What should I buy?
Wednesday, October 21, 2009 at 4:29PM UPDATE: See below for thoughts on the Rebel T2i.
Many people ask me which camera they should buy. It’s a question I duck and dodge like Steven Seagal.
People have also told me that they “eagerly await my review of the Canon 7D.” Which strikes me as odd, given that I’ve never reviewed a camera in my life.
I bought a 7D. I don’t buy things to try them out. I’m not a tech journalist or someone who gets review units of new cameras. I’m a self-unemployeed filmmaker who spent his own money on it, and I’m happy with my purchase. It’s cheap by the measure of the type of video cameras I like, and it uses the same lenses that I habitually collect for my still photography.
Does the announcement of the pending firmware update to the 5D Mark II sully that happiness at all? Maybe it would if Canon was releasing it now, but since it’s a ways off, it just reminds me that I should not have bought the 7D if I didn’t have an immediate need for it. It’s a nice kick in the pants to keep shooting.
So what should you buy? If you are interested in DSLRs and have an immediate need, my recommendation is the 7D. It’s affordable, will get you on the trail of some nice lenses, and you get a free flagship-of-the-line APS-C stills camera in every box. Handy for PR stills.
I’ve prepared a 2-page Canon 7D Cine Kit store page for your convenience. Shopping there puts you in the Stu-owes-you-a-beer queue.
You could buy a 5D Mark II and wait for the firmware, miserably shooting 30p in the meantime. That sounds pretty silly to me—unless stills are more important to you than video. To me, there’s nothing like a full-frame DSLR for shooting stills. I loved my original 5D and I’ve learned to love my 5D Mark II as much. But don’t buy a camera based on what it might someday become. Buy the camera that you needed yesterday. If you’re reading this blog you know that 24p, like pants, is not optional. So for the time being, the 5D is not a great choice.
Also remember that all indications are that the 5D will get 24 and 25p, but not the 720p 50 and 60 fps modes that the 7D and 1D Mark IV have.
UPDATE: Looks like that’s not true—Canon revealed that the 5D Mark II will get all of the 7D’s frame rates.
UPDATE UPDATE: And now it looks like that’s not the case.
Ah yes, the 1D Mark IV. Should you buy that? For $5,000? That sounds expensive, but it’s what I paid for my first DV camera (the Sony VX1000 baby), which had no 24p and was, if I recall correctly, powered by steam or possibly wood. Of course, it came with a lens. The Mark IV is most assuredly $5,000 worth of stills camera body, but it’s not $5,000 worth of video camera. It has amazing low-light performance and greatly reduced rolling shutter artifacting, but it still struggles to resolve detailed scenes without nasty aliasing and color fringing, and lacks professional audio inputs. It can’t auto-focus while recording video and makes manually focussing difficult. Just like the 5D and 7D.
So unless you need to shoot in the dark and have money to spare (or are also a photojournalist who traffics in 1D bodies), I’d turn your attention back to the 7D. Convenient shopping page here. Beer owed.
Or, heck, you could go crazy and buy a “video camera.” Word on the street is that they’re damn good at shooting video. If rolling shutter really bums you out, check out the last great CCD camera, the Panasonic HMC150. It has all the same frame rates as the 7D, and get this: it’s designed to shoot video.
I’m sure someone will point out that you could wait and buy a Scarlet, or something else cool and unreleased. But this post isn’t called “What camera should I wait for, failing to do any filmmaking in the process.” I respect that RED is taking its time. We’ll talk about RED when there’s something to talk about.
So without further ado, here’s my long awaited review of the Canon 7D: Buy one, and be so busy using it that you don’t have time to talk about it. That’s my plan.
