Nikon video body v change system to Canon and get a 5d2 v compact for vid?

andephotographic · 10 Dec 2010

I think I want to get into doing some video work as it seems like it'd be a good thing to have a grasp of when trying to get jobs and stuff and also when doing press work Id like the option of creating short videos.

My current equipment doesn't allow for this so I'm thinking my options are, sell my D200 and possibly my SB600 speedlight and buy something like a D90, sell all my Nikon kit and move to Canon getting just one body - a 5D2 - and some glass or buy a compact that'll do decent vid.

The last idea there comes after watching a press tog leave his 2 D3s hanging from his shoulders and use a Canon compact to shoot vid of the student protests yesterday.

Thoughts?

StewartR · 10 Dec 2010

I'd suggest it depends on what kind of video work you want to do.

The press tog probably just wanted a bit of low-res video footage for a news programme. Picture quality is pretty irrelevant for that kind of application. But if you want to do film-like video, then you'll surely want the kind of control a DSLR will give you.

I'm not qualified to help you on the D90 vs 5D2 issue. But I've seen some great stuff shot with the 5D2 and I can't help wondering whether it's the full frame sensor and the shallow depth of field that give it such a great look. I'm sure someone will be along soon to confirm or refute that.

squishy · 10 Dec 2010

what about the D7000?

Cistron · 10 Dec 2010

If you'd like to stick with SLR equipment and Nikon, I suppose the D5000 would be the cheapest option.

Critical I · 10 Dec 2010

StewartR said:
I'd suggest it depends on what kind of video work you want to do.

The press tog probably just wanted a bit of low-res video footage for a news programme. Picture quality is pretty irrelevant for that kind of application. But if you want to do film-like video, then you'll surely want the kind of control a DSLR will give you.

I'm not qualified to help you on the D90 vs 5D2 issue. But I've seen some great stuff shot with the 5D2 and I can't help wondering whether it's the full frame sensor and the shallow depth of field that give it such a great look. I'm sure someone will be along soon to confirm or refute that.

Shooting a demo with an SLR would be a nightmare. Poor AF and AE and shallow depth of field plus awkward ergonomics. Only advantage is shallow DOF and low light noise. Plus, you need a long lens for a lot of video.

Most arty stuff shot on SLR video is pre-scripted scenes shot from a tripod with present focus and exposure.

For PJ work, more sensible to buy a proper compact HD camcorder. It will produce excellent video quality, decent sound and be very much easier to handle, especially on the street.

seriousrikk · 10 Dec 2010

Critical I said:
Shooting a demo with an SLR would be a nightmare. Poor AF and AE and shallow depth of field plus awkward ergonomics. Only advantage is shallow DOF and low light noise. Plus, you need a long lens for a lot of video.

Most arty stuff shot on SLR video is pre-scripted scenes shot from a tripod with present focus and exposure.

For PJ work, more sensible to buy a proper compact HD camcorder. It will produce excellent video quality, decent sound and be very much easier to handle, especially on the street.

This is exactly what I was thinking as I read the original post.

I think DSLR video would be very disappointing compared to, say, a £250 digital HD camcorder.

andephotographic · 10 Dec 2010

StewartR said:
I'd suggest it depends on what kind of video work you want to do.

The press tog probably just wanted a bit of low-res video footage for a news programme. Picture quality is pretty irrelevant for that kind of application. But if you want to do film-like video, then you'll surely want the kind of control a DSLR will give you.

I'm not qualified to help you on the D90 vs 5D2 issue. But I've seen some great stuff shot with the 5D2 and I can't help wondering whether it's the full frame sensor and the shallow depth of field that give it such a great look. I'm sure someone will be along soon to confirm or refute that.

Yeah I've seen plenty vid shot on the 5D2 and it is all stunning stuff.
I'd like to do some photojourno work with it but other stuff too, documentary and possibly quite commercial stuff as well. I think that a lot of clients that might pay me to work for them will soon (if not already) be looking for video as an option for using on websites etc.
I think for pure video output the 5D2 would be the winner but to go that way I'd be taking a step backwards from the pure pro chunkiness of the D3, have to sell all my kit and replace it and be looking at the possibility of taking a wee while to get used to using a new system.
And then as Critical I says, the 5D2 might not be the best for pj work.

squishy said:
what about the D7000?

