Camcorder equal to the 5D quality?

[Danny Winn]

Originally Posted by Alex DeJesus

Danny, I'm jumping in late in the conversation. Are you looking to replace the XHA1s or the 5D? I mean, which equipment do you plan to keep? If you sell the two XHA1s's and the 5D, you should be able to cover the Canon C100 with a bit more out of pocket. You already have glass for it (from your 5D). If I recall your original post, the only shortfall with your 5D is the audio?

I'm in the same boat with my two XHA1s! But I need to be able to do run-and-gun as well as cinematic work, and take pictures. C100 is a bit out of my budget because I have no glass whatsoever, so I'm looking hard at a 5D mk III and a C100 later when I hit the Megabucks.

Most of this thread is moot point though, this close to NAB. Expect some surprises - I would hold off a month

What I've read about the FS100 from Sony is that although it is a great picture, it's rather awkward and frustrating to use. If you decide on that, please report your findings

Hey Alex, I want to get rid of my XH A1s but keep my 5D. I love my 5D, but because it does not have live auto focus I can't use it to follow live action MMA training. I use a juiced link box for my audio into my 5D and it works great, but the Live focus is a must. The biggest problem with the A1s is the low light limitations preventing me from using fast shutters without adding grain.

Thanks

[James Manford]

Originally Posted by Danny Winn

Awesome! Thanks James.

James, do you happen to know if the EA50 would accept my Canon 24/70 lens? That's the lens I use on my 5D.

The fact you own Canon glass already is a big bonus.

You might want to invest in the Metabones adapter then. It will give you an additional F stop and more without loss in quality at all ...

Head over to the EA50 subforum if you want more information.

[Nigel Barker]

Originally Posted by Maurice Covington

Out of the box, the C100 will limit Danny's use as it only shoots at a frame rate of 24p. If my understanding is correct, Danny will pay additional money for the 60i, PF30, PF24, 24p, 50i, and 25p frame rates.

Not so. It was traditional for Canon camcorders to come in NTSC & PAL models with a $500 charge to upgrade the firmware to a world model. The Canon DSLRs have all frame rates as standard as do the C100 & C300 Canon U.S.A. : Professional Imaging Products : EOS C100

[Alex DeJesus]

I think Maurice meant to say 720p (instead of 24p). Forgive me if I'm wrong Maurice. I think the C100 records 60fps progressive at 1280x720 but not at 1920x1080, which is inexcusable for a $7,000 camera.

Canon XF300/305 camcorder does 60p at 1920x1080 http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/profes...01e02480041726

[Nigel Barker]

Originally Posted by Alex DeJesus

I think Maurice meant to say 720p (instead of 24p). Forgive me if I'm wrong Maurice. I think the C100 records 60fps progressive at 1280x720 but not at 1920x1080, which is inexcusable for a $7,000 camera.

Canon XF300/305 camcorder does 60p at 1920x1080 Canon U.S.A. : Professional Imaging Products : High Definition Camcorders

Having owned an XF305 I can assure you that it does not record at 50p/60p at 1920x1080 but only at 1280x720 just like the C100 & C300.

[Alex DeJesus]

You are absolutely right. My apologies. For some reason, I thought the 50 onboard Mps 4:2:2 was synonymous with 50/60p at 1080.

[Maurice Covington]

Originally Posted by Alex DeJesus

I think Maurice meant to say 720p (instead of 24p). Forgive me if I'm wrong Maurice. I think the C100 records 60fps progressive at 1280x720 but not at 1920x1080, which is inexcusable for a $7,000 camera.

Canon XF300/305 camcorder does 60p at 1920x1080 Canon U.S.A. : Professional Imaging Products : High Definition Camcorders

Alex,

You are correct.

[Mikko Topponen]

Originally Posted by Danny Winn

Sure Maurice, below is some footage of my friend UFC fighter Cub Swanson shot a few weeks ago. This footage is decent in the fact that I could easily color correct a lot of it's flaws, however if you tried to grab a still or go to slo-mo you would get tons of motion blur, just look at the thumbnail. This was shot at low gain (-3db) anything higher creates way too much grain and noise for broadcast TV. My goal would be to shoot at at least 1/100th SS, but theres no way I can do that with this cam with the available lighting. This shot also demonstrate why it is essential that I have Live Auto Focus;)

Ok, you don't need a vidcam. Just get the 5dmarkIII. A couple of things:

1. Learn to focus manually. Get used to it. Way better results. You can drop down the aperture to get a larger focus area. None of that footage shown couldn't have been manually focused.

2. Add a monitor. SmallHD. Anything that's good res. Well help you focus.

3. Take material that needs professional audio with your already existing XF100 (or was it XH A1?). Intercut with 5d.

4. Get a cheap mic on to the 5d (rode videomic/stereomic pro where you can adjust the signal) and learn to use the audio levels on the 5d. This way you can use those mitt sounds and training sounds. Then you would only need the XF100 for interviews.

None the suggestions now given would help you. Would still have bad lowlight with the EX1/XF300. VG20 would be worse than the 5dmarkIII, same with the VG900. Worse. C100 would be good but at six grand... Just learn to use the equipment you already have. Get some cool lenses. Shoot.

Everything else depends on where that material is going.

[Chris Quevedo]

Originally Posted by Ruben Kremer

The closest I can come up with is the Sony NEX-VG900 at close to $3,200. Next in line I'd name the Canon C100, but that sells for a bit more, around $6,500

Both should have great low-light performance, with the VG900 having a fullframe sensor like the 5D, and the C100 a close to APS-C sensorsize like the 7D (but with fysically bigger pixels, ergo more light-sensitive) ... but the live auto focus might be a bit tricky here, sorry.

While agree with you on the vg900, I'd go for the fs100 before I went with the canon c100. Just saying

[Al Yeung]

Originally Posted by Chris Quevedo

While agree with you on the vg900, I'd go for the fs100 before I went with the canon c100. Just saying

Second vote for a used FS100. Half the price of the C100, and can do 60p and live autofocus. (If none of these three matter, then C100. But either is better than the VG900.)

[Tony Davies-Patrick]

Danny, I think the XL-H1 is a wonderful camcorder with huge added benefits of being able to use different lenses... but in many ways it will not match your 5D, and is also difficult to buy new due to it being discontinued.
It would be so nice to have a 5D body that has fast AF in video mode (without needing to use ultra-slow focus via AF-ON button), but I guess we are all stuck with MF in video mode. Manual focus is not a problem for me in most situations, but for some run-n-gun filming I'd like to have the option of quick AF.

Have you thought about looking at the latest Panasonic GH3? This does offer AF during video (with MF options as well) and fits a wide selection of high quality lenses from Panasonic offering AF and IS in video mode (plus all the 4/3 Olympus lenses). Your Canon L lenses (with a cheap adapter) can even be used on the GH3 too, although AF is lost.