Posted by Aaron Szabo on March 5, 2009 at 11:02 AM
Here's a link to a video I put together yesterday that may be a start to a larger nature video project that I plan on making. It's all shot with a 5D Mark II with no color correction. The original 1080p edit is clean of compression artifacts. Please let me know what you think.
Cool video. That 5d seems to do a pretty good job. I used to do a little video shooting and editing back in jr high and high school in my EAST lab days. It is much more difficult than the average joe thinks it is. I never got that great at it but I enjoyed trying.
Just curious, what tripod and head were you using? Did you try to use a video, ball or gimbal head?
I know you shoot a lot of video using videocams. How would you compare the experience of shooting video with the 5D II? It appears there are not many controls on the 5D when shooting live video.
I have a XH A1 that I use for all my video needs now. Trying to see if it is time to consider a switch of platforms.
Matthew, editing video is way more fun for me that editing photos... You could get a Mac laptop, a little Canon HD, and get back into it!
Daniel- I use the Bogen 501 HDV fluid head and it works for the 5D, although I haven't mastered great pans with the 5D...
The XH-A1 is much better camera for anything but low-light, macro and shallow DOF. Oh, and audio.... Until Beachtech releases the DXA-5D, the 5D's auto gain nearly destroys the audio. With this adapter you'll have 48 volt phantom power, headphone jack, manual gain control and XLR inputs. The 5D seems like it has much better dynamic range and sharpness than the XH-A1 (duh, the sensor is bigger), but every time I'm out shooting video with it I'm wishing I had the XH-A1. The 5D's footage is definitely less compressed than HDV's 22:1 ratio of compression. I think the both of them together is a killer combination. I use my 5D more for nature stuff because it's convenient, and I'm usually out taking a few video clips between taking photos. If you already shoot Canon, then YES, you need it. If not, I'd haul around that XH-A1. I'm looking into a 1.8 teleconverter for the XH-A1 that would give up to a 1400mm lens!
I doubt I will be getting back into video. I really enjoy taking pictures. I recently had almost all of my digital stuff stolen so I am back to shooting velvia on an old SRT. The weird thing is that I am actually enjoying it and the fully manual controls. It is fun. I would love a 4x5 camera, I don't know a whole lot about them, maybe I could get Bill to school me.
Pretty cool video, Aaron...good luck with your project!
Matthew - you can create some incredible work with 4x5, but at a substantial cost. I too really enjoyed the slow technique required for setting up those types of shots, but the dynamic range of velvia just wasn't cutting it. Of course, you can expose for highlights and shadows,just like with digital, but at over a hundred bucks a pop for a good drum scan, it gets expensive in a hurry. And the small apertures usually required for sharpness requires longer shutter speeds, which causes issues with movement.
You can get some pretty good deals on used equipment on ebay, or from KEH. Still, good wide angle glass will cost about as much as 35mm, and you'll probably need a good center filter and recessed lensboard, which ain't cheap either.
If you do decide to go LF, I really liked the features on the Sinar F2 rail camera. It takes a little longer to set up the standards and all, but it's pretty lightweight and the Sinar folks make about every accessory you could imagine for LF work.
Aaron - thanks for the info on shooting video with the 5D II. I think I will focus on getting a 500 f/4 as my first priority for now and keep the XH A1 for video. As to the teleconverter, the Century 1.6x actually fits onto the bayonet mount of the XH A1. I've been looking at one of those for some time now. I really do not like the idea of mounting a heavy TC using only the filter threads.
Yea Bill I have done some research and price has kept me out of it. Also there is nobody in Conway that processes e-6 anymore so I would have to mail anything. I just don't have room around here for my own darkroom. The more I really think about it the more complicated and expensive it gets.
Discussion
8 replies<a href="http://www.vimeo.com/3480787" target="_blank">http://www.vimeo.com/3480787</a>
Oh, the next video will have the gators and manatees.
I know you shoot a lot of video using videocams. How would you compare the experience of shooting video with the 5D II? It appears there are not many controls on the 5D when shooting live video.
I have a XH A1 that I use for all my video needs now. Trying to see if it is time to consider a switch of platforms.
Daniel- I use the Bogen 501 HDV fluid head and it works for the 5D, although I haven't mastered great pans with the 5D...
The XH-A1 is much better camera for anything but low-light, macro and shallow DOF. Oh, and audio.... Until Beachtech releases the DXA-5D, the 5D's auto gain nearly destroys the audio. With this adapter you'll have 48 volt phantom power, headphone jack, manual gain control and XLR inputs. The 5D seems like it has much better dynamic range and sharpness than the XH-A1 (duh, the sensor is bigger), but every time I'm out shooting video with it I'm wishing I had the XH-A1. The 5D's footage is definitely less compressed than HDV's 22:1 ratio of compression. I think the both of them together is a killer combination. I use my 5D more for nature stuff because it's convenient, and I'm usually out taking a few video clips between taking photos. If you already shoot Canon, then YES, you need it. If not, I'd haul around that XH-A1. I'm looking into a 1.8 teleconverter for the XH-A1 that would give up to a 1400mm lens!
Matthew - you can create some incredible work with 4x5, but at a substantial cost. I too really enjoyed the slow technique required for setting up those types of shots, but the dynamic range of velvia just wasn't cutting it. Of course, you can expose for highlights and shadows,just like with digital, but at over a hundred bucks a pop for a good drum scan, it gets expensive in a hurry. And the small apertures usually required for sharpness requires longer shutter speeds, which causes issues with movement.
You can get some pretty good deals on used equipment on ebay, or from KEH. Still, good wide angle glass will cost about as much as 35mm, and you'll probably need a good center filter and recessed lensboard, which ain't cheap either.
If you do decide to go LF, I really liked the features on the Sinar F2 rail camera. It takes a little longer to set up the standards and all, but it's pretty lightweight and the Sinar folks make about every accessory you could imagine for LF work.