I'm a bit of a forum junkie so I've posted this elsewhere on the interwebs, but for the benifit of DVinfo people who don't get around as much as I do I thought I'd post here too.

It's another example of DSLRs being used in a TV broadcast situation.

Jamie's 30-Minute Meals (http://www.jamieoliver.com/jamies-30-minutes-meals/)

While not quite as exciting as the "House MD" stuff I think this is an example of a shooting to the strengths of the DSLR by using it for C cam beauty shots of food, (ok that part is just a guess, but that's how it looks in the setup you see in the video on that link). They seem to have 2 Reds as their main cams.

Thats pretty awesome! DSLRs are really making their way into real world shooting!

I recently saw an American cooking show that was obviously shot with DSLRs. Everything was shot very shallow DOF, and handheld. It was very annoying to watch because when sugar was being poured into a measuring cup, the cup should have been in focus, not just a hand! Too shallow DOF shots topped with shaky camera work, and ill framed compositions throughout the entire show created a very negative experience. Too bad because the chef was good, the food looked good, lighting was ok, the sound was good, but the camera work stood out as being annoyingly distracting. The show probably never made it because I haven't seen it since that one episode.

People, please stop overusing shallow DOF and rack focus! It's getting old really fast.

I've only seen one episode of this series so far and I didn't pick up on the fact that they were using DSLRs until I went to the website to try to find a recipe. I think they've done a good job of integrating the DSLRs with the RED stuff and they haven't overdone the shallow DOF from what I've seen so far.

It may well be that they are using DSLRs as they are compact & allow them more camera angles from multiple cameras in the cramped confines of a kitchen.

People, please stop overusing shallow DOF and rack focus! It's getting old really fast.

I agree, if motivated it's great, but forced, it's pretentious and looks gimmicky

I'm a bit of a forum junkie so I've posted this elsewhere on the interwebs, but for the benifit of DVinfo people who don't get around as much as I do I thought I'd post here too.

It's another example of DSLRs being used in a TV broadcast situation.

Jamie's 30-Minute Meals (http://www.jamieoliver.com/jamies-30-minutes-meals/)

While not quite as exciting as the "House MD" stuff I think this is an example of a shooting to the strengths of the DSLR by using it for C cam beauty shots of food, (ok that part is just a guess, but that's how it looks in the setup you see in the video on that link). They seem to have 2 Reds as their main cams.

No Reservations on The Travel Channel has been using 7D's this season along with their normal EX1's.

No Reservations is a romp. Recently, they showed an accelerating train stream by, using rolling shutter as a creative effect.

Hey, why not? :)

People, please stop overusing shallow DOF and rack focus! It's getting old really fast.

I agree totally. I'm especially getting fed up with this into/out of focus thing that I see a lot. People walking into focus points and then out again is another.

we should be beyond this by now.

No Reservations is a romp. Recently, they showed an accelerating train stream by, using rolling shutter as a creative effect.

Hey, why not? :)

If you have Netflix you can watch the previous seasons as well as the current one. This season they had a show which was a behind the scenes of a shoot in India. Pretty interesting....

High definition mag ran an article on how it was shot in issue 7- you can view it online, it's well worth a read:

Issue - 7 - Powered by Pressmart (http://emag2a.pressmart.com/Julian-Mitchell/emag/index.aspx?issue=1368)


I thought it was a very well shot series, and the canon footage cut very well with the Red- i wonder how much grading was done?

Still, it was a good example of using the right tool for the job- like using a canon as an 'oven cam' or getting an ariel shot over the table by using 1 op up a ladder- it would have taken a lot longer and a lot of rigging to get the same shot on the Red.

I agree totally. I'm especially getting fed up with this into/out of focus thing that I see a lot. People walking into focus points and then out again is another.

we should be beyond this by now.

'hangs head in shame' - But thats one of my 'go-to' shot when i'm shooting news on a 450, and i'm asked to get some general filler!

I agree though, too many people have gone 'ohhh, shallow depth of field, havent had that easily before' and they go nuts with it. Its just a tool, and needs to be used with reason. Its great when it follows the narrative. Its distracting when everthings shallow and i find myself trying to look at whats out of focus.

I'm a fan of old westerns, where dof is often incredibly deep and everthing is in focus, all the way to the dusty horizon. Buts its all beautifully framed and staged, and shot at just the right time of day.

I just started watching 'River Monsters' on NetFlix and wonder if they are using HDSLR for b-roll. I tried googling it to find out but couldn't get clarification. They are certainly shooting some shallow dof stuff in the b-camera.

Does anybody know what they're using?

I think Man vs Food might use them also, or it looks like they do

High definition mag ran an article on how it was shot in issue 7- you can view it online, it's well worth a read:

Issue - 7 - Powered by Pressmart (http://emag2a.pressmart.com/Julian-Mitchell/emag/index.aspx?issue=1368)


Thanks for posting this, it was a good read and especially useful if your thinking about how DSLRs can work in multicam setups with other formats.

Can someone point me in the right direction where I can find the episode of House that was shot with the 5D?.....I can't find it or the name to look it up......

Thanks, Reggie

I just started watching 'River Monsters' on NetFlix and wonder if they are using HDSLR for b-roll. I tried googling it to find out but couldn't get clarification. They are certainly shooting some shallow dof stuff in the b-camera.

