Interesting bit of news via Philip Bloom’s blog is that the 5Dmk11 firmware update (no date as yet) seems not only to have 1080 24/25P but 720 50P as well which will be a welcome surprise to everyone who owns a Canon 5Dmk11 stuck with 1080 30p.

These are far more usable frame rates and may even bring a smile to an old grump like me who has been less than favourable towards the DSLR camp.

Once again we are seeing an influx of well produced videos shot with HD SLRs this was shot on a Canon 5DMk11 by Creative Producer Conrad Piccirillo for the NBA Indiana Pacers.

http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/finalcutstudio/5dtofcp.html

Isn’t it strange that I should be the “only” one supposedly sailing against the tide of let’s all go out and spend the best part of £3K on equipment to make film like movies, when I have actually got a 5Dmk11 but heaven forbid I bought this camera for photography not for filming with.

I produce corporate videos for a living so my best, most expensive piece of kit is strangely enough a Sony EX-3 camcorder, I am also a professional photographer and have the ability to switch kit now and again…recently I switched from a Nikon D3 to a Canon 5Dmk11.

What I am trying to tell you in a round about way is that I am of the older school although I am fully committed to digital…be it video or photography. It has taken almost two hard years to work out a workflow for my SxS card system all be it MxR card holders using SDHC cards. I was all for solid state…bring it on, till it arrived and scared the pants off me…no archive or should I say “not as we know it , Jim”. (One for the Trekies).

Two years later I am happy with my lot… then, we get all this talk about the saviour of the budget film industry…hooraah…we can all make films now all you need is an SLR that has been frigged to take HD video footage but again in a format that needs converting.

I have won the lottery I own such a camera, I too can make film like movies and maybe save a buck or two and get rid of the EX-3…………………..till I take stock.

I decided to test this phenomenon myself getting the odd tip from the master himself Philip Bloom, after all Phil seemed to have thrown away his expensive video kit and travel round the world filming solely with the Canon 5Dmk11 so their must be some mileage in this.

Sadly unlike Mr Bloom I have decided not to embrace my HD video 5Dmk11 and use it for it’s intention…a photographic camera.

I have tried very hard to see the benefits of using the HD SLR as a video camera but the negatives far outweigh the positives…it has taken me two years to be happy with tapeless and embrace HD as a format…as a video cameraman I am happier using equipment that is fit for purpose than to use a camera that gives me more problems than it solves.

HD SLRs are in my opinion a sad reflection of todays society who want everything in the one small package, a cost cutting exercise for both video and photography…spilt 50-50 down the middle…we all know what dilution does to any business.

Having shot the sum total of 45 minutes of Canon 5D mk11 footage to date I am increasingly getting put off by “Wobble Vision”. I then look at some of the “Masters” of HD SLR filming to see it’s not just me !

Wobble Vision is nothing short of the cameraman’s ability or should I say lack of ability to keep the camera steady whilst filming, this is partly due to the impractical design of the SLR itself, we are so used to having “Steady Shot” in our camcorders that it comes as a shock to see how unsteady we all are.

It’s not all down to the shakes, HD has a tendency to magnify mistakes and small detail which is why actresses hate HD productions because is shows up the smallest flaw in make up etc. Canon have IS lenses which means Image Stabilizer…this can dampen the shakes quite considerably but sadly the most popular “L” lenses used to date are the 24-70 f2.8 L lens and the 50 f1.2 L lens both are not image stabilized.

Canon would be better to have the IS in the camera but that takes away their lucrative extra cost IS lens market so for the mean time we are going to have to use monopods or tripods in order to stabilize those rogue shots…the alternative is to accept a drop in standards…again…and I don’t think that will be good for our trade.

Personally I think this is an expensive game… First it was let’s all buy video adaptors…before you all got sore backs…now it’s HD SLRs with their two plus points shallow DoF and the ability to film in low light…big wow…once Scarlet appears you will all be following the pied piper down that expensive road…mark my words.

The wonderful thing about this footage is the fact it was shot entirely on a Nikon D300s shooting at 1280 x 720. The footage was shot by Ami Vitale.   www.amivitale.com

The D300S brings HD movie capability, a faster frame advance rate of 7fps and dual CF and SD memory card slots to offer new opportunities to explore creative imaging. Built upon the widely acclaimed D300, the D300S incorporates the same DX-format 12.3 megapixel CMOS sensor, professional 51-point autofocus system and commended EXPEED image processing in a discrete compact body.

Robert Cristina, Manager, Professional Products for Nikon Europe, comments: “The D300S is designed for today’s generation of creative image makers who want to combine brilliant stills in photography with the creative potential of video capture. The DX format has the advantage of lens magnification, compact size and affordability making the D300S a really exciting package for anyone looking to take their photography to another level”.

Capture and Edit HD Movies in stereo
The D300S comprehensively extends DSLR HD movie capture by adding external stereo sound input, autofocus capability and premieres in-camera movie editing. External stereo microphone support adds more realistic sound to shooting movie clips, and a new dedicated LV button makes switching between stills and movies easier than ever. In-camera movie clips can be edited by simply selecting the start and stop points during playback. Also, the new Type C HDMI interface enables editing to be carried out on an HD display if desired.

From Dover to Kirkwall… you can transfer your digital pictures to “Wall Art” why not give them a go…send a Wall Art of the grandchildren for Mothers Day …. http://www.photiqueimages.com