Stu
A commented asked about the Panasonic GH1. I wish that camera was on this list. One of the reasons it was easy to impulse-buy the 7D was that I’d already mentally spent the money on a GH1 months prior. I praised Panasonic for taking video seriously in a hybrid camera. Then I saw how nasty the compression was on the 24p files and I completely lost the loving feeling. I have a half-written tough-love post about it (tentative title is GH1: DOA, snappy, eh?). Between the harsh compression, the what-year-is-it-anyway 3:2 pulldown, and the slow kit lens, the GH1 is a big disapointment to this die-hard Panasonic fan.
Stu
I could probably write this article all over again now that the Canon Rebel T2i, AKA the 550D has arrived. Basically the same video functions as the 7D, in a cheap plastic body for half the price.
Read more about the Rebel here, or check out the Rebel Starter Kit at the ProLost store.
Is there still a reason to buy the 7D over the Rebel? I think if you had both cameras in front of you, the answer would be clear. There’s no comparison in build quality, weather sealing, and “feel” between Canon’s Rebel offerings and the 7D, which is the flagship camera in Canon’s APS-C line and is built like a tank. But if you never use the camera for stills, and don’t mind the budget body, the 550D is an amazing deal.
Reader Comments (53)
Stellar. As always.
Thanks for the "review", Stu. I bought the 7D and have very few regrets so far. I figure someday when larger sensor VIDEO cameras come out (and then eventually drop in price) I'll still have a kick-ass stills camera in the 7D, so it's really a win-win for now.
BTW, you said TWO page 7D store, but I only see one page and no link to page 2!
I postpone all evaluations until the Scarlet is released, sometime in the next decade.
ahhhh there it is :) ok so, we talk again after der Oct 30 announcement from RED and if they take their time (which is good) I go and buy a 7D. Wanted to start photography anyway :) Than i try to make some money with it and get a scarlet when it´s ready. Wedding photography anyone :) ?
p.s. Stu question: what´s the essential rig to start with a 7D (considering video)?
Thanks Matthias
I agree with you Stu, 150%. This is what I have been saying in some forums too: the 7D is the best bang for the buck as of this writing. It's cheap, and has most of the features of the 5D and 1D (if not more, in the case of the 5D).
In fact, going a bit further, by dreaming a bit, if the Canon Ti1 ($600 vDSLR) had video manual controls and 1080/24p instead of its currently useless 1080/20p, I would have even suggested that instead! ;-)
What about Panasonic GH1? Not the same class as Canons I'm sure but for the value/price would it make a good choice as a filmmaker tool?
Thanks Stu. Great post as always.
Perfect review Stu, I'll link thru your store to get some of the kit like the hood loupe.
7D has about 90% of what the 1D4 has but at 1/3rd the price. Besides in a year or two the aliasing should be solved as the rolling shutter in the 4 has improved, witha cool possibility of getting 120fps or even higher who knows?
7D is kind of a fluke in Canon's slow trickling of features, it just offers so much, ahead of it's Canon time for sure. We will be well entertained till RED has an order now button!
BTW using Neat Video I have seen very close low light capabilities compared to the 5D to the point where using ISO 3200 is a non issue.
Invest in lenses not cameras.
Haha, like pants! :D
the review that wasn't :)
more of an affirmation of what most of us should be thinking anyway. get the gear that works for you, and then .. work it! since i saw that music video shot entirely on an iPhone (with behind the scenes shot on a 5DmkII) it was painfully obvious that the only thing holding me back from filming something compelling was myself. get the gear that works today. or yesterday.
that said, anybody want to buy a pre-loved 500D? maybe canon will release a 24p firmware upgrade for it... just after i sell it.
btw.. have you seen philip blooms latest hitler video RE: 1DmkIV? @5tu gets a little shout out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usUtpNLSZGU
Matthias, the top row of the store page is a great started kit. Plus a UDMA card or two of course.
I used to be all for the Panasonic GH1 until I discovered some forum threads pointing out some weird artifacts ( yellow stripes) appearing on the footage.
