DSLR Movie capability

On 14 Apr 2007 11:50:12 -0700, Lew wrote:

Which DSLRs have movie capability currently?

If there are none, what are the latest rumors about which company will
bring out the first one?

Please spare me the condescending pseudo-purist flaming about how a
DSLR was never intended to do that kind of thing, and that I should
get a good DSLR plus a good camcorder.

As you've been told, no DSLRs have movie capability, there are no
rumors that any company is planning to add video capability to DSLR
that I'm aware of, and if there is a first one, it probably won't be
seen until at least several years have passed. If you don't want to
wait for what may never be released anyway, and if you still care
enough about DSLR's advantages, your options are to get a DSLR plus
the best, most convenient non-DSLR video alternative. But from what
you've said so far (and correct me if I'm mistaken) you may not be
dead set on getting a DSLR unless you could find one that also can
take decent videos.


I have a Panasonic FZ-20 right now that works pretty well -- great
still pics and so so movies. It doesn't do all that well in low light
(typical indoors) situations.

From this it appears that you may not need a DSLR since to get the
improvements that you want, there are some alternatives to consider.
They won't be at all ideal, and to get the best of both worlds you
might have to go one camera beyond and get the best of three worlds.
This would include an inexpensive DSLR, and to get the best low
light performance it would have either 6mp or 8mp, not one of the
more expensive 10mp models. I don't know all of the really good P&S
video performers, but Canon seems to be the leader, with their S2 IS
and S3 IS, having (I believe) the ability to record stereo sound,
and to zoom while recording videos. Either of these probably can
take better quality pictures than the FZ-20 in low light conditions,
but not by a lot, and in good light the FZ-20 probably has the
advantage. A much better choice for low light pictures would be one
of Fuji's small digicams, such as the F-30. The quality of its
videos probably doesn't differ too much from the FZ-20's, but it
won't be as good as the Canon's video capability.

Your problem would appear to be that you don't have a one camera
solution that will give you all the improvements that you want.
Since the FZ-20 is getting on in age, if I were in your position I'd
consider getting a Fuji F30, which would greatly increase your
ability to take low light pictures and give you much better
portability. This wouldn't improve your videos, but frankly, even
the S3 IS, good as it is, doesn't take really great videos. Then
you could wait a while and in a year or two consider upgrading the
FZ-20 to a similar, but better P&S, or replace it with DSLR.

Another point to consider - while the FZ-20 has IS, even if you
get a DSLR that doesn't have IS/VR built in, the FZ-20 won't really
have an advantage over the DSLR, since the DSLR can take quality
pictures using much higher ISO settings than the FZ-20, putting both
cameras on an equal footing in bright light conditions. In low
light, the advantage would usually go to the DSLR since the FZ-20
would probably need to use a very slow shutter. This is ok for
capturing static subjects such as buildings, trees, etc. But the IS
wouldn't be of any help in reducing motion blur from people that are
walking, waving hands, turning heads, etc.

If you consider this reply to have been a "condescending
pseudo-purist" flame, then please let us know when you find a
satisfactory alternative, and what it consists of, since what you've
asked for doesn't seem to have any good solutions.

On 2007-04-14 11:50:12 -0700, "Lew" said:

Which DSLRs have movie capability currently?

If there are none, what are the latest rumors about which company will
bring out the first one?

Currently impossible. There are no rumors of a company bringing one
out. A DSLR has a mirror that you use to view your image with -- the
definition of a DSLR. Only one or two DSLRs have the ability to see
your image before you shoot ("image preview"), although more are
coming. However, even they do not allow you to see your image as you
shoot -- the viewfinder goes black.

So a DSLR would make a terrible movie camera. A really, really bad
movie camera. The worst. Absolutely stink-o. The mirror would have to
be locked up, so you would not be able to see the movie as you are
filming it, at the very least.

Almost any camera would work better for what you want than a DSLR.
--
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor

On 2007-04-14 11:50:12 -0700, "Lew" said:

.

