Best DSLR Combo?

b-roll

Administrator
Staff member
If one were to wish to play with a DSLR setup for video - what would be they hypothetical best configuration? Camera, Lens and Mount...

Thanks for the idea...

kev
 

cyndygreen1

Well-known member
Yeah...do you want "best" as in ultimate or are you going for "best" as in affordable.
My "doable best" is a micro-4/3 using a hand held digital audio recorder which I can also plug a mike into.

Have used it in a two camera set-up with the micro as my second angle and my main camera using a wireless for primary shot and good audio. Not for serious shooting but a great backup system/second system.

I know there are die-hard DSLR-ers out there who can give you better information.

Note: I got this particular camera because with a $25 adapter all of my old film camera lenses are once again in play. 20 mpxl and beautiful DOF.
 

BOItog

Member
So many choices.....

...tough to narrow down since there are so many options.

I've used the Canon Mark II and III. Both are Good for video... not so much for audio. I would take a good hard look at the Canon C100 or C300. Gives you a little of both worlds with a large sensor and actual XLR plugs for audio (what a concept).

I think the Panasonic GH4 is an interesting prospect entering the market soon. 4K capable and they have a separate "audio module" you can attach to the bottom of the camera. Sounds like at a reasonable price.

Lenses... that is where the challenge comes in. As a former ENG photog I miss the single "zoom lens" days. Now you have to plan how you are going to shoot and play the lens switch game. Don't get me wrong, the look is great, but at the price of speed and flexibility. We use Canon glass. 16-35... 24-105... 70-200... kind of cover the ranges. We rented a 600 to shoot some wildlife photography that was a blast to play with but crazy to deal with.

None of these cameras are going to sit on your shoulder so you would have to factor in some kind of rig system.

It really comes down to what you plan to do with the cameras and how important sound is in the equation. Good luck!
 

b-roll

Administrator
Staff member
Thanks for the tips... initially, I was gonna rent a camera to try it out...

On canon... How does the 5d III compare to the 70d? Does the slightly smaller sensor make a huge difference in DOF?

Thanks,
kev
 

2000lux

Well-known member
The smaller sensor does make a difference in Depth of Field, but also in lenses. A 24 mm lens on a 5D is a 36 mm lens on a 70D because of the crop factor. I have a C300 and a 5D iii. What's good for the goose is not always what's good for the gander.
 

Necktie Boy

Well-known member
The Canon Mark II and III make a better image from my reading. I don't know if it's based on the size or the quality of the sensor. So, the 70D's picture isn't as good as those cameras.

The C-series is a good option, but the cost does come close to a regular video camera.

As other's have said, if you are going to handheld, you have to buy a cage, and other accessories to make it work. If you have clients looking for the large sensor camera, it worth the investment, but others have posted the problems that they encounter.

I did play with my friends Canon DSLR. It was a quick test. I just left it in auto and played. Right off the bat, hard to do handheld stuff. The LCD is small and hard to judge focus. But when the camera hit the sweet spot, it looked nice. The files were easy to playback on my old computer with any problems. (Go Pro's Protune will not play smoothly on my computer using QT)

As who to go with? Canon is the most popular since there is the Magic Lantern hack. The biggest feature is able to record pass the 30 minute mark. The Nikon cameras have clean outputs, so you can use an external recorder. Canon's cannot do that(lower end). Also, some say, the image is much better than the Canon's.

The GH4 is a game changer. With the audio pod, it's about $3500 bucks. The pod will take TC. Don't know about the recording sound quality.

Most go with what lenses they own, so they don't have to invest in new ones. As for the 70D, the auto focus in video mode is the highlight of the camera. Costco had the kit for $1500 bucks. The Nikon kit(5200) is $900 bucks.

"It depends"....How much you want to spend to play?
 

Focused

Well-known member
Skip DSLR and go to a C100 or FS100. So much better to handle. Full frame and AUDIO. C100 Takes EF lenses. Its a joy to work with compared to DSRL.
 

