Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: 5D2 vs. 1/3" sensor Camcorder  (Read 11972 times)

RobertJ

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 706
5D2 vs. 1/3" sensor Camcorder
« on: June 20, 2009, 11:13:32 pm »



I'm sure some of you might have seen this video, but I thought it was pretty awesome, and it's a nice little general comparison of a 3CCD 1/3" sensor prosumer Canon camcorder and the 35mm 5D2's motion capture.

Now, I did not do this test, so I can't say what settings the 5D2 had.  So, I'm not going to judge the exposure, contrast, color, and sharpness of the 5D2 video (it has a neutral look to it), and in some of the 5D2 shots, it looks like the focus could have been a bit more precise, but it has a dreamy fantasy look to it, which is a plus for story-telling.  

On the other hand, the camcorder footage just screams "I'M A HOME VIDEO!!!"  Check out those blown highlights.

To me the difference is far more than just depth of field.  It's an entirely different look.  More dynamic range, not quite video-looking, but not quite film-like either.  It's unique and pleasing, and it's not even 24P.

I think this is a good test for people who say "Video is video, I'd rather use a camcorder, because that's what it's made for."  And that's true in a lot of cases.

But they're two completely different tools for different shooting situations, for the same price... but this camcorder model is now discontinued.

I did an approximate sensor size comparison.  2/3rd inch sensors are considered pretty damn big in the video world compared to the 1/4th-1/7th inch sensors in the consumer camcorders.  And to think, RED is coming out with 645 sensors that capture 9K...

From left to right: 1/3rd inch, 2/3rd inch, 35mm.

[attachment=14709:onethird...ullframe.jpg]
Logged

mikekobal

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 84
5D2 vs. 1/3" sensor Camcorder
« Reply #1 on: June 21, 2009, 06:38:59 am »

thanks for posting this, I think by now we are pretty much aware of the fact that the 5Dmk2 blows everything away except the RED (which offers features the 5Dmk2 lacks, still the RED is behind the 5Dmk2 when it comes to low light shooting),  it is good to see side by side that the puny sensor cameras are a total joke, no matter how the companies try to market them.
« Last Edit: June 21, 2009, 08:40:09 am by mikekobal »
Logged

michael

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5084
5D2 vs. 1/3" sensor Camcorder
« Reply #2 on: June 21, 2009, 09:35:09 am »

Not quite so fast.

While I agree that the 5DMKII and other Combocams can deliver remarkable results, I'm a bit suspicious of that particular comparison.

We need to bear in mind that shooting video (on any camera less than a RED) is done in the equivalent of JPG mode, not raw. That means that the in-camera settings of gamma and sharpening are critical to obtaining the "look" that one wants. The Canon has limited ability to set gamma (it looks way to soft to me in this example), while the XH-A1 camcorder seems to have gamma set way to steeply and sharpening also over the top.

I'd venture to say that if someone wanted to these could be significantly equalized simply by proper settings, especially in the XH-A1.

Having said that, there's no question that the future of video (if not still photography as well) lies with cameras like the forthcoming Scarlet, especially when we can shoot raw video

I have a tutorial scheduled for publication tomorrow on the difference between combocams and camcorders.

Michael
« Last Edit: June 21, 2009, 09:43:46 am by michael »
Logged

stever

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1250
5D2 vs. 1/3" sensor Camcorder
« Reply #3 on: June 21, 2009, 12:45:16 pm »

how should the 5D2 be set?  i've seen picture style recommendations all over the map
Logged

guyharrison

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 48
5D2 vs. 1/3" sensor Camcorder
« Reply #4 on: June 21, 2009, 06:52:19 pm »

Michael

I'm new here but have followed for many years. I am wowed by the vidoe but have no idea how to set anything. The manual is abysmal. Are there any good references out there?  Do you plan any tutorials?

