Shooting video with a DSLR is not right.
At least, it’s not right all the time.
Here’s what I mean.
Scenario
Your best client calls with news of a great new project. Their CEO has been tapped for the keynote presentation at the top conference in their industry. They want the whole event shot with multiple cameras then edited into versions for distribution on various media. And… they want to premier the video on huge screens at the annual stockholder meeting a week after the keynote. Wow!
Question
Are there any DSLR cameras that are perfect for this project?
Reality
This production needs to be shot with high quality video cameras. Here’s why.
- You’ll need lenses that can give you decent shots from the edges of the room and that’s likely to be 75 feet or more from the stage.
- You’ll need remote controls on those lenses so your operators can adjust zoom and focus from comfortable positions behind the camera.
- You’ll need all cameras to accept a sync signal so you can live switch the video.
- You’ll need to have all cameras connected to camera control units so a video engineer can adjust white balance, iris, gain and other parameters to keep the cameras as closely matched as possible.
- You need to be able to record continuously for the length of the entire presentation plus several minutes before and after the keynote. That could easily be 45 minutes total record time.
- As this is a one-take production you’ll want multiple HD recording systems for audio and video to ensure you’ve got it. At the very least you’ll want to record the live switched program with an ‘iso’ recording of each camera for editing later.
While you could put a lens on a DSLR that would have the reach you need, virtually all other requirements for this project are out of the question for shooting video with a DSLR.
Okay, you might want one guy moving around, operating in stealth mode, getting cover shots of people being people. That might be a good role for a DSLR in this project.
But I find those kind of shots are easier to get with a long lens on a video camera shooting from across the room. And they are rock solid shots that are easy to use for edits.
Even if all you need to shoot is some guy giving his slide presentation at a trade show, you’ll be better off shooting with two standard camcorders – one for the presenter and the other for cover shots.
Why? Timing. You’ll need to be able to shoot continuously for more than 12 minutes and that’s the maximum for a DSLR.
Look at the rest of this blog. I love DSLR HD video.
I’m also a working video producer who has to use whatever tools are necessary to deliver the best project possible.
So there you go. One good reason why you should not shoot video with a DSLR.
Leave comments and let me know what you think.
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
Very good comments. I consider to enter the DSLR scene for corporate video, and while some of your points can be addressed, I agree with one thing: I would not use DSLR for live recordings – yet.
So let me address some of your comments:
a) Lenses: Well, you commented on that already, and do actually think that most people will shoot with DSLR exactly because of that – the ability to change lenses.
b) Focus and zoom: Assuming he is actually standing still behind a conference mic, I don’t think you need to much focus and zoom movements. This is far from an action movie. This would not be the reason for me to shoot with non-DSLR.
c) Sync: Your scene didn’t say anything about live broadcast. I will shoot the video and sound separately anyhow because of the lack of sound control on DSLR and then sync all audio and video tracks with PluralEyes (http://www.singularsoftware.com/pluraleyes.html). This still make be want to shoot using DSLR.
d) WB, Gain, etc: Some of this can be fixed in post, like WB, and audio levels, as long as light and initial sound levels are ok. This will not make me move away from DSLR.
e) Recording time: Now that is a problem. My idea is to capture from the HDMI into a Matrox MX02, to take the live feed from the DSLR and avoid the flash card limitation. Unfortunately the HDMI feed is not clean, so that makes it not 100% possible. But some Swedish guys (http://www.syndicate.se/Default.aspx?Id=311) have done a tool to extract the HDMI feed, that might be a solution. It by the way also gives you YUV 4:4:4 vs YUV 4:2:0 from the flash card. As I said, this could be a problem shooting in DSLR.
*) But the main point one should have in mind is $$$. A 7D, a Sigma F1.4 30mm lens, and a Matrox MX02 with cables are around $3500 for the video. The Audio , say a NTG2 and Sound recording equipment giving you 48 kHz is less than $1000. The 2 extra pieces of software are $149 and Euro 199. On top of that you of course need a Mac and Final Cut Pro, but then I think you can shoot very decent corporate videos.
Until the HDMI thing is fixed, I would still shoot live events with a cam.
