I'm living the dream!

gebo

gebo

I just wanted to share this amazing news with you. I have a new camera!
Afetr 1.5 years wanting it...trying to save for it...here it is... a Canon 600D with a 50mm f1.8 II lens.

What an amazing camera, I've only been using it for 2 days but I am blown away by the results I'm getting. Great low light images, shallow dof, great colours...what more could I ask for?

Now off to make my film!

I'm living the dream..... :yes:
 
DSLR's, while they have their own quirks when it comes to video, are a real eye-opening experience if you've never used a full-blown camera before.

After having full control over my shutter speed, aperture, and ISO, I have trouble using video equipment that does not provide these same controls.

Have you put it in 1080p 24fps mode yet? :)

For me, the biggest shock was realizing that if I wanted a shallow DOF in daylight for video, I'd need to get some ND filters. With the shutter speed locked to 1/40, even ISO 100 lets in too much light at wide apertures.

Also, beware the lens addiction. The 50mm prime is great. You love it. You run around shooting everything with it. Then you need to be able to zoom in more, so you grab a low-end 70-300mm with IS. You have a blast, although it's hard to use that lens indoors because it doesn't let in enough light. Later you save up and get yourself a wide-angle. You don't use it as much, but it lets you shoot better landscapes or in smaller confined spaces.

All is well. You've only sorta drained your bank account.

And then... then you make the mistake of trying out a Canon L-series or Zeiss prime or some other pro lens.

There's no going back. And it's really expensive.

(For me, it was the 24-70mm L that came with my 5D MkII. The next year was spent selling off my existing lenses and replacing them with L's and Zeiss's.)
 
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Congrats!!! escher is right, it's all in the glass... That 50mm is amazing value in our world, I love how it works. Start saving up now for that next lens. Keep us posted on your progress.
 
escher said:
DSLR's, while they have their own quirks when it comes to video, are a real eye-opening experience if you've never used a full-blown camera before.

After having full control over my shutter speed, aperture, and ISO, I have trouble using video equipment that does not provide these same controls.

Have you put it in 1080p 24fps mode yet? :)

For me, the biggest shock was realizing that if I wanted a shallow DOF in daylight for video, I'd need to get some ND filters. With the shutter speed locked to 1/40, even ISO 100 lets in too much light at wide apertures.

Also, beware the lens addiction. The 50mm prime is great. You love it. You run around shooting everything with it. Then you need to be able to zoom in more, so you grab a low-end 70-300mm with IS. You have a blast, although it's hard to use that lens indoors because it doesn't let in enough light. Later you save up and get yourself a wide-angle. You don't use it as much, but it lets you shoot better landscapes or in smaller confined spaces.

All is well. You've only sorta drained your bank account.

And then... then you make the mistake of trying out a Canon L-series or Zeiss prime or some other pro lens.

There's no going back. And it's really expensive.

(For me, it was the 24-70mm L that came with my 5D MkII. The next year was spent selling off my existing lenses and replacing them with L's and Zeiss's.)
Click to expand...

Yes I've used the 1080p 24fps with a shutter speed of 1/50. I showed some footage to my wife and she said it looked like we were watching a movie... that says it all!

Don't you talk to me about lens addiction....before I got the camera I was already having dreams about 35mm f1.4 lenses... I have to fight that...or starve... :yes:

I'll be posting some clips I shot a few minutes ago!

Thanks guys!
 
Congrats on your purchase! Hope to see some goodwork posted here by you.

As for the lens thing, yeah having a couple more lenses will benefit youi and give you a good range. But I disagree on buying L lenses or Zeiss lenses. Right now you're a hobbyist right? Not getting paid? There is no reason to waste money on those overpriced lenses (yes, they're overpriced).

Just buy used/refurbished/third party. Sigma, Tamron, and Tokina make good lenses. Also check out Samyang (they also go by Rokinon and Bower). Those are good manual lenses I've heard.

If, one day, you are on a big project and your current lenses don't cut it, you can always rent. It's cheaper that way.
 
that1guyy said:
Congrats on your purchase! Hope to see some goodwork posted here by you.

As for the lens thing, yeah having a couple more lenses will benefit youi and give you a good range. But I disagree on buying L lenses or Zeiss lenses. Right now you're a hobbyist right? Not getting paid? There is no reason to waste money on those overpriced lenses (yes, they're overpriced).

Just buy used/refurbished/third party. Sigma, Tamron, and Tokina make good lenses. Also check out Samyang (they also go by Rokinon and Bower). Those are good manual lenses I've heard.

If, one day, you are on a big project and your current lenses don't cut it, you can always rent. It's cheaper that way.
Click to expand...

I'm curious on how many people purchases lenses as oppose to renting-I have the basic lenses, and I free lance..But I may have about 7 clients a month..Majority of the shoots are one day interviews-so I usually just rent the lenses for about 40 a day. Does anyone else do this?
 
well i just shot a second scene for my short film today and the image is superb if i say so myself. all on the 600d.

its a great camera except for when you reach high isos and you start getting hot pixels..
 
that1guyy said:
But I disagree on buying L lenses or Zeiss lenses. Right now you're a hobbyist right? Not getting paid? There is no reason to waste money on those overpriced lenses (yes, they're overpriced).

Just buy used/refurbished/third party. Sigma, Tamron, and Tokina make good lenses. Also check out Samyang (they also go by Rokinon and Bower). Those are good manual lenses I've heard.

If, one day, you are on a big project and your current lenses don't cut it, you can always rent. It's cheaper that way.
Click to expand...

