Dslr camera for Video & Photography

keueen

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Hey guys

I'm looking for my first dslr camera and would be happy about your advice. Currently I take all my photos & videos with my cellphone camera (HTC OneS), which by the way takes some really nice pictures for a smartphone in my opinion.
I already have some experience working with dslr as I have used them for some photo & video projects, I don't remember which exact cameras I used though.

As I'm a newbie to dslr cameras I don't have any prefered brand.
I'm going to use the camera primary for hd video & sports photography. Though some nice still photography image quality would be aprecciated, as I'm surely going to start some still photography tries.
What I have noticed during my projects with different dslr cameras is that the video footage looks blurry, though it is in full hd, especially in landscape videos. Is this a general problem of dslr cameras? Or do you need to get a special lens for sharp landscape videos? Sharp videos is a keypoint for me.

My budget is ~2000$. I've been thinking at something like a Canon 70D. I'd aprecciate some camera & lens suggestions which are in this budget and fit to the area I described before, as you guys have a lot more expierence with the equipment than I do. ;)

Looking forward for you help,
Kevin
 
The 70D is among the better video-capable DSLRs out there right now. If you're budgeting, though, make sure you're accounting for all the other *stuff* that goes with video production -- focus rigs, audio gear, etc., in addition to increased editing requirements.

I've just begun playing with video on my 7D, and it's been pretty humbling so far. I've got a new-found appreciation for the people who are turning out good-quality video work.
 
The 70D has the best video-mode auto-focus in DSLRs right now. It's widely considered the best SLR for video work.

The 18-135 STM lens (available in kit with the 70D) provides a huge working range for video, and silent autofocus (remember: video tends to record audio).

My go-to lens for all non-macro, non-wide-angle photography right now is the Canon 70-200 f/4 L. The pros take the 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS II, but that's a $2500 lens. I got my f/4 used for <$600.

If you shop around, and are willing to take a used lens, you should be able to squeeze all that in at right around $2k.

Pentax and Nikon have some compelling features in this price range for still photography (higher MP sensor, greater dynamic range, better high-ISO performance), but I don't think these are enough in your case.

Oh. The Nikon will generally also have a better theoretic shots-per-second in continuous mode; but assuming you shoot large JPEG (or better, RAW), you'll find the buffers on the Nikon are small and so the useful continuous rate quickly becomes another Canon advantage.

You won't go truly wrong with any modern DSLR; but I really think the improved focus ability and STM lens motor make the case for the 70D compelling.
 
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I will join the choir and recommend the Canon 70D (and when it comes from a Nikon guy that say's something LOL).
Its sensor has a distinct advantage when it comes to taking videos.
It also can produce good pictures even though Nikon for picture taking (Nikon D7100) has the advantage.
So overall when considering your main important will be video get the Canon 70D.

Good luck
 
Hi keueen - Canons are great still cameras. But, for video, they have a challenge with a phenomenon called moire (shimmering colored lines in patterned objects such as fabrics, shingled roofs and brickwork).

Here is an example (Canon 60D and 70D):


[video=vimeo;73429088]http://vimeo.com/73429088[/video]​


If you get the 70D, you will need to be careful to avoid rooftops, brick buildings, and finely woven clothing - or you may want to consider another, more moire-resistant camera from Nikon or Panasonic (please see Panasonic's resistance to moire side-by-side with the 60D in the example below).

Cheers and good luck,

Bill
 
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Here is the moire comparison between the 60D and the (discontinued) Panasonic GH2 (again, a shingled roof):


[video=vimeo;20565849]http://vimeo.com/20565849[/video]​


Canon knows how to solve this (they did it in the $3000+ 5D Mark III), but they have not implemented the solution in their less expensive cameras.

As seen in the example, Panasonic mirrorless DSLMs are resistant to this shot-ruining phenomenon - e.g., the G6, the GH3, and, presumably, the brand new GH4 4K cinema camera. The GH3 and GH4 also have headphone jacks, a critical feature for video that the 70D lacks.

