Way back in 2002, I’m having lunch with Jeff Cree, Sony’s HD camera expert. He worked with George Lucas on the Sony/Panasonic F900 Star Wars shoot and later, with James Cameron on the Titanic underwater HD videos.
At fruit salad time, I say to Jeff, “Why can’t SLR digital cameras shoot HD?”
Jeff, who knows everything HD, launches into a 10-minute talk explaining the difference between a three chip 2/3rd inch HD camera and a digital SLR camera with just one sensor. The gist is: It’s easier to build a perpetual motion machine than to make a digital SLR camera that records HD movies.
Now, only six years later, it’s happened. Both Nikon and Canon have released digital SLR cameras that can shoot HD video. The Nikon D90 and the Canon EOS 5D Mark II digital SLR cameras. Googling will get you all the specs, no need for me to repeat them. That said, Nikon’s brochure is here.
Interesting that in the eight-page brochure, the Nikon D-Movie mode only rates one small mention. Nikon obviously don’t understand their entry into the moviemaking world:
Innovative D-SLR movie function: D-Movie
A new idea for D-SLRs, the D90 offers a movie function, allowing you to shoot movies in three different motion JPEG formats: 320 x 216 pixels, 640 x 424 pixels and HD720p (1,280 x 720 pixels).
Now you can capture life's moving moments with added drama by using many of Nikon's NIKKOR lenses, including the AF DX Fisheye 10.5mm f/2.8G ED and the Micro-NIKKOR lenses.
The shallow depth of field can give your movies a more creative and emotional impact. An additional benefit is the D90 image sensor, which is much larger than a typical camcorder for higher image quality and exceptional high ISO performance during low-light shooting.
*Autofocus is not available when recording movies. Matrix metering is used regardless of the metering method selected.
Chris Hurd’s excellent DVi forum a 20 + page thread with pros and cons of both cameras here.
Philip Bloom actually bought a D90 and has interesting stuff here plus a D90 video clip here.
Too lazy to click? Here’s a snip from Philip (I get paid on word count):
Pros: Great image considering the limitations, 35mm DOF, price. Superb DSLR.
Cons: Rolling shutter is awful, as bad as it gets, no external mike input, only 720p, 5 minutes clip max implemented to prevent sensor from overheating although I can’t see why you would shoot for more than 5 minutes at a time with this anyway. Just button off and button on again and you have another 5 minutes.
Despite the cons I thoroughly recommend this camera, it is an amazing DSLR with a great new feature. Sure it isn’t perfect but this is embryonic tech that is a hugely exciting development. What comes next will just get better and better!
Nikon cops out at 720 24p, while the Canon EOS 5D Mk. II raises the bar to 1080 60i:
Canon, the first company to introduce a full-frame digital camera, has improved the EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR camera’s newly developed full-frame CMOS image sensor. Utilizing proprietary Canon technology, the Company has reduced noise and expanded the sensitivity of the CMOS sensor up to ISO 25600, which is three full stops higher than the ISO 3200 limit of the original EOS 5D camera. Although the individual pixel dimensions of the EOS 5D Mark II camera are the same as the 21.1-megapixel CMOS sensor used in the EOS-1Ds Mark III digital SLR, the new sensor incorporates an improved output amplifier and a more advanced color filter that improves light transmission while retaining excellent color reproduction. By applying the same kind of advancements in sensor design and image processing technology as the recently introduced EOS 50D camera, but at higher resolution and with larger pixels, the EOS 5D Mark II achieves the highest level of image quality of any EOS Digital SLR released to date.
With the combination of its improved CMOS image sensor and the powerful new DIGIC 4 image processor, the Canon EOS 5D Mark II camera provides ISO speeds from ISO 100 up to ISO 6400 in 1/3-stop increments, along with two high-speed settings – H1 and H2 – of ISO 12800 and ISO 25600, respectively, as well as a low-speed setting of ISO 50. The full-frame sensor maximizes the performance of Canon EF lenses, the world’s largest selection of autofocus lenses.
HD and SD Video Capture
Canon has taken its expertise in imaging, photography and video capture technology to a new level with the EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR. Answering the question of where SLR technology is going next, the EOS 5D Mark II features 16:9 Full HD video capture at 1920 x 1080 pixels and 30 fps as well as 4:3 standard TV quality (SD) video capture at 640 x 480 pixels and 30 fps, both capabilities appearing for the first time in a Canon SLR camera. Video capture is part of the camera’s Live View function, using the Picture Style that has been set for Live View still image shooting. This allows skilled photographers and cinematographers to adjust image sharpness, contrast, color saturation and white balance, and have those settings apply to the movie image. When recording video, the camera’s rear LCD screen can be letter-boxed by a semi-transparent border to match the aspect ratio of the movie recording size. Moreover, the EOS 5D Mark II camera’s HD video capability enables new levels of creative expression through its unfettered access to the complete line of more than 60 Canon EF lenses, which provide an incredible variety of visual effects including everything from ultra-wide-angle and fish-eye to macro and super-telephoto, including many large-aperture L-series professional lenses that can keep the main subject in razor-sharp focus while blurring the background beyond recognition.
