Is it worth getting a full frame camera?

[harmonica44]

I was thinking about selling my T2i, and getting something full frame for better quality, but only if it's worth it and it will pay off. I plan on doing a feature hopefully in the next two years. I will hire a DP but if for some reason we need a second camera, full frame, we will then have it, for whatever emergency. Even if the DP leaves in the middle of production for whatever reason I would still have it.

I plan on seeking distribution, at DVD level is my goal. And from there one hope to get noticed, and make enough money hopefully, and go from there. The question is, is the T2i good enough or would full frame REALLY REALLY help to break into the industry? More features are shot on full frame DSLRs compared to ones that are not. I only saw a trailer for one feature ever that was shot on T2i. One that I know for sure was, and I have been looking. But if full frame is worth it, than I want to buy now, since there are some good deals now on Canon 7Ds and what not.

I can just sell mine, and get one. The longer I wait, the less mine will sell for, and it already is not selling for near as much when I bought it. But will the Canon 7D still be popular enough to shoot full frame on with all these new 4k cameras coming out and all? In two years, would the industry much rather give a 7D movie a chance, compared to a T2i movie? Or is it not even worth buying a 1080p camera at all, if I am aiming for the next two years, cause expectations would have changed too much?

 

[MileCreations]

I've seen an online conversation with a steadicam op (he shot the printer scene in "Office Space" - and the hallways in "The West Wing") that start with the question, how do I start getting better at steadicam. The first answer he gave was: I start with 2 hours of weight training every day.

It's a dancerly, athletic endeavor tat if you don't practice, you'll never get good at... and it's not just flying the camera. It's learning to breathe and walk. It's strengthening so you don't spend as much muscular effort to hold the camera up throughout a shot. It's cardio so you don't start breathing too fast for the rig to compensate for.

It's more than just using the rig -- so much more. In karate, we had to learn to walk with our waist moving on a plane parallel to the ground. All those hours of training made it so much easier to check that bit off my learning list for that piece of gear... I spent hours at home walking with a coffee cup filled to the brim with water to get it not to spill as I was carrying it, so I could figure out how to move without risking my camera while doing it.

This one (like most other on set skills) is one that you take the time to learn off set before you get there so you don't waste your cast/crew's time learning it on set.

Yeah even with just an SLR on it, it weighs you down after not too long of use, that's why for bigger rigs they have a vest on to help support the weight

 

[Zensteve]

Depends what it was. An experienced steadiop can get you perfectly smooth shots. That's why they get paid so much money - it's a specialised artform that only very few know how to do properly. Anyone can buy a glidecam or a Merlin and give it a crack, but I've never seen footage from a trained, professional steadiop that had to be run through stabilisation because it wasn't smooth enough.

In honour of great stedicam artists:

http://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/...cam-progress-career-paul-thomas-anderson-five

Yes, there are awesome ones out there.