He's right. That 50mm will get you a long way, then those Samyangs... In a pinch, even the kit 18-55mm will give you a nice wide angle for little money... Besides, there is so much to learn about blocking, AUDIO, organizing, editing... So much more. You'll see, the lenses are lower on the list right now in the grand sceme of things. I met a guy who had a $3,000 camera, high end editing suite, audio equipment, etc. and never made a thing to show for it, not even something for fun. Learn to use what you have, audio, and editing, then you'll be miles ahead of most.
:yes:
 
that1guyy said:
As for the lens thing, yeah having a couple more lenses will benefit youi and give you a good range. But I disagree on buying L lenses or Zeiss lenses. Right now you're a hobbyist right? Not getting paid? There is no reason to waste money on those overpriced lenses (yes, they're overpriced).
Click to expand...

Them's fightin' words. :)

I was shocked at the difference in image quality, especially at larger apertures and wider lengths. It's like going fro mud to mountain-pond.

Try out Canon's 70-200mm L-series f2.8 sometime. Or the 85mm f1.2. The image quality improvement is staggering.

As for Zeiss, the manual-focus rings are second to none. Wonderful for the video shooter.
 
Here my first tests. I only had time to test the movie mode at night.
No color correction, just stabilized in some shots, all handheld.

Not much to say about this, just wanted to share.

:yes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEHr_jsdiiM
 
When I started to participate in making short movies we used VHS camera and two vcr machines to edit the results.

Compare the results now and I have to say that DSLR cameras are great invetion.

When I did my latest project we did use also ordinary digital camera, it was a high end Sony that has a price tag around 5000 euro and the results with Panasonic GH2 DSLR camera were better than the Sony achieved.
 
escher said:
Them's fightin' words. :)

I was shocked at the difference in image quality, especially at larger apertures and wider lengths. It's like going fro mud to mountain-pond.

Try out Canon's 70-200mm L-series f2.8 sometime. Or the 85mm f1.2. The image quality improvement is staggering.

As for Zeiss, the manual-focus rings are second to none. Wonderful for the video shooter.
Click to expand...

They're too expensive for me but I believe you when you say they're great.
 
itarumaa said:
When I started to participate in making short movies we used VHS camera and two vcr machines to edit the results.

Compare the results now and I have to say that DSLR cameras are great invetion.

When I did my latest project we did use also ordinary digital camera, it was a high end Sony that has a price tag around 5000 euro and the results with Panasonic GH2 DSLR camera were better than the Sony achieved.
Click to expand...

I made some things in VHS many years ago. Editing was made in camera! Good days...
 
itarumaa said:
When I started to participate in making short movies we used VHS camera and two vcr machines to edit the results.
Click to expand...
Ain't nothing wrong with deck to deck editing. Hell, my brother edited his high school project (silent film) back in 2000 using deck to deck and connected a CD player that had the tracks that he wanted to use to the audio jacks and just pressed next when the scenes came up. Oh were the awesome inventive days of machinery haha.


As for the OP, congrats and welcome to the world of DSLR. While 50mm is a good lens, if you're running around with it, it's pretty damn hard to use as it's hard to stay in focus. 24mm is pretty good for general medium shots so you may want to get that as well.
 
gebo said:
Here my first tests. I only had time to test the movie mode at night.
No color correction, just stabilized in some shots, all handheld.

Not much to say about this, just wanted to share.

:yes:

cEHr_jsdiiM
Click to expand...

This is very good. Your first shot could easily be used as an opening shot in a film. That stabilization does wonders I would have sworn you used a tripod.

Watch out your white balance (it's off in the last shot). And as soon as you feel confortable with the DSLR, check out two things :

1 - Technicolor CineStyle. It will give your camera more dynamic range (you'll find out what it means and how important that is).

2 - Magic Lantern. It will give you some extra tools (fine tuning white balance, 160x ISO, focus assist and so on).
 
TheArtist said:
This is very good. Your first shot could easily be used as an opening shot in a film. That stabilization does wonders I would have sworn you used a tripod.

Watch out your white balance (it's off in the last shot). And as soon as you feel confortable with the DSLR, check out two things :

1 - Technicolor CineStyle. It will give your camera more dynamic range (you'll find out what it means and how important that is).

2 - Magic Lantern. It will give you some extra tools (fine tuning white balance, 160x ISO, focus assist and so on).
Click to expand...

I know about Cinestyle and Magic Lantern, plannig on installing them in the next days.

Today I tried shooting with a tripod (a crappy tripod) with the 50mm f1.8 and the image shakes even when I'm not touching the camera, there was just a bit of wind but that made the image shake, very annoying... seems I have to use a software stabilizer even if I use a tripod... is this normal?
 
Well you just answered your own
Question, crappy tripod.

Dslr cameras are lightweight you need some heavy heads and legs to keep it dead still or even add some weight plates, personally I just hold the tripod down as there's a little pole I can hold onto, but I have a 501v head which is pretty sweet at keeping shots stable, I have the same lense as you and don't have this problem
 
8salacious9 said:
Well you just answered your own
Question, crappy tripod.

Dslr cameras are lightweight you need some heavy heads and legs to keep it dead still or even add some weight plates, personally I just hold the tripod down as there's a little pole I can hold onto, but I have a 501v head which is pretty sweet at keeping shots stable, I have the same lense as you and don't have this problem
Click to expand...

I guess I'll have to start looking for a new tripod then.
Since you have the 50mm lens maybe you can explain me why when I try to manual focus to infinite to film a distant subject (1km/0.6 miles away for instance), I see that it's nor really focused. I have to turn the focus ring just a notch to get things in focus. Aperture is set to f22. Is this normal?
 
I have that lens too, it is normal. Somehow the infinity setting is just back from full turned. Same way on the 18-55mm only more so.
 
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