What about IS? This is important in video - it seems like he uses some external gyro-system

IS functions during video shooting on lenses that have it.

I haven't read all of the replies...but the one thing that I heard... You cannot control shutter/Aperture, etc while in video mode. In other words, it cannot be exposed manually other than exposure compensation. That in and of itself is disappointing, but I am still very impressed by it.

I also heard that if you want to force shallow DOF, it can be done by EC and tricking the camera to open up...

Very impressive. I was one who kind of thought video in a DSLR would likely be rather gimmicky, but seeing the way its executed in the 5DII, it's incredible. I don't know how much I'd get into video, but for short, extremely high quality clips, it'd be amazing.

apdieb wrote:
I haven't read all of the replies...but the one thing that I heard... You cannot control shutter/Aperture, etc while in video mode. In other words, it cannot be exposed manually other than exposure compensation.

I have seen some references that claim aperture, shutter and ISO are all automatic, not controllable by the photographer. And I have seen one reference which claims that aperture can be fixed by the photographer prior to recording but that shutter and ISO are still chosen by the camera. Nobody (yet) seems to know for sure.

I also heard that if you want to force shallow DOF, it can be done by EC and tricking the camera to open up...

That doesn't really solve the problem, as using EC to open up the aperture will also cause overexposure. The simple solution would be to allow manual control of aperture, with the camera selecting a shutter and ISO to allow correct exposure.

Is there more then the Canon USA page that's hosting the video?
I can't get it to play but with sound only

Man ... all it takes is 1 professional photographer with some cred to blow away all the whining; at least for a while.

moondigger wrote:
apdieb wrote:


I also heard that if you want to force shallow DOF, it can be done by EC and tricking the camera to open up...

That doesn't really solve the problem, as using EC to open up the aperture will also cause overexposure. The simple solution would be to allow manual control of aperture, with the camera selecting a shutter and ISO to allow correct exposure.

And the fact that Laforet used a purely manual lens for some of the shooting would indicate that the camera does indeed only rely on shutter speed and ISO in order to determine the exposure.

PrecisionPhoto wrote:
Is there more then the Canon USA page that's hosting the video?
I can't get it to play but with sound only

The sound is just the Theme from The Bourne Movies

monochrome wrote:
PrecisionPhoto wrote:
Is there more then the Canon USA page that's hosting the video?
I can't get it to play but with sound only

The sound is just the Theme from The Bourne Movies
That's really no help in SEEING IT

cogitech wrote:
And the fact that Laforet used a purely manual lens for some of the shooting would indicate that the camera does indeed only rely on shutter speed and ISO in order to determine the exposure.

Not necessarily. It may simply be that because the lens was not communicating a range of acceptable aperture values to the camera, the camera was forced to only use ISO and shutter to control exposure. If so, then a lens which does offer automatic aperture control will automatically have that figured into the exposure algorithm.

In other words, just because it's technically possible for the camera to determine exposure sans aperture control with manual-only lenses does not mean that the camera will allow manual aperture control with lenses that support automatic control -- meaning all Canon EF lenses.

moondigger wrote:
cogitech wrote:
And the fact that Laforet used a purely manual lens for some of the shooting would indicate that the camera does indeed only rely on shutter speed and ISO in order to determine the exposure.

Not necessarily. It may simply be that because the lens was not communicating a range of acceptable aperture values to the camera, the camera was forced to only use ISO and shutter to control exposure. If so, then a lens which does offer automatic aperture control will automatically have that figured into the exposure algorithm.

In other words, just because it's technically possible for the camera to determine exposure sans aperture control with manual-only lenses does not mean that the camera will allow manual aperture control with lenses that support automatic control -- meaning all Canon EF lenses.

Hmmm. True.

Glad 90% of my glass has no electronics

PrecisionPhoto wrote:
monochrome wrote:
PrecisionPhoto wrote:
Is there more then the Canon USA page that's hosting the video?
I can't get it to play but with sound only

The sound is just the Theme from The Bourne Movies
That's really no help in SEEING IT


I have the video on my hard drive at home. If you want, I can stick it on my server later and then you can just download it and watch it in VLC, without any hickups, etc. PM me if interested.

Why would the force automatic aperture. How are you supposed to control DOF then? Obviously with the film there were different Apertures in use for specific effects. Or is this an artificial limitation to prevent competition with high end gear?

I have messed around with consumer grade video using a small Panasonic 3CCD digital camcorder. I use Final Cut Express to edit and its lots of fun. There are countless online bulletin boards devoted to the amateur craft of creating digital movies.

Many of these sites focus on one of the major "creative" issues with digital movie making: the footage does not look like motion pictures you see on the big movie screen. The look is too clean and everything is in focus with huge depth of field. Lots of guys have gone to then ends of the earth to modify their digital camcorder system to get "the film look" and shallow depth of field. There is a huge cottage industry of weird gadgets as well as tons of DIY plans to achieve this kind of result. Few of these are easy or work that well. Some of these gizmos use 35mm film lenses, screens, extension tubes and rotating discs. But like I said there is tons of interest in getting this look.

To my eye the video capability of this camera will be a watershed moment. Its now possible to use all kinds of easy to mount 35mm Canon lenses to get all kinds of "looks" while capturing video footage. Even tilt/shift lenses! Once this camera is out it is possible that a good portion of sales might come from the video crowd.

Of course the sound is not easy to capture with this camera but getting sound requires a lot of effort anyway. When shooting video it is always much easier to get "pleasing" footage than it is to get decent sound. Even amateurs sometimes spend more on the sound capture than they do on the video.

