SO I have been toying with the idea of going to a DSLR versus buying a new HDV cam. I currently have a canon HV30 but have been considering upgrading to a canon XHG1. I have been seeing a lot of people using the EOS7D to shoot indies and the canon T2i has now popped up as well. Is their any disadvantages and advantages to going DSLR vs HDV and vice versa?
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DSLR VS. HDV
- Thread starter Kyletoff
- Start date
The advantages to the DSLR is the shallow depth of field, a coveted thing for most camera work.
The compression is significantly higher on the DSLR (Mpeg4 compression), but it's not too much worse than MPEG2 Transport Stream for HDV (aka M2T file format).
The DSLR's are not easy to use as handheld video cameras and the ergonomics don't make sense for videography, so a rig is usually employed and costs $$$.
You'll almost definitely have to synch sound and use separate audio recording device for DSLR.
Personally, I'd lean still towards the DSLR because the shallow depth of field is too important to the look of things I do now.
The compression is significantly higher on the DSLR (Mpeg4 compression), but it's not too much worse than MPEG2 Transport Stream for HDV (aka M2T file format).
The DSLR's are not easy to use as handheld video cameras and the ergonomics don't make sense for videography, so a rig is usually employed and costs $$$.
You'll almost definitely have to synch sound and use separate audio recording device for DSLR.
Personally, I'd lean still towards the DSLR because the shallow depth of field is too important to the look of things I do now.
I was sort of thinking the same thing, I have seen the guerrilla grips you can get for the DSLR's as well. Looks like they would make things a bit easier. Also Low light shooting would be more advantageous on a DSLR as well, would it not? Don't a few DSLR's have a 1/8th line in for a mic? It's a real tough call for me lol.
Recording times are shorter on a DSLR. You will only be able to record between 15-30min full HD files at at time, depending on the camera. You certainly have to add in the cost to "rig it up" and record sound separately, buy using a ZoomH4 or some other recorder. You are thinking about XHG1, which is a approx. a $6000 camera. Personally, I would consider a EX1 or HPX300; they both shoot 1080P for same price; but the cards are at least $600.00. The HDV cam will give you more manual functions to shoot with, and will make you more appealing to do corporate videos, weddings etc. You will not be as limited in your time to record like the DSLR. You can make a good DIY 35mm adapter for about $150.00 to $300.00 dollars. You can run your mic, right into the XLR instead of recording sound separately.
Good to know. I have found quite a few XHG1s's in the $3000.00 range, and won't be spending much more than that. If I was going to spend around $6000.00 I would go to the EX3. The EX's do seem to be leaps and bounds ahead of the Canons.. Good thing I have a couple months to make up my mind. Great now you've got me looking at EX3's.. I'll have to go bug my friends at the sony store. I think I may stick with the HDV or the EX1 or 3 style cameras, but I would still like to know more about the DSLR side of things.
The DSLR bug is spreading around my peers like a virus. 3 classmates ought them in the last couple of weeks. it happened when a guy from last years film class took a trip to new orleans to see what it was like over there and look around for some work. He says he was constantly asked two questions "Do you have a 7d" and "when can you start" he says the 7d dominated BTS and B-roll and it's a must have if you want to work. And with this t2i every idiot with a few bucks is going to have one. So if your buying a camera it seems like the way to go.