Canon 5D Mark II

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Permalink Reply by Steve Crow on October 22, 2009 at 11:19am

Great topic Izzy.

I've been following the work of British videographer/photographer Philip Bloom who has done great things with the 5D Mark II and showing what it can do, he's actually shot commercials with the camera. These video DSLR cameras are really rocking the world of professional wedding and news photographers who are now being asked to deliver video by their clients. They've even been used to shoot segments of network TV shows.

Zacuto and RedRock make complete rail and support systems for the Canon 5D that include things like follow-focus and Matte Boxes. Sound remains a huge challenge for these cameras and most pros I've read are actually recording sound separately using high quality gear and then syncing the audio with the video in editing.

The Canon 7D which is less expensive and offers a 24fps mode is the camera that has captured my attention the most (I heard a snippet on a podcast last night suggesting there will shortly be a firmware upgrade for the 5D Mark II giving it 24fps also which customers have been crying out for ever since the camera came out!)

Overall, I am very impressed with these cameras and am now weighing the pros and cons of a DSLR with HD video capabilities like the Canon 5D Mark II (and now the impressive and less expensive 7D from Canon!) versus the benefits of a Depth of Field Adapter that attaches to your videocamera to offer similar capabilities. Which solution is better for a videographer looking for that shallow depth of field "film look" and good sound capabilities? Which offers the most competitive price point? Which is more practical?

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Permalink Reply by Israel "Izzy" Hyman on October 24, 2009 at 8:10am

Hi, Steve!

All of your points are excellent. I've also been loosely following Philip Boom's experience with DSLR's, and he's one of the reasons I decided to explore the subject myself. It appears there might be a real revolution going on.

In the videos, I'll be going through pro's and con's on the subject.

If the rumor about the firmware is true, that would be excellent. :-)

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Permalink Reply by John Walthier on February 26, 2010 at 4:44pm

Can anyone advise whether the new Canon T2i is a reasonable product for video (vs. the 7D or the 5D Mark II)? The T2i, just being released (Mar 10), is $800 (body only), vs. $1700 for the 7D and $2500 for the 5D.

Looking at the T2i specs, it offers full HD (1920x1080), 24, 25 or 30 fps, manual controls, Canon lenses, and a jack for external mic. (The latter point isn't important for me, since I'll record audio on a separate Zoom H4).

I'm seriously looking at the T2i as an entry to video -- but just want to make sure I'm not seriously misjudging this, as I'm not that familiar with video cameras. I'm looking at a camera to learn basic video skills (video, lighting, audio, editing) for apx. 2 years, then if things are going well upgrading the rig. To me the availability of lenses, plus the clear investment that Canon is putting into DSLR video, makes this a very good option.

Am I wrong?

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Permalink Reply by Steve Crow on February 26, 2010 at 4:53pm

No, you're right. The T2i video quality is just as good as the Canon 7D which costs twice as much. Be aware, however, that you will have to play special attention to audio on any of these kind of cameras- you will absolutely need some kind of external mic to plug into the camera's mini-jack. I am strongly considering leaving behind my 3 chip pro-sumer grade videocamera from Panasonic (AG-HVX200) for the T2i or perhaps the 7D if I can swing it. Check out Philip Blooms blog as he just did a review today, you can read my blog as well where I cover many of these issues and if you look at my Twitter stream (StevenCrow) you will see a link to a video comparing the 7D to the T2i.

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Permalink Reply by Israel "Izzy" Hyman on February 26, 2010 at 5:10pm

John,

I think that camera is a great way to start. Steve is right. And the fact that Steve is thinking about giving up his Panasonic is a great indicator.

The audio is a drawback, but there are other drawbacks too. Is the camera a good choice? It very much depends on what you'll be using it for. My 5DmkII can only record about ten minutes of video at a time before it automatically stops recording. This is a huge limitation under some circumstances. For example, I wouldn't record a conference with it. I probably wouldn't shoot a documentary with it. I couldn't use it for something where you need to record continuously for a long time.

That said, I love my Canon 5D Mark II. I love the quality of the imagery, and I'm strongly considering investing in a range of lenses for it.

I hope that helps!

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Permalink Reply by John Walthier on February 28, 2010 at 5:22pm

Steve,

Thanks for the note and references to some other sites. I'm thinking the audio capability won't be an issue because I record audio separately -- so except for the hassle of synching audio clips to video clips I should be okay, eh?

Steve Crow said:

No, you're right. The T2i video quality is just as good as the Canon 7D which costs twice as much. Be aware, however, that you will have to play special attention to audio on any of these kind of cameras- you will absolutely need some kind of external mic to plug into the camera's mini-jack. I am strongly considering leaving behind my 3 chip pro-sumer grade videocamera from Panasonic (AG-HVX200) for the T2i or perhaps the 7D if I can swing it. Check out Philip Blooms blog as he just did a review today, you can read my blog as well where I cover many of these issues and if you look at my Twitter stream (StevenCrow) you will see a link to a video comparing the 7D to the T2i.

