Canon 5D Mark II Tag

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03 Mar Canon 5D Mark III-next step in DSLR Revolution or just another camera?

Uncategorized | Studio B Team

Wowzers! It’s here, the long awaited Canon 5D Mark III! Once rumored to have 4k recording capabilities, xlr inputs and a built in espresso machine, the final specs of this much anticipated ‘uber-hyped’ camera have now been released! The Mark II has become a staple for Studio B shoots.  It’s fairly rare these days that we go out on a shoot without it. If nothing else it’s a great second camera when we are shooting on the Red Epic or Arri Alexa, and we often use it simply for production stills. Lets see if the Mark III Can replace the Mark II as our go to DSLR.

FROM THE 5D -MARK-II

TO THE 5D-MARK-III

Looks like they took what worked so well and stuck with it. Definitely a good thing.

So, in the end, why do we care? Lets break down the features.

New features include:

  • ISO sensitivity range from 100 to 25,600 (50 to 102,400 extended)
  • Digic 5+ Processor and 22.3-megapixel full-frame CMOS Sensor
  • 1080p recording @ 30/25/24fps and 720p recording at 60/30fps
  • Close to 30mins of uninterrupted record times w/automatic file splitting at 4GB files
  • Duel Compact Flash Type I/UDMA and SD/SDHC/SDXC Card Slots
  • Built-in headphone jack
  • Manual Audio Level Control with 64 levels (which you can adjust during movie recording) ZOINKS!
  • New 61-point autofocus system (same as the one found in 1D X)
  • HDR and Multiple Exposure modes
  • In-camera RAW processing
  • Comparative playback function (view two images side-by-side on LCD)
  • Scene Intelligent Auto mode
  • Support for high-speed UDMA 7 Compact Flash memory cards
  • 3.2-inch, 1.04 million-dot LCD
  • Optical viewfinder with 100% coverage

In video mode, it also has better noise reduction, so when you are at your crazy high ISO it won’t look as grainy as you think it should. It also claims better file compression and better overall picture quality, thanks to the digic 5+ processor. This camera is set to ship in late March and will retail for $3,500 smack-a-roo’s, over 1k more then its predecessor.

As for Still only options, I know there are a bunch but I’m not a still guy so I couldn’t tell you what they mean. If this is important stuff, post a response letting everyone know why still shooters would care about the Mark III.

So, now is the 5D Mark III a replacement to the Mark II or just another option in the world of DSLR? And, is it worth the extra cash? It’s really going to come down to image quality, if there is really that big of an improvement and if all these little features add up to a whole lot in the work that you do.

To single out the audio improvements, most people won’t be needing audio features for their DSLR anyways and without the inclusion of at least duel mini inputs, its not a feasible audio recorder anyways.

Even better low light recording? Well, more of a good thing is an even better thing, so if that does all it is supposed to, I can see that being a major factor. Longer record times, yes please. Time code, its about time. So yeah, there are improvements, but does that warrant a $3,500.00 price tag?

Soooo, whats my final take? We will get a couple of Mark III cameras in the studio so we can have it as part of our arsenal. Although the new features aren’t revolutionary, they are welcome additions, and since we’re already big fans of the 5D Mark II, I say ‘bring it on.’

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19 Feb Oh 5D, why do I love you so?

Uncategorized | Studio B Team

Oh 5D, why do I love you so? You are not a video camera and you have terrible audio… But damn baby, your pictures look good.

Canon 5D Mark II

Canon 5D Mark II

This may be a little late in the game to be swooning over the Canon 5D Mark II; but after the hype, after the buzz, we here at Studio B, finally bought one of these things last fall. Now, after a few months of shooting both stills and video with it, we have a lot of love and praise and just a few small criticisms.

Just pulling this thing out of the box and playing with it, we immediately saw what great images it can create. We also realized at a fraction of the cost of other cameras, this camera produces similar picture quality. The images, even with a stock zoom lens, are sharp, crisp and have a beautiful depth of field. This is the strongest “case” for these cameras. The shallow focus and the resolution are striking. They give the 35mm adapters a run for their money. In it’s compact, lightweight shell, this camera, effectively produces the same images as an EX1 with a Letus adapter. Of course you are not getting the audio, the gamma options and the clean workflow, but as in every camera, despite it’s functionality, the important part is the image. It’s all about getting the best quality picture for the best value and that is what the Canon 5D offers. At the end of the day, the images are stunning.
There are some basic criticisms I have about these cameras. However, if your budget is small, but the quality needs to be high, these are reasonable issues to work around.
My main issue with the 5D is the audio set up; there is only a single mini input and the metering is always on auto. Indeed, you can plug in a mic or a mixer, but every adjustment your sound guy makes, is moot, as the camera will override it. This makes recording to a stand-alone unit almost a necessity. And with that, you get into sync issues and slating issues. However, you can nonetheless get decent sound or at least a scratch track onto your memory card, so all is not lost.

The other big issue for me is the interface of this camera. Since it is a still camera, it speaks to you in ‘still photography’ terms. It is this basic language and menu structure that I don’t like. If you are coming to this camera as a veteran of video, you will be confused about where and how to change things. Where as you normally pick up a new camera and know exactly how to operate it within a couple minutes of playing around, the 5D will have you scratching your head and reading the manual. The menus are basic and the physical button pushing is slightly annoying. Again, this is a small price to pay for such high quality images.

If you couple this camera with a small jib or some kind of shoulder rig, your production quality sky rockets. You can get such high quality dynamic shots from this camera on a Zacuto rig or a dolly move, always maintaining that much desired shallow focus.

We offer the Port-a-Jib traveler here at Studio B and I have seen clients come back with shots from the 5D on the jib that look like a million bucks. The compact size and light weight design of this camera can get you into corners and tight spots, or do narrow pushes and tracking shots that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to physically achieve. You cannot argue that the 5D gives you incredible range and versatility; the possibilities are endless.
If you haven’t gotten to play around with one of these 5D’s yet, you should come down to Studio B and check it out. We can talk all about it; the functions, the pitfalls, the bright side and the work flow. If you couple this camera with some of our other small budget choices, like the port a jib traveler you can raise your production value easily. Or throw this on a Zacuto hand held rig and get some rock solid hand held shots that will make people think you had a steady cam and double the money.
I still am a bit skeptical of HDSLR’s in general, as they are NOT video cameras, with all the ins and outs and buttons and menu options. But these things will change over time and our two worlds of video and photography will continue to merge their technology. And soon enough these cameras will be neck and neck with traditional video cameras much in the same way digital photography has all but phased out 35mm film. All I can say is, they have some perfect applications right now, and if they fix the interface and the audio, these things will be unstoppable.

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