The Future of the Video Production Company ? DSLRs versus HD Video Cameras

A lot has been made about the recent surge of DSLR (digital single lens reflex) cameras, like the Canon 5d Mark II and Canon 7d, which can shoot full resolution HD video, into the video world. The image quality is really good, depending on which lens you use, and the price for the body can be quite inexpensive ($1500 - $3000), which in the video world is dirt cheap!

After using a 7D on a recent shoot for one of Express Pardons’ TV commercials, here’s some observations about using it for your next production, as some production companies have started using it as an inexpensive way into the world of producing video:

1) Number of Chips: DSLRs use 1 chip instead of 3 to capture colour; HD video cameras have the edge here, with more accurate and ‘full’ colour imaging.
2) Sensor Size: The large size of the sensor, however, in a DSLR (especially the 5D Mark II) enable it to capture a very shallow depth of field (DOF is the amount of focus into the background and foreground that a camera will capture; shallow DOF is desirable IF you are trying to capture a cinematic look). Of course, there are many situations when a shallow DOF is not desirable, when capturing the back, middle, and foreground. The large sensor size is also a plus when shooting in low light situations; less light is needed to illuminate an otherwise dark image.
3) Lenses: To enable the best image quality, a good lens is needed for any DSLR. Traditionally, prime lenses, because of the minimal amount of glass, yield the best optics. Zoom lenses built for HD cameras, though, can have great optics, but are typically more expensive.
4) H264 Codec vs. XDCam or DVCProHD: To enable capturing footage to memory sticks, the bit rate of the compression codecs used in DSLR’s tend to be fairly lossy, whereas the codec used in a traditional full size HD video camera sacrifices less image quality. The DVCProHD codec we use in our camera, for example, is around 4 times the amount of data (visual information) as that from a DSLR, and some of the XDCam HD cams can be as much as 8 times as much. This manifests itself when doing anything with a green or blue screen. This is also one of the reasons why broadcast networks like Discovery and CBC, who publish specific guidelines as to what sort of acquisition formats are acceptable, will not allow more than 15% of a TV show’s footage to be shot on a DSLR. Still, the H264 codec used by the Canon line of DSLRs is a relatively smart codec, delivering good results considering its data size – better than HDV, for example.
5) Small Size – A Pro and a Con: On the plus, these DSLR cameras can easily be handheld and are unobtrusive; their small size can be disarming for talent that might otherwise be intimidated by a large camera. The downside is that shoulder-mounting is still the best way to ‘hand-hold’ a camera, which may necessitate either a steadicam or a shoulder mount kit for DSLR’s. The large size of traditional HD cameras require a heftier tripod, dolly, or steadicam – so cost seems to be carried across the line. Nevertheless, their small size means that DSLRs will very often register handling shake quite easily, especially on jibs and dollies, whereas full size cameras have too much weight to reveal camera handling mid-motion.
6) Audio Synch & Audio Monitoring: The major issue with DSLR’s is audio. They have a built-in microphone, but this is relatively useless. Audio monitoring is something that’s recently be added to some of the models, but there are no full size XLR inputs for professional microphones. Instead, a Beachtek or similar XLR adapter must be used, or you must record audio in a dual system. This necessitates either a dedicated sound recordist, and audio synching in post – either is an expense that should be considered. Run and gun filming with audio capturing is simply not possible with DSLR’s as a result.
7) Manual Controls: This is a biggie if you’re in the videography industry. HD video cameras have easy-to-access manual controls and displays for things like white balancing and colour correction, audio levels, overexposure zebra display, etc.

There are certainly some situations where a DSLR would serve admirably, but there are sacrifices to be made in terms of production or post-production workflow. The future looks bright, though, for future refinement of HD video DSLRs. Give us a shout to discuss creating your next TV Commercial.