My bet is that a year from now many of the entries at the short film festivals will all have the "Canon 5D II look"...

Max

hugodrax wrote:
Why would the force automatic aperture. How are you supposed to control DOF then?

I don't know why. Nonetheless, this does appear to be the predominant opinion. I've only seen one reference by anybody who says aperture can be controlled, and then only in a limited way -- by selecting it prior to the start of video recording. The rest of the references I have found (at least five) say that aperture is automatically controlled by the camera -- not controllable by the photographer.

Obviously with the film there were different Apertures in use for specific effects.

Yes, but when you're shooting at night in low light, wide apertures will automatically be selected by the camera if they're available. I'd much prefer to pick my own apertures for video shooting, and hope the one reference I found indicating it will is correct.

moondigger wrote:
hugodrax wrote:
Why would the force automatic aperture. How are you supposed to control DOF then?

I don't know why. Nonetheless, this does appear to be the predominant opinion. I've only seen one reference by anybody who says aperture can be controlled, and then only in a limited way -- by selecting it prior to the start of video recording. The rest of the references I have found (at least five) say that aperture is automatically controlled by the camera -- not controllable by the photographer.

Obviously with the film there were different Apertures in use for specific effects.

Yes, but when you're shooting at night in low light, wide apertures will automatically be selected by the camera if they're available. I'd much prefer to pick my own apertures for video shooting, and hope the one reference I found indicating it will is correct.

Aperture control is a make it or break it for me. I assume I will have full control of aperture with my manual glass, but to not have it with native EF mount lenses would be a kick in the nuts for almost everyone but me. If that's what they did, I might just buy 2 more used 5Ds, in protest.

cogitech wrote:
moondigger wrote:
cogitech wrote:
And the fact that Laforet used a purely manual lens for some of the shooting would indicate that the camera does indeed only rely on shutter speed and ISO in order to determine the exposure.

Not necessarily. It may simply be that because the lens was not communicating a range of acceptable aperture values to the camera, the camera was forced to only use ISO and shutter to control exposure. If so, then a lens which does offer automatic aperture control will automatically have that figured into the exposure algorithm.

In other words, just because it's technically possible for the camera to determine exposure sans aperture control with manual-only lenses does not mean that the camera will allow manual aperture control with lenses that support automatic control -- meaning all Canon EF lenses.

Hmmm. True.

Glad 90% of my glass has no electronics

I can imagine a whole new era of "pin taping"

fraga wrote:
I also was blown away by it.
The quality is just... incredible!
I just don't understand how so many people criticised it.

But one issue does arise, at least for me.
There is hardly any use of AF, if any at all...
While the 5DMII's movie mode is a step ahead of the d90 since the latter does not feature any kind of AF, the movies samples I have seen from the 5D that feature the use of AF show that there is still place for considerable improvement in that area, for it is quite slow and does not focus continuously, like AI-Servo. It's more like one-shot mode.
Possibly the reason behind Laforet not using it in the making of the video.

It's a first gen product and it's amazing. Don't forget until live view AF is much better you won't see much change.

The video was stunning, but I imagine most indie filmmakers (myself included) would be much happier if Canon allowed a 24p (24 frames per second) mode instead of just 30p.

I had intended to keep my 5D for a long while to come, but this camera is starting to look like a great crossover product for someone who is both a photographer and filmmaker.

Jim Healey wrote:
cogitech wrote:
moondigger wrote:
cogitech wrote:
And the fact that Laforet used a purely manual lens for some of the shooting would indicate that the camera does indeed only rely on shutter speed and ISO in order to determine the exposure.

Not necessarily. It may simply be that because the lens was not communicating a range of acceptable aperture values to the camera, the camera was forced to only use ISO and shutter to control exposure. If so, then a lens which does offer automatic aperture control will automatically have that figured into the exposure algorithm.

In other words, just because it's technically possible for the camera to determine exposure sans aperture control with manual-only lenses does not mean that the camera will allow manual aperture control with lenses that support automatic control -- meaning all Canon EF lenses.

Hmmm. True.

Glad 90% of my glass has no electronics

I can imagine a whole new era of "pin taping"


As long as wide open is what you want...

Meh, it certainly is a beautiful video but... Knowing me I'd probably have a play a couple of times and then, once faced with the video editing software I would probably give up and never touch it again. Assuming I would even get to that stage and purchase and install the software.

Great feature for the right users though, for sure.

pranic wrote:
The video was stunning, but I imagine most indie filmmakers (myself included) would be much happier if Canon allowed a 24p (24 frames per second) mode instead of just 30p.

I had intended to keep my 5D for a long while to come, but this camera is starting to look like a great crossover product for someone who is both a photographer and filmmaker.

+1 to that.

I too first scoffed at the video gimmick feature. Photo purists will never take crappy grainy videos from a camera...then I saw that footage and like most people, were simply blown away. Its actually amazing to hear coworkers who don't really deal too much with cameras or slr technology all of a sudden come up to me and say, did you hear about the slr that takes HD video?

andylaiphoto wrote:
The noise in the dark segments, the lack of dynamic range in one of the overhead city shots as they panned, and some awkward moments when panning with the wide angle lens. Some of it might be due to the compression for web. I'd like to see the full size vid.

Regardless I said I like it and am excited for this new camera.
ever watch a micheal mann movie,Heat,miami vice all shot with available light these samples remind me of that