How many DSLR owners use their camera's video capability?

[Chris Pollock]

I owned a 5D Mark II for over 3 years, and recently upgraded to the Mark III. I've never used the video capability of either camera, except for a few minutes of experimentation with my Mark II.

The problem is that there is no autofocus while shooting, which makes it largely useless for making home movies - my children are far more interesting when they're moving around. I just don't know of many relatively stationary subjects that I'd like to make videos of. The lack of an EVF would also make it awkward to use without a tripod.  I suppose I could video the waves breaking on the local shoreline, but that sort of thing gets boring quickly.

I can see how the video capability would be great for someone wanting to make a low-budget movie or documentary, but I find it hard to imagine that such people make up a large percentage of DSLR buyers.

Am I unusual? How many of my fellow DSLR users regularly use them to shoot video?

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi,

I shoot video, but more like as a compliment to landscape photography. A few snippets each day.

http://echophoto.smugmug.com/Places/St-Andrä/17843424_GccLXw#!i=1364517199&k=z5DfhdP&lb=1&s=A

http://echophoto.smugmug.com/Landscapes/WeidenSandhöhe/17813102_MsbX7M#!i=1362898502&k=MkTQDbQ&lb=1&s=A

Note! You probably need to "cut and paste" the links into your browser to see the videos.

Best regards
Erik

I owned a 5D Mark II for over 3 years, and recently upgraded to the Mark III. I've never used the video capability of either camera, except for a few minutes of experimentation with my Mark II.

The problem is that there is no autofocus while shooting, which makes it largely useless for making home movies - my children are far more interesting when they're moving around. I just don't know of many relatively stationary subjects that I'd like to make videos of. The lack of an EVF would also make it awkward to use without a tripod.  I suppose I could video the waves breaking on the local shoreline, but that sort of thing gets boring quickly.

I can see how the video capability would be great for someone wanting to make a low-budget movie or documentary, but I find it hard to imagine that such people make up a large percentage of DSLR buyers.

Am I unusual? How many of my fellow DSLR users regularly use them to shoot video?

[MrSmith]

perhaps you should be asking how many amateur users use video on their dslr's.
most of the advertising/design photographers i know have shot moving image with their dslr, either for web or tv use.

[Petrus]

Video is there because it is cheap to implement in a camera with live view capability. DSLR video was and is not meant to replace a real video camera. It just happened that the quality is good, DOF is shallow (shallower than in real 35 mm movie cameras even) and the camera is practically free compared to previous cameras offering something similar in looks and quality, like 20-50 times cheaper. So the popularity of DSLR video was quite unexpected. If somebody thinks 5D3 or D800 is also a great home video camera they have been mislead or do not understand anything about video.

I use 5D2 for for certain types of videos, precisely for the movie like effects with shallow DOF. Shooting is done movie style, dollies, focus puller (when needed) etc. Or as a stationary B-camera for interviews, which are shot with XF305 to simplify things and get good synched audio. For fast documentary and ENG style stuff  DSLRs are just about useless, but some photographers have to use them, because they have them and because cameras have video they now have to deliver video also, and carrying a proper video cam also would make things too complicated.

[shadowblade]

I don't even know how to take a video using my cameras!

I make and sell large landscape prints - you can't take a video and hang it on the wall.

[francois]

I don't!

[Petrus]

I don't even know how to take a video using my cameras!

Do you know how to use the live view to focus still shots? In case you use a camera like Canon 5D2 for landscapes. It surprised me to find out that many professional photographers had used 5D2 bodies in studio for a long time without knowing that you can enlarge any point of the viewfinder 10 times to aid manual focusing. I have seen people using 5D2 cameras with telephoto lens as a birding scope using this feature, instant 10x magnification for free...

[Justinr]

What's a video?

[JohnBrew]

I've noticed the red button near the shutter release on my NEX-7. I think its a panic button  . I never intend to push it.

[shadowblade]

Do you know how to use the live view to focus still shots? In case you use a camera like Canon 5D2 for landscapes. It surprised me to find out that many professional photographers had used 5D2 bodies in studio for a long time without knowing that you can enlarge any point of the viewfinder 10 times to aid manual focusing. I have seen people using 5D2 cameras with telephoto lens as a birding scope using this feature, instant 10x magnification for free...

I use live view almost exclusively - it's like a newer, better version of a ground glass.

[Rob C]

I have no idea if my two babies even do video, but it's academic anyway, since I have zero interest in the medium.

I have but to watch some DVDs of old 8mm films that my late in-laws did to realise yet again that there is no point in shooting anything in motion unless you have gone to the trouble of bulding a story to tell.

My stories - when there are any - are pretty damned uncomplicated and a still provides as much information about them as anyone could possibly need!

;-)

Rob C

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

I've heard rumors that my 5D2 and maybe even my little S95 can shoot videos. For me it just makes the printed manual heavier to carry around.

As for "live view," I never thought I'd need to use a dark cloth to see what I'm shooting on a camera that's so much smaller than a view camera. Focusing on an 8x10 with a loupe was much faster than trying to magnify the LCD image and drag it around with a tiny joy stick as on these "modern" cameras.

So for me it's one image at a time, preferably with the help of a clear, bright, 100% optical view finder.

[EgillBjarki]

I started out with a D700 and moved to 5D II because of resolution and video back in 2010.

With the speed of the world today, I did not allow my self to just skip video. So as a part of a self education I started to play with it. I found a motive that interested me and made something more serious early this year.

Sooner or later the client will relies that our cameras can do this. It makes sense for them with every thing lined up for the photo shoot to do a video as well.

Now I am happy that I pushed my self into doing video as well. It can be very easy to fall behind the competition, besides, why not put our talent as photographers into another perspective?

[Ellis Vener]

I do.

[DeanChriss]

I appreciate artistically done videos with high production values that tell a story, but this is an entirely different art form than still photography. While one can use the same camera for both, video requires completely skill set and different tools from tripod to editing software. I have no interest at all in producing videos, and I honestly wouldn't know what to do with them if I did.

[John S C]

Purchased a 5DMk3 to replace an aging Mk1. 2 days later got a request from a client to produce short videos for their web sit. Not bad timing.

[Kirk Gittings]

I got into video because I bought a 5DII and it was there. Now it is an additional income stream.

[Rob C]

Thing is, Kirk, I don't have to work for a living anymore and so there's no longer any need to start into a new field that, basically, holds no interest for me. Ironically, I was originally bewitched by the film industry, but the practical impossibility of a 1950s kid in Glasgow living and working around London was insuperable and that tossed the dream into the bin.

Still, it turned out to be an enjoyable life, even if not quite as lucrative as it might have been...

Rob C