The new Nikon DSLRs are also moire-resistant video cameras - e.g., the D3300, D5300, and headphone-jack equipped D7100.

All of the Panasonics and Nikons listed above (except the D7100) also record to 1080p at 60 frames per second for smooth action and in-camera slow motion.

No Canon DSLR below the $12,000 Canon 1D C records to 1080/60p.

I am primarily a video shooter, and I started out with a T2i - but I sold it when I saw how much Canon charged for video features that other manufacturers included as a matter of course in lower-priced cameras.

Hope this is helpful,

Bill
 
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I strongly second bruner's statements above. I converted to Panasonic GH2's (now use GH3's) for the stunning increase in sharpness.

The problem you may be running into with landscapes is the relatively low bitrate not being able to render minor motion properly, like foliage or tall grass waving in the wind, water flowing in rivers and creeks. The firmware in the GH2 was "cracked" by the hackers and some really impressive modifications made that increased bitrates and rendition of motion.

For the GH3 Panasonic listened to both Pro users and consumers and increased the bitrates. They also vastly improved the still image working and if your primary interest is motion picture, no one else comes real close. Lenses from both Panasonic and Olympus tend to be very good performers, the smaller sizes of glass tend to make it easier to design "fast glass" that is also very sharp.

For a starter, the Lumix G6 is one of the best values going, gets you into the "system" for $629 (B&H) with "kit" lens. It's lightweight and a fun camera with VERY GOOD video performance (full manual if you want that).

Good luck and have fun
 
The new Nikon DSLRs are also moire-resistant video cameras - e.g., the D3300, D5300, and headphone-jack equipped D7100.
Yea, but Nikon has lots of problems with maintaining focus in video... a spot where the 70D (and no other canon at this point) shines. You can get moire out of a D5300 (seen some videos do it), but yes: it seems much less prone to it than the Canons.

I cannot speak to what the Panasonic does with moving targets in video: I just don't know. I don't know about the Sony (a77 for example), but they seem to be well regarded for video.
 
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I'm also infor 70D if you want to choose between Canon and Nikon. Not sure about Panasonic and Sony.
 
If you get the 70D, you will need to be careful to avoid rooftops, brick buildings, and finely woven clothing - or you may want to consider another, more moire-resistant camera from Nikon or Panasonic (please see Panasonic's resistance to moire side-by-side with the 60D in the example below).
They are just triggered by different patterns. See 9:13 on the following video for a Nikon D800 going off-the-rails with a pattern the 5DmkIII does fine with.

Anecdotes don't really help because *every* camera is prone to moire problems. Without statistical data, or knowing specific case-use, you are only guessing which will actually cause more problems for a given user.
 
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If you get the 70D, you will need to be careful to avoid rooftops, brick buildings, and finely woven clothing - or you may want to consider another, more moire-resistant camera from Nikon or Panasonic (please see Panasonic's resistance to moire side-by-side with the 60D in the example below).
They are just triggered by different patterns. See 9:13 on the following video for a Nikon D800 going off-the-rails with a pattern the 5DmkIII does fine with.

Anecdotes don't really help because *every* camera is prone to moire problems. Without statistical data, or knowing specific case-use, you are only guessing which will actually cause more problems for a given user.

Side-by-side comparisons are more than anecdotes. Superior downscaling performance is the result of superior algorithms and image processing hardware.