The EOS 5D Mark II will record video up to 4GB per clip or a maximum continuous movie capture time of 29 minutes and 59 seconds, whichever comes first. Depending on the level of detail in the scene, a 4GB memory card can record approximately 12 minutes of video at full HD resolution or approximately 24 minutes in standard definition. Video clips are recorded in .MOV format using an MPEG-4 video compression and sound is recorded using linear PCM without compression. The new camera features an input terminal for external stereo microphones as well as a built-in monaural microphone for convenience. To help show off those fantastic movies as well as still photos, the EOS 5D Mark II camera includes an HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) output to display crisp, clear images on a High-Definition TV.
Both cameras have minimal audio inputs. Both cameras are deficient in the areas of manual control when in movie mode. But, hey, this is year one. Wait few years and these cameras will have offspring that will rival RED ONE and Sony’s latest $200,000 CineAlta f35.
Even now the benefits are amazing. The Nikon D90 body costs a mere $1,000. It will take any Nikon DX lens – from fisheye to telephoto. The large sensor gives you both cinematic DOF and excellent low-light performance.
SQUEEZE #1
Goodbye 35mm lens adapters.
You’ve got admit that tacking on one of these gizmos is not an elegant solution to obtaining film-like DOF. Without exception, they are ugly. Whether it’s a car, a plane or a toaster, if it doesn’t look right — it probably won’t work right.
Besides being ugly, they throw out off the balance of the camera. Try doing handheld, run ‘n gun shoot with one of these puppies. Forget it, you can’t. Shooting in low light is impossible. I, for one, will not regret their passing.
They will all be doorstops by 2012.
SQUEEZE #2
Gone, Baby, Gone! This is what happens to vaporware.
The wind of change brought by the Nikon/Canon cameras has claimed its first causality.
Jim Jannard officially pulled Scarlet September 21:
We have changed everything about Scarlet because the market has changed and we have discovered a lot of things in the process. We have a new vision.
Wipe you minds of the past announced Scarlet. Forget the design and forget the price. It is all different now. We think you will be surprised. Glad we didn't take any deposits... :-)
Jim
Forget all the hype since April’s NAB. All that remains is the name.
Ditto the 5K RED EPIC pulled a day later:
Just like Scarlet, Epic has changed completely. Throw out everything you thought before. We'll reset the deck at the same time we announce about Scarlet.
All good here. No bad news at all. Only good surprises. Still early-mid 2009. RED ONE upgrade still in effect.
And yes, it will still be called RED EPIC.
Cheers.
Jim
__________________
"Everything in life changes... including our camera specs and delivery dates..."
We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone with a bad attitude.
The squeeze is on RED ONE. Assuming prices stay the same and the next generation Nikon D90 has improved — buy the body, throw in some lenses and $3.5K for a nanoFlash recorder and bingo — less than $6,000 for the whole kit.
For $6K you get a camera with a RED-sized chip, recording near uncompressed from the HDMI output to the nanoFlash’s CF card. $100 for a 32GB high-speed card.
Who knows what other camera manufactures will come with? How about a Hassleblad video camera?
SQUEEZE #3
Let’s assume I’m right and Nikon and others move into the movie camera business with full-sized chips and near-uncompressed pictures. What’s going to happen to all of the Sony, Panasonic, Panavision etc. etc. cameras? Will the Nikon lenses out rival the Zeiss HD lenses? Will Nikon partner with Convergent Design for an all-in-one uncompressed solution?
Back when, Ampex thought they had cornered the videotape recorder market. They invented the first VTR in 1956 — the first 1' C format recorder in 1976. But then in ’82 Sony came out with Betacam and the mighty Ampex slowly crumbled. This year, Ampex finally filed for Chapter 11. All that’s left is a sign on the 101 Freeway. RIP Ampex.
I think there’s going to be a similar camera industry shake-up.
May you live in interesting times.
Who said that? I just did.
From Vincent Laforet's blog about his short film "Reverie" shot with the Canon EOS 5D MKII:
"I’m proud to finally share this short film with everyone - no time for words - let’s let the moving images do the talking… Here is the raw footage (downsized to 1/4 resolution) from the prototype EOS 5D MKII that Canon allowed me to borrow over a 72 hour period. Many thanks to David Sparer and everyone at Canon…. The behind the scenes video will be up shortly."
You can see "Reverie" here.
Behind the scenes here.
Feature-film quality from a $3,500 Canon EOS 5D MKII. Sure glad I didn't order a RED ONE!
Thoughts? Comment in the DV Forum.