getitdigital review: Shooting HD video with DSLR (Digital SLR) Buying Guide

This getitdigital review is part of our Buying Guide which is designed to assist you in making the right purchase.

High Definition video is one of the newest and most interesting features to be added to SLR cameras since the advent of Digital SLR Photography began. With the larger sensor sizes of DSLRs you can get video quality that until recently was relegated to 30K video camcorders. The Nikon D90 was the first to offer this feature and was soon followed by the Canon EOS 5D Mark II. At this time it seems that the number of cameras with this capability will only grow. In fact, most getitdigital videos are shot with a DSLR.

The question that is foremost in people’s minds is whether or not they can chuck their camcorders and get the best of both worlds in one, highly versatile package. It’s a great question and one that deserves consideration.

This article aims to answer that question and to explain a few concepts that must be asked prior to making a camera purchase if video is what you are after.

Let’s take a look at how this feature works and some of the pluses and minuses of DSLR video.

The Concept-Hurdles

The idea is pretty simple: Capture video with huge sensor by scanning the sensor continuously and processing the information DOWN to HD video. Sounds easy enough. The only issue is that a whole lot of computer oomph is necessary in order to accomplish this feat. That’s where the new Canon Digic 4 and Nikon Expeed processors come in to the picture (no pun intended). They are able to complete the not-so-simple task of making video from a DSLR sensor possible and do it without overheating. The advent of these technologies has allowed HD video to be included in a high quality DSLR camera.

Pluses

The common, farm variety video capable  DSLR has the capacity, as stated above, to capture the most incredible HD video you’ve seen this side of a Panasonic AG-HVX200. Vivid Color reproduction and smooth motion along with life-like images certainly make DSLR cameras tough to beat as far as High Definition quality is concerned. It’s all done through the gigantic sensors that make those found on high price camcorders look like dust specks.

Flexibility is another positive aspect as you can use any lenses, without an adapter, that the camera manufacturer says will work on the camera. That will allow you to get Hollywood-like effects using a larger aperture lens that are not possible without much editing, if at all, when using a standard issue camcorder.

Some cameras, like the Canon EOS 7D are even able to capture 1080p at up to 60fps which is quite unreal if you think about it. It’s only a shame that our HD TVs cannot display the video at that rate. They normally function at 30 fps.

Minuses

Camera shake is a problem and you will need to use a tripod even with image stabilized lenses. This is mainly due to the fact that DSLRs, by their very shape, are not designed for continuous movement but more for quick reflexes. So if impromptu home movies are your thing you may want to consider a regular camcorder which are designed for this type of usage. Basically, shooting with a DSLR requires more planning.

Another distinct, detrimental aspect of shooting Video with a DSLR is the audio. Again, as the video feature, at least at this point, is a secondary component, the sound capturing devices included with these cameras are not first rate. Sure, some cameras like the Canon 5D Mark II, Nikon D300s, Canon T2i (550D) and the Canon 7D all come with external microphone jacks, yet they are  not really designed for audio and a very high quality external microphone is necessary for getting passable sound for your videos. Therefore, if sound is your game, a dedicated camcorder might be in the cards for you. Most pros use a separate recording device and match the sound up later.

The now infamous “Rolling Shutter” problem which renders vertical lines as diagonals is another issue although it seems to have been rectified in recent DSLR offerings and will probably be eliminated through the use of even more powerful CPUs in upcoming DSLR cameras. The idea is that because the camera does not capture the entire image at once but, as explained above, scans the sensor from top to bottom, there is a delay in processing the images so that when the camera is moved, the image will shift as well.

The last and possibly the most important gripe is the lack of continuous autofocus which means that you will have to know what you are doing in order to get sharp video. This has alot to do with the way the lenses are designed and the amount of communication that is necessarily a part of following subjects around. These cameras do a great job with still shots but the autofocus for video is just no there.  Panasonic now offers a camera that will do it but it is still kind of primitive and is only offered in a four-thirds format so in order to get the higher quality images offered by true DSLRs and still get HD video, you’ll have to do without continuous autofocus.

Conclusions

DSLR HD video is quite impressive and indie film makers are switching to this format in droves. The show “House” was actually filmed exclusively with the Canon 5D  Mark II. That obviously goes a long way in affirming the usability of DSLR video and where the future of  image capture is headed.

It seems that the trade offs dictate that HD video on a DSLR is a great feature to have and can supplement your stills very nicely. As far as using it instead of a camcorder, you have to decide how much work you are willing to put in to video capture. If you are a professional photographer and need the highest quality, then DSLR video will serve you better than a camcorder will. If, on the other hand, you are serious about your video but don’t want to fool around with recording the sound separately,  as well as some of the other minuses involved, then sticking with camcorders might be the right option for you.

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