ggttc Loc: TN

I keep forgetting my camera has video...!

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I keep forgetting where I put my car keys.

Johanna Loc: Albuquerque, NM

Tough luck, wait a dozen or so years and you may forget where you are!

rwill19050 Loc: Witney, Oxfordshire, UK

I have an EOS 550D.
The video on it is true Hd and so good it is used by professional film makers, so the poster who said it is just a gimmick is way off line.
I am lucky in that there is a group of professionals who have hacked the EOS range and added great extras in the camera firmware.
http://magiclantern.wikia.com/wiki/Magic_Lantern_Firmware_Wiki

Use it, have fun.

T2i_Lorne Loc: Surrey BC Canada

My background as far as imaging goes is in video. It was video that actually got me interested in learning more about photography.

I have shot a fair amount of video with my T2i and it does a fantastic job on scenes where the focal length remains constant. It has better exposure control than either of my video cameras. It also has a more cinematic look to the actual footage.

The drawbacks are that it is almost useless when it comes to "run and gun" shooting - it does not do well unless I really take my time to ensure that the lighting is ideal first. Get the white balance wrong and the footage is toast. It is also tricky to mix the footage in with that captured by my dedicated video cameras. A lot of extra color balancing is required.

The video cameras do a better job of color management and are much quicker to set up on the fly under difficult conditions. Exposure control is more difficult with the video cameras, but the colors are richer and more vibrant than the T2i.

So how it breaks down for me is like this ...

I use the video cameras for the documentary or journalistic style shooting, but I use the T2i if I want a more cinematic, artsy look such as a wedding video. This is where it really shines. It's a combination of the sensor and lens that gives that cinematic look. Right around 35mm and 50mm seem to be the sweet spots.

To use a DSLR effectively for video you will need to be really keen on controlling your lighting and working with changing focal lengths. It is more challenging, but ultimately very rewarding to capture good footage with a DSLR.

Good luck with your quest. The best thing to do is just get out there and start shooting. There are thousands of instructional videos on Youtube and Vimeo.

Feel free to PM if you have any specific questions. I have shot and edited thousands of hours of video, built my own jib, dollies, sliders, and lighting rigs, and would be happy to share what I can. I don't know your camera, but I do know technique :-)

gessman Loc: Colorado

I have done a good bit of video with my Canon 5D2 over the past four years. It does an absolutely wonderful job. I shoot in 1080p, the highest current resolution, burn to blu ray, and play on a 70" tv. It is amazing and would require the use of a $60 to $500K video cam to equal the quality. One of the things that makes it so amazing is the quality and variety of lens that you can use.

It is a bit clunky in that focus and zoom are difficult although there have been many, many aids built to compensate and you can find them using google and youtube, along with plans and instructions for DIY projects.
I compensate by shooting short clips in one spot, moving aim and refocusing, zooming, whatever, then shooting another clip, ultimately editing the clips together with Pinnacle Studio Ultimate which must be version 14 or above to handle the blu ray.

1080p video is shot at 2 megapixels and there is no overhead shutter cost as JerryC41 questioned, because you are shooting in live view and the shutter is not involved. And also, as JerryC41 questioned, with the 5D2, there is a limit of 20 minutes of steady shooting imposed to keep the sensor from overheating. You have to restart when you reach that limit.

There are some penalties greater than with a dedicated video cam but they are manageable if you are aware. A word of caution - always make sure your sensor does not have dust on it when you shoot. In light places such as sky, you will get dark spots that coincide with any dust or dirt on your sensor and with so many frames there is no way to practically remove the blemishes. To check for sensor dust prior to shooting, set you lens on f/22, manual focus to stop "searching" and aim at the sky or a sheet of paper fire a shot and check for dark dots on your image. If you have dots, clean your sensor. The higher the f/stop (or smaller the aperture,) the more pronounced the spots will be. It's better to not change lens in the open air out of doors especially in dusty conditions and/or with a wind blowing. There are lens changing portable "clean rooms" available if lens changes are required.

Several major movies have been and are being shot with DSLRs. It's a very useful and viable option that will produce magnificent results if you plan well and control the limitations. Most current video editing software will allow you to add pan and zoom effects in your outcome so shooting in short static clips and editing them together with fades, pans, and zooms make a very nice final product. Handling the unit while videoing will cause shake so a remote release and tripod improve even further the quality of the outcome. Do some homework, don't be hesitant, and you will be well rewarded.

Incidentally, the Canon T4i was designed to add "follow focus," focusing while videoing, which most DSLRs are not good at, and three special lens have been produced specifically for the purpose of adding follow focus to a DSLR. It would be a very nice unit to add as a video unit.

windshoppe Loc: Arizona

I agree. I had never considered video at all until a friend of mine returned from a trip to Africa -- a trip similar to one I had previously taken -- and sent me a DVD of her trip. It was 99% stills, but she interspersed a few short video clips that really told the "story" in a way that stills couldn't. Taking a cue from her I bought a video camera for a trip to the Galapagos Islands and I've never looked back. I now use my 5DII for short video clips when warranted for inclusion in my travel DVDs. While they represent only a tiny portion of any travel video, as BigDHall says, "it's a nice option to have available when stills just won't capture the moment."
And while knowing virtually nothing about video as an art, I've found that a lot of principles that we use in photography are effectively applicable to video.

Sundance Loc: S. F. Bay Area

Radioman Loc: Ontario Canada

This is an interesting video taken with a DSLR

http://vimeo.com/58385453

n3eg Loc: West coast USA

I assumed this is a photography forum, not a "still" photography forum. Besides, it's all photography whether it's 1 frame per month or 60 frames per second.

I started out in photography in 1972 with a Kodak XL series Super 8 movie camera that had a huge f1.2 or 1.4 lens. I started out in "real" photography (Polaroid doesn't count!) in 1981 with a Pentax Auto 110 SLR film camera (equivalent to today's four thirds size.) When 110 film disappeared and everything went digital, I used a camcorder for video and stills in 1991. Since 2006 I shelved the camcorder and use digital still cameras for all my video. The 1080p is amazing even when seen in a 3 inch LCD. The only problem is that the stills are so good that I can't decide which button to push sometimes.

Caldian Loc: Crystal Lake, Michigan & traveling

I agree Viscount Driver.

Quick question of you. Why the mis-direction? Your avatar looks a lot more like a Shackleton than a Viscount. Could be a Lancaster I suppose I've never seen one of those.

Michael O' Loc: Midwest right now

Have never bothered with it with my Canon 5D Mark II. I'm interested is still, not movie garbage, and so did not go for the Mark III or IV.

creativ simon Loc: Coulsdon, South London

I use a video camera for video and still DSLR for stills

My choice

nick1984 Loc: Spokane

I try it once on my 1dx and I really like it.even I have a Sony hxr nx 5u.