Canon EOS 5D v EOS Rebel T5i -the best choise for live broadcasting

[ottoj]

We are looking between Canon EOS 5D and EOS Rebel T5i, we are holding sporting event, our goal stream live video over IP and coax. We chose HDMI to QAM modulator (DVB-C and IPTV) - our goal is to shorten a delay, we would like to know other's opinion is there any latency difference between Canon EOS 5D and EOS Rebel T5i If I run signal through direct HDMI output in 24Mbps mode? Or if you guys can kindly recommend me better camera for live-streaming, I would really appreciate it.
Thank you in advance!

 

[goodguy]

I know nothing about video so I might give you the wrong answer.
But as far as I know there is no video on the Canon 5D classic

 

[TCampbell]

If my memory is working... the "original" 5D (the body that people refer to as the "classic") did not actually support shooting video... it was a still camera only.

The 5D II introduced video (and was very popular for video). But I do not think the 5D II supported "clean" video out. By "clean" I mean the video out displays only what the camera sensor sees and it's not superimposed with other information normally displayed on the camera screen. I believe the 5D II video out really just displays what you'd see on the rear screen (so it can be used for a monitor by the camera operator... but is not suitable for "live broadcast").

The 5D III didn't initially support "clean" HDMI video out but Canon issued a firmware update that added the feature. The 5D III definitely supports this.

What you want is a camera that supports a "clean" video out (and probably at 1080p).

I do not know if the T5i can support clean HDMI out.

 

[f64_or_bust]

As a video pro, I would suggest that without a lot of accessories, no DSLR is suitable for live broadcasting. They aren't too bad for production, but there are numerous handling and operating issues that are not easy (or cheap) to solve. A big one is zooming. Unless you're working with static locked down shots, you'll want to zoom at some point. The difference between a professional look and that of a rank amateur is the smoothness and speed of a zoom move. This is what separates even the semi-pro video cameras from the professional stuff...speed and smoothness of start/stop of a zoom move. A real professional camera can pull of the "presidential crawl", an ultra-slow zoom-in. A stock DSLR has no power motorized zoom at all. Very slow zoom moves are usually impossible, and moderate ones take a lot of practice and patience to get acceptably smooth. Some lenses just refuse to let you do it. You can add a zoom lever and improve on it, but it's never very good. Adding zoom motors is difficult, expensive, and problematic.

You also have to be very careful with auto focus/follow focus. My experience shooting video with a 7D II has shown me that as good as its auto focus is, it's no match for that built into a decent video camera. Then there's the viewfinder issue. A DSLR's only option is the rear screen, a real video camera has an eye piece electronic viewfinder with decent resolution and some sort of focussing aid, plus appropriate optical magnification to make it really useful. There are attachments that can be added to DSLRs, but they are generally a bit clumsy, and usually impede use of the optical viewfinder. I haven't found the rear screen at all as useful as an eye-level viewfinder on a video camera.

I could go on and on, but I would suggest, if it's a one-off live broadcast, rent real video gear. Unless it's a single camera shoot, you'll also need some sort of production switcher and preview monitors to handle switching between two or more cameras. It's all rentable, not terribly expensive, but the results will be worth it.

 

[TCampbell]

The difference between a professional look and that of a rank amateur is the smoothness and speed of a zoom move. This is what separates even the semi-pro video cameras from the professional stuff...speed and smoothness of start/stop of a zoom move. A real professional camera can pull of the "presidential crawl", an ultra-slow zoom-in. A stock DSLR has no power motorized zoom at all. Very slow zoom moves are usually impossible, and moderate ones take a lot of practice and patience to get acceptably smooth.

Complicating things even further is that zoom lenses for photography cameras are almost never "parfocal" (in a parfocal lens, if you pick a focal length, then focus your subject, then zoom to a new focal length on that same subject, you'll find your focused subject is still in focus. In other words the true focus distance is not effected by a change in focal-length.) With a DSLR when you zoom, your subject will fall out of focus and focus must be continuously updated as you zoom. There are few (just a few) lenses that legitimately qualify as "parfocal" for DSLR cameras... the overwhelming majority of zoom lenses are not parfocal.

 

[f64_or_bust]

The difference between a professional look and that of a rank amateur is the smoothness and speed of a zoom move. This is what separates even the semi-pro video cameras from the professional stuff...speed and smoothness of start/stop of a zoom move. A real professional camera can pull of the "presidential crawl", an ultra-slow zoom-in. A stock DSLR has no power motorized zoom at all. Very slow zoom moves are usually impossible, and moderate ones take a lot of practice and patience to get acceptably smooth.

Complicating things even further is that zoom lenses for photography cameras are almost never "parfocal" (in a parfocal lens, if you pick a focal length, then focus your subject, then zoom to a new focal length on that same subject, you'll find your focused subject is still in focus. In other words the true focus distance is not effected by a change in focal-length.) With a DSLR when you zoom, your subject will fall out of focus and focus must be continuously updated as you zoom. There are few (just a few) lenses that legitimately qualify as "parfocal" for DSLR cameras... the overwhelming majority of zoom lenses are not parfocal.

Very true. In some cases where the lens is slightly non-parafocal you can compromise by taking advantage of a slower shutter and stop the lens down. The Canon 18-135 EF-S, the 17-85 EF-S and the 70-200 f/4 are all close enough to stay focused acceptably at f8 for a full zoom. You can also pick the portion of the zoom range that works out the best to be optimally focused. If the shot is a zoom-in and hold, favor the longer focal length for focus. Or, compromise by picking a mid point.

I haven't found this to be the deal-breaker, there's so much else that's difficult about shooting live with a DSLR.