With the EX1, you have the option of external recorders to get get even better video quality. The SDI connection outputs 10bit 4:2:2. But then you have to deal with the additional cost too.
What can I gain from the 7d over my Letus
- Thread starter jrod81
- Start date
With the EX1, you have the option of external recorders to get get even better video quality. The SDI connection outputs 10bit 4:2:2. But then you have to deal with the additional cost too.
Your absolutely right, it is super bulky and heavy and ergonomically uncomfortable! In terms of setup time though, after doing a bunch of times, you can get it down to litearlly 1minute of setup/take down.
The time I will retire the EX1/letus, is the time when canon finally releases their next line of video cameras!
But until then I will work with this combo... love the 5D, I actually carry it literally everywhere I go, (i like taking stills too!), but picking up the 7D later today so we will see!
But anyways to conclude, this is what I think you should do:
- If you are shooting events that require long shoot times, good audio, stick with an actual video camera (xha1, ex1, whatever)
- If your doing things like shorts, commercials, music videos....well the best bang for the buck is defiinteily the 5D or 7D!
James Dierx
Active member
I have always been interested in a Letus adapter for my EX3 and was slowly saving up for one. When the 7d was announced I pre-ordered it because I will be traveling a lot in the future and needed something mobile for both stills and video. My question is, can you put a 50mm 1.2L and an 85mm 1.2L on a Letus Elite or Ultimate? I'd like to have one set of lenses for both if I do get the Elite or Ultimate. I hope I'm not hijacking a thread!
KeithAndrews.TV
Well-known member
See, I could care less about the look an adapter may, or may not add to my image as long as the image starts out nice and sharp. I can always add grain and soften the image in post. I tried out a slew of adapters, but wasn't happy with the quality of the images. Plus I don't like how the setup with these adapters isn't black and white. The fact that you have to judge how far to zoom into the ground glass, or when the focus is as sharp as it can get on the glass, just leaves too many places for something to go wrong, or slip and then your footage is ruined. Plus you can forget about trying to setup the adapter on different cameras in the field. It seems like every camera and every adapter requires a different shim, or screw that you have to adjust to align the adapter properly. I'd rather grab the 5D, or 7D in a nice small, tight package, and not have to worry about anything but the weather. Of course everything I just said only applies to achieving shallow DOF. Obviously the Sony EX1/EX3 is a way better "video" camera in a traditional sense than the 5D, or 7D could ever be.
PaPa
Major Contributor
as already stated, light loss is a big factor.
Nevermind the .5 stops light loss, don't forget about the zoom factor, where to zoom into academy frame loses another 1.5 stops of the camera. You're working with 2 stops of light loss in total even with the best adapters.
softness... Wtv, add a gausian blur in post. Better to start off with an image that has too much detail than too little.
Form factor is lighter, less things can go wrong on you while your on set, which in some ways can make or break your production.
Nevermind the .5 stops light loss, don't forget about the zoom factor, where to zoom into academy frame loses another 1.5 stops of the camera. You're working with 2 stops of light loss in total even with the best adapters.
softness... Wtv, add a gausian blur in post. Better to start off with an image that has too much detail than too little.
Form factor is lighter, less things can go wrong on you while your on set, which in some ways can make or break your production.
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My chiropractor prefers the 5D/7D over the adapters any day!
My biggest concern playing around with the 7D so far is, the highlights. They look so darn videoy. I wonder if Magic Bullet can take care of this, because I love what the letus does to highlights, nice filmic glow.
Anyone have a workaround solution to the DSLR highlight issue (if you are shooting docu/reality and don't have option to properly control the highlights)
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My chiropractor prefers the 5D/7D over the adapters any day!
My biggest concern playing around with the 7D so far is, the highlights. They look so darn videoy. I wonder if Magic Bullet can take care of this, because I love what the letus does to highlights, nice filmic glow.
Anyone have a workaround solution to the DSLR highlight issue (if you are shooting docu/reality and don't have option to properly control the highlights)
Perry Wilson
Well-known member
^ this is my reasoning I used to shoot REDROCK M2 what a beast^
KeithAndrews.TV
Well-known member
Well, you could use a polarizing filter to reduce the highlight areas, or a soft contrast filter which may give you the softened highlight look you are going for. I know Tiffen makes filters especially for digital applications and some are designed specifically for softening highlights. Expensive though, right around $300 plus per filter.
Two guesses spring to mind. Firstly using a picture profile or equivalent on the 7D to reduce the contrast, to make the image more flat, then amp it all in post. Secondly to use the Magic Bullet Lift/Gamma/Gain control to reign in any unwieldy highlights with your CC.
Justyn
Veteran
We do all have our opinions and to me on this.. I'd say I'm going for the 5D. I don't want film grain and I want something vibrant and saturated as I can dumm it down in post. I do like your comment about the glowing and blooming aspect of the adapters and I can totally see that in your footage... which BTW, is awesome.
I just can't get my head around the whole point of taking somethign simple like a video cam and then complicating it.. and adding expense that is several times more than just the camera itself. I also want to pick something up and run and go with it, without a lot of fiddling and set-up time. It's why I hated using a firestore when I had my HVX.. i loved the P2 and didn't want to lug a brick around with me....
In so many ways I think the adapter market is doomed to become a bit of a buggy whip manufacturer.. As the cost of these is just so darn much for what you get when something else is doing 90 percent of that work natively... I do think that the amount you can save allows for a purchase of a full shooting rig, audio recorder and some nice glass which has a good shelf life.
J.R. Hudson
Spirit Animal
I've come to the conclusion lately that one simply cannot go wrong with almost any choice (all things being equal).
The DLSR's do come across as videoy compared to what we've seen with the DVX, HVX and other cameras especially when using a 35mm adapter, but one could shoot almost anything with any camera these days.
Obviously, a period film or other piece of work that calls for a standard filmic look, and not watching, say, GLADIATOR filmed with a 5D (If you know what I mean), is one thing.
But take a 35mm and (insert your camera) or a 5D and shoot most any contemporary film and it's gonna work.
Killer Sound, Killer Actors are the cruciality with other elements being equal I think.
It's amazing how small the cameras have gotten so quick.
The DLSR's do come across as videoy compared to what we've seen with the DVX, HVX and other cameras especially when using a 35mm adapter, but one could shoot almost anything with any camera these days.
Obviously, a period film or other piece of work that calls for a standard filmic look, and not watching, say, GLADIATOR filmed with a 5D (If you know what I mean), is one thing.
But take a 35mm and (insert your camera) or a 5D and shoot most any contemporary film and it's gonna work.
Killer Sound, Killer Actors are the cruciality with other elements being equal I think.
It's amazing how small the cameras have gotten so quick.