Three years ago, I would have never dreamed that I’d be shooting video on digital SLR still cameras.

But the technology is here, it’s happened! dSLRs have become quite popular for shooting video, and for good reason. Their larger CMOS and APS-C sensors are much better than 1/3″ and 2/3″ CCD sensors normally found in professional/prosumer video cameras. They can take practically any lens. They’re small, compact, and comparatively inexpensive.

For example, because of their large sensors and use of SLR lenses, dSLRs can achieve a shallow depth of field that video cameras simply can’t get without using 35mm lens adapters. After buying a video camera, 35mm adapter, and one lens, one could be spending well over $6000. A dSLR costs half that.

Canon is leading the way in the HDSLR movement. They currently make four cameras that are some of the most popular for dSLR video right now: 1D Mark IV, 5D Mark II, 7D, and the 550D T2i.

Of these, the 7D and the T2i are both under $2000. In fact, the T2i is under $1000.

A lot of people right now are thinking about switching to dSLRs, and aren’t sure what camera they’d like to go with. For most, the 7D and T2i are the first options, because of their price tags.

A couple of my friends recently acquired both a 7D and a T2i. I’ve had some time to work with both, so for those who are wanting to know what the difference is between them, this is my comparison.

Tech Specs

7D
From Canon’s official specs list on the 7D:

Sensor size = 22.3×14.9mm (APS-C)
Recording Media = CF card
Sensor type = CMOS
Pixels = 18.0 megapixels
Video codec = MOV, h.264, Linear PCM audio
ISO Speeds = 100-6400, one-stop increments
Shutter Speeds = 1/8000 to 1/60 sec.
Monitor size & dot count = 3.0 inches, 920,000 dots
Weight = 29 oz. (body only)

The 7D can shoot 1920×1080 HD video at 23.976 frames per second (it can shoot other frame rates and sizes, but this is the one we’re interested in). It has a bitrate of 48 megabits per second (which is really good).

T2i
From Canon’s specs list on the T2i:

Sensor size = 22.3×14.9mm (APS-C)
Recording Media = SD card
Sensor type = CMOS
Pixels = 18.0 megapixels
Video codec = MOV, h.264, Linear PCM audio
ISO Speeds = 100-6400, one-stop increments
Shutter Speeds = 1/4000 to 1/60 sec.
Monitor size & dot count = 3.0 inches, 1,040,000 dots
Weight = 19 oz. (body only)

The T2i can also shoot 1920×1080 HD video at 23.976 frames per second, at a bitrate of around 44 megabits per second (source — bitrate info at the bottom of the page)

Compared
So, as you can see, there’s not too much of a technical differences. The sensors are the same size, video capabilities are pretty much exactly the same, etc. The main differences are the weight, the monitor dot count (T2i actually has a better LCD screen resolution than the 7D), ISO control (7D has more ISO options), and the 7D has dual Digic 4 image processors while the T2i has one. Oh, and the price (T2i is almost a thousand dollars less than the 7D).

The 7D has a few more manual controls, as well. There are more ISO options than the T2i, and the ability to choose a specific color temperature for white balance.

That’s the tech specs, though. When it comes down to a decision between the 7D and the T2i, it comes down to the outside of the camera.

The Outside

For one thing, the 7D is bigger than the T2i, at 16 cubic inches larger. For people with larger hands, like me, that’s a good thing. The weight, too — the 7D is 10 oz. heavier than the T2i (without lenses). Generally, weight is a good thing, because it deadens shakiness and movement.

The 7D puts more of its control on the outside of the camera in buttons and dials than the T2i.

Take a look at the back of the 7D:

And here’s the back of the T2i:

The first thing that stands out is the lack of the clicker wheel on the back of the T2i, replaced instead by buttons. It’s actually amazing what all can be done with that clicker wheel. For one thing, it’s a lot simpler than the four buttons that replace it on the T2i. In manual and video shooting mode, it controls aperture.

The layout of the buttons is different, as well. The 7D’s menu buttons are on the left. The T2i’s menu button is on the left, but everything else is on the right.

Take a look at another angle. 7D:

T2i:

The 7D has an incredibly useful display on the top which shows aperture, shutter speed, ISO, white balance, battery level, etc. The T2i has the mode dial on the right side (7D’s is on the left side), and no display on top. The 7D also has white balance, ISO, auto-focus drive select, and LCD backlight buttons. The T2i only has an ISO button. The 7D has a switch right beside the viewfinder to switch from stills mode to video/live-view mode.

It’s pretty easy to see that the 7D offers more physical manual control over shooting. The T2i was simply made more compact, and as such can’t have as many external buttons or dials.

Personally, I would choose the 7D over the T2i, simply because of its size and external control. The video features between the two are almost exactly the same, so the T2i does make a great choice for anyone wishing to spend a bit less on a camera of the same image quality.

So I borrowed Dominic DiMaria’s Canon 7D, put together the rig (camera, mattebox, glidetrack, tripod), and walked around shooting random things for a few minutes.

It became clear very quickly that the mattebox and the glidetrack don’t mix too well. The mattebox simply puts the center of gravity way too far out in front, causing balance issues, making for bouncing and less-than-smooth motion. I’m planning on doing another test soon, and will not be using the mattebox on it.

I’m really, really happy with the glidetrack itself. It’s the right tool for getting beautiful, slow movement for shots. It’s only 1 meter long, but plenty long for any slow movement. As with any piece of equipment, it’ll take practice to learn how to use it properly.

Here’s the video, shot on the Canon 7D, color graded using Magic Bullet Mojo.

