DSLR's for wedding video?

[Monday Isa]

Originally Posted by Travis Cossel

We transitioned from XHA1's to 7D's, and I guarantee you that the image you get from a 7D is better than the image you can get from an A1. The A1 is a great camera, no doubt. You can play with the settings and get a great looking image. But at the end of the day it just doesn't hold up to an image from the 7D. Anyone who thinks these cameras produce equal image quality needs an eye exam.

Travis it would help if you read my post a little better next time. You completely missed my point.

[Monday Isa]

Originally Posted by Michael Simons

I hear so many good things about the XHA1 but my image is lousy. I have 2 friends that have the XHA1 and their image is lousy also. My GL1 has a better image than the XHA1. What are you doing to make your XHA1 image so good?

Hey Michael,
It's not the first time I heard that statement but with the XL2 instead of the GL1. The XHA1 out of the box is not pleasing at all. In fact I would agree it could look pretty lousy. With a good custom preset and using manual settings the camera really shines. Contact me off the board if you need help with settings. I use one that is rich in color and not the ones that have been graciously shared on the forum. Take Care

[Blake Cavett]

After shooting a wedding a couple weeks ago with a friend's 7d, I was in love!

But not hooked.

It was a tad awkward shooting with it, but I got past it fairly quick. I did like, however, people seemed to treat you because they thought you were taking PICTURES and not video.

Interesting...

What holds me back:
1) 12 minute record time
2) No XLR inputs

That new camera in production from Sony has me chomping at the bit. Give it XLR inputs and a viewfinder that rivals the 7d (because the HMC-150 viewfinder makes me gag) and I'll be ready to put some money down!

[Ian VanCattenburch]

A good way around that is have a constant audio source. Mp3 recorders are a must when shooting with DSLR's.

[Travis Cossel]

Originally Posted by Monday Isa

Travis it would help if you read my post a little better next time. You completely missed my point.

I apologize, Monday. Could you help me understand? It appeared to me that you were saying the XHA1's image holds up to the 7D's image. This statement in particular:

The funny thing for me though is that my XHA1 footage looks just as good because of the color.

[Michael Simons]

Originally Posted by Jim Snow

Over the next year or so, we will be able to have our cake and eat it too. The new video cameras with large sensors and video-centric backs will start to become available.

Sony has an interesting concept with this camera slated for release later this year. Sneak Peek: New Sony Camcorder in Development SONY make.believe It shares the lens and mounting system with the NEX-5 and NEX-3 which are being released this month. The New Sony Ponies - Sony's NEX-3 & NEX-5 | Digital Photography insights

Both cameras use the Sony APS-C sensor which has a crop factor of 1.5. Sony's APS-C is slightly larger than Canon's with its 1.6 crop factor.

Don't like this approach? Stick around; the competition that is heating up between the camera makers will insure that a variety of choices will appear on the market.

When these large sensor video cameras are well represented in the market, DSLR cameras will largely revert to their intended purpose - taking photographs. Those who moved early and invested their heart, soul and hard work to become proficient with shooting video with a DSLR achieved some spectacular results. As a result they fell in love with their cameras and we know that love is blind. This love will only be displaced AFTER the new crop of large sensor video cameras are already on the market. Only then will it become clear that the clunky back on a DSLR camera is intended to serve photographers, not videographers. The video focused functionality and features of these large sensor video cameras will provide the tools that allow more shooting capability for video work.

If you have any friends that are using DSLR cameras now for video work, don't agitate them by mentioning this to them. It's too early for them to realize the benefits of the coming large sensor video cameras. They will only get defensive or even angry. Cut them some slack; they will realize what's going on in due time.

I don't get agitated at all. I've made my money back on my 7D purchase and I am still making more than if I were still shooting with a conventional videcamera. I'm using the best tool on the market NOW. Whatever the future brings, I'll deal with it then.

[Denny Kyser]

I am editing my first wedding that I used a DSLR for b and c cam, and its not only myself but also my wife prefer the ex1r footage the best. Not saying its the most vibrant, but we just both like the footage better.

I am glad my next wedding will only be using the DSLR for special shots and my A and B cams will be ex1r, IMO its great footage, can still get some shallow dof and will make editing quicker.

I am sure DSLR's will grow on people and become widely used, but I will work into them slowly, not immediately like I thought.

[John Knight]

Originally Posted by Denny Kyser

I am sure DSLR's will grow on people and become widely used, but I will work into them slowly, not immediately like I thought.

