Re: DSLR vs. Dedicated Video Camera

[Johnny Sullivan] "- DSLR produces better video quality, but the shorter DoF makes it easier to mess up and have the subject be out of focus."

"better" is kind of relative. I have a 60D, and a few real Panasonic camcorders. If you want that short DOF, "film like" result, you want the HDSLR. If you see yourself neededing more than 10 minutes in a shot, you may well go for the real camcorder. If you see lots of low-light shooting taking place, maybe it's back to the HDSLR.

[Johnny Sullivan] "- DSLR essentially requires separate audio recorder, so I'd need to deal with having that set up properly as well. The audio is integrated with the dedicated video camera, so it would be one less thing to deal with."

It's not quite like that. The HDSLR needs a good microphone.. your built-in is crap. A "real" camcorder also needs a good microphone.. its built-in is also crap, if perhaps ever so slightly less crap than the HDSLR. A unit like the XA-10 comes with an XLR module that integrates with the camera. My Panasonic HMC40 made that optional, but just as useful.

To get good audio into an HDSLR, you need to buy a mic interface module, and for a Canon, you need to run the Magic Lantern firmware to control it. An interface for pro-class mics like the Beachtek units cost about as much ($200-$300) as a separate recorder, so many HDSLR shooters just go for the off-camera audio because it's more flexible. On the other hand, the Canon HDSLRs will record uncompressed 16-bit/48kHz audio, while the XA-10 will give you only 16/48 compressed in the AC-3 format. So it's not quite correct to say the HDSLR can't do audio.

What you'll get here is the fact that HDSLRs are relatively clumsy. You can add on good audio, but the built-in is good only for multicam sync. The video is beautiful, particularly in low light, but the video features are clumsy - no autofocus (the 60D can focus on demand, but it doesn't do it running), short (~12 minute) video runs, no power zoom or easy focus pull, etc. HDSLRs are the choice when you really need the 35mm look or the really good low-light performance.

I do need that. I did a 3-cam shoot last month, a music concert, and the 60D video was annoyingly better than either of my Pannys. I had audio recorded on my H4n, and if it was more involved, I have a 16-channel field rig. But I'm not doing on location docs with this gear.

You need to try this stuff, seriously. You may like everything you hear about the HDSLR, but hate using it. In a studio, you can get around that, on location it'll drive you bats.. and unless there's another guy filming your story as a second doc, that's not useful. Or maybe you just "get" the HDSLR workflow. I'm using mine more and more when it applies, but I did spend decades learning conventional camcorders, from consumer 8mm through pro memory-card devices, and of course, the HDSLR. As great as the HDSLR is, it's also annoying here and there. I'd like another for concerts and shows, but if I did a doc again (my one serious doc, shot in 1994, was on horrible cameras, and my skills sucked compared to today, but I had the right topic... and sold over
4,000 copies on VHS and DVD).

-Dave