Run&Gun

Well-known member
Skip DSLR and go to a C100 or FS100. So much better to handle. Full frame and AUDIO. C100 Takes EF lenses. Its a joy to work with compared to DSRL.
Cx00 series cams and FS100 are s35 size sensors(approx. APS-C), not "Full Frame"(24mmx36mm).
 

aktar26

Member
I am using a Pentax K-7. It's worth looking into. If you are not worried about all the extra features including the weather sealing then I would say the Pentax K-x is going to be real hard to beat.
 

Capt. Slo-mo

Well-known member
According to one of my shoot buddies in a high end film school, all the "cool kids" are migrating from the 5d MKIII to the new Sony A7s MkII with the 5 axis gimbal internal IS.

But then you have drifted off into Sony lens land...which is not always a good thing.
 
According to one of my shoot buddies in a high end film school, all the "cool kids" are migrating from the 5d MKIII to the new Sony A7s MkII with the 5 axis gimbal internal IS.

But then you have drifted off into Sony lens land...which is not always a good thing.
do you have any other info on the A7 I had been looking at it especially since sony released an A7II presumably to perfect something they didn't get quite right. Do you know if there is an adaptor to mount Nikon Glass, or have you heard anything about the quality of stills it takes.

I am in the market as well but I also want to be able to use it to take still pictures... at least half.... truthfully more of the time since I have kids.
 

FTOJRLST

Well-known member
Really good article about the new Sony A7II in HD Video Pro Magazine...

http://www.hdvideopro.com/blog/editor/2014/11/steady-as-she-goes-sony-introduces-the-α7ii-the-first-full-frame-camera-with-5-axis-image-stabilization.html#.VH4GSYdMbVU

do you have any other info on the A7 I had been looking at it especially since sony released an A7II presumably to perfect something they didn't get quite right. Do you know if there is an adaptor to mount Nikon Glass, or have you heard anything about the quality of stills it takes.

I am in the market as well but I also want to be able to use it to take still pictures... at least half.... truthfully more of the time since I have kids.
 

Alaska cameradude

Well-known member
According to one of my shoot buddies in a high end film school, all the "cool kids" are migrating from the 5d MKIII to the new Sony A7s MkII with the 5 axis gimbal internal IS.

But then you have drifted off into Sony lens land...which is not always a good thing.
Well.....it depends. Canon and Nikon are the dominant stills camera makers,
so if you are looking to buy or sell lenses, then Canon and Nikon are much
better. More people have those lenses and there is a bigger demand for them
if or when you decide to sell off your lenses. But Sony has a couple things
going for them lenswise. They make power zoom lenses for the Super 35 chip,
which other manufacturers don't do except at a whole new price ballgame.
For example, the Cabrio 19-90 power zoom costs about $38,000. The Canon
17-102 is similarly priced. Sony makes a 18-105 power zoom for $598. And
a 28-135 power zoom lens for $2500. And a 18-200 power zoom for around $800.
So if you are looking to 'replicate' a little of the functionality of a standard 2/3
broadcast camera but on a big sensor camera, Sony lenses actually have a leg
up on everyone else. Now obviously, there are reasons the Sony lenses cost less.
They are not at the level as the Cabrio and Canon. But for 1080p they are just
fine. And they are the only manufacturer making low budget 'cinema' lenses
for motion shooters. Most of these low priced lenses are geared at stills shooters.
Again, though there is less of a market for the Sony lenses so plan accordingly.
 

Alaska cameradude

Well-known member
do you have any other info on the A7 I had been looking at it especially since sony released an A7II presumably to perfect something they didn't get quite right. Do you know if there is an adaptor to mount Nikon Glass, or have you heard anything about the quality of stills it takes.

I am in the market as well but I also want to be able to use it to take still pictures... at least half.... truthfully more of the time since I have kids.
You can use a Metabones adapter to use Canon glass or a Novoflex to use
Nikon glass on the Sony's. However, you loose a lot of the functionality
of the lenses.....like usable autofocus (it is non existent or really slow)
and image stabilization. You end up using them as manual lenses.
 
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