[Konvas] One week with the Canon 7D (off-topic)

[Adam Frey]

Since we've been discussing the Nikon, I figure I'd post this little 
blurb on the Canon 7D from this past week. I still am not a master of 
this camera, but we have gotten acquainted...

First, let me just say that, in my searches for a good HDSLR, I looked 
heavily at the Pentax K-7, the cheaper Pentax K-X, the Nikon D300s, the 
Panasonic GH1, the Canon 5Dm2 and the Canon 7D.

The GH1 has a much smaller sensor, so I scratched it out.
The 5DM2 had a much larger a sensor, so I scratched it out.
(this kinda sounds like a Goldilocks porridge/sensor commercial)

The Pentax/Nikon cameras had auto-iso that auto changed after a given 
exposure. I can't remember where I found it, but I did actually find a 
chart that listed the ISO to exposure ratios for the Pentax. After a 
stop or so, it would kick into the next ISO range (I can't remember if 
this was in 1/3rd increments or not). I wished I could re-find that 
article, but can't remember where I found it.

So I settled on the 7D. After shooting a promo film with it (and the 
Z1U) this past week, I have to say - I really like the 7D footage and 
ease of use. At 48Mbps, it's MPEG4 footage looks pretty good (btw, it's 
too big to play on my older DELL 1501 laptop without skipping frames). 
It'll shoot 200-6400ISO video, which really helps out in tight places. 
It has a shallow DOF and the noise isn't bad either. It uses CF cards 
(and CF readers are cheap) - so I could pull the movies off the card to 
look at them on my laptop. And it's lightweight, meaning you won't die 
lugging it around...

You really have to play with the settings to get the look you want (like 
most digital/video cameras), but after setting your 7D up properly, 
you'll definitely appreciate what you get. BTW: I read someone was able 
to get it to do a live 422 uncompressed HDMI out - not sure if it's true 
or not, but if so - forget the RED.

Things I dislike about the 7D? The stock 28-135mm lens sucks for cine 
work (but we all knew that, since it's a still lens. Using Cine lenses 
is hard to do with this camera as well, due to its 44mm FFD and 54mm 
throat). There's too many buttons and dials.  There's no "auto" focus in 
cine shooting mode - which would be nice to have the option to use once 
in a while instead of getting my fingers on that damn still lens' short 
focus ring.

All my dislikes of the 7D aside, the guys at RED should seriously be on 
the look out, since the 7D is gonna take away even more steam than the 
5DM2. Couple the 7D with one of those slick cine rigs from RedRock Micro 
and you'll be the envy of cinema nerds and geeks everywhere...


Cheers,

Adam Frey
Director/Cinematographer
Crimson Chain Productions
http://crimsonchainproductions.com
Cell: 301-639-7146

Crimson Chain Productions
PO Box 35
Libertytown, MD 21762



Cheers,

Adam Frey
Director/Cinematographer
Crimson Chain Productions
http://crimsonchainproductions.com
Cell: 301-639-7146

Crimson Chain Productions
PO Box 35
Libertytown, MD 21762