As we wait for the 2011 version of the VG10

[Marcus Durham]

Originally Posted by Roger Keay

I am still hoping that one of the big companies will produce a video form factor camera with a large sensor and RAW file capability for stills. An electronic viewfinder is not as good as optical for stills but is a better compromise than the rear panel display. Sony is only a step away from a good solution - just put RAW files into the VG10.

Technically it can be done, but it depends how much the companies want it to happen. Features get left out for a reason.

As I've stated before, the VG10 does a job for me. I don't want some matchbox sized camera as the form factor isn't convenient. But the VG10 is far from perfect.

[Jonathan W. Hickman]

Roger, for me, the best way to get video and stills has always been two cameras. I've shot with the Canon DSLRs and for ENG work they are just not the way to go.

My wife shoots with our remaining Canon, but I went to the Nex-5 and the Sony 50U for my TV show. The result has been very positive although the learning curve has been tough--Steve's book helped me greatly.

The great thing about the Nex-5 is that I can put it in my bag with the 50U and a couple lenses and I'm all set for whatever I need to shoot.

For example, last night at a film festival in Atlanta, I had both cameras with me. I shoot spot interviews with the 50U and stills on the red carpet with the Nex-5.

The thing you need for doing quality work with these cameras is a good audio recorder and Plural Eyes. I sold my big Zoom and picked up two cheaper H1s. I just hand one of them to the subject and I'm off and running. With a little care in setting up, you can do great web journalism with this rig.

Below is a link to a crazy story that I shot for Paste Magazine. Note that the video appears on the bottom of the story, and I stupidly did not lock exposure on the 50U in that low light situation. Going forward, I've been using the spot metering/focus function that has performed well. Last night, I shot a follow-up with the filmmaker and the star and they explained more about that fight in the theater.

Fight Breaks Out at Atlanta Film Fest Screening :: Movies :: News :: Paste

[Roger Keay]

Marcus, I agree that a camera needs some size and weight to handle well. Palm cameras don't have enough mass and inertia to smooth out camera moves, in my opinion. I think that video is more difficult to frame and focus handheld than stills because a video shot usually last seconds or minutes. The video camera form factor is better suited to these longer shots than a DSLR shape. I don't see any particular disadvantages to the video camera design for shooting still images but there is a period of adaptation at the beginning.

The ergonomics of the DSLR body are awful for video. The user has to support the weight of the lens and still be able to zoom and focus. A good video camera usually puts the centre of gravity for the body and lens combination above the grip so the weight is carried by the right hand. The left hand is free for zoom, focus, aperture, ND filter and various switches on the camera body. The VG10 heads in the right direction but doesn't deal with the shift in CoG with different lenses. I don't know how this can be resolved without getting complicated. Perhaps the answer is a good E mount zoom lens balanced to the camera body with the zoom range and ergonomics based on traditional lenses for portable video cameras. Most of the time the user would select the standard video lens but the option would be available to substitute a DSLR lens for special purposes particularly when the camera could be placed on a tripod or other support.

With respect to leaving the RAW capability out of the camera, I think Sony suffered from a lack of imagination. Sony has put JPEG still capability in DV cameras for years, my 2002 camcorder had the feature, so I think they continued the pattern without giving enough thought to users who might want RAW. The NEX5 can do RAW so I don't see any technical reason to leave it off the VG10. Lots of DSLRS have RAW and video capability at lower price points than the VG10 so a marketing reason for deleting the function is hard to fathom.

If Sony doesn't move quickly developing the product, the Panasonic four thirds system will beat them out and E series will go the way of the MD audio disc.

[Steve Mullen]

"The ergonomics of the DSLR body are awful for video. The user has to support the weight of the lens and still be able to zoom and focus."

Simply not true. See the attached photo.

[Marcus Durham]

Originally Posted by Steve Mullen

"The ergonomics of the DSLR body are awful for video. The user has to support the weight of the lens and still be able to zoom and focus."

Simply not true. See the attached photo.

Really Steve? Seriously? The only way I can see that setup being useful is in a Fig Rig.

I was hanging over the side of boat with the VG10 last week. I dread to think what would have happened if I was supporting one of your matchbox cameras like that. I suspect it would have ended up on the river bed!