Shooting for the Future

In order to set myself up for success in 2012, I'm looking to finally buy my own camera.  That decision is easy and a quite obvious one, really.  The real question is, "Which camera do I buy?"

Director Jean-Luc Godard, DP Raoul Coutard and actress Jean Seberg on the set of Breathless.

There's a lot of factors to consider when making this kind of purchase.  It's not just a matter of buying the best on the market.  It's a matter of looking at various features, comparing those features against other brands and deciding which features suit you best.  It's a matter of living in the present as well as being forward thinking, knowing that, eventually, this camera could become "obsolete" in comparison to newer technology.

 

McDowell and Kubrick on the set of A Clockwork Orange.

Right now, Digital Single-Lens Reflex (DSLR) cameras that support an HD movie mode are all the rage to young cinematographers, and why not?  The ability to create fantastic depth of field with interchangeable lenses, expose well in low light and be carried around easily are certainly selling points.  They're cheap too, which is nice for a poor guy like myself.  So, buying a DSLR with an HD movie mode is the way I am leaning, but another question arises.  Which make and model do I purchase?

The Canon 5D Mark II.  A DSLR with HD movie mode.

The same brands photographers have trusted for years (Canon and Nikon) are leading the way in the digital cinematography race with famed electronics company Panasonic sneaking in and making it a three-way shootout.  Just like the battle between Mac, PC and, yes, Linux, you're going to have your fanboys and die hard supporters of each brand.  The key is to separate yourself from all these biases and just look at the facts, or better yet, footage!



Above is the trailer for Zacuto's  The Great Camera Shootout 2010.  It's a three part series comparing top-of-the-line DSLRs against each other as well as film.  The cameras are pushed to their limits in tests of exposure latitude, sensitivity and dynamic range, among others.  Looking at the DSLR footage in comparison to film is remarkable, but looking at the DSLR footage in comparison to each other aids in determining the right make and model.

There's a lot of factors to consider.  Sensor size.  Variety of frame rates.  Resolution.  ISO.  There are so many it is mind-numbing, really.  For me, wanting to just get in some practice before 2012, the biggest factor is price.  If I had all the money in the world, I'd own a RED One with a variety of lenses.  But I don't have $25,000+ lying around my house or in a Swiss bank account.  The beauty of cinematography for me is working with what you've got.  Know the limitations (or perimeters, to not look at it so pessimistically) of your equipment and shoot accordingly.  A cinematographer's job is to make what's in front of the lens look good.  Know your equipment and you'll be able to capture images like these, shot entirely on a Canon 7D and 5D Mark II.



So, back to the question!  Which camera to buy?  Recently, I've been hooked on the Canon 7D.  Unfortunately, it's pricey.  Much more so than the Canon 60D, which I am now leaning towards.  Maybe the 60D is the way to go, to eventually springboard into 2012 when the budget can afford a 7D.  With lenses being as expensive as they are, I need to go cheaper on the camera.  Being less than $1,000, the 60D is a good starting point.  It has the same sensor size as the 7D (22.3 x 14.9mm), same recording codec compression, almost the same everything.  The only difference on paper being the 7D's ISO range of 100-12800 vs. the 60D's 100-6400.  If I ever need to go beyond 6400 ISO, I'll be stunned.  It seems like the price is right for me and the 60D.  With all the hype surrounding the 5D Mark II, 7D and the Panasonic AF100, it's easy to get distracted. Their images are mesmerizing.  I need to look at more test footage for the 60D.  Compare it with footage from the 7D.  After that, I'll be closer to making my decision.