The improvement I seek is to get a better capability for taking pics
of the little ladies in ambient light. A few weeks ago at the
youngest's birthday party I had to use a flash. The pics had that
"instamatic snapshot" feel to them that I really try to avoid. I'd
like a camera that has live preview, a powerful ability to shoot good
pics in relatively low light without flash, and somewhat of a movie
capability.

While a DSLR cannot take movies (barring some miracle breakthrough like
transparent steel) it also will not cure your problem with flash. Here
the problem is the way you use flash. You could use an external flash
with a Gary Fong diffuser and get pretty decent pictures of the
birthday party. Yeah, it looks geeky, but it works. Gary Fong made
millions in wedding photography -- how wrong could he be? (Never mind
that he retired from wedding photography *before* he invented his
diffuser. :-) )

Seriously, flash is a good thing. You just have to learn how to use it
correctly.
--
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor

ray wrote:

There are a number of EVF cameras which do movies and have most of the
features of a DSLR. I don't know how well they do in low light conditions.

And very capable cameras they are, too. And they (and every digital
with LCD preview) do share the desirable characteristic of having a way
to frame pictures with no parallax error, even in extreme closeups.

But the key feature of the SLR as I've understood it over the past
30-some years is the ability to interchange lenses and use extension
tubes and bellows.

Jerry wrote:
[]
Since an SLR has a mirror between the lens and the sensor, if you get
movies and preview it isn't a DSLR any more, is it? Not flaming, but
what is wrong with a good camera *and* a reasonable camcorder? Anything
less is something of a compromise.

Lock mirror up. Add faster sensor readout, but at a limited resolution.
View on LCD screen at the back. DSLR with movies. Which manufacturer
will be first to take advantage of this market opportunity?

David

On Sun, 15 Apr 2007 07:13:05 GMT, David J Taylor wrote:

Lock mirror up. Add faster sensor readout, but at a limited resolution.
View on LCD screen at the back. DSLR with movies. Which manufacturer
will be first to take advantage of this market opportunity?

If not Mattel, Ron Popeil.

"cgiorgio" wrote in
:

In DSLR's a mirror directs the image from the lens to the viewfinder
optics unless the shutter is pressed - only then the mirror swings out
of the way and the image is projected on the sensor.

Of course. It is inevitable that the viewfinder becomes useless when the
shutter is pressed.
But most digital cameras, including DSLR's, have an LCD screen.Why don't
they display the image on the LCD screen while filming?

--
Onno Voors

"Onno Voors" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
...
"cgiorgio" wrote in
:

In DSLR's a mirror directs the image from the lens to the viewfinder
optics unless the shutter is pressed - only then the mirror swings out
of the way and the image is projected on the sensor.

Of course. It is inevitable that the viewfinder becomes useless when the
shutter is pressed.
But most digital cameras, including DSLR's, have an LCD screen.Why don't
they display the image on the LCD screen while filming?

--
Onno Voors

Because the larger format sensors used in DSLR's do not provide the fast
(reduced resolution) video readout mode smaller sensors feature.
Manufacturers probably do not see a reasonably large market that would
justify the development of such sensors.

ASAAR wrote:
On Sun, 15 Apr 2007 07:13:05 GMT, David J Taylor wrote:

Lock mirror up. Add faster sensor readout, but at a limited
resolution. View on LCD screen at the back. DSLR with movies.
Which manufacturer will be first to take advantage of this market
opportunity?

If not Mattel, Ron Popeil.

The same was said about "Live preview" on the DSLR.....

Cheers,
David

In article ,
says...

Because the larger format sensors used in DSLR's do not provide the fast
(reduced resolution) video readout mode smaller sensors feature.
Manufacturers probably do not see a reasonably large market that would
justify the development of such sensors.

There are already several large DSLR sensors capable of live preview.
--

Alfred Molon
------------------------------
Olympus 50X0, 7070, 8080, E300, E330, E400 and E500 forum at
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/MyOlympus/
http://myolympus.org/ photo sharing site