Over time, looking at a number of these comparisons (I keep them on file, and would post them all, but for this forum's "one video per post" limit), it is empirically clear that the most "moire-resistant" video-centric, large sensor interchangeable lens DSLs (with mic jacks) below $3500 for moire are:

Canon 5D Mark III - clear winner
Panasonic GH2
Panasonic G6
Nikon D5300/D7100
Panasonic GH3

The most "moire-prone" are (no links, because I don't recommend these cameras for video):

Canon 5D Mark II
Canon T2i/T3i/T4i/T5i
Canon 7D
Canon 60D/70D
Nikon D3100/D3200/D5100/D7000/D600/D610/D800
Sony NEX 3/5/6/7/VG10/VG20/VG30/EA50

I have shot with the T2i, T4i, Panasonic GH1, GH2, GH3 and Sony NEX-VG20. The Canons and the Sony all had severe problems with moire.

The Panasonics are certainly not perfect, but in my first hand experience, side-by-side with the Canons and the Sony, there was almost zero moire from the Panasonics in situations where footage from the Canons and the Sony was unusable.

Here is another example from a side-by-side between the moire-prone 70D and the moire-resistant D7100:








Best,

Bill
 
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Side-by-side comparisons are more than anecdotes. Superior downscaling performance is the result of superior algorithms and image processing hardware.
No. They are not. I may be a new non-pro to photography; but I am an old hand at data analysis.

Imagine Camera A shoots everything in the universe perfectly... except roof-tops.
Camera B sucks at most stuff; but seems to work OK on rooftops.

Camera A is clearly better than B... unless your passion/career is rooftop shooting; yet when I do a side-by-side comparison with a rooftop shot it will look the other way.

An anecdote is "B was better than A at this... see?". A statistic is "Choosing 1000 random targets commonly taken by photographers, here's the analysis of the side-by-side in each case". The latter is real data; the former only lets us guess.

Over time, looking at a number of these comparisons (I keep them on file, and would post them all, but for this forum's "one video per post" limit), it is empirically clear that the most "moire-resistant" video-centric, large sensor interchangeable lens DSLs (with mic jacks) below $3500 for moire are:
Now you are trying to draw a statistical norm from a number of data sets. That's *better* then what you just defended above; but not very rigorous without knowing possible bias in selection.

Mind you: if you don't *have* properly random data from known criteria, you are stuck inferring from what you do have.

I'm not disputing your list: you've got more data to draw from than I do. But I was and am disputing using a sample case to prove a position (though it can be used to illustrate a position derived from a larger data-set, which may have been your point).
 
:) - I've had a few jobs where my title was "analyst" too.

The poor performance of these cameras is not limited to rooftops. It extends to brickwork, venetian blinds, patterned fabrics, striped shirts, etc.

You're right - if shingled rooftops were the only problem, I'd buy a Canon. There is more visual data available on these other subjects, but I'd have to post it in 20 successive posts.

I'm not asking anyone to trust me. Go rent these cameras, as I have, and shoot them side by side under controlled conditions.

So the real trade is:

Imagine Camera A shoots everything in the universe properly, except rooftops, brickwork, venetian blinds, patterned fabrics, wedding veils, closeups on hair, striped shirts, etc.

And Camera B shoots all of these subjects properly - and has video features that Camera A lacks (e.g., a video-capable viewfinder, unlimited continuous video recording, 1080/60p in-camera slow motion).

I don't have to be much of an analyst to reach a conclusion :)

Cheers,

Bill
 
:) - I've had a few jobs where my title was "analyst" too.
Then you should have known better about anecdotes :p

I'm not asking anyone to trust me. Go rent these cameras, as I have, and shoot them side by side under controlled conditions.
I do put reasonable faith in consensus, which you seem to be conforming with. :)

Imagine Camera A shoots everything in the universe properly, except rooftops, brickwork, venetian blinds, patterned fabrics, wedding veils, closeups on hair, striped shirts, etc.

And Camera B shoots all of these subjects properly - and has video features that Camera A lacks (e.g., a video-capable viewfinder, unlimited continuous video recording, 1080/60p in-camera slow motion).
Since those are obviously intended to be specific real-world camera, you know you are mis-representing them (did Nikon add phase-shift-AF during record since I checked? How about the ability to change F during video?)
 

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