By Ben Crosbie
As most people who work in the media/video field (and many serious hobbyists and enthusiasts) know, the last year or so has brought about a revolution in film-making. With the release of the Canon 5d MkII, stunning 35mm film-like images with mouthwatering DOF and colors at an affordable price point has become a reality. Since then, Canon and nearly every other camera manufacturer have released a wide variety of DSLRs that can shoot HD video. Now this new breed of HDSLR film-making has spawned a whole new way of shooting. What was once only attainable by Hollywood cinematographers can now be achieved by anyone with a relatively inexpensive DSLR and some nice lenses (and a ridiculous assortment of attachments and accessories). Even though I have never used a DSLR for film-making, I have seen enough videos online to make me lust deeply after one.
So why don’t we just go out and get a 5d already? Well, the main reason is we have plenty of gear we have been using the last 3 years that still works perfectly, and in my opinion still produces wonderful images. Our latest project was shot with a Canon XHA1 and Panasonic HVX200, a set of Cool Lights LEDs and natural light (see below). While neither camera can come close to getting the depth of field achievable with a 5d, I still think with the proper lighting and creativity they can produce very pleasing visuals. Would this video look even better if it were shot on a 5d? Certainly. But that doesn’t mean we are ready to get one.
[vimeo http://vimeo.com/9927793 w=400&h=225]
Because Eidolon is not currently on the bleeding edge of digital film-making, I question nearly every day whether to bite the bullet and buy a 5d, 7d or even a T2i, Canon’s latest DSLR that shoots video. It’s tough not being on the bleeding edge! But all that anxiety aside, I remind myself that this field is rapidly changing and evolving, and if we can just wait it out a bit longer, we will be rewarded. Of course if you always wait until the “next thing” to purchase any gear, then you will never buy anything. But if you have the tools to do your job and do it well, then there is no absolute need to upgrade.
The other reason we have not switched over to DSLRs is that they aren’t particularly well suited to documentary shooting. Sure they would work great for planned sit down interviews in which we can control the lighting, environment and to a certain degree the subject. But for run and gun shooting, a DSLR needs many accessories to function like a traditional video camera. Stabilization, a viewfinder, and double system sound are just a few of the add-ons needed to make a camera like the 5d work like the XHA1 in a verite documentary situation. Don’t get me wrong, there are many film-makers currently using a 5d or 7d to produce documentary film. But these cameras were simply not built for serious documentary shooting, and it shows.
I eagerly await the day that I can hold in my hands the latest DSLR, or Canon/Sony/Panasonic’s new video camera with a large sensor (one can dream) or even the Red Scarlet. I’d love to use a 5d on our next project, a short documentary about Karen refugees living in New Jersey. But I just don’t feel confident any of the DSLRs would mesh with our style of unpredictable shooting out in the field on an already complex documentary. So, we have to just wait a little longer, and continue to hone our craft and focus on story telling. Because if I have learned one lesson from this revolution in film-making, it is that no amount of shallow depth of field can turn poor story telling into great film.