Check these images somebody posted:
LOW LIGHT:
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e162/liquidchild21/Picture1.png
OUTSIDE DAYLIGHT:
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e162/liquidchild21/Picture2.png
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e162/liquidchild21/Picture3.png
that was a deal breaker.
Boz: So glad you found ca cam to be happy with. And it IS a great stills cam. When I get some dough, the 1D4 will replace my 1DsII for stills, and it will be hard to keep me from using it for "film" shots. But I think it's good to remember these are still STILLS cameras first.
Eugenia: I loved your post in RedUser with regards to all the bashing. I will NEVER join there, so I wanted to show my support here. What better place for me to talk to you and Boz than in @5tu's comment section.
Hey Stu, you might consider adding the Tamron AF 17-50mm F/2.8 to your store for those people who want a decent lense for a little less $$.
"You could buy a 5D Mark II and wait for the firmware, miserably shooting 30p in the meantime."
And of course there's the other option - you could have bought a 5D last year and been happily shooting 30p this whole time. Maybe even been so busy using it that you didn’t have time to worry about 24p. Maybe even realize that 24p is, in fact, optional.
Frank, done. Although I'm careful to point out that it's an APS-C-only lens. I don't plan on buying any of those, for obvious reasons.
The reason people trust your opinion IS that you buy it yourself with your own money. I'm guilty of being on of the many who said that I was waiting for your review of the 7D. I guess to be more accurate I was looking for your impressions of it, how you were liking it.
A buddy just asked me what camera to buy and I veered him towards the 7D because he wanted to shoot 24P. But Stu, like you said, there are also many VIDEO cameras that shoot 24P that are designed to be video cameras, have auto-focus, and all the norms.
Also like you said, I don't have a need for anything today and will wait to spend my $3k until A) RED finally tells us what they're doing and B) I have a need to buy something. In the mean time, like most internet readers, I'll dream and wish and pretend that I have something worth shooting to justify the expense.
'I’m not a tech journalist'..........but you are, at least some of the time.
I've had my 7D about 3 weeks now, made a couple of short films and ready to edit together another.
The 7D is great, but it's not a point and shoot video camera. You need to manually focus it and with the narrow depth of field it's a skill that needs learning and the video files need to be converted (thank you Cineform) before editing.
The low light performance is great as is the ability to manual control aperture, shutter, ISO etc.
To be honest I'm not sure I will ever buy another 'video' camera but then again I've got three cameras now that can shoot video and that is probably only the start of my 'collection'.
Great post as always. Weird, I just bought a 7D within hours of seeing Nocture on the 20th having sold my HV30 kit and Pentax K10d (not off your link as actor friend of mine who has worked for free for me many times works at Best Buy locally, so had to help him out).
But thanks for the kit setup - I will buy the rest of my kit there. I love the 7d - but will add lenses etc to suit a APS-H or fullframe sensor.
A great camera is the one that inspires you to use it, propels you off your butt to go shoot and edit something. Thats why the 5D was so popular, it made every man and his dog head out the door to the park or the subway..because they wanted to.
7D fits that bill too in my book.
Thanks Stu!
I don´t understand how even a video-experienced company like Panasonic messes up something so elementary like the codec choice. Gh1 was really a disappointment, and it´s not even available in Germany yet. I just don´t get it, and that´s why I´m so confident that RED (besides all the hype) will give us even more than we want/need, starting with a nice codec to work with.
Any link to the "best" short film or trailer made with the 7D?
Thank you!!
The best camera is the one you have with you and I hope shortly to make that a 7D. I Might be renting one from your Bros at the Lens Depot for an insanely low price next weekend for a trip to Texas. stoked to see how it all shakes out. thanks for the tips. and you just made my lens rental choices easier too!
Does the 7D have microphone input?
'Does the 7D have microphone input?'
Yes, it's a 3.5mm phono plug. Works well with a Rode Video mic.
Only real downside is the gain is automatic only, no manual control. The internal mic is OK.
