DSLR Video Shooters

BlastedGlute

So how many are putting their DSLR video mode to good use?

Have anything you'd like to share, I'd love to see what this community is up to, if anything at all!

jpb1974

I have my 5D Mark II about 19 months now and I've never used it for video.

I like photographs and don't really get the crossover into video... two very different things in my opinion.

Sorry...

BlastedGlute

Pity that, the 5DMK2 is extremely powerful for video.

The season finale of House was shot entirely on the 5dmk2, as were certain scenes from Iron Man 2!

And yea I agree they are very different things but I only want to know about DSLR shooters so thats why im posting here and not in the video forums!

dirtyghettokid

i made a pretty crappy video of a honda meet i went to a while back on my 5d2

edited with imovie on my mac.. there's a few wobbly bits because of "stabilisation" function on some of the jittery bits. it's very amateurish, but a bit of craic all the same.

http://youtu.be/t4z6fxJuBSo

Borderfox

I worked with Gavin on a wedding and he mostly worked hand held for the first part of the day then used a Zacuto rig for the evening stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3PtpmyQM1o&feature=player_embedded#!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PtpmyQM1o

af_thefragile

^Not into the whole wedding thing but that's some really good filming!

I've just got my 600D today and very soon I'll be making good use of it shooting videos.
Its the prime reason I sold my 1000D (which I was fairly happy with) and upgraded to the 600D...

I've only just got the f1.8 nifty fifty right now but I'ld be planning to buy a 30mm prime in the future.
Though I've also got to buy Adobe Production Suite so its about managing money here...

Its amazing how over the past couple of years DSLRs have so amazingly shot up in the whole amateur/short film industry. They have pretty much changed the game by being cheaper than most HDV Camcorders and giving just as good if not better results. And you have the variety of using all the Canon lenses. I've seen some absolutely amazing films shot with the 5DmkII, 7D and even the 550D.

I'ld say we'll soon need a new sub-forum here for DSLR film makers!

kfish2oo2

I've used my 500D for filming a friends band - videos are up soon and I'll post them somewhere on the boards. The 500D only shoots full HD at 20fps which caused a few headaches in post production, but the video container that Canon uses is much more editing friendly than the Nikons (which were also being used on the shoot). In fact, my 500D produced better video than the Nikon 5100D despite the Nikon being the better all rounder. We used two 50mm f1.8 lenses and a 15mm fisheye (all primes) and the results are pretty good.

I can definitely see the need for higher end DSLRs for video use, especially after that shoot. Not being able to change the aperture or set white balance is really a big disadvantage.

BlastedGlute

Thats interesting, I wasnt aware that the 500D shot video, I thought it all began with the 550D but just shows how much I know!

I use a 60D, and from using a 7D and even the 5dmk2(only messing around with friends cameras mind) I cant see a difference myself?

Im stuck between getting another sigma 50mm 1.4(had one and sold it) or just saving up for the canon 1.2. Photos from the canon seem incredibly sharp even all the way open! Wonderful for videos to!

Any suggestions on stabilization gear? Anyone have home made stuff?

www.cheesycam.com is a killer blog for all things DIY. He also buys and tries the high end stuff so you have an idea of whats worth paying for and what can be bought cheaper or made at home!

af_thefragile

The stuff on cheesycam is brilliant. Also vimeo has a lot of diy tutorials to build sliders and dollys and stuff.

Recently came across this and I think its the best steadicam you can get for the money:
http://shooteditlearn.com/blog/2010/09/28/balancing-your-dslr-on-a-glidecam/

Also I heard the Canon 50mm f1.2 although an amazing lens isn't worth the money. The f1.4 L is much better lens to buy as f1.2 is pretty much unusable for any film work, the dof is wayyy too shallow.

Another thing Philip Bloom mentions a lot is buy this adapter:
http://www.fotodiox.com/product_info.php?products_id=30
and use old Nikon manual focus lenses on your Canon DSLR. They're much cheaper and have great picture quality. Also the Nikon lenses are very versatile and you can use them on many different cameras so they're good investment.

trooney

Am not a film-maker in anyway, but me and my bro shot this a few months back. Mainly on my 7d, with supplementary stuff on his compact vid cam -

http://vimeo.com/25216487

kfish2oo2

BlastedGlute wrote: »

Thats interesting, I wasnt aware that the 500D shot video, I thought it all began with the 550D but just shows how much I know!

I use a 60D, and from using a 7D and even the 5dmk2(only messing around with friends cameras mind) I cant see a difference myself?

The 60D falls into the higher end bracket in my mind :P Really, the 500D is by far the most handicapped in terms of video - even the 550D has a huge advantage features wise. The 500D was the first to have video, and so the video mode was clearly an experiment on Canons part.

BlastedGlute

Yeah I guess so, I wont be changing it anyway. I would team it up with a 5Dmk2, that way all my lenses would work differently on the two cameras. Two sensor bodies means every prime lens is actually 2 types of prime lens! Pretty cool! Can't wait to do a new video, made this intro last night/this morning. Gotta play with fonts and im making a 720p version tonight, this was lower res.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOE7_CT5Q-4

af_thefragile

I'ld like to get a few Zeiss Distagon lenses. They look really sharp and amazing build quality. They're relatively cheap too...

SAINTRON

Bought the 600D (RebelT3i) in the states recently with a view to using its video function. I have an 18-135IS at the moment, which is a bit on the bulky side for hand held video. Can anyone suggest a suitable prime in the 150 to 200 euro bracket? Also any tips on suitable filters would be appreciated.

af_thefragile

Get the Canon 50mm f1.8 (also called the nifty fifty). Its super cheap (should be under or around 100eur) and a brilliant lens. Even the pro's use it.

For video ND filters are absolutely necessary to get that wide aperture "film look" during daytime without overexposing everything. You could get a 2stop, 4stop and 6stop ND filter or just buy a Variable ND filter which is two polarised lenses and when you rotate them, they block the light from light to dark. They're like sunglasses for your lens. Good quality ones can be expensive. I have a L.C.W. Variable/Fader ND which I got from Conns cameras around 40eur.

Could also get a Polarising Filter which cuts out reflections off leaves, cars, water etc. and make the clouds pop out and in general makes everything look prettier! Its not something you can do in post production so its a good filter to have.

kfish2oo2

af_thefragile wrote: »

Could also get a Polarising Filter which cuts out reflections off leaves, cars, water etc. and make the clouds pop out and in general makes everything look prettier! Its not something you can do in post production so its a good filter to have.

This is very good advice. I got a circular polarizing filter with my nifty fifty and mostly I just left it off - my main use for that lens was low light photography anyway and the polarizer isn't any use in that situation. However, for outdoor use, a polarizer is absolutely essential for video. The difference is really really noticeable.

ditpaintball

I hope to get going with using the video function on the ID mkiv very soon, mostly for 90 show reels for models for their digital portfolios. Greg Williams stuff has been a great inspiration for it http://www.gregfoto.com/

blue5

I did this for my mate's band using a 550D, 24-105mm f 4l and edited with Adobe Premier Pro CS5.

http://vimeo.com/22242004