Bjarke
Bjarke – you are correct on all points. The cost of studio quality video cameras, on location switching, engineering and recording is extremely high. Having people who know what to do with it is even more important. When I have produce an event such as this I work with an established production company that provides all equipment and professional crew.
Agree 110% with this, I own 2 DLSR cameras right now (T1i and T2i). For something like this, I would not consider them at all for a primary camera for an event like this. Best to run everything to a camcorder (better audio options as well) and go from there.
If it is a multi camera shoot, I would have no hesitation bringing a DSLR (or 2) in, to move around and get some “B” roll to throw into the edit.
I do Live MMA events each month, my DSLR can barely cover the 2 hour event with a 16gb card and only recording the rounds when the start and a little bit of extras. I get about 40 minutes @ 720p, 60p and also shut the camera down during the intermission due to over heating issues at this speed. Meanwhile, I have an HD camcorder with the second cameraman running the entire time.
Love the DLSR cameras, but they are not quite ready to cover anything longer than just a few mintutes at a time yet and need some “baby sitting” for sure when in operation.
Do you have any issues mixing the footage from the T2i and your HD camcorder in post?
-a-
Michael replied to me in an email:
No, they mix pretty good in Vegas 8 pro. I deinterlace the 1080i, 60i footage (Neoscene) from the cam corder and then bring it into a 720p, 30p (29.97) project with the 1080p, 30p (or 720, 60p) from the T2i. I have found my life is a lot easier rendering in 720p right now, for the web and DVD.
Thanks,
Michael
And I agree with editing at 720p. Not only is render time much faster, it’s great reframing 1080p clips in the timeline. Besides cropping and positioning you can do extremely smooth moves with the footage. If you’re distributing on web or standard DVD, 720p is the only way to go.
With the regards to the length of shooting, the 12 min, I wonder if that can be dealt with using Canon WFT-E5 (for the Canon 7D) it allows to connect an external hard disk, such as a Solid State Drive (SSD). In the manual it says “When recording movies to a hard disk, use a hard disk with fast writing specifications”, so a SSD in a USB-2 Enclosure and problem solved, or?
I’ve not used a WFT-E5 but my understanding of these devices is that they transmit still photographs from your camera to a laptop for viewing and storage. It transmits using Wi-Fi and I know there’s not enough bandwidth with Wi-Fi to transmit streaming HD video straight from the camera.
I’ve heard rumors of Canon developing an uncompressed video output for DSLRs. When that happens the video captured will be better in many ways – color space, data rate, no limit to length and more.
Actually, you can do this now with many prosumer HD camcorders. You tap the HDMI output and feed it to a converter. You can covert to SD/SDI and capture that with several devices straight to your computer.
Motu just released the HD Express HDMI that converts HDMI to ProRes 422 for around USD$500.
http://www.motu.com/video-products/hd-express-hdmi/workflow/prores.html
The issue is getting uncompressed (or barely compressed) video out of a DSLR. And I trust that issue will be solved at some point.
Yes, the WFT-E5 is mainly for alternative communication out of the 7D, such as WiFi, Ethernet and the USB can accept a Bluetooth dongle. And Canon do state that these kind of comms are slower than USB, my idea was to use the USB on this WFT-E5 to have external storage, which I believe the USB on the 7D can’t do. But in any case I don’t think it will change the 12 min, since the disc format has to be FAT32, and while you can format even very big disks with FAT32, the individual files cannot exceed 4 Gb, and the 12 min is 4 Gb in HD. So unless Canon allows another filesystem, or a way of buffer while changing to next file, I don’t think there is a solution.
Another discussion on the length has been overheat, but while not pretty I think a Peltier module could fix that (http://www.mpja.com/prodinfo.asp?number=12323+PM).
I have a Sony HDR-HC7 and that has a normal HDMI 1.3 plug, which I believe is capturing straight from the sensor in full HD (not HDV).
Will Canon (or other DSLR manufactures) release hard- or soft upgrades with all these goodies, unlimited recording, full HD live output in 4:4:4, Dual XLR input with audio control, etc, etc? Wouldn’t it kill their professional video market? I only think that the DSLR will be in the video market for DOF lenses, and some other specialties (BabyLens, etc), otherwise even a prosumer camcorder will probably better in many instances, just consider the Rolling Shutter (CCD vs. CMOS) issues.
