well with canon showing all its glory... i give up lol. red on the way.

i give up too.. and my scarlet will on the way.. sorry 7D. but i still love my 5D.

Only thing...the 7D is here, or will be in only a few weeks, and Scarlet is yet to be seen. And, if rumor is correct, the base Scarlet will have a 2/3" chip, much smaller than the APS-C size chip of the 7D. I too would prefer the 5DMKII, but I don't do enough still photography any more to justify the cost. I shoot some stills for publication and web but they really don't need that level of quality...although they do need to be higher resolution than my old camera is giving me. So I can justify a new still camera, and if it also shoots 24p video, then it would make a nice backup or second camera for my XH A1. If I shot 30fps instead of 24 on everything, I probably could talk myself into spending the money for the 5D MKII.

Yes, Craig. I realize there's a whole different software level between the PowerShot cameras and the 5D pro cameras. My point was simply that if they can do the adjustable frame rates with a simple camera like that, surely to goodness, something can be done for the video capture of the Canon 5D Mk II ?????????????

Yes, Craig. I realize there's a whole different software level between the PowerShot cameras and the 5D pro cameras. My point was simply that if they can do the adjustable frame rates with a simple camera like that, surely to goodness, something can be done for the video capture of the Canon 5D Mk II ?????????????

I'm sure if they'd set out to do that from the start, then sure, they could have. However, it's entirely possible that their design goals simply didn't involve variable frame rates, and that the hardware used as a result doesn't allow for such a thing even if there was a firmware update.

Of course it might be possible, but there's not much use in getting yourself worked up about the possibility that it can be done, and Canon are just holding out for whatever reason. If the 5D doesn't meet your needs in its current state, buy something else that does. It seems a bit disingenious to fork out cash on expensive equipment in the hope that it might eventually be upgraded do what you want it to.

I realize there's a whole different software level between the PowerShot cameras and the 5D pro cameras. My point was simply that if they can do the adjustable frame rates with a simple camera like that, surely to goodness, something can be done for the video capture of the Canon 5D Mk II ?????????????

The PowerShot SD 750 shoots at 640 x 480 so I don't see the relevance compared to the 5D.

I really think Christopher is on to something. Given that they already released a software update for the 5D for manual controls (which shows they are willing to update the camera), I think that if it was easy to do lower frame rates on the 5D they would have shipped that before (or at the same time as) the 7D. If nothing else, why push people in Europe to buy the 7D instead of the 5D, just because the 5D doesn't support the "right" frame rates? It's difficult to fathom why they'd do that, unless your conspiracy theory is that they want people in Europe to buy the 7D first, and then in two months, buy a 5D when the frame rate patch ships.

Of course it might be possible, but there's not much use in getting yourself worked up about the possibility that it can be done, and Canon are just holding out for whatever reason. If the 5D doesn't meet your needs in its current state, buy something else that does. It seems a bit disingenious to fork out cash on expensive equipment in the hope that it might eventually be upgraded do what you want it to.

I whole heartedly agree with Craig.

This arugment for an upgrade of the 5dMkII is like saying "I purchased a a 2 seater BWM, but now I'm upset because there is no where to put the baby seat." If the hardware wasn't designed to support it, then there won't be any upgrade. As consumers, we were never told that the camera would support additional functionality, therefore we should not be expecting it.

As consumers, we were never told that the camera would support additional functionality, therefore we should not be expecting it.
Beg to differ.
Perhaps Canon shouldn't have wet appetites with the allowance of the full manual controls firmware update. Now, with even louder demand on 24p, people are expecting Canon to submit again.
It's a reasonable expectation.

I bet if they do it, it'll be in the form of a new camera, not something you can download. This is a much smaller thing, but on the XH A1 it would have been nice to be able to use one of the custom buttons for turning on and off the OIS instead of having to go to the menu. Everybody thought that should be an easy thing to do with software. They did it, but on the XH A1s. No downloadable upgrade for the old camera.

