Changing setup to a DSLR?

[Drew 0]

Has anyone announced a housing? I know there are housings for the NEX5N and NEX7 but only Ikelite has a housing for the A55/65.

[wagsy 0]

I have nothing to do with Grass Valley, all this FCP this or FPC X that is fine... but as soon as I mention EDIUS look out. :lol

The bottom line is it runs rings around the other editors for native multi format editing with effects even on an old computer :-)

 

I know the DSLR's pump out great sharp images but how many DSLR housings let the user go from auto / manual for focus with zooming?

How can you shoot a nudibranchs gill and zoom out on the fly, change/lock the focus to infinity then shoot something larger in the distance.

 

Generally with a video camera you can zoom in, pull your focus, then pull out and you are fine anywhere within your zoom range once you have that critical focus.

That means, any zooming in or out towards or from that subject will be always be in focus.

 

You cannot do that with a DSLR and zoom lens.

Once you pull back you have to re focus.

Once you zoom in you have to refocus.

Zoom back out a bit, you have to refocus bla bla bla...unless you use a parfocal lens.

Try it, go outside with your DSLR and zoom lens, zoom into a subject, lock the focus and pull back, what happens.

Now do that with a video camera.

[A.Y. 15]

Generally with a video camera you can zoom in, pull your focus, then pull out and you are fine anywhere within your zoom range once you have that critical focus.

That means, any zooming in or out towards or from that subject will be always be in focus.

 

You cannot do that with a DSLR and zoom lens.

Once you pull back you have to re focus.

Once you zoom in you have to refocus.

Zoom back out a bit, you have to refocus bla bla bla...unless you use a parfocal lens.

Try it, go outside with your DSLR and zoom lens, zoom into a subject, lock the focus and pull back, what happens.

Now do that with a video camera.

 

Two of the newer Sony kit lenses - 16-50mm f/2.8 A-mount and 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 E-mount are parfocal because they were designed for both stills and videos! I need to look into which other Sony zooms are parfocal.

[Davide DB 492]

I have nothing to do with Grass Valley, all this FCP this or FPC X that is fine... but as soon as I mention EDIUS look out. :lol

The bottom line is it runs rings around the other editors for native multi format editing with effects even on an old computer :-)

 

Having a GH2 and EDIUS I'm like a Unicorn here

 

You cannot do that with a DSLR and zoom lens.

Once you pull back you have to re focus.

Once you zoom in you have to refocus.

Zoom back out a bit, you have to refocus bla bla bla...unless you use a parfocal lens.

Try it, go outside with your DSLR and zoom lens, zoom into a subject, lock the focus and pull back, what happens.

Now do that with a video camera.

 

I know but as we already said at the moment it's probably the only downside.

[Drew 0]

I know the DSLR's pump out great sharp images but how many DSLR housings let the user go from auto / manual for focus with zooming?

How can you shoot a nudibranchs gill and zoom out on the fly, change/lock the focus to infinity then shoot something larger in the distance.

 

Generally with a video camera you can zoom in, pull your focus, then pull out and you are fine anywhere within your zoom range once you have that critical focus.

That means, any zooming in or out towards or from that subject will be always be in focus.

 

You cannot do that with a DSLR and zoom lens.

Once you pull back you have to re focus.

Once you zoom in you have to refocus.

Zoom back out a bit, you have to refocus bla bla bla...unless you use a parfocal lens.

Try it, go outside with your DSLR and zoom lens, zoom into a subject, lock the focus and pull back, what happens.

Now do that with a video camera.

 

Wags, a camcorder is optimized for video work. From peaking to built-in flip filters for color correction and macro, great DOF focus, 10-20x optical zoom etc, all built for the purpose of recording video @ 1080 resolution. Then you have cameras like the PMW100 and XF100, which shoot 422 video. That's nothing to scoff at. But how often do you do a zoom out tracking shot?

The downside to a camcorder is of course also the lens. All camcorders are in the high 20s-40mm range on the wide side, which isn't very wide (although personally I feel 18-24 is a great focal length to shoot bigger animals with, if the viz is there). Even with WA adapters, the resolution drops a bit. Then there's noise in lower light and limited DR due to the small sensors.

