can anyone tell me what the * icon on the lower right of the display is for? When I press it, it then shows up again down on the bottom left next to the shutter setting.

Alex

The * icon is really important for video: it is the equivalent of a focus/ae lock button. In settings, you determine what the * does: it can be both af and ae lock, or af lock only, or ae lock only. When you select the * icon, you stop the movie servo AF (if you set the * to be af lock). Press the * icon again to resume af or ae and af. When the * shows on the bottom, it means the lock is on.

This is a pro video feature, and quieter than a button!

You can also disable Servo AF by touching the Servo AF icon.

Mark,
Thank you. That really helped me. I was wondering about those function settings too.

On another note, I think I am sending the M back to MAazon. I have not been happy with the low noise video. I have tried everything and everytime I watch playback from my computer on a large screen TV, I always see digital noise on may areas. The flickering tiny dot noise all over the background walls. I have tried this even during daylight pouring into the room and I still see it.

I have a brand new lens adapter for EF and EFS lenses on the M that I now need to sell. I never used it. I would like $70 if you or anyone else on here is interested. Or, tell me the secret to not always getting digital noise in video with this camera. :-)

Alex

The EOS-M sensor and processor are *exactly* the same as Canon's APS-C DSLRs, so what are you comparing the EOS-M video to? It is just a small-body version, without mirror, of the Canon big cameras. It's video quality should be exactly the same. What camera does better in low-light in terms of digital noise? Why are you taking videos in dim light?

comparing it to over 35 years of high end production and post production experience. This is my first dslr camera (well, second. I had a T3i for one week) and I guess I am not used to the low light performance and the H.264 performance. I haven't had a camera for a while now and I thought I would dive in again.

I am taking videos in low light for doc purposes as I have mentioned in the forum a few times.I cvan't set up ;ights for quick interviews in restauatnts, hotels, bars or whatever. Maybe I should now bite the bullet for a 5dm3 and a 50mm f1.2, yeah? Or llok again at something with more dynamic range like BalckMagic. But this M will not work for me after trying everything for a week now with it. Maybe if it shot raw I could work more with it in low light. I think I don't like the low level bitrate for H.264. Maybe the Panasonic G2 with the hack since it gets over 100 in bitrate instead of 29. Not sure.]

Alex

The video bitrate is 45 Mbps (108030p and 108024p), higher than almost all camcorders. The bitrate is not the problem, and a higher bitrate will not help with low-light noise. The G2 has a significantly smaller sensor. Sensor size and aperture are key. So, maybe you do need full-frame?

What aperture, what shutter-speed and what ISO were you using? For 24p you could use 1/48th shutter, open the lens to f2. If you do that, what is the ISO?

I am asking these questions, as your statement about low-light performance is at odds with others, so it is important to understand what you are doing (and may help you do better).

Mark, I understand and I appreciate your help. I am using F2 most the time. I alsd tried upwards to 5.6. Shutter is usually 50 for 1080p24. I tried 720p and 11080p. Shutter is always 30, 50 or 60. Today I tried low iso 100, 200, 400, 800 with same noise/ flickering background results with a lot of sunlight filling the room. It's the flat walls, carpet, counter top, etc that has the sparkling all the time. Even with correct exposure and enough light. That is why I think it is the compression.

alex

Edit-I understand the Panny has a smaller sensor, but let's not forget that all these cameras only use a little over 2MB of pixels for video HD and Canon throws out a lot of that 18MB sensor.

Thanks, for the details. It is pixel size that matters, and the Panasonic packs more pixels in a smaller space so the pixels are smaller.

It is possible that the Panasonic GH2 may be better in low light because of better implementation of video, but I have never seen any convincing evidence that the higher bitrate helps noise or much anything else beyond 45 Mbps or even 28 Mbps using AVC or even ProRes.

I have the GH2 (and the GH3) and I have shot video using the Ninja 2 from camcorders using bitrates as high as 144 Mbps with absolutely no visible difference from AVCHD at 28 Mbps.

I do, however, think the GH3 and GH2 offer better video than any Canon DSLR even at standard bitrates. My interest in the EOS-M is to get big-sensor video in a little camera I could carry around. And I am happy with its video performance. The GH3 is way too big for most of the travel I do.

But if I were choosing set-up video, I would choose the Panasonic GH3 or GH2 over any Canon DSLR. The EOS-M is of interest because of its size and price.

Thanx Mark. Good to know and you have hands on with them all. I thought I read somewhere that just about all these cameras were 28 Mbps at the most and that broadcast TV only accepted footage that was 50 Mbps or higher. But, I respect your hands on knowledge.

I am also trying some other things, like Neat Video filter in PPro to see if it is worth using to clean up some of it. I am also going to try a Canon 35mm f1.4 and 50mm f1.2 in low light to see if I can get better low light performance on this M. I have a store right outside my apartment building that sells them.

Any suggestions from you or other people on here is very much appreciated.

alex