NIKON D7000. Fact, not Fiction

[erictom]

One slight disadvantage with DSLRs is focusing. It's okay to play with cinematic Depth of Fields, rack focusing, etc., but when you're on the move, focusing can be a chore and a time bandit...not to mention the pricey Follow-Focus rigs. The 16.2 MP NIKON D7000 has active AF while shooting HD video. That's a major advantage while still being able to be selectively creative with manual focusing.

[MichaelD]

Out of interest can you hear the lens focusing and zooming ?

I know they're quite these days but when I had a little play with the Canon 5D I found it most off putting being able to hear the camera operating on the video footage

[erictom]

You have a point. DSLR audio is probably not the best (mono), if any, you may just have use it just for synching purposes in post and use a quality off-board recording like a wireless mic or Zoom.

[LouBruno]

I think they are good for B-roll and all about DOF. Other than that, the fusion cameras are tough to use in run and gun situations. One of our video members will use 5....yes...5 Canon cameras for the wedding video production. Yikes!!! Imagine the editing. How about the 12 min. capability of scenes and the heat produced which will shut the camera down.

Some of the add-on appliances such as rigs, audio devices, stabilizers, lights, attached viewfinders, zoom levers etc. make these cameras look more like UFO's than cameras.

Don't ever get me wrong, I just LOVE the cinematic look. I think the video produced is outstanding and it is good to have both the capability of a great still camera fused with a video camera. I will own one down the road-someday.

We will start to see fusion-style camera shortly and more on the video side. These cameras will have very large chips and will produce a good DOF.

BTW: Videomaker, a consumer video magazine, has an excellent and easy to follow article on Depth of Field. I try to use a shallow DOF with my HVR-S270 Sony camera when ever I want to have an individual appear prominent in a scene.

[SYLRENAUD]

Eric, Lou using SLR's for video is definitely not for everyone. They are not better or worse than a traditional piece of equipment. They just offer something completely different.
But I believe in order to use them effectively, one has to commit completely to the process. This means forgetting what its like to shoot with regular HD cameras. I'm so committed right now that a regular HD camera looks like a UFO to me... lol
Yes,if you are shooting a wedding you will need at least 3 SLR's ... 5 is a lot but maybe he uses them strategically at certain locations and not all the time.
Yes, its more editing but people (here in Ottawa anyway's) are willing to pay more for it.
You need more than one _because_ of the focussing & 12 minute issues. You can do a cool, hip / wedding recap with just 1 SLR but there is no way to deliver a regular full wedding package. I have learned from my mistake and the biggest was too much "rack focussing" especially if you're using just one SLR. You need to have other cameras shooting "Wide Open" meaning
your F-stop is 11 and above. 1080p wide open looks "AMAZING"
So my wife always shoots wide open with the 5d using a 35mm or 50mm for instance. This covers the other 2 cameras to create DOF. DOF is very addictive to me in many ways. Yes it creates the "film look" but it also takes out things you don't want in the picture. Like the cousin texting on his phone in the background while the couple is having their first dance ! 200mm lens will take care of that. It will put the emphasis where it needs to be & blur out things ruining the moment.
Rhode mics plugged into these cameras offer very acceptable audio. Yes if you are using wireless or a boom mic you will need a digital recorder & link it in post. For me I just do this for the vows & interviews the rest of the audio is from the Rhode mics. We never use AF always MF so camera noise is not an issue.
I agree with Lou...I dont think DOF on new cameras is going away anytime soon. Things are changing fast, new things have to be learned.
But at the end of the day, if you know how to tell a story, it doesn't matter what camera you use