Too expensive and heard bad things about the sensors.

Cistron said:
If you'd like to stick with SLR equipment and Nikon, I suppose the D5000 would be the cheapest option.

Yup and it'd be within my budget new whereas I'd be looking at a used D90.
I think the D90s stills would be better (ISO performance etc) so it'd be down to how the vid compares and the user interface too. I think I'd find it hard going to a fairly entry level consumer body having gotten used to using a pro (D3) and a prosumer (D200) body.

Critical I said:
Shooting a demo with an SLR would be a nightmare. Poor AF and AE and shallow depth of field plus awkward ergonomics. Only advantage is shallow DOF and low light noise. Plus, you need a long lens for a lot of video.

Most arty stuff shot on SLR video is pre-scripted scenes shot from a tripod with present focus and exposure.

For PJ work, more sensible to buy a proper compact HD camcorder. It will produce excellent video quality, decent sound and be very much easier to handle, especially on the street.

RichardtheSane said:
This is exactly what I was thinking as I read the original post.

I think DSLR video would be very disappointing compared to, say, a £250 digital HD camcorder.

Can you suggest some models or even brands that are worth looking at, as much as I'm a DSLR geek, I'm a bit clueless with other camera kit.

itsdavedotnet · 11 Dec 2010

D90 is a pain in the arse to work with in all honesty, and I'm not convinced that the D300s or D7000 is any better. Nikon really haven't 'got' this whole video thing yet, much to my frustration, and my wallet's safety.

The video out the back of it CAN be very very nice compared to a £250 or £3500 digital HD camcorder, I shot a job on it recently and the client is blown away. HOWEVER for any kind of run and gun situation, the extra equipment and work needed is a pain in the rear, and the lack of inputs, manual controls and 'video' features (I certainly would need manual shutter speed, ISO, audio input level, and aperture control for video, and full resolution output to HDMI while recording, for live output to an external monitor for focus / director / live mixing) are all very notably missing.

All depends what you want really. Take a good hard look at the canon 7D, seems to be the best goto on the market atm imo. 60fps 720p to ooooovercrank those slomos, mic inputs etc, but again, still not perfect, but then, nothing in the Dslr form factor ever will be, it's just... not nice to work with, whereas professional shoulder mount cameras are big, heavy and have lots of buttons for a reason - but are an absolute joy to work with, even compared to the smaller professional cameras.

As for HD handicams, lots of people really rate the HV20/30/40 line, see HVXuser forum. I may be a couple years out of date there though... For smaller cameras, I really like the look of the gopro, looks a cute little crash cam...I quite fancy getting one to strap to my lens hood for BTS vids or whatever...

Sesame · 11 Dec 2010

andephotographic said:
....

Too expensive and heard bad things about the sensors.

Where please share, I'm thinking of buying one (or a D90)

andephotographic · 11 Dec 2010

Sesame said:
Where please share, I'm thinking of buying one (or a D90)

This thread, I haven't read all of it but there certainly seemed to be a lot of people complaining about hot/stuck pixels and a sort of acceptance that this was a known problem with the D7000 from what I read.

grum · 11 Dec 2010

You could just get a canon and use your nikon lenses with adapters. It's what a lot of people do anyway. Manual of course but then all serious video stuff is.

Dan Chung manages to shoot amazing documentary footage with DSLRs.

Lots more people doing it here - http://www.dslrnewsshooter.com/

The panasonic GH2 is probably the best video option at the mo though and has viable af, and again you could adapt your nikon lenses. Saying a £250 camcorder will be better is a little ridiculous IMO.

me15 · 11 Dec 2010

The last episode of House (with Hugh Laurie) was shot entirely on 5d Mk2's.

Canon 5D Mark II shoots season finale of House

Critical I · 12 Dec 2010

me15 said:
The last episode of House (with Hugh Laurie) was shot entirely on 5d Mk2's.

Canon 5D Mark II shoots season finale of House

Yes, but there is a big difference between shooting "House" using a full video rig, rails, grips and production crew, and shooting alone, hendheld, on the street.

You should see the rig used for mounting the 5D, plus they used about 6 of them. I am not sure this has any relevance to normal PJ usage.

Nikon/Canon does not matter, the issues are the same. The best hybrids are probably the GH2 and Sony pelicle cameras. If I wanted to shoot video and stills with one device I would probably go for one of them.