If Canon upgrades the 5D2 in November, they will have a killer tandem for Xmas. Anybody wanting high (not perfect) quality shallow DOF video will be drawn to the 7D or 5D depending on their needs and budget.

Canon should strike while the iron is hot. By the time the 5D Mark III is available, Nikon and others will present more competition.

I believe that this will affect photographers as well. Often when I buy a product, I am tempted by features that I don't expect to use much, just in case. If I buy without the feature, I might have long-term regret. If I have to spend a bit more than I wanted to get the feature, the extra cash is soon forgotten. Photographers will want the cool video thing as an insurance policy. Video could become important to their business with a single client or assignment.

I'd lay odds on the chance they'd come out with a 2/3" chip XH A1 type camera before they redo the 5DMKII. If the Scarlet really does get built and on the market in the near future, it probably would be a major blow to the 1/3" chip pro cameras. The 5DMKII seems to be hitting its intended market right where it counts, and the 7D may do the same. The only real advantage( for video) I can see with the 5DMKII is that a wide angle lens is really a wide angle lens. An advantage for the 7D will be if cine lens adapters come out at a reasonable price. Maybe even a C-mount one so we could scrounge around and get old super fast C-mount lenses from old Bell & Howells off eBay....

There's an interview with Vincent LaForet in which he says, in his opinion, there's not going to be 24p on the 5DII any time soon.

I'm sure there's a variety of opinions within Canon about how this situation should be handled. But the people in Canon who make these decisions are pretty far removed from the western world. I wonder what's going on in the east with this product?

I would be shocked to see a 5DIII within a year. The next full frame camera is likely a 1 series at $7K.

The only reason we got manual control on the 5DII is that we were purchasing third party lenses for aperture control. By giving us 24p on the 5D they just decrease future camera sales. They have no reason to want to do that. I wouldn't do it if I were in charge.

I'd lay odds on the chance they'd come out with a 2/3" chip XH A1 type camera before they redo the 5DMKII. If the Scarlet really does get built and on the market in the near future, it probably would be a major blow to the 1/3" chip pro cameras. The 5DMKII seems to be hitting its intended market right where it counts, and the 7D may do the same. The only real advantage( for video) I can see with the 5DMKII is that a wide angle lens is really a wide angle lens. An advantage for the 7D will be if cine lens adapters come out at a reasonable price. Maybe even a C-mount one so we could scrounge around and get old super fast C-mount lenses from old Bell & Howells off eBay....

XH and photography are two different divisions. Since the 5DII video response caught Canon by surprise, I'm sure they're confused how this all fits together. Sony's single 2/3 chip camera is good but not great. So I think 2/3 may be too small at this point.

How this technology all fits together, and sony coming in as a third player, will be fascinating. I am confident that Canon can come up to RED quality in a year or two. As exciting as all this is, it aint RED yet.

Well, the APS-C size chip on the 7D is very close (about 2mm less) in size to the Red One's chip. But we're not going to get that quality in a sub-$2K piece of equipment and with H.264.

I think we're in a minority when it comes to wanting 24p. The 5DMKII is still one of the most desired cameras around. As long as that camera is selling all over the world, the bean counters at Canon are happy. In my case the 24p of the 7D is more desirable than the shallower depth of field of the 5DMKII. But others may prefer that. What's more desirable about the 5DMKII for me is that a 24mm lens is a 24mm lens. The 1.6 multiplier is slightly annoying but only in that I use wide angles more than long lenses, for most of the work I do. I'm not one who wants every shot to be a shallow depth of field; I consider it an effect and the 7D allows me to do it when I want. And for Steadicam work, a bit more depth of field helps with focus.

What would make my day with the 7D would be available cine lens adapters...and less expensive cine lenses (although the old C-mount lenses can still be found...people are using C-mount 16mm lenses on the Panasonic Lumix G1, whose sensor is about the right size for that).