That also differs with camera model, so what applies to the camera tested, may not apply to other cameras.
Cheers,
Bart
Not just camera model even cameras of the same model, close to same build date. I've owned every 1ds camera made, 4 1d, almost always two for a backup and except one time did they shoot the same. I think it depends on the sensor issues, some need more in camera processing, some less.
But charts, specs are just that charts and specifications. Nothing tells you more than real world use.
When people talk about cameras, especially new camera reviews most of them rave about the quality, until they are in use for a year or so, then once the dust settles the real world user reviews get different.
Check the used prices of a new camera after a year and look at where they drop. 1/2 usually, unless they are still viable then they hold up on price, because people are still using them.
The 5d2 is old, but still one of Canon’s best dslr motion camera offerings. Sure it’s 8 bit, medium sized bitrate for a dslr, but it always surprises me.
This image is a screen grab shot in paris with the 5d mark II at 1080P, shot in Paris.
Time was short and we had two car mounts. One large to hold the RED that takes a while to set up, one small that is perfect for a dslr that takes about 10 minutes to set up, including an hdmi out for viewing.
It’s funny, when I bought the 5d2 I spent about 5 grand on rails, supports, cages, pre amps, etc. and thought this is silly. I’m gonna spent all my time messing with this camera so I went ahead and bought REDs.
Rarely used the 5d2, though when I do it always surprises me in a positive way.
In fact I’ve gone through 4 sets of small cameras for a 5d2 replacement and without a doubt haven’t found one.
The last was the A7s Mark II and everyone raves about it’s low light but for me anything past 800 get’s messy. Noise doesn’t bother me as long as it’s pretty noise, but blocky ragged noise is not good, so the 5d2 goes everywhere.
You know, people in the movie and film business are slow to change. Sure there is new cameras coming out by the hour, but you’d be surprised on a movie set how much old equipment is used and by old I don’t mean 2 years I mean 2 decades.
I’m not selling Canon’s, that's not my role, especially on this forum because in the intertalk world Canon doesn’t get much love, though I was speaking to a dp that works with Canon and other camera makers and he works a lot. Like my experience he said he’s rarely on a set where some kind of Canon camera isn’t used.
This is an interesting video on the making of “Fury Road” a movie that was off and on 10 years in the works. I know they tried all kinds of small cams from the olympus to well . . about everything for shots where they had to mount in small areas and finally settled on the 5d2 for the crash cam shots.
(click the play on vimeo button to watch)
The director George Miller wanted a one cam shoot and brought John Seale the great dp out of semi retirement to shoot it. John resisted and they ended up with a many cam shoot. It’s a long video and I’ve posted it before, but there is a lot of lessons to be learned, whether you shoot movies or personal projects, stills or motion.
Sometimes we overthink things, I know I do and it’s easy to jump to the latest and greatest only to find what we have works.
Lately I’ve had a maker selling 8k cameras offer me a great deal to replace my RED ones. I was/am tempted until I think about it. 8k requires huge computing power, newer video cards and a lot of other stuff. Then I’ll look at the footage I just shot with my R1’s and think why do I need 8k?
Sometimes crew will look at my R1’s and say wow “ancient", until they see the footage.
But ancient? Those cameras still shoot 4k, I own two red rockets can process in real time and heck they're paid for.
Ancient is Tarantino using 50 year old 60mm panavisions for the hateful 8, which is an amazing cinematography experience with Robert Richardson the great dp.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8mZFSlGEJ0But with digital cinema cameras, I know I’m not alone in my thoughts because RED just announced they won’t support my R1 mx's or the Epic MX after September. I guess that's motivation except I can buy 6 R1’s for the price of one 8k camera upgrades.
In fact the last software/firmware upgrade on the R1’s has given me one and a third full stops faster with less noise that I got when I bought them new. So . . . moral of the story, use what works for you and test it in real world situations and unless a camera does something that really moves you forward, I don't worry about it.
IMO
BC