The future of video DSLRs

By Philip Bloom

Canon 60D coming soon…and the 1DS mkiv? Oh and the Canon Expo in NY!
OK…daunting post this…as things are moving so fast. But this needs to be said.

DSLRs have changed filmmaking for so many and when I say so many I mean an enormous amount. It’s insane just how many people are buying these cameras to shoot video on. It has taken everyone by surprise, including the manufacturers. Canon are of course at the top of the tree and the others are playing catch up. They have to, the market is just too damn big to ignore.

With the release of cameras like the T2i/ 550D it has opened up the market to everyone pretty much. So much so that I say to kids who email me asking about film school “have you considered getting together with a couple of mates, buying a T2i and a lens or two and shooting a movie every weekend?”. Best way to learn in my opinion. In my day film school was something I wanted to do (but didn’t in the end as I got a job as a runner at Sky) because I could not get my hands on gear. Too expensive. That has now changed…yes lenses, monitors etc cost money if you want the best. But you can EASILY shoot a movie with a T2i, an old Nikon 35mm F1.4 lens, a tripod and a cheap sound recorder with a shotgun. That’s around $1000 give or take…

Now we also know these cameras have some massive limitations. Sound recording in cameras sucks more than Telly Savalas sucked on his lolly. Moire and aliasing give me night sweats. Rolling shutter makes me nauseous. Crappy HDMI connections have driven me to hard drugs (joking!). H264 will make me go postal one day!! There are more issues but no point going over all of them, we know them, we live with them, we work around them. That is life. Always has been and always will be. read more...