Question regarding HDMI output for focusing
 

Hello all,

First of all, I'm very excited about the 7D announcement today as it looks to be a spectacular video camera with the addition of 24P, higher bit rate, and overcranking options in 720P.

The one thing I really disliked about the 5DII as a cinema camera was the 480P SD output when recording video. One of the most important upgrades, to me, would be if the 7D can offer HD output while recording video for critical focusing on an external monitor. I've scoured every press release and specs page and can't find what resolution the mini HDMI outputs when recording.

Can anyone post their findings? Thanks!

Looks good so far - Native 24p recording (no pulldown!). And Canon APS-C sized sensors at 22.3 x 14.9 mm is almost exactly the same size as 35mm movie film (which shoots at 22 by 16 mm if you have an optical sound track).

(By comparison, the 5Dm2 shoots full frame, like "Vistavision,")

I just bought a Rebel T1i, mostly because I needed something to shoot with -now- and I won't really need the super-high-end stuff until much later, but in a few months, this is an absolute no-brainer buy for me... IF these questions can be answered:

- Can you lock the sound gain, or manually adjust it?
- What is the bitrate on the AVCHD codec? Is it at least 17mbps?
- Can you monitor the sound with headphones?

and most importantly:

- Can you record for longer than 12 minutes? (I.e., will it start a new movie file after the 4gb limit is reached?)

Brian,

I think two of your questions have been answered. Tramm has a thread about the audio monitoring and looks like the 7D doesn't have a headphone jack. And its still 12min of HD recording. As for the AGC, looks like you may need a new version of ML to switch it off. That's if Tramm is going to write a new firmware for the 7D.

7D Bitrate
 

According to Dpreview its 5.5 MBps. Which equals appx. 44 mbps?

Looks like Canon has something more robust than 17mbps.


Brain Boyko asked:

- What is the bitrate on the AVCHD codec? Is it at least 17mbps?

James,

Which DP review did you find that spec on? I was unable to find it. Thanks!

But it does have an A/V jack: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/1297686-post2.html

The 7D bitrate is closer to 48 mbps. Higher than 5D's 41 mbps.

Hdmi
 

So, does anyone have an answer to the OP's question? Is the HDMI out on this thing hobbled like it is on the 5DMkII?

Hey Canon, I volunteer.... send me a preproduction, 7D so I can check this stuff out for us video users.

For some of the rock-n-roll events I've shot, I can see a few of the $100k box lensed cameras getting replaced with a 7D and some long glass along with an HDMI to HDSDI converter if the HDMI output is in fact free from any on-screen display.

Can someone please confirm if the HDMI is clean?

If there are strobe lights at the concerts, you don't want a camera with rolling shutter...

NIN: 1,000,000 Live from on stage, Sydney 2.22.09 [HD] on Vimeo

Unlikely
 

This is the answer I got after asking a videographer on Vimeo who has/had a sample pre-production unit.

''Hi Henry

To answer your questions:

I am at the VISA festival in Perpignan, France (where the 7D was launched) and I have a working relationship with Canon. This is where I have got hold of a pre-production unit.

There is no uncompressed HDMI signal out of the camera but there is a port allowing you to display the footage on a TV.''



I have asked for clarification as to whether his answer means that there isn't a live feed at all - which would not be likely (perhaps like the 5D's it is downsampled); but what he does seem to suggest is that it appears from his answer that it isn't uncompressed as we may have hoped.Don't take this as gospel just yet

Thanks Jon, I'd seen the NIN video when it was first posted. The Fujinon Digi 66 rents for about $1k/day. A lot of the gigs are 2-3 day spans. Just having the option of having a few more angles would be awesome- we could make the decision to cut to the CMOS cameras on the fly, if the rolling shutter is too intense on the preview monitor, we'll stay on the CCD based camera. I'm sure the big ole broadcast cameras won't be replaced right away as the CCU allows for total control of the camera....hmmm then again, I'm sure we're not far away from getting USB control....exciting times we're in. I'd love to say goodbye to 500' reels of triax.
And I bet if it would save thousands over the course of a tour, the LD could be told to ease up on the strobes.

Below is a shot of the big Fujinon Digi 66. Also the Grass Valley HDSDI based Indigo Mixer/Switcher along with a few CCU's.

Nice.

If Canon does not have this HDMI output then they are definately withholding for some reason either technical or product line related.

They would have to now by now that this feature is very important for the video-DSLRs to gain professional traction.

I am not going to try and focus thin DOF 1080p on a 3" still camera LCD!

I think the CMOS are here to stay, the problem with strobos are just seen by video people, the rest of the world doesn't care!

A real non compressed HDMI output would be the cherry on the cake!