bought the wrong camera!!, advice appreciated

So many people on this forum, myself included, will tell you to look at Canon's EOS dSLR's. I have the 60D, many people have the 550D/T2i. These cameras will give you a much nicer picture quality, more control over the image and your monitor will work with them.

However, you seem to have put a lot of time and effort (money too, perhaps) into building your rig, your DOF adaptor would become obsolete and you'll want to be picking up an audio recorder as well, as the sound implementation of dSLR is pretty bad.

Just my thoughts. Lets see what the others say...

the more ive read, i've noticed that DSLR's are popular.
but like you say, i have put alot of time/money into this already. however if it is easier to shoot with a DLSR
in terms of shooting DOF then i would proberally cut my losses and jus get a DLSR, it wont be the first thing that has been bought and then not needed for this project!

for recording sound i already purchased a ZOOM h1 recorder, for this short film. a lot of sound will be post production and the zoom h1 from what ive read will do the rest? i think...

If you read my blogs on the pros/cons of DSLR, you will probably decide to cut your losses and switch to DSLR.

The problem with the H1 is that it's external mic input is unbalanced, but I'd still take that over the camera's recording system. So long as you can boom a mic, I guess this is fine, since you've already got it.

As a lover and proponent of 35mm Adapters, I have recently decided for my self that its time to move on. If I had a prosumer level video camera, on the order of an Pana HMC150 or Zony z1 (a couple grand each) then Id say a 35mm adapter makes sense, however if buying NEW at an entry level it makes no sense. A DSLR gives you all the benifits of a 35mm adapter without any of the downside. (light loss, extra weight, inverted image etc)

TO BE CLEAR. DSLR has its OWN downsides, and of interest to you is the fact that none of the entry level canon cameras OUTPUT HD when recording. The preview HD, but when you hit the record button the HDMI port outputs SD. So if you were planning on critical focus with the external monitor, your mostly out of luck. AGAIN, though, MANY MANY people have crated perfectly focus footage with the entry level canons, I suspect by using the LCD and not an external monitor.

But fear not, if your building a handheld rig, the canon LCD is very good, lots of detail and perfect for getting good focus, coupled with an LCD VIEWFINDER a canon DSLR (ala, 550d, 60d, T3i) can make an AWESOME hand held ENG rig with a great eye cup and everything! In short you dont NEED a monitor. Now, for locked down shots with rack focus, the external monitor is GREAT for setting up the shot, making your focus marks etc, but when the camera rolls you sorta have to TRUST that you got it right, or unplug the monitor and use the LCD, this is where the T3i, 60D canons beat the T2i, the lcd can be articulated to more convenient viewing. If its not obvious by what I just said, the canon cameras can NOT display on the LCD AND the HDMI port at the same time...

Finally, if you'll consider the Panasonic GH2 camera, it has MOST the advantages of the T3i, AND outputs HDMI HD while recording AND you can use the LCD and External monitor at the same time. AND, it does not need a LCDView finder as the EVF (electronic view finder) is very high rez and works during recording just fine. The canons to not have ANY viewfinder during movie recording. You can ONLY use the LCD or the HDMI output.

wait though.. i do want to make one important point.

If you can RETURN or sell your camera for MOST of what you paid, then consider a different camera, however, if your stuck with it, you may just want to use it as best you can, save your pennies for the future.

Learning to use your camera as best you can, making movies with it and all that will TEACH you want YOU really NEED\WANT in a camera.

Just a thought..

Hmm plenty to consider.
I had considered working with the what i had, but with the flip image i decided to just get another camera
unfortunately i cannot return the camera and the id loose to much on selling it on.
but i am happy keeping it as a general use camera.

my knowledge on filming with DLSR's is v limited, so if i was to buy the body ONLY of the Panasonic GH2, use the 35mm manual lens from the DOF adapter and mount to the rig along with the external monitor. that way i can salvage as much of the equipment already bought.

as for the zoom h1 recorder, i was planing on buying the Rode VideoMic to improve the balance.

Thanks for the quick response and advice

GH2 with manual lens is a sweet setup (I have that AND a T2i so Im unbiased) which lens(s) do you have?

its a OLYMPUS ZUIKO 50mm F1.4 PRIME LENS

I think youll need a simple adapter, MD to M43 but Im not certain.. I dont have any oly glass.

The GH2 Electronic View Finder is better than an external monitor in my opinion. You just have to have it up to your eye.. great for hand held, not so great for tripod and the rest..

so il be selling the dof adapter shortly and will get a panasonic GH2.
i will post an update when the rig is finally set up and then move onto the next part of the forum as the i begin filming.

i am have to buy a follow focus which will be the final part to the rig.

what adapter are you selling, my Letus extreme went for 500 with a couple lenses tossed in..

mine is costum job, with the vibrating peice being bought from this guy at, jetsetmodels.
http://www.jetsetmodels.info/adapter.htm
he no longer makes them but sold me a unassembled one which he had left. it works great.

im not expecting too much, but its new and has not really filmed anything.

yeah, Id not expect anything for it..
My letus was a higher end piece of gear, $1600 new,.. it sold for a fraction of that.. theirs just no market for the real low end 35mm adapters, well, on 2nd thought, you bought one so I guess there is SOME market

With that in mind, I reiterate my post about just working with what you have for a few months at least. you'll be able to get some good footage regardless and after a few months you'll KNOW for certain what you want in a camera system.