Thanks Rocket Boy, I was checkigng out the B&H page for the 7D and couldn't find if it did, Right now I'm saving up to buy a new camera in december/january, I'd really love a DSLR but if my budget gets to $1000 USD what would be my best option? the HV40? Thanks!
Any thoughts on the Nikon d3s Stu? I happily have the d90 and along with some glass I'd rather not sell but was wondering about moving up or waiting as you predicted, for Scarlett. That might be too far afield but thought I'd ask...
Thanks,
Kevin
No manual shutter control, no dice. Nikon either isn't taking video seriously or isn't paying attention to what we need. Pity, as they could easily leapfrog Canon if they just tried.
Nice article. This sums up exactly my feelings about currently available cameras and why I bought a Canon 7D last week and sold my 5D Mark II this week. I just shot some commercials on the 7D and am quite happy about the decision. Seemed like a no brainer since i saved a bit of money selling my 5d for more than i bought my 7d (which i promptly spent on upgrading my glass...). I've gotten very comfortable and confident in the fact that i can buy whatever camera comes out next and sell my old camera at a very slight loss that is completely worth it considering the use i get out of the camera ive gotten in the meantime. It is no use worrying about what camera will be coming out, get what works for you and you can get right now. I mean it certainly helps to make sure your aks are flexible and compatible with future cameras, but other than that who cares what firmware is coming or camera is announced to be released in several months.
here's a really good example of someone just going out and shooting something compelling.. something more than a test, a WW2 short... with the 7D. i just stumbled across it at cinema5D.com
http://vimeo.com/7131237
Stu, have you seen this? It's pretty funny:
http://www.canon5dtips.com/2009/09/funny-video-about-canon-7d-vs-5d-markii/
Just thought I should let you know about an alternative to the Singh Ray ND. I worked a 4 week ten location doc shoot using the Fader ND
http://lightcraftworkshop.com/site/page1000.aspx
and it worked wonders for about half the price of the Singh. I didn't notice any imperfections in the glass or construction, it gives you a wider range of stops, and it's built on to a step up ring so you can go full wide without vignetting. In my mind the last item was the breaking point for me on choosing the Fader over the Singh, why should I pay twice as much and not be able to fully utilize my lenses.
To ignore the 5D MkII as an option, especially now that 24p is coming, seems really short-sighted to me...
Unless John Doe is 500% convinced that he's a genius, his next film is going to be a ginormous smash hit a-la Robert Rodriguez and that the only way this is all going to happen for him is if he shoots it right this second, I'd say buy the 5D, practice with it until 24p comes along so that by the time it's here, you'll be a better filmmaker with better tools.
24p is supposedly coming in the first half of 2010 for the 5D. That's several short films' worth of practice before 24p comes along without ever having to purchase anything else.
I get that 24p isn't optional for filmmaking, as you've said many times (and I do agree), but it's not out of the picture completely like it was when everyone was speculating whether Canon would implement it at all. Sure it's not here YET, but it's COMING... Isn't that enough?
I pre-ordered my 1D MkIV as soon as I heard it was coming out, before knowing anything about video (although assuming it'd be at least a slight step up from the 5D), because I felt I needed an upgrade to my 1D MkIII anyway.
But for people who are considering buying a camera for the first time, advising them to go out and buy the equivalent of Ms Right Now in the 7D as opposed to the longer term choice in a 5D for slightly more...
I don't know, that didn't strike me as the reasonable thing to suggest.
Stu, i seem to remember reading a previous post on your settings for getting a flat image out of the 5D mkII... any chance you can share your settings for the 7D to shoot flat? Thanks.
Raji:
How, exactly, is a year old 5DII a better "long term choice"?
Hi Stu,
I'd like to make my first contribution to the rebel kit...
http://www.bushhawk.com/_product_39491/Video_Camera_Mount
this thing is awesome and cheap compared to the alternatives out there...
cheers,
Scott
@ Brian, it has a full sized sensor, the price is right between the 7D and 1D MkIV (with the 7D having serious compression issues and the crop factor being another issue, while the 1D might be too expensive with not enough benefits to justify the price for many), it's a great photo camera as well as being capable of its proven video capabilities, and it's getting 24p next year.