With DSLR, there are quite a few negatives, but lens choice is not one of them. From fisheye zooms to bugeye macro, the APS-C and 35mm of the CaNikon just have the breadth of choice for UW use. Sure one has to change lens for each specific purpose on a reef dive, but if I'm in the water for feeding cetaceans and turtles, I'm not going to care too much about a crab on a jelly fish, as cool as that is. Furthermore with minidomes and the 8-15 or 10-17, I can do CFWA closer up.

This sorta comes round full circle to the OP's original question about replacing a 3x1/4" camcorder with the 35mm 5D2. Anyone contemplating any format/camera has to know the pros and cons of that format. There is no one format that is perfect for everyone's needs. Same for NLEs.

[SimonSpear 65]

Ok, ok enough. You've sold me Wagsy! I'm planning to build a new Intel "Cainsbridge" chipset PC to take advantage of the h264 output via Edius (or is it EDIUS?) Seriously though I've often thought about using Edius. It has some very nice features and that h264 output speed is insane, but I just don't understand where you are coming from about using HDSLR's underwater.

 

I've used both HDSLR's and traditional camcorders of all shapes and sizes and while I'm genuinely not a fan of HDSLR's it is really easy for me to see how much better they are than anything else in their price range. There really is zero competition.

 

Would I rather use an EX1 underwater in a Gates Housing? Well the picture quality would be similar ( shush Dean ) but for the form factor, stability and easy access to controls of course I would. The trouble is it is 3 or 4 times the price and all packed up it weights about 30kg when you travel!!

 

Go use a HDSLR underwater and then come back and discuss. I think we'd all appreciate your thoughts after trying one out.

 

Cheers, Simon

[Davide DB 492]

Ok, ok enough. You've sold me Wagsy! I'm planning to build a new Intel "Cainsbridge" chipset PC to take advantage of the h264 output via Edius

 

Watch out Simon, next step will be a Lumix DSRL

[A.Y. 15]

 

Did a quick test deliberately under very poor lighting, trying to decide whether to wait for an upcoming full-frame camera or just go for the A57, which shares the same sensor as the 5N hence similar low-light capabilities. I'm very impressed by 5D3's high-iso performance and will definitely use it for projects not requiring 60p. I used live view to focus perfectly on the chest emblem, but the video came out a little soft.

[Drew 0]

AY, try using the -1/3 stops ie 160, 320, 640 etc. You'll find the noise performance about a stop better. The soft video is a result of the AA filter and processing to avoid aliasing/moiré. The image does take well to unsharp mask at around 0.5 - 1 pixel.

[A.Y. 15]

Yes, overall 5D3 is about a stop better in the ISO3200-6400 range for video and RAW. However, the difference in JPEG at ISO6400 is much less mainly due to Sony's in-camera processing. 5D3 captured less details in the shadow areas at ISO3200 so it seems to be 1/3 perhaps even 1/2 stop less sensitive than 5N's ISO3200.

 

Overall, I was very surprised how clean 5D3's ISO3200 clip came out, knowing how terrible the lighting was.

[Drew 0]

Unless you are a sports/news photographer, why would you shoot in jpeg? The RAW files show the real sensor performance. I don't mean ISO performance. I'm talking about intervals of 2/3 stops, which is the natural ISO of the sensor. The noise performance of these ISO points are better than the whole ISO numbers. It's been like that for a long while.

[HDVdiver 16]

It seems that Canon are releasing a new line of Video Optimized Lenses (AF and stabilization) , starting with 18-135mm and 40mm Pancake.

 

Panasonic Lumix lenses have had these features for years, but this will make life potentially easier for cinematographers who prefer using Canon.

Edited June 12, 2012 by HDVdiver

[A.Y. 15]

Specs for a "prototype" entry-level Sony full-frame SLT camera were leaked and it reportedly has 24mp (Nikon will use the same sensor), 102 cross-type AF sensors, full-time phase-detection video autofocus, and 1080 60p HD.

 

Hopefully, a housing will become available for it!