Advice for a DSLR virgin?

[RavenousMonster]

Hello,

I'm in the market for my first DSRL purchase. I'm looking for something in the $1000.00 range including a workhorse "starter" lens. I've been researching on my own here and there for a couple months and it seems like the more I read, the less sure I am. Lately, I've been looking at the Canon 7D. But I'm wondering what the top performing cameras are at my price point (or below). What are the main criteria, the absolute most important factors, regarding how a camera performs in a video capacity? I've been concerned with low light performance, and moire mainly. But again, the more I read, the less sure I feel about taking the plunge. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

[brunerww]

Hello,

I'm in the market for my first DSRL purchase. I'm looking for something in the $1000.00 range including a workhorse "starter" lens. I've been researching on my own here and there for a couple months and it seems like the more I read, the less sure I am. Lately, I've been looking at the Canon 7D. But I'm wondering what the top performing cameras are at my price point (or below). What are the main criteria, the absolute most important factors, regarding how a camera performs in a video capacity? I've been concerned with low light performance, and moire mainly. But again, the more I read, the less sure I feel about taking the plunge. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Hi RM - welcome to the forum. If you're concerned at all with moire, I recommend against the 7D (or any of the low cost Canons or Sonys).

The most moire-resistant cameras at or below $1000 will be the $750 (w kit lens) Panasonic G6 and $797 (w kit lens) Nikon D5200 (or the discontinued Panasonic GH2, if you can find one).

Here is what the G6 can do: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9Z1Dv7t-oI

Here is what the D5200 can do in a low light shootout with the $3300 Canon 5D Mark III: http://vimeo.com/60135187

Here is a trailer for the theatrical feature film Upstream Color, shot on the GH2: http://vimeo.com/57342043

If I was entering the market right now with $1000, didn't need to shoot stills, and could wait until late July or early August for my camera, I would pre-order a $995 Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera and a get a $27 Nikon to MFT adapter and an inexpensive Nikon mount Sigma 28mm f2.8 lens to go with it.

For less than $1100, you will be in business shooting with a cine quality camera with a headphone jack - and codecs (ProRes, CinemaDNG RAW) that will hold up on the big screen a lot better than any 28mbps, 8 bit color space DSLR codec.

It will produce images like these: http://vimeo.com/67562461

Hope this is helpful,

Bill

 

[Graeme]

Brunerww hits the nail on the head, the BMPCC(Black Magic Pocket Cinema Camera) is going to be your best $1000 video camera when it comes out due to the internal codex compared to low level DSLRs. And older Nikkor (Nikon) glass is great and cheap. You can also get MTF lenses on this camera if you want too. ( I was it at NAB this year and had a chance to play with it, amazing! Iwill likely get one when they come out).

That said if you what hybrid (photo & still) your likely looking at a Canon T4i (or T3i or T5i whatever the current model is) or a GH3, mind you that may run you over budget. Nikon cameras are trying the video thing, and they got some good qualities and I love them, but if your starting out Canons for video seem to have the edge.

 

[Cracker Funk]

Definitely don't get the 7D (unless you also want to use this camera for serious still photography). Any model in the T_i series will deliver video results just as good as the 7D.

Blackmagic is doing some very exciting things, so I would definitely check out their pocket camera.

I would also pay attention to what Magic Lantern is doing. If I were buying a camera right now, I'd probably lean towards a used 50d, so I can use the Magic Lantern hack to shoot RAW, with less moire and aliasing than ANY other DSLR or EVIL camera.

 

[RavenousMonster]

Thanks very much for the info. This is exactly the type of info I was hoping to get. I'm a tech savvy person and have read and understand all the reviews, but none of that means anything compared to testimonials from people who've actually shot with these cameras and understand specifically what I'll be using mine for when I get one. I've been working with a friend for many years and using his gear. He's got an incredible camera (Panasonic HVX250), but we don't live near each other and we're both busy guys. So that prompted me to start looking at ways in which I can be more autonomous with my filmmaking endeavors while both retaining a high level of quality and not shelling out the crazy money that his rig cost. It's pretty obvious that the cinematic results of some of these DSLRs and the like are remarkable. Total game changer. Obviously, I'm a little late to the party, but I'm confident that one of these suggestions is the way to go. The Black Magic is intriguing to say the least. Thanks again for your suggestions. And if any others have some ideas, please don't hesitate to chime in.