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Permalink Reply by John Walthier on February 28, 2010 at 5:44pm

Izzy,

Thanks also for your comments. In my case, I anticipate shooting short clips (well short of 10 mins each) and glueing them together in Final Cut to assemble 3-4 min shorts. (Of course as soon as I say that I'll want to shoot a 20 min segment...) I'm doing stuff for web distribution and no one has patience to look at even great quality videos for more than a few minutes on the web. As I get going I plan to use video as a supplement to still photography (vs. use video as the sole element).

The main downside for me is that I'm a Nikon shooter, so I've already invested in Nikon lenses. I wish Nikon offered the T2i. But currently the Nikon cameras don't seem as advanced as Canon cameras in the video arena (they don't currently meet the minimum requirements you set out in the "What Camera Should I Buy" video), nor do I see Nikon making the same commitment to video as Canon. In terms of starting out, I think the Canon T2i DSLR route is good for me. I can buy used Canon lenses relatively inexpensively -- there are tons circulating out there. So it means spending more than $800 for the camera (always does), but I can build up lenses over time. The full-frame 5D Mark II would be best, no doubt, but there's that cost thing...

Israel "Izzy" Hyman said:

John,

I think that camera is a great way to start. Steve is right. And the fact that Steve is thinking about giving up his Panasonic is a great indicator.

The audio is a drawback, but there are other drawbacks too. Is the camera a good choice? It very much depends on what you'll be using it for. My 5DmkII can only record about ten minutes of video at a time before it automatically stops recording. This is a huge limitation under some circumstances. For example, I wouldn't record a conference with it. I probably wouldn't shoot a documentary with it. I couldn't use it for something where you need to record continuously for a long time.

That said, I love my Canon 5D Mark II. I love the quality of the imagery, and I'm strongly considering investing in a range of lenses for it.

I hope that helps!

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Permalink Reply by Steve Crow on February 28, 2010 at 6:01pm

Yes, that's a good way to go. I suggest you purchase a Final Cut Plugin called PluralEyes - it will help you automatically sync the audio you've recorded separately to the audio captured by the camera (as poor as it is)

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Permalink Reply by Israel "Izzy" Hyman on February 28, 2010 at 6:11pm

All of these are good ideas.

You bring up a good point that I think many people might forget about. There's a big cost in investing in the lenses to really take advantage of these kinds of cameras.

My Canon 5D Mark II came in a kit with a 24-105mm zoom lens. The problem is the F-Stop only goes down to 4. This isn't wide open enough for my needs, so then I have to invest in additional faster lenses -- which of course are MUCH more expensive. The average lens I want (prime lenses that are L -- meaning the highest quality from Canon) average just under $2,000 each. Depending on the funds at hand, it can take a while to build a full collection of prime lenses.

Anyway, my guess is that you'll be more than happy with the camera. Enjoy!

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Permalink Reply by David Griffin on March 3, 2010 at 8:05am

well, sorry you didnt go with a Nikon, but its a good starter camera ;)

Nikon is about 2 or 3 DSLR's away from creating a fully functional video camera / DSLR combo with full zoom function, working with any of their lenses, at Full-frame format, and every other feature imaginable

but great topic, i cant wait for the day when the DSLR's offer full zooming capability while recording, and begin to function as an equally good video camera or DSLR

I would never buy any other video camera again except for my (coming) Nikon Full-featured Video camera DSLR, with my range of lenses,

truly a dream in the making

I'm avoiding purchasing any DSLR with Video function, and I suggest anyone without a billion dollars does the same, until the next 2 years bring about more robust Video features in the DSLR range

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Permalink Reply by markaplet on July 1, 2010 at 8:05pm

I too am about to jump on the 5D mark II band wagon for video. I just sold my original 5D and have also decided put my XH-A1 up for sale too. I decided to go with a dual purpose camera/video system after seeing the outstanding video quality.

Before I pull the trigger, I have a couple of questions perhaps you can enlighten me on.

1. After shooting with the 5D Mark II for almost a year, do you have any regrets on it's purchase? If so what would you have changed about your decision?

2. I have several lenses already, 70-200L 2.8 IS, 17-40L, and recently the 28-300L I was thinking that I would like to shoot exclusively with the 28-300, not being a prime lens I wonder if there would be an issue with getting enough light into it for a good exposure. You mention above that you wanted to upgrade to a prime lens, I am wondering what you thought about it now that you have had it for a while?

3. I heard a rumor that the 5D mark II is about to be replaced? Has anyone heard this too? Can you point me to a reference article? Or fill me in on the details.

4. As far as Audio goes? What have you figured out to be a good combo for getting audio into the camera? I have a Rode mic but it's XLR, so I know it needs to have an adapter. I am wondering if there is a smaller, mic that works well for general sporting use where you don't need the super high quality that you get with a condenser mic?

Any other tid-bits, nuggets, or links of interest would be greatly appreciated.

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