I am 100% sure everyone will look back in 5 years and say ... "remember when people were actually trying to use DSLR's as video cameras and buying all these plastic addons worth $1000's which are worthless now! Now video cameras are doing all that - and more!"

[Shaun Conner]

Originally Posted by Michael Simons

I don't get agitated at all. I've made my money back on my 7D purchase and I am still making more than if I were still shooting with a conventional videcamera. I'm using the best tool on the market NOW. Whatever the future brings, I'll deal with it then.

Exactly!!! It's called the cost of doing business. Use the best available gear with the best techniques and when something better comes out you upgrade. I still have no idea why some people on this thread is trying to make dslr's harder than what it is. Geesh.

[Travis Cossel]

Personally, I pretty much just care how it's going to look to me and my client. If the video looks sharper, has better color and contrast, and performs like a king in low light ... then to me it's better. I don't really care if a resolution chart proves that the added sharpness is due to aliasing. For me, it's all in how it looks.

Also, I did a side by side test with an XHA1 and a 7D, and I was shocked at the results. The A1 footage literally looked 'dirty' compared to the 7D footage. Again, maybe it's all in the appearance and maybe the A1 does a better job of creating an image without aliasing, but if the final result looks worse .. who cares?

[Travis Cossel]

I would also add that Phillip Bloom took a film he shot with the 5D to Skywalker Ranch and they put it up on the big screen in front of George Lucas, Tararntino and others ... and everyone was shocked at how good it looked. So again, if a DSLR can impress those guys, why not the rest of us?

[Jim Snow]

Hey Denny, I share your opinion. I have worked with a lot of EX1 and DSLR footage in the same project. I have come to realize that what you call vibrant is actually attributable to aliasing. If you want to see what I am talking about, get a resolution chart and shoot some well-focused footage with your EX1R and your DSLR camera and compare the footage. It will be a real eye opener. Here's a tip for you as well. A good way to fix moire patterns and and other aliasing attributes with DSLR footage is to add a bit of Gaussian blur to troublesome clips when you edit. It usually helps although it will soften the image a bit.

It's a good idea to use the best attributes of your various tools. If you take advantage of a DSLR's shallow depth of field capability, you can add a dimension to your projects that elevates the caliber of your work a great deal - if you are able to shoot artfully that is. Take a look at some of the footage from pros like Travis Cossel and you will see what I mean. DSLR's add a great deal to a pro's bag of tools. I don't agree with those who categorically criticize them, nor do I agree with the other extreme view that suggests throwing away all of your other cameras.

Philip Bloom, the archbishop of DSLR evangelists, uses standard video cameras more than half the time in his work. See his comment about this in his blog here Video Review of new Panasonic HPX 370/371 | Philip Bloom DSLR's are a terrific tool. Just don't throw away everything else in your "tool bag." You will be able to do better work with both your EX1R and your DSLR cameras rather than either one alone.

I'm really looking forward to the release of large sensor video cameras. One key benefit that I hope to see is optimized camera electronics and codecs to output optimal 1920 x 1080 video. The biggest weakness in DSLR cameras is that necessarily they are compromise designs. They have to be capable of shooting photos AND video. The requirements for each are very different. With a large sensor, video only camera the results should be a WOW!


EDIT: Note to Travis. An EX1R instead of an XH-A1 is much more compatible with a DSLR. Actually it's like night and day. Both the EX1R and a DSLR are both CMOS and both can output 1920 x 1080 video. If the comparison is limited to HDV cameras, I agree with your opinion. ;-)

[Travis Cossel]

Jim, I was indeed making my comparison to HDV cameras .. the XHA1 specifically. d;-)

[Monday Isa]

Originally Posted by Travis Cossel

I apologize, Monday. Could you help me understand? It appeared to me that you were saying the XHA1's image holds up to the 7D's image. This statement in particular:

The reason I said it looked just as good Travis is because of the color. Again I said that MY xha1 footage looked just as good as MY DSLR footage because of the color. That's why I said both will have there place in my business.

[Travis Cossel]

Thanks for clarifying, Monday.

I'd love to see a clip from your XHA1 (straight from the camera) and a clip from your DSLR (straight from the camera) where the image of the XHA1 looks better because of the color. I know this is all subjective, but I've just found the difference between the two cameras to be so great that I can't imagine a custom preset recipe on the XHA1 that puts the it in the same category as a DSLR. Anyways, do what you're happy with, for sure. d;-)