Shooting Movies with the Canon 5D Mark Two and 7D
Astounding quality of film making using only digital cameras….
When I bought my latest camera, the Canon 5D mark two it featured ground breaking video technology that set the photographic world buzzing with its possibilities. Photo journalists in particular were keen to see how they could advance their own work with the ability to swap between stills and video without any fuss as well as being able to use the full range of Canon lenses to record their videos.
I wrote about the brilliant short film recorded with the 5D by leading photographer Vincent LaForet and now this latest video has been posted on various photography forums and it’s quality is stunning.
The possibilities are really quite incredible and I thought I’d show you this one which features both the 5D Mark 2 and one of Canon’s latest releases, the 7D. The trailer’s content might not be remarkable in itself but what is remarkable is the advance in digital camera technology and the skills of the photographers and film makers trying them out. As I’ve said before I am looking forward to seeing how reportage photographers in particular will take this technology forward and how the broadcasters themselves will go on and develop the photographers work to report news events in a completely new format.
How they will do this remains to be seen but I think the combination of stills and video in a single presentation can really take story telling to another dimension. It really does look like exciting times ahead for all of us.
One video which, for me captured the essence of this breakthrough in technology was of a story about the Afghanistan Special Forces. Shot entirely with the 5D Mark Two it combined interviews with the soldiers as well as footage of foot patrols and search operations. This is a great example of the reportage opportunities now available, basic film work in comparrison to the two videos below but fascinating stuff nonetheless.
How they will do this remains to be seen but I think the combination of stills and video in a single presentation can really take story telling to another dimension. It really does look like exciting times ahead for all of us.
“CITY OF LAKES” The Official Trailer from PACIFIC PICTURES on Vimeo.
Here’s another video shot entirely with the Canon 5D Mark Two by the brilliant Richard Walch, again the definition is staggering….
MIles,
thanks for bringing us this - it’s quite incredible - the possibilities are potentially endless.
One aspect of this which I think could be very interesting is the lens aspect of things.
Very few dedicated ‘camcorders’ will have the lens capabilities we have on our cameras - I wonder if that would allow us to do things otherwise only possible on very high end professional TV style cameras ?
Best
Rod
March 16, 2010 @ 8:53 am
Miles,
I want to know when ‘Miles’ the movie is coming out? You’ll have to trust your brother behind the lens and for the documentary type questions…. Anne and I will do make-up and tea trolley duty (which means we’ll use all the make-up and drink all the tea). How about City of Steaks ?
Seriously though, it is amazing stuff and thanks for showing the likes of me, who would largely never know about such innovations.
Cid
March 16, 2010 @ 11:42 am
Rod,
That’s the advantage, imagine going from 10-20mm through to 100mm macro and then to 400mm potentially in a relatively short sequence?
The possibilities are incredible.
Miles
March 16, 2010 @ 2:42 pm
Cid,
I always hope that ‘non photographers’ can pick something of interest up from these posts, even if we don’t fully understand all of the technology you have to appreciate the work gone into it.
Miles
March 16, 2010 @ 2:44 pm
Hi Miles,
When I first heard about this I thought is was a marketing gimmick.
After speaking to a friend with the 5d m2, I changed my mind completely. As Rod said, if you look at the dedicated video cameras on the market, you only have to glance at the size of the lens to know that they are hardly the stuff blockbusters are made from.
Being able to control aperture and DOF and having the reach or wide field of your own SLR lenses is absolutely huge. The creativity control is a massive and, as a photographer rather than a film-maker, this benefit essentially comes free as you would have bought the camera anyway!
All they need to do is include the ability to plug in a decent microphone and the output will be amazing.
Sam.
June 4, 2010 @ 12:10 pm
Sam,
A great comment, you’re quite right about the built in microphone, it picks up camera noise but I am sure the mark 3 will correct that.
Personally I think the 5D will extend the boundries of stills/video in models to come, Canon have stolen a lead on the market and it will be fascinating to see where it leads.
For wedding and reportage photographers (which the original 5D was aimed at) this is going to revolutionise their work.
Interesting times ahead.
Miles
June 4, 2010 @ 7:21 pm
Sam,
I’ve got a 7D and very recently had a go with the video (after my comment here). I shot full HD video of a duck on the far side of a lake using a 500mm lens - the duck was full frame !!
You can also plug in external high quality stereo microphones. I’m far from an expert but the potential looks very impressive.
I looks to me as though the real potential is flexibility not only lens wise but as you mention settings such as DOF. I can shoot high quality with a lens with an effective range of 800mm in full HD - how much would a dedicated video camera cost that could do that ?
All the best
Rod
June 4, 2010 @ 8:24 pm
Rod,
I didn’t know that about the microphone port, that really adds a lot.
I’m fascinated by the whole concept. I’ve always been interested in the idea of making film but find it difficult to come up with something that would actually be good to watch. For this reason, I’ve never bought a video camera.
I spent a season in the Alps snowboarding one year and took my little Sony digicam that recorded film clips (only 640×480!). Using some simple video editing software I compiled lots of short clips into a little “season video” of some of my friends and I jumping and snowboarding etc.
I also had my DSLR with me and took it out on the slopes a lot. If that camera could have done film like my digicam, my season video would be amazing. As you say Rod, the ability to get HD footage at any focal length your lenses allow for is unbelievable at that cost.
I totally agree with your comment about the wedding/reportage photography world. I already know someone who is using this in their work. Being a photographer in the first place, it hasn’t been difficult to move to this method of film.
This innovation has put me in a tough spot. I have the Canon 40D and promised myself the next money I spent on camera equipment would be decent glass (much more important to img quality IMO) rather than a camera body upgrade. Now however, the body upgrade sounds tempting…..!
What to do….
June 7, 2010 @ 9:20 am