Overall, it seems like a wiser choice from the perspective of someone just diving into the filmmaking game who wants as much as possible without having to pay too much.
When I think long term, I think 1D. But like I said, a bit expensive for most unless they use it professionally as a photo camera too.
Thank you for the answer.
I had a feeling "full frame" was going to be the driving force there. Again, APS-C is far closer to S35 than full frame 35mm. This push for bokake just baffles me.
From all the reviews I've seen, the 7D compression and picture quality holds up just as well as the 5DII, if not better.
I bought a 7D and quickly returned it. I have a canon 5d mark 2 and thought the 7D would solve all my problems. It didn't . In fact I found it such a piece of C$#% compared to the 5D. Way more banding weird aliasing issues (I think must be due to smaller sensor), stepping on very fine lines, weird stuttering even after converting to pro res or some other codec and using the fastest cards made. The real killer was the noise that starts in somewhat low light. AAHHHG! that was the worst. A simple shot around a campfire turns into golf ball noise. Perhaps if you were shooting a film during bright exteriors the camera would behave, but anything with style takes a lot to make it look good. I just didn't' find this at all with the 5D. I was hoping that last 7D firmware would fix these issues but after it didn't I returned it. There's a 7D barely used at the Fry's in burbank that is $250 off if anyone is interested.
Hey the VX1000 was a really awful video camera yet a lot of people bought one go figure? I bought the Panasonic EZ1 with frame mode stuch it on a Steadicam JR and made a bundle with its film like look!
Any way its a great time to be a story teller just a few years ago videoists were saying you needed a Betacam to shoot good video-ugh!
learn to shoot and tell good stories...
Uhm, dude, the VX1000 was the first DV camera. The people who bought one did not have much choice!
Stu, can you say something about the Lexar UDMA 233x and the 7D?
I wanna use this card to record video, does it work?
Thanks.
Why do you need UDMA cards for the 5DII when shooting video? The video data rate is nowhere near what, say, a Sandisk Extreme III is capable of, let alone a IV. If your card does a measured 23MB sec with a 5DII (www.robgalbraith.com has a chart), then it should be able to handle 8MB/sec video without problems. I haven't yet encountered a problem shooting video on my stack of Extreme III cards.
-K
I had troubles with mine but it seems I'm in the minority. I'm posting something on this soon.
I love reading your blog Stu.
And when I saw this article I was absolutely thrilled.
and ready for extensive holiday shopping and upgrade
from my 30D to a higher level.
But I just bumped onto this article (and blog a as a whole)
I feel kind of lost now.
Can you or anyone tell me what is it all about,
can there be so many issues with Canon equipment there?
Ups, missing link ..
http://fakechuckwestfall.wordpress.com/2009/11/15/7d-reviews-shit-are-happen/
Hi Recession shopper,
Before I reply, can I ask you to look at my comment policy and use something like a real name or known handle in the future?
http://prolost.com/comment-policy/
OK, so here's your answer:
Yes.
The 7D has too many megapixels. I would probably not buy one just for stills. This post is to help folks planning a purchase of an HD DSLR.
Hey.
Thank you for the reply.
It does seem logical what you write about too high megapixel count.
And it it also seems that 7D is not a camera for me since I need stills as much as I need video.
Please excuse the 'recession shopper' naming issue
and thank you again for fast reply.
Damir.
Bought the 7D, Applied invisible shield, shot randomly with manual and tips from the net for a week while also planning for a 4-min vid. Shot the scenes in 3-days, edit 2 Days, online 3 days, did one retake a week later. Now I came back and read the post that to some degree made me buy the 7d, I think I don't have time for more talk about it, Gona sleep and finish the vid tomorrow!