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SLR Films

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jrhmy

I was looking at some indie short films online, and some of them look great. They achieve shallow depth of fields and consequently look very cinematic.

I'm not sure if this is a stupid question or not, but can SLR cameras potentially be used to make feature films? Personally I think it's awkward mounting the single lens reflex camera on a tripod and shooting video, but cameras such as the Canon 500D and the 7D produce great quality clips.

Also, are there some cheaper HD camcorders out there that can achieve the specific look with the SLR cameras (shallow DOF) without the use of a 35mm adapter or other add-ons?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kKCq8finD7o&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kKCq8finD7o&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>

Thanks!
 
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jrhmy said:
I'm not sure if this is a stupid question or not, but can SLR cameras potentially be used to make feature films? Personally I think it's awkward mounting the single lens reflex camera on a tripod and shooting video, but cameras such as the Canon 500D and the 7D produce great quality clips.
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It's not any more awkward than any other camera. Go to dvxuser.com to hear about features in producing using SLRs. I know at least one feature film was completed using the GH1.

You can check out my short film shot on the 7D right here:

http://vimeo.com/8145618

Also, are there some cheaper HD camcorders out there that can achieve the specific look with the SLR cameras (shallow DOF) without the use of a 35mm adapter or other add-ons?
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None that I'm aware of. The best option will be the Scarlett, if and when that ever comes out.
 
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Scarlett will be far from 'Cheap'
It will cost $16,000-$22,000 once you buy all the parts.

OP:

The video was a bad example, it's focus way all over the place, and its DOF was way too shallow.

DSLRs are the cheapest solution to getting that shallow DOF.

They arn't ready for mainstream film making just yet, they have too many issues and a bad work flow for larger sets. But don't be suprised in a few years when they are.

I personally don't like shooting with them, but their stills are phenomenal.
 
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CDCosta said:
Scarlett will be far from 'Cheap'
It will cost $16,000-$22,000 once you buy all the parts.
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The base S35 unit is $7000. The 2/3" model starts at $2750. You need a few basics (like a quality zoom lens), but hardly everything they sell.

They arn't ready for mainstream film making just yet, they have too many issues and a bad work flow for larger sets.
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For larger sets, you wouldn't need one because you'd likely have the budget for a Red or something better. We're not talking about that. We're talking about sub-$10K cameras and low-budget films.

For the low-budget filmmaking, these are really great cameras that produce a beautiful image for a lot less money.
 
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Thanks guys, now I'm wondering about what the major difference between the 5D and the 7D is. They both allow external microphones right?
 
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Beeblebrox said:
The base S35 unit is $7000. The 2/3" model starts at $2750. You need a few basics (like a quality zoom lens), but hardly everything they sell.
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Also Batteries, charger, media cards, monitor, Veiw finder (you want to see right?), Rails to mount everything, baseplate, lenses, and that's just what you need to have the camera work. I'd love to see you get the cost close to $3000.
 
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jrhmy said:
I was looking at some indie short films online, and some of them look great. They achieve shallow depth of fields and consequently look very cinematic.
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are you implying that if you have a shallow depth of field that ur project will look cinematic? that is not a very good generalization at all... i woud argue that you dont need a shallow dof at all to achieve a cinematic look. personally i think it is a very overused technique by digital filmmakers. (although some dof does help)

other aspects that really support cinematic image is light, color, and cinematography. also i've recently read someone's post that said something to the effect of "great audio will make your image look better" and thats true in a sense.

and ur last question, do 5d's or 7d's support external microphones.
NO. the most practical solution is to get an external audio recorder, like zoom h4n, with a good shotgun mic.
also i just watched the magic lantern link that will vincent (i think) shared. that looks cool but requires much more geart. (or thats what it appears.)

my question- i dont think i coud afford a 5d, and the odds are against me getting a 7d. how does the t1i (500d) compare? just by looking through vimeo it appears to have a pretty strong potential of its own, but i havent had hands on experience with any of these 3 cameras. input?
 
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CDCosta said:
Also Batteries, charger, media cards, monitor, Veiw finder (you want to see right?), Rails to mount everything, baseplate, lenses, and that's just what you need to have the camera work. I'd love to see you get the cost close to $3000.
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You don't need rails just to get the camera to work. You need a lens, a view finder, a battery and a charger.

And I didn't say you could get it for $3000, just that it cost a lot less than the $16-22K you claimed. You could probably get up and running on the 2/3" model for around $6K, about the price range of an HVX.
 
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kgasser2 said:
my question- i dont think i coud afford a 5d, and the odds are against me getting a 7d. how does the t1i (500d) compare? just by looking through vimeo it appears to have a pretty strong potential of its own, but i havent had hands on experience with any of these 3 cameras. input?
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For now, the T1i only shoots 20p or 30p, not 24p. For me, that's a deal breaker, even though the camera is a lot less expensive.
 
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Beeblebrox said:
For now, the T1i only shoots 20p or 30p, not 24p. For me, that's a deal breaker, even though the camera is a lot less expensive.
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is the difference between 24p and 30p really that noticeable? i mean i understand the relation between 24p and film, but does it really matter much more than some subconscious recongnition? or is that just your preference?
 
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