HDSLR Solution

HDSLR Solution

I really want the next version of the 5D Mark II but I don't think I can afford to wait for it. This Canon 7D is just awesome. I played around with one at HD Expo and it definitely planted its little seed of desire in me. I'm most likely going to have to buy something camera-wise this year so what's it going to be? An EX1 definitely fits the mold for most of the work I do but this setup may just work:

Canon 7D Body $1699 @ Amazon

That's just the body. Would need a few cards, extra batts, case, etc. but those are relatively inexpensive. Also, Canon has a battery extender/hand grip for this camera that I'm going to guess will be a necessity for use in an actual production environment. Not sure the price on that.

Canon Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Autofocus Lens $1379 @ B&H

This wide angle lens will magically transform into a 38.4-112 on your 7D. A good range but really not quite wide enough. I would probably pick up the 17-40 as well which is another $1549 at our good friends, B&H.

and the most expensive item ;) but without it, I can't imagine the back, shoulder, and neck pain.

Zacuto DSLR Marksman $2216

I don't know anything about these Zacuto SLR Rigs but this one looks like it would actually be pretty comfortable to operate. Their plate and rod system for lens adapters is the sh** so I imagine this guy gets the job done.

TOTAL BASE COST: $5294

Not comparing the DoF to a naked EX1 here but this 7D setup is still cheaper than a new camera alone which is $6099. For a real basis of DoF comparison, to go the lens adapter route you could effectively triple that. So we'll say about $20,000 for an EX-1, Letus Ultimate, Zacuto setup, and a handful of used primes (not a fancy ZF set).

So in my crude and hurried assessment, both camera packages do the same thing: create beautiful filmic images with all that sexy depth of field. Both solutions are far from perfect. Each has its own unique set of advantages and disadvantages but comparing 5,200 to 20,000 is one point that can't be argued.

C O N V E R G E N C E

C O N V E R G E N C E

I recently worked on another simultaneous video and stills shoot. Seems like there's been more and more of this lately. It was a branded content piece for Vice Magazine's online video network, VBS.tv. What was so cool about this job was that the 2 digital workflows in place - one for the two HVX200 video cameras and the other for the two Canon 1Ds Mark II still cameras were REMARKABLY similar. We had a laptop station set up for video and a separate one working for stills with a tech handling each. We lit the shots for video and when the director would call for stills, the Mark II would fly in and he would just use a tethered flash when he needed a little extra kick. In working closely with the stills tech, we were able to create a very similar palette and digital "grain structure" for both media. In the end, the images were remarkably well matched though the stills were obviously of vastly superior quality. This really got me thinking about where this business is going and the possibilities that new technology, like the upcoming RED Digital Stills and Motion Camera, will afford. Shoots like this could become the norm for commercial applications in the coming years. You kill 2 birds with one stone and in the end, it's all just digital imaging. So much of the theory and practice applies to both media. If this trend takes off, it will be interesting to see what happens when videographers are forced to become photographers and photographers become videographers.

What does this mean for our industry?

What does this mean for our industry?

http://blog.vincentlaforet.com/2008/09/22/without-further-ado-reverie/

If this new EOS 5D MKII shot 23.98, it'd all be over. So why hasn't Canon designed it to be a useful production tool? Are they afraid it would render their entire Pro Video product line obsolete? I wonder! We'll see what happens in the next few months but these recent technological developments are absolutely insane. It's all happening so fast, I wonder what we'll be shooting commercials with in 5 years... point and shoot cameras? Web cams? Who knows..