Just thinking...

[fishinchicks]

I was planning on spoiling myself a little by picking up a nice video camera. Then I saw the prices for the ones that take decent low-light videos. For a few hundred more, I could upgrade from my Canon Rebel. Is it worth it?

In my current lens inventory, I have:85mm 1.8, 55-250 4-5.6 IS (both Canon), and a Tamron 17-50mm 2.8. Is it worth it to upgrade to, say, a Canon 7D? Would any of my current lenses work well with a 7D?

My youngest daughter is a junior in high school, so right now I am shooting mostly dance line competitions, and in the spring it will be softball. In the summer it will be horse shows, county fair, family vacations, and nature stuff.

What would you do?

[pulsar_nx]

I don't have any experience to share, but what i've heard is that you'll also need an external mic with a dslr body because the motors are noisy. That being said I've also heard most TV commercials and some parts of shows are being recorded by DSLRs so you can expect quality.

[Jim Almquist]

The 7D will handle both EF and EF-S lenses so you should be good in that department as long as they work good for you now.

This is from B&H on the 7D and taking video: In addition to high-definition still images the Canon EOS 7D can also capture true HD 1080p video at 30 frames per second. Video clips can be up to 12 minutes in length or 4GB in size, and you can make full use of all Canon EF and EF-S-mount lenses, which enables an exceptional range of creative visual possibilities. And to ensure clean, blemish-free image files, the 7D employs a dual dust-reduction system.

The reason I posted that info was to make you aware of the length of the video and what the size would be.

You might need a few more flash cards and realize just how long/big the files are that you will need to upload into your computer.

[Dbl]

I have a fair amount of experience with video and the 7D, the short answer is this...buy a dedicated video camera. People that are using the 5D and 7D for video have extensive video experience and are looking for a specific look and low light capabilities. They accomplish that by being able to use lenses that straight video cameras cannot offer. There is a new show on USA called Fairly Legal, if you watch a number of the intro sequences you will see what I am talking about. They use a tilt-shift lens with time lapse to shoot those segments, something that is difficult or impossible to do with standard video. A number of SNL segments and commercials are being shot by video experts using DSLR's, but they have the systems and knowledge to pull it off.

There are a number of factors to consider if you want to shoot DSLR video.

*Cost - In order to take advantage of shooting video you will need to add a fair amount of equipment to have any success. A follow focus system, external monitor or loupe system for the view finder for magnification. You can get by with on board sound but it is poor at best. Rack system to tie all this together and hold the various parts together as a system. The cost can easily exceed the cost of the camera, in fact it is almost a guarantee!

*Focus - There is no autofocus system with DSLR video. You need a focus pull system in order to gear down the focus mechanism on your lens so you can track your subject with any accuracy. Manual focus with a DSLR lens is difficult at best. That video camera is looking better all the time!

*Format - Working with video and video codecs is a whole new learning process. Conversions, file size, computer storage and speed all make working with video something that is not simple! I've been working with it for about two years and I still stumble around trying to do simple tasks! You think working with photo files is a learning process, try grading with video!

*Lenses - Frankly what you have is not going to optimal for shooting video. 1.2 and 1.8 lenses rule in DSLR video. Consumer grade lenses just are not used with great results.

I do use the video capabilities of my camera but only for a quick clip at best on rare occasions when I don't have any other option. If you want more info don't hesitate to ask, I can't help provide much help on video camera selection but if you want to learn what you might be getting into with DSLR video search for a site called "cinema5d". Spend about an hour reading some topics there and you will start to get a handle on what you will be getting yourself into!

[fishinchicks]

Thanks, guys. That is exactly the info I was looking for. I will probably go with the video camera for now, and upgrade my camera body at a later time. My niece purchased a 7D for school (college - major is graphic design with a photography emphasis), and I have been drooling over it ever since.

I'm looking at a Canon that shoots HD video. It was ranked pretty highly by Consumer Reports. It would be fun for the girls if we were able to record the sections dance competition.

[shnelson]

Rebel t2i is capable of the same stunning video as the 7d, at less than half the price. I bit the bullet when newegg ran a special to get the t2i and 55-250mm lens for less than what the camera normally sells for last month.

The smaller body is tough to get used to, and racking focus is a major learning curve. Say goodbye to zooming while shooting with one of these, no way to pull it off while keeping the shot in focus unless you've got a fourth hand and a lot of precision.

I'm using a prime 50mm f1.8, low light shooting is INCREDIBLE! Keeping your focus on moving objects at 1.8 is a whole new game though. As Dan has already mentioned, many aftermarket accessories are a must if you plan to use it primarily for video, and they don't come cheap.

If/when you go this route, patience with yourself is key. You'll also want something other than windows movie maker to work with the video on your PC too.

[fishinchicks]

I ordered a Canon VIXIA HF S200 HD video camera off of B&H today. My girls wanted some of their sports on video, along with summer activities, so I went with the actual video camera. This one will take 8mp still shots as well, but that would be something the girls would play with more than I would.

I'll see what type of video and stills I can get this weekend. It is dance line sections here, so I'll have others along to run video while I take photos with my Rebel. If we get anything decent, I'll share next week.

[Steve Foss]

I ordered a Canon VIXIA HF S200 HD video camera off of B&H today. My girls wanted some of their sports on video, along with summer activities, so I went with the actual video camera. This one will take 8mp still shots as well, but that would be something the girls would play with more than I would.

I'll see what type of video and stills I can get this weekend. It is dance line sections here, so I'll have others along to run video while I take photos with my Rebel. If we get anything decent, I'll share next week.

That's the one we have. We picked it up last year and have been very happy with it. My wife is the videographer in the family. Even after a year there's still a lot more we don't know about video than we do. But we are having fun and learning more and more.