I am new to video but this camera has me really pumped up for a new creative outlet but I need to learn the basics first. Where can I go for infoo

Love these forums

Guy Harrison
Logged

RobertJ

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 706
5D2 vs. 1/3" sensor Camcorder
« Reply #5 on: June 21, 2009, 09:38:56 pm »

Adding to what Michael said, indeed the camcorder footage is much like a default point-and-shoot JPEG, with sharpness, contrast, and saturation turned way up, while the 5D2 is neutral because of the camera settings that were used.  

If the 5D2 had different settings, or the footage was post-processed, there's a chance that the highlights could be blown, or close to blown, on the 5D2 as well, and the "gamma" would look similar to the camcorder, however, the "feel" of the 5D2 video is still in a different dimension no matter how you set the curve, IMO.

RAW video is where it's at, and this is where RED has a huge advantage over current and future DSLRs that shoot motion.  I just hope the low-light capabilities of the new RED products will be similar to Canon's legendary performance.
Logged

PierreVandevenne

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 512
    • http://www.datarescue.com/life
5D2 vs. 1/3" sensor Camcorder
« Reply #6 on: June 22, 2009, 02:16:43 am »

Quote from: guyharrison
I'm new here but have followed for many years. I am wowed by the vidoe but have no idea how to set anything. The manual is abysmal. Are there any good references out there?  Do you plan any tutorials?

What about having Chris Sanderson on the other side of the lens? I certainly would be interested in a video turorial about combocams as well
Logged

Morgan_Moore

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2356
    • sammorganmoore.com
5D2 vs. 1/3" sensor Camcorder
« Reply #7 on: July 07, 2009, 01:01:32 am »

While Im loving the look of the 35mm sensor of the 5d2 I think people are wildly underestimating the difficulty of using the camera

Jello and the ultrathin DOF mean that getting a stable sharp image of a moving subject is a great challenge - the greatest photographic challenge I have encountered since trying to shoot sport with a nikon FM2 and a 300 2.8 in 1991

My (2/3?) Sony EX1 is an absolute doddle to use in comparison

I have felt that learning with the 5d2 I am creating a situation that is incredibly challenging to shoot and really the difference wont be noticed by clients if one shoots the small chip intelligently

That means clean backgrounds and a bit of tele on the zoom

S

Logged
Sam Morgan Moore Bristol UK

RobertJ

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 706
5D2 vs. 1/3" sensor Camcorder
« Reply #8 on: July 07, 2009, 04:56:26 pm »

Quote from: Morgan_Moore
While Im loving the look of the 35mm sensor of the 5d2 I think people are wildly underestimating the difficulty of using the camera

Jello and the ultrathin DOF mean that getting a stable sharp image of a moving subject is a great challenge - the greatest photographic challenge I have encountered since trying to shoot sport with a nikon FM2 and a 300 2.8 in 1991

My (2/3?) Sony EX1 is an absolute doddle to use in comparison

I have felt that learning with the 5d2 I am creating a situation that is incredibly challenging to shoot and really the difference wont be noticed by clients if one shoots the small chip intelligently

That means clean backgrounds and a bit of tele on the zoom

S

The way that the motion camera with a large imaging area (film or digital) needs to be moved, operated, and focused hasn't changed since the very first motion pictures have been made.  Just because the 5D2 is small, doesn't mean it's easy to go handheld and "run and gun" all the time, and I think that's where people are confused as to why they would use the 5D2 vs. a camcorder, and why the camcorder is definitely easier to use.

The 5D2 is small, light, and portable, yes, but if you're shooting something serious, you still might need a shoulder mount with handle contraptions, follow focuses, steadicams, tripods, dollies, tracks, etc.  Running and gunning and fun family videos are possible, but obviously the best results are from treating it as if it's a huge, heavy, cinema camera, IMO.

Morgan, I think your point proves that perhaps "regular" camcorders will NOT be going away.
« Last Edit: July 07, 2009, 04:57:14 pm by T-1000 »
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up