DSLR will not replace video camcorders, but would be a nice extra tool.
Solid thoughts.
As for recording straight to disk, even though many camcorders have full HD output, not many people record that way. Besides the increase in equipment cost, you pretty well have to add a data wrangler to the crew to keep up with everything. And it’s another box to haul around, keep batteries for or plug in, carry extra cables, etc.
Well worth the effort for some productions but not where most people go first. It’s essential if you plan to pull chroma keys from the footage later but then you’re likely shooting in a studio so the extra gear is not that much of a problem.
I look forward to Canon, Nikon and Sony releasing video camcorders that accept DSLR glass. Many of these issues will go away at that point.
-a-
Ok just to play devils advocate…
http://www.stillmotion.ca
These are exclusively shot on 5d mkII’s and 7D’s…they cover a whole day with 2-3 people on steadicam/tripods…and you just don’t get anymore ‘vital’ than having to cover a WEDDING!
So given Stillmotions success…both as a business and in the endeavour of utillizing DSLR’s. Wouldn’t you have to say DSLR’s *are* ready for events like this.
I seem to see them covering events more and more often while not ideal certainly seem workable…wouldn’t you all agree?
Would love to hear all your thoughts on this.
- B
Bob,
Thanks for the link, nice work on the video and the site. You’ve obviously done the work to get the equipment and your team up to the level necessary to professionally capture and event like this.
More than the camera work, you’ve got great audio tracks and the editing captures the feel of the event – even with just the teaser clips on your site I can tell you know what you’re doing.
I’d be interested in knowing your production plan – what cameras in what positions, audio recording equipment and any other ‘making of’ you can share.
-a-
Hi Adriel, that’s actually not my site but I am about to get into that business so its definitely something I have been reading up on alot lately…hence ending up here after doing much research on gear!
Normally I do alot of freelance/event work of all kinds doing multiple camera shoots regularly (5 and 6 cameras at times!) and wanted to try my hand at weddings for a while so stillmotion was probably one of the first DSLR examples of that I saw that was VERY well put together and had a great sense of style.
My setup will probably be 2 Canon t2i’s and I already have a HV30 and XH-A1S with a wide lens.
Ultimately its not really that hard once you have 3 cameras going.
XH-A1S would be my ‘A’ cam of course and the dslr’s wouldn’t have to worry about any shooting gaps due to the 12 minute shooting time. My 2nd camerperson would be on a monopod grabbing b-roll and I will have a steadicam pilot available.
As long as you get the clean audio (a ZOOM H4N is perfect) then a little sync and I would just cut a multicam live edit (Avid & Vegas do this for sure…very very handy!).
Having one dedicated camera is KEY in my opinion…the XH-A1S looks great alongside the DSLR’s as it already has a L Series lens.
Here’s some of my work by the way…
http://vimeo.com/9341231 (Stock HV30)
- B
Well, Bob, that’s exactly that, you would not use a DSLR as you A-cam, simply because of the problems mentioned here. You would use a traditional camcorder for your A-cam, and then supplement with DSLR. In the stillmotion.ca video, even if all was shot on DSLR and just the speech was captured on a ZOOM for example, that would still be OK, since the whole video was mixed with various clips, so should the DSLR on the main speaker run out of time, you would simply start recording again, and intercut with some of the other footage.
This is not exactly the live event this article started with, so while I would agree that a wedding like the one showed could be shot with multiple DSLR, I would still hesitate to shoot the CEO scene, without a camcorder.
I must however add that if one consider 2 DSLR on the main speaker (such as in the CEO scene), and make sure the recording is started offset, lets say 6 min. and you still use an external audio recorder, like the ZOOM, you could probably get away with the result.
Pro: great video quality, multiple angles, probably lower investment,
Con: Longer editing time, needs more assistants for extra cam and external sound, probably more expensive per project.
Also you have to sync separate audio tracks back to video and edit from a sequence not a clip.. A real pain in the ass!!
I agree – syncing audio tracks is not very productive. I use a great tool called PluralEyes that does the trick quickly and easily – http://www.singularsoftware.com/pluraleyes.html
Thanks for the blog and I’m glad for it. It allows me to tell a friend “I told you so”
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