Jump to content

Who else would like HD video on a Canon DSLR


tdigi

Recommended Posts

I would assume most wedding and other various pros could probably care less but for travel and walk around shooting would anyone want

the ability to shoot HD video from an SLR? I certainly would.

 

The Nikon D90 looks like an impressive kit with the 18-200 lens for around $1300. Is there any downside to having this ability in a DSLR?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 71
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Right now there is. You can't change exposure during shooting, you can only focus manually and you're limited to 5 minutes (with mono sound).

 

A small digital videocam has about 100x the capability of the D90. DSLR video is only interesting because it's a novelty and it can do it at all. It's a very poor substitute for real video, though you could say that any video is better than no video at all. You can get a very capable, very small, dedicated video camera for a few hundred dollars.

 

As long as I don' t have to pay extra for it and as long as it doesn't hinder the development of more useful features (like in-body stabilization), I don't care if Canon add video to DSLRs or not. I'd expect to use it about as often as I use LiveView, which is pretty much never.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I did not know how limited it is, I guess having an little flip video or a small video cam would be better. its like anything that

does it all, it never does it all well. Still seems like something most consumers would want but I am guessing you won't see

it on a 5D or other pro bodies.

 

I honestly never use live view I really don't see the benefit, I turned it on once to see if and how it works and said humm

neat.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I might use it occasionally if the camera had it, but I wouldnt pick that camera for video. As Bob points out Nikons vid capture is pretty limited.

 

If you really want to get into video with your Canon lenses, there is a video camera that accepts EF lenses by Canon. http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=165&modelid=11544#ModelFeaturesAct

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If they are going to use AVCHD like they do on their other tapeless videocameras, then I for one am against it. AVCHD is still not ready for prime-time in my opinion. To many hassles importing and editing.

 

As a concept, I'm not against it. Though there may be issues in that photographic lenses are not designed to look good "while" zooming.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have HD Video on my point and shoot(PAS) . Its more like a gadget than anything, but why not. On the downside, Video eats up allot of your battery and your card can get filled up pretty quickly. Then what exactly are you going to do with all that video, download it to Yutube ? If I was to shoot allot of video I would probably get an 8G card at the minimum.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The major downside is that if it becomes a "required" feature on all DSLRs (like Live View now is), it may squeeze out more useful functions. There's only so much stuff you can cram in there.

 

One advantage of digital videocameras with small sensors is that it's pretty easy to put a fast high ratio zoom on them. For example the Sony Handycam DCR-HC38 has a 40x optical zoom (f1.8 to f4.1)! Try getting that on your DSLR

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If I wanted i video camara, I would buy a video camera. It seems to me, that most of the people using 5D or 1D (like myself) have little use for this supposed "feature". Granted, I don't think live view belongs on an SLR (the view finder provides a much richer view)...but I just old fashoned, I guess.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it's inevitable that there will be an effort to make a combined DSLR/videocam that does both decently well, at least in the consumer segment of the market.

 

Once you've put Live View in the camera and you can use an electronic shutter on the sensor it's just a matter of messing with the software. You might need hardware modifications to just readout a subset of the sensor data if you want to speed things up a bit though. It doesn't sound like it would be all that difficult to do properly if someone really wanted to.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it's inevitable that there will be an effort to make a combined DSLR/videocam that does both decently well, at

least in the consumer segment of the market.

 

Once you've put Live View in the camera and you can use an electronic shutter on the sensor it's just a matter of

messing with the software. You might need hardware modifications to just readout a subset of the sensor data if you

want to speed things up a bit though. It doesn't sound like it would be all that difficult to do properly if someone really

wanted to.

 

If I was Canon, I'd certainly be working on it for the next version of the Digital Rebel though. It's a feature. Cameras

sell on features, not really on how useful those features are. If others have the feature and you don't, you're at a

marketing disadvantage.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I want an MP3 player. They have the memory card and the AV output jack. How hard could it be to put an MP3 player in there, especially if they're going to have stereo audio recording to go with the video.

 

And let's not forget about GPS. You can get a GPS logger for well under $100 that's not much bigger than a CF card. Why not integrate it into the camera? That one will be here before the MP3 player I think.

 

As for cup holders, would you believe that...."If you have strong feelings about your car's cup holders, you're not alone. In fact, 27% of car shoppers who participated in a recent Autobytel online survey(a) indicated that they would be willing to look for an altogether different make or model of vehicle to find the perfect cup holders". It's not always obvious what features will sell a product.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Absolutely.

I don't care about the 5 minute clip limitation. I wouldn't use it to shoot sporting events or birthday parties and whatnot. I'd

probably use it to record snippets of scenes during travel, or short clips of friends... all to be edited later into something a bit

more ambitious.