Does anybody know what they're using?

I'll ask Jeremy Wade when I next see him. We might be going on an expedition together in the future.

Which series have you been watching, Ken, the early or latest episodes?

Hey Tony,

I just got NetFlix and my 14-year old son is hooked on the show. They have seasons 1 and 2 of "River Monsters" on there. I've heard that it's Animal Planets most popular show. I was watching season 2 when I saw a lot of tight, shallow, b-roll shots. I think he watched both seasons within about 2 days and he was bugging me for more.

My son is an avid fisherman, and Jeremy has become a rock star in our household. I can't imagine some of the behind-the-scenes stuff. He really gets to some remote locations.

I checked your site, and that is some great carp footage. I had the good fortune recently to work on a project for the Department of Fisheries in Canada filming migrating salmon. I must say that if I could make a living doing only that, I certainly would.

Can someone point me in the right direction where I can find the episode of House that was shot with the 5D?.....I can't find it or the name to look it up......

Thanks, Reggie
It may have been taken down. I found it at the beginning of last week but could not find it again when I tried later in the week.

Having watched this (30 minute meals) a few times, I would have to say that some of the shots could use a rather greater depth of focus - a line of sausages where only part of one of them is in focus? Come on!

I haven't seen this show, but thought I'd add something. I was at work, and we had the NBA channel (directv in the US). Last night the LA Clippers were playing the Orlando Magic. I happen to notice they were using DSLR cameras mounted above and behind the backboards, of the baskets. Didnt get a great look at them, so couldnt figure out which camera model they were, but looked like one of the Canons, with a battery grip.


Just thought Id add this here, instead of starting a new thread.

Those cameras are shooting stills. Basketball still photogs have done that for years....

People, please stop overusing shallow DOF and rack focus! It's getting old really fast.
hear hear!
...has been annoying enough to date with still photographs of food...

We have been shooting a 1/2hr news magazine, FAULTLINES en Aljazeera English, end to end on the 5D since April 2010. Not always easy (Sony's F3 may bring some releif...) but the show looks great. See for yourself:

POLITICS OF DEATH ROW
YouTube - Fault Lines - Politics of death row (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvTpZiB1sfc)

THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY
YouTube - Fault Lines - The high and the mighty (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-QaypIrP1U)

DYING INSIDE: ELDERLY IN PRISON
YouTube - Fault Lines - Dying Inside: Elderly in prison (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xvqj8hgxRfg)

HAITI: SIX MONTHS ON
YouTube - Fault Lines - Haiti: Six months on (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rx2EQxZ7MXQ)

FAST FOODS, FAT PROFITS
YouTube - Fault Lines - Fast food, fat profits: Obesity in America (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slwgXXVXM3I)

Thierry

Thierry,

I watched the obesity episode. The show looks great. This is a very difficult format for the 5d as it relies so much on sync'd sound. I think I saw a zoom h4n on a podium. Not to mention some of the interviews are not done in a controlled environment so manually focusing and adjusting exposure are constant.

Very well done.

Thanks Ken. To give you a bit more background, we also work solo and are sometimes running two wirelesses... We only do sync sound on seatdown interviews and rely quite a bit on the external camera mic, a Sennheiser MKE-400 in my case. Good eye on the Zoom H4n, that is what I use indeed. I also have a Tascam DR-100 but prefer to use the Zoom instead. It is a much more robust unit and simpler to use. A recent firmware update brought the zoom independent level controls on each channel and that is a welcome addition. As for lenses, I am using Canon's EF L Series 16-35 F2.8 (favorite), 24-70 F2.8 and 70-200 F2.8 EIS w/ 2X. The other DP on the show also like to use Zeiss primes.

Thierry

Good eye on the Zoom H4n, that is what I use indeed. I also have a Tascam DR-100 but prefer to use the Zoom instead. It is a much more robust unit and simpler to use.

Thierry

I have been using the Zoom with a Canon 7D for the past 16 months. I bought the Tascam for use with my personal camera, a 5D MII.

I like the Tascam better than the Zoom. The physical switches are much easier to use than the Zoom. The Zoom does come with a nice case though. I really have a problem with the Zoom when I use wired lav mics and need to use +48V power from the Zoom. I find that the unit can only run for about 30-45 minutes before I need to change batteries. The Tascam last much longer.

To each his own.

Thierry, I am in Asia on a shoot now, but when I am back in town I may ring you up and see what your 5D setup is like if you don't mind.

Daniel Weber

Hey Dan. Good hearing from you. I gave up powering mics from either units, the phantom circuit on those portable units is just too weak and as you mentioned, draws too much power. I prefer using the TRAMs lavs power modules, they deliver much more power to the mics and I don't have to run the digital recorder inputs level too high. I am eagerly the delivery of a Sony PMW-F3, I think it will address most of my 5D woes.

Take care,

Thierry

The cost of the F3 seems to high once you figure in the lenses. I think that the camera is $16K?

I have to say that the video that I have seen from it looks very nice!!

I am enjoying the form factor of shooting with HD-SLR's. I just left Myanmar and had no problem shooting there. If I had taken in a larger camera, even a Sony EX1 would have been a big problem.

I can live with the trade offs and the more intense shooting style for the great images that I am able to get.

I will try the power module on my Trams.

Daniel Weber