DSLR vs FullHD Camcorders

[JeffGonzales]

Hey guys,


I have 3 fullHD camcorders that I have been happy with so far. However I have thought about getting into photography as well. However, I have noticed some videos and clips of people who have used DSLR cameras to recorded some pretty high def video that looks stunning. Anyways wondering if anyone prefers one over the other and why. I have never used a DSLR but am tempted. Thinking of a Canon D7 if go this rout. Is it the lenses that make the DSLR footage look better in some cases then FullHD camcorders, or the camera it self that is just better? Or am I way of? Any ways let me know if you use a DSLR to record video and if you prefer this and why. Sorry if this has already been discussed, if so please direct me to the proper thread.

 

[Skip Talbot]

The workload for using a DSLR to shoot video is significantly greater than using a camcorder. A DSLR is made for still shooting, from the way the camera holds in your hands, to the manipulation of the buttons. That said, you can smoke most camcorders in terms of image quality using a DSLR since you've got a bigger sensor, sharper, faster lenses, and high recording bit rates. It takes a great deal of practice and skill to achieve that quality, however. If your lenses do not have image stabilization, you're going to have tripod all of your shots, or your video will be so shaky it won't even be usable. There ways to improve the DSLR video experience, however, from steady cam rigs, to boom mics and third party eyepieces.

Many things that you take for granted when using a camcorder, such as the exposure and focus, have to be manually controlled when shooting DSLR video. You've got to juggle your aperture, ISO, shutter speed, and even use filters in some cases in order to get the right exposure. Whereas with the camcorder you just hit the record button and off you go. If you're looking for quick, no fuss action shots, I'd highly recommend sticking with the camcorder. If you're looking for tripodded cinematography, it'll be worth the time and effort to learn DSLR video. I also recommend not trying to do both stills and video at the same time. You're going to wind up with fairly mediocre results for both unless you're some sort of wizard multi tasker, so it's better to try and shoot for perfection in just one area.

I'm currently using both a camcorder and DSLRs to shoot video, and my chase partner gets the stills. The camcorder has become my idiot proof way of making sure I get a shot, while the DSLR allows me to get a better shot if I can manage to set it up in time and not botch the recording. There are also significant advancements in DSLR video being made right now. The magic lantern mod for Canons allows you to shoot "raw video", meaning you get digital negatives for each frame which allow for extreme editing capabilities and significantly greater detail. It's highly experimental though, and even more fuss than shooting regular DSLR video.

 

[JeffGonzales]

Many things that you take for granted when using a camcorder, such as the exposure and focus, have to be manually controlled when shooting DSLR video.

Thanks for the info Skip. What Camera do you use or recommend?

 

[Skip Talbot]

I'm currently using a 60D, which is a very popular camera for video work. It's a better build than the Rebels and makes controlling the camera more accessible with added wheels and buttons. I also have a t2i and noticed that it can overheat during extended video shooting periods. The newer full frame cameras like the 5D allow you to shoot higher resolution raw video. In those cases, you've almost got yourself a poor man's Red, at a fraction of the cost of a real Red camera. Some of the newer rebels like the t3i also have additional video features like digital zooming, which crops the 5000x3000 image the sensor produces down to 1920x1080 if you'd like to get a zoomed in shot without sacrificing detail or resolution. This is a really cool feature because you can use a fast, cheap prime like the 50mm f/1.8 and get telephoto video in very low light conditions (good for tornadoes!). I believe this feature was actually dropped on newer models though. Perhaps they're bringing it back in the midrange models? The Canon 7d II? The 6d is also a very popular camera right now as it's a prosumer full frame camera. I'm not sure what advantages that full frame gives you for video recording beyond more experimental raw video capabilties. Do check out the reviews on dpreview.com though. They usually have a section devoted to video.

 

[Skip Talbot]

Here are a couple of examples of raw video I shot:

Turkey towers over the black hills.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVoSYxUJQgI

The Moville, IA tornado from October 4:
Watch video >

This second shot is not really a quality shot, but it demonstrates the extreme editing capabilities of the digital negatives. I was way underexposed in that shot since it was very low light at the time, and I was in process of taking my escape route and did not have time to fuss with the exposure (although I was shooting wide open and at the lowest shutter speed for that framerate). The video off the camera was almost black. Those black areas still contain a rich amount of information that can be coaxed out when editing. At the end of the sequence you can see that the detail in the field is visible, whereas in my camcorder's shot, the foreground is completely black.

Frame from the camcorder's shot at the same time:

White and black areas on normal HD video that you get from a camcorder, are areas that are completely lost. These pixels have no additional information, whereas on the DSLR these areas can often be saved.

You'll also notices that, while the DSLR shot is very noisy since it was underexposed, there's quite a bit more detail than the camcorder's shot. The DSLR also allows you to use any number of lenses. I've got my ultrawide on in that shot, and am shooting at 10mm. The lip of the bear's cage was overhead at the time, and that tornado much closer than it appears. Thanks to its ability to recover underexposed areas in extreme low light as well as use lenses such as the ultrawide 10-22, this DSLR video is a shot that would have been impossible on the camcorder

 

[Adam R Davis]

FWIW I recently switched to a Canon HF-G20 camcorder. Having used both a T2i and a 7D, I found the G20 to have a better picture when taken out of auto mode. The only downside to the camcorder is a loss in low light performance, but not too significant unless you're working with a full frame DSLR.

Heh... never thought I'd see the day when my old XH-A1 would seem soft.

 

[Marcus Diaz]

Skip your post in very insightful. I'm hoping to hear some more input as next season I plan on getting a new camera for video. I like the picture you get from a DSLR, but I'm always worried that I won't have something set right and screw an entire shot up. I like my HF-21 for its size and weight, especially when I have to do moving shots. I'm for sure going to a GoPro or something similar for the wide angle moving timelapse. Right now looks like I might have to look into another DSLR for video.

 

[JeffGonzales]

Update: I got a Canon 60D and a Canon 10-22mm lens. I will be doing my handheld / tripod video from this and taking pics at night for lightning. Excited playing with the video settings to get the best looking video. I will play with Magic Lantern too in raw and see how it is.

Thanks Skip for your input and help.