always become more accessible, and the professionals of the time are always seen as the elitists of their day, even though they are probably using the tools that kicked off some revolution in the not too distant past.


(and let's not forget the affordable 4K revolution that RED spearheaded?)
Click to expand...

So true. The problem is people like to generalize so much, it really makes for an incomplete picture.

One thing that has always bothered me is the 'elitist skill' mentality. For instance, in the DJ world, when CDs came around, those that spun vinyl (records) would dismiss CD DJs as not being 'authentic' or 'professional'. Same thing happened with digital media. Technology makes things easier and those who spent all that time learning the hard way because they had to tend to get elitist in their attitudes. This is not a pro versus amateur thing, but more a technology based effort argument.

I see this in the video world, I see it in the audio world, like you said, this is nothing knew.

That said, the problem is, many people on these boards are NOT in the same league of skill. For me to buy a $4k follow focus would be silly. That said, if I were a professional, and making enough to afford such a thing, I would TOTALLY be on top of that, because my $200 D-focus just don't perform as well. It causes extra work, and has some play in the knob.

It's called the theory of diminishing returns. At some point, equipment cost sky rockets for little gain. Where that point happens is SO different in different technologies.

Like the example of the tripod. Am I an elistist because I use a $250 sticks and head? and not a $50? No. I'd be on top of a $2500 set in a second if it would pay for itself because my aluminum tripod is really heavy to carry around for 12 hours shooting.

Like I tell everyone, the internet is your friend. The local camera store is your friend. ALL the reading in the world here is not going to replace you getting out their and starting to try to use some equipment and find out what works for you. EVERYONE has different work methods.

Also, having friends that are already established will be a HUGE help in getting you started. Where I live, I am CONSTANTLY helping others get started with their DSLR. I don't tell them to buy ANYTHING else as I know they need to get their eyes on the results and start from there to see what they need.
 
Barry_Green said:
Yeah, it'll be kind of funny when someone using a 5D is considered an "elitist gear snob" by someone who's trying to shoot on a T2i, which of course will be followed by the T2i shooter being considered an "elitist gear snob" by someone who's trying to shoot on a Nokia N8...
Click to expand...

And you'll be a "elitist gear snob" when I'm shooting on a Fischer Price PXL-2000

:P
 
Luis Caffesse said:
Which revolution?
The revolution that happened when 16mm became available and got filmmaking out of the hands of the pros and into the independents?
Or the video revolution that made it more accessible?
Or the DV revolution?
Or the affordable HD revolution we saw when HDV came on the scene?
Or the revolution that 35mm DOF adapters kicked off?
Or just the latest DSLR one?

My point is - this is nothing new. Things have always changed... tools have always become more accessible, and the professionals of the time are always seen as the elitists of their day, even though they are probably using the tools that kicked off some revolution in the not too distant past.


(and let's not forget the affordable 4K revolution that RED spearheaded... of course I also skipped over Super8, Pixelvision, and any other number of 'revolutions')
Click to expand...

Couldn't agree more. Elitist and Snob... seriously. Some people should go over and check out Cinematography.net. Even better, try to post there and see what happens...
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top