 

As long as the 'feature' is implemented in a way that doesn't cripple any other features, WHY NOT? We should be used to it by

now, having lots of features we never use. I actually didn't even notice the Print button on the 5D.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I might be missing something but isn't it an advantage in the D90 to be able to shoot with SLR lenses? i.e. Macros, big aperture, ultra-wide lenses? From what I gather, most consumer grade video cameras (under $1000) can't interchange lenses and have pretty small apertures if you want to achieve that "cinematic" look.

 

That seems like a real advantage even if it is mono sound.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Aaron, you're absolutely correct. The D90 is just the beginning of a revolution. I find it amusing how some people diss

the D90 because it has a 5 min clip length (how many 35mm film movie cameras have a longer clip length? how many 5-minute clips are

interesting to watch?), no autofocus in

movie mode (how many movies for the big screen do you think are actually shot with autofocus?), and limited exposure controls (this is

actually a serious omission but it's a consumer camera so they had to cripple it somehow to sell the higher end models

coming later). It can do things that no consumer camcorder can. And those things happen to be things that many

amateur and low-budget film makers are dying to get in an affordable camera.

 

And I bet that in 1 year it will be very difficult to sell a DSLR without a video mode to photojournalists - and those tiny

sensor camcorders will be limited to people who are unable to focus the camera without help - i.e. people who would

never buy a DSLR for stills because they'd never learn to use it to advantage. YMMV, as usual.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ilkka, I was in the skyview car on the Amtrak Cascade train heading north over the passes and through the

tunnels a few years back. Drink on the table and a comfy seat. As I passed through tunnels and sheer cliffs and

expanses of mountain, I would have enjoyed the ability to shoot a few video clips. At the specific time I think

I was carrying my Konica Hexar AF (remember that little number? ?). Shots were not so powerfully great in

stills.... Typical cut in video is perhaps 6 seconds (arguably of course). And as storage memory jumps up and

up,well, there you are.... I have used the video feature in my little simple Nikon Coolpix P5000. I don't think

of it is as anything but a little goodie for now in any serious DSLR. Still,that may change Illka.. Real video

work takes time, yet it is important to have a recording device at hand. Was recently watching a special on the

9/11 on scene edited from snips by amateurs with gizmos of simple motion recording as well as some gutsy

journalists near the towers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I for one welcome our new video overlords. Srsly... I used the (very conveniently buttoned) video mode on my S3 IS

and I found it positively smashing. No, I didn't make any great cinematic masterpieces, but it was nice to be able to

record a clip from time to time with one simple touch of a real hardware button. Sure, a little consumer video cam could

maybe do a better job, but I will never ever spend the extra money on one and I'd never have the presence of mind to

carry it around.

 

Bob....I get your point, but should we, say, take all the cameras out of cell phones? Yes, they are crappy, but look - I

can add a contact to my phone and use it to take a pic of them so it comes up when they call me. Does it make sense

to pull out my SLR to do this? Just pop a Raw file into Lightroom and export a pristine file to my phone?

 

Sometimes it's nice to have one device that does a few related things at once.

 

And cup holders would be *ossem*.

 

;P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I didn't suggest we shouldn't have crappy video in a DSLR. I'd just hope it doesn't replace something more useful. Since they've managed to get a phone, GPS, camera and MP3 player into a cell phone, why not have the camera in there. Same with DLSRs. Sure, put in Live View and Video. I won't use them much, but if they don't add to the cost and don't displace more useful features, throw 'em in there.

 

I'd rather have a true auto ISO mode, sensor-shift stabilization, maybe focus bracketing and micro adjustment and other potentially photographically useful features, but for the time being I guess we'll just have to put up with an enhanced featured "direct print" button and video.

 

My phone also has a calculator and several built in games. I'm not entirely certain that I want to see either one as a feature of my next DSLR.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is no doubt in my mind that we'll eventually see the worlds of video and photography merge in a lot of

places. When it is ready I certainly wouldn't mind some video features on my DLSR. As it is I don't think of

taking videos often but when using my digitcam I've found the video feature on it quite handy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What's wrong with you all? Of course you would use the video-on-DSLR feature of the D90. Why? Because it's there!

As we all know, video is simply a faster series of fps. 5min limit - no problem. The ability to flip a switch

and record some great event in video may capture the event of the decade. And, now we can do it without reaching

into our camera bags. Good on the Nikon engineers for coming up with this feature - it is simply fantastic. I

have longed for it for ages, despite making extensive use of mini DV on a camcorder. So, I rang my Nikon agent

today and have my name on the waiting list.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now



×
×
  • Create New...