So I composed some music. And it doesn’t fit at all with the video… But that’s part of the learning process I guess. It won’t be used for the video, but I decided to finish it out anyway because I liked the way it was going.

It’s a piano piece. I don’t play piano — trust me on that. So I decided to try my hand at composing something for the piano. There’s no way I could ever even try to play what I wrote! After consulting a friend who’s quite good at the piano (thanks, Reis!), I think I might try splitting apart some of the way-too-many-notes-for-one-pianist and making the duet available as sheet music.

You can download the song by clicking the image below. I named it “Pectus,” the Latin word for heart. It sounds kind of dry, since I just used my software instruments (Vienna Special Edition, using samplings from a Bösendorfer Imperial piano)… I think it’d be neat to hear it played in real life sometime. Software just can’t capture the emotion that people can put into music.

Don’t worry, I’ll explain.

A while back, I posted this. In short, I wrote about how my friend Geno DiMaria and I had went into a partnership LLC together, and were wanting to take it full time in Charleston, South Carolina.

So, this is what’s been going on lately. I think it started a few months ago, in the back of our minds… But anyway, by the time I arrived here in Charleston mid-January, we were sure that we didn’t want to be in a partnership together. Unknown to each other, we had been both thinking along the same lines.

For one thing, we want to keep our friendship relationship strong. We’ve known each other only two and a half years, but have grown to be close friends (I have 1086 emails from him).

Another thing was the fact that being in a partnership together means that we wouldn’t be free to do whatever and go wherever God leads us to go.

And there’s also the fact that business partnerships aren’t exactly the most Biblical way to do things. Both partners are forced to compromise their own visions, have their names attached to anything and everything done under the partnership, and share any consequences for bad choices made.

So in short, I’m being dissolved. We signed the form tonight, and will be sending it off tomorrow, probably!

We’re still doing work together. God has given us some paying projects to work on right now, so I feel that this is where I need to be (at least for right now; He could move me next week or next year, whenever and wherever He wants). We’re now free to be able to do things, to pursue the individual visions that God has given each of us, etc. We’re both at peace with this decision, and are thankful that God led us in this direction!

The moral of this story: before jumping into anything in life too quickly, seek God’s direction!

One of the coolest things about shooting with a dSLR is that I was able to use multiple lenses. For this video, I used a standard 18-55mm zoom, a 55-200 zoom, and a 50mm prime lens. I was able to choose whatever lens I needed in order to capture the shot I had in mind.

One of the worst things about shooting with the D5000 is that the exposure lock button had to be held down during recording… You can’t just hit the button and let it go. And the jello that results from any movement… Not to mention that movement is also somewhat choppy. And aliasing happens a lot. Oh, and it records in AVI. Which is bad. Really bad.

But anyway, moving on. I had a ton of fun shooting it, wandering around outside and recording anything that looked interesting. I ended up with 87 clips, somewhere around 20 minutes of video.

So I moved all the footage from the SD card onto my computer, and dumped it onto the external hard drive I would be using to edit. Much to my dismay, I realized that I didn’t have enough space on it to even render the AVI files in the Final Cut timeline in order to play it… So I had to wait until a new hard drive came.

In the meantime, I decided to try something: color grading using Photoshop CS4 extended. Photoshop isn’t known for doing video. It’s for photos (it’s in the name, after all)! I was amazed at how powerfully PS handled the first video clip I opened to try it out — treating it the same as if I were editing a still. I ended up grading all of the shots I thought could potentially be used in the video.

Then my hard drive arrived, and I was finally able to edit it. I was quite surprised and pleased with how the workflow turned out, in spite of the severe limitations of the camera.

So, 200 Law.

Click the link to watch it on Vimeo in HD.

200 Law from Chad Stembridge on Vimeo.

I finally made a demo reel. I should have made one long ago… I guess my excuse for procrastinating is that I was waiting to get some better footage.

Field monitors. Yeah, they’re pretty useful.
Especially when you want to see what you’re shooting.

You know that little screen attached to your camera? Well, I found out recently that it’s easier to see what you’re shooting when you view it in full resolution. Not on that little screen.

The first time I really experienced shooting with a field monitor was on the day the picture above was taken, during a short film shoot with my friends the Liedles. It was just a small HD TV that was picked up for a bargain price, from what I can remember. It worked marvelously with their Glidecam jib/vista head setup, where it’s impossible to even think about trying to watch what’s happening on the camera’s LCD (which is 15 feet away from the operator…). It’s so much easier to see what’s in focus (and what’s not) when one isn’t having to squint at a small LCD.

After poking around trying to find a good buy, I started to think that a good monitor would be an expensive buy. TVs small and light-weight enough to be somewhat portable aren’t terribly cheap.

And then, I realized that there was a better solution — a solution that doesn’t even require a constant power cable plugged into it. A portable DVD player!

The qualifications I looked for in a DVD player were: the ability to connect Video-In, decent screen size, and product design that would allow the most flexibility during shooting. The model I went with was the Sony DVP-FX820. It cost $116.81 including shipping — worth every penny.

Battery powered, it allows for completely untethered shooting. Its screen can swivel a complete 180º and lay flat against the body with the screen facing up (this means that it can be very compact). And it has a lot of great features, such as the two headphone jacks (more than one person at a time could monitor audio from it).

Simply put, this is a production must-have for me from now on, whenever it’s possible. I’ve even added an extra handle on my tripod, with plans to conjure up some way to attach the monitor between both handles!

Oh, and it does play DVDs, by the way. A bonus feature perhaps?

It works!