Canon 7D Video

Canon 7D from soundimageplus on Vimeo.


Haven't found the time to shoot some video with the 7D until now. With all the fuss over the Sony A55 announcement I thought I'd take the opportunity to do so. 


With the usual over-reaction to the announcement of a new camera (both positive and negative) the forums are buzzing with reactions to the very fast AF system of the Sony. However once you get to the reviews of the system in operation a few problems crop up. 


Firstly - 


PDAF (phase detection autofocus) is done with the lens at its widest aperture. This means that if you want to shoot video with PDAF you lens will always be used at its maximum aperture.
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/sony-a55-preview.shtml


Secondly - 


Continuous is the default AF mode when shooting video (single is not available). It is generally pretty good but there are some occasional focus shifts and the AF can, despite the A55's translucent mirror, struggle to follow fast-moving subjects. As sometimes the focus motor can also be heard in the audio recording we would recommend switching the AF off and focus manually as an alternative.
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sonyslta55/page14.asp

So - not quite the wonder camera that some would have us believe. 


The problem with video in a DSLR is that they are primarily a stills camera. Manufacturers make them as user friendly for video as they can but the further they go to make them work like video cameras the less they will appeal to their core market which is for people who want to take photographs. If you're wanting to shoot videos by hand with a camera that focuses smoothly with no glitches and doesn't require lots of planning, extra equipment and post-processing then you're probably better off with a camcorder. We still use one for our work. It has a much smaller sensor than our Canon DSLR's and Panasonic GH1's but has an f1.9 zoom and is much better in low light than you would imagine it to be. The huge depth of field from the small sensor means it looks very smooth when tracking focus and in many situations works a lot better than the GH1 fitted with its 14-140 dedicated zoom.


What we're starting to see are video cameras using the advantages of the DSLR hybrids, larger sensor, ability to use interchangeable lenses etc. Like the Panasonic AG-AF100
http://philipbloom.net/2010/04/11/new-panasonic-m43-camcorder-announced-ag-af100/
This is a dedicated video camera and much more useful to the professional cameraman than having to adapt a DSLR. At some point Canon will surely come out with a top-spec video camera using a DSLR sensor and the ability to use the Canon lens range. Thus eliminating the need to buy all this extra kit to make a 5DMkII or 7D work like a video camera. 
http://soundimageplus.blogspot.com/2010/07/video-dslr-rigs-isnt-this-missing-point.html

I've always believed that stills photographers who use the video in their DSLR's will always come up with something different than video photographers. 


How many of us want to carry around all the video paraphernalia in addition to our cameras and lenses? I for one certainly don't. 


Finally back to the 7D video. Very impressive in terms of sharpness and colour. What was surprising was the performance of the cheap and cheerful 55-200 Canon zoom. I used it on my 5DMKII when I had that and was impressed with it then. Its ordinary at best for shooting stills but seems to perform brilliantly for video, including very nice bokeh. It cost me £89. 


D

Severn Valley

On my way to meet a client I was able to stop off at one of my favourite places. The River Severn is Englands longest river. In the stretch between Bewdley and Bridgnorth it has the Severn Valley Railway running alongside it. This is a section of few roads and limited access and the only way of seeing it is by foot or on the train.





I've always thought it a place where time stands still, and it looks much the same as it would  have 100 years ago. Its a quiet place with only a few walkers and fishermen visiting it.





I didn't have long there and wasn't able to go very far. I concentrated mostly on photographing the bales of hay in a field, and shot several panoramas.





I had the Canon 7D with me in full "I've got a big camera so I'm a serious photographer" mode complete with battery grip. For this short walk I used a 28mm f1.8 lens which is a nice lens for the panoramas and a 55-200 zoom. Still haven't got round to getting the 18-135mm zoom which is apparently in short supply here in the UK. I'm waiting for it to come into stock again.


I would have liked to spend longer there and will timetable a longer trip in the near future. However it was an enjoyable hour.





Words - D
Images - D & A

Canon 550D Full HD Video.

Taking advantage of YouTube now showing full 1080p HD Video here is an example shot with the Canon 550D.

To get the full advantage, click on the YouTube link and wait for it to load, as its a huge (471MB) file and it will take time. There may be some "stuttering" coming off the server but it should give a decent impression of what this camera is capable of.

Lenses used were:- EF-S 10-22mm f3.5-4.5 Zoom, EF 28mm f1.8 USM, EF 50mm f1.8 II, EF 85mm f1.8 USM and EF 55-200mm f4-5.6 Zoom. Settings were full manual exposure & focusing. Shot at 24p. Edited on an iMac with iMovie.

Very impressive quality. At these ISO settings indistinguishable from the 5D MK II. Because of the later design also easier to operate than the 5D Mk II. Using full manual its simple to juggle the ISO speed, shutter speed and aperture.

Much of the video is shot at f1.8.

Recent Canon 550D shots

Some recent shots with the 550D. These were taken with the EF-S 10-22 zoom.

These below are taken with a 55-200 zoom bought on ebay from the Canon UK Store which sells refurbished and discontinued equipment. This was in mint perfect condition but had a dirty box. Its the old version of the lens, which fits full-frame but has no image stabilisation. Its a fairly typical Canon cheap zoom. Very light, sharp but terrible bokeh. The 550D with this + the 10-22 zoom makes a very light versatile outfit.

Canon 5D Mk II Test video with new firmware.

Canon 5D Mk II New firmware 25p from soundimageplus on Vimeo.

Test video shot with Canon 5D Mk II using new firmware at 25p and in Aperture Priority mode.

Lenses were 28mm f1.8 and a cheap and cheerful 55-200 zoom.

N.B. This is a big file and needs some time to load. Its viewable in 720HD on the Vimeo site.

Results do seem smoother at 25p.