5D MARK II FIRMWARE UPDATE: SURPRISE! 60P

So we all knew that a firmware update for the 5D Mark II was eminent…

With all of the new DSLR technology coming, it was only logical that Canon would upgrade their most popular camera. But I don’t think anyone expected to get this…

CANON 5D MARK II.  24P & 60P!  COMING 2010!

If you think you are going to shit your pants, now would be the time to do so.

Also!

DSLRFILM will be undergoing some changes over the next couple weeks. Bigger and better changes that will only make all of you that have been waiting happier and happier! We will be starting our Production Stories from DSLR filmmakers in the near future, and keep an eye out for tutorials. We’re beginning a hands-on approach to bringing the best tips for production scenarios. Get ready for your face to melt!

SHANE HURLBUT CREATES 5D MARK II CONTEST

I know what you’re thinking… Who the F is Shane Hurlbut?

If you don’t know Shane by now, then you need to look him up immediately! Shane Hurlbut, cinematographer and photographer alike, Director of Photography on Terminator Salvation, has created a contest on his blog. This contest is amazing, seriously!

Shane and crew recently shot a Navy Seal film project using three distinct cameras; an Arri 235, a Sony 950, and of course the Canon 5D Mark II. The Arri is the only one that’s actually film (so we know how that looks), but the Sony has a much higher color depth than the 5D Mark II. Shane’s whole purpose of the contest is to see if you can tell which shots the Canon 5D Mark II were used on. And believe me, it’s really hard!

See for yourself at Hurlbut Visuals

Make a comment on his blog to enter into the contest!

DSLR ACCESSORIES: BEST COMPACT FLASH CARDS

This is a pretty important thing to think about, considering video with a DSLR is captured at a higher bitrate. And on top of that, capacity of the card is equally as important (unless of course you’re ok with changing out the card every 8 to 12 minutes). So for those reasons, I’m making a few recommendations on cards that will work best in a production setting.

Now depending on what DSLR you are using, the card type may be different. Canon DSLRs use CF or CompactFlash cards. Panasonic and Nikon typically use SD cards. So the bit rate and price range will vary based on what you’re using. Call me bias if you’d like, but I’m a Canon guy, so I’ll mostly be talking CF cards. That just happens to be my experience level, so deal with it!

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SNL USING CANON 7D & 5D MARK II FOR INTROS

Alexander Buono, Director Of Photography for SNL has recently been turned to Canon’s 7D and 5D Mark II after watching various sample videos online. Philip Bloom is hailed as one of the main contributors to his recent stab at DSLR cinematography.

Most recently, Alex shot new titles sequences as well as bits and pieces of studio sketches on the 7D and 5D Mark II. One fantastic example is “Bladdivan.”

After using the two cameras in a production atmosphere, Alex said he was extremely impressed and even gave some feedback to Canon on what he would like to see improved upon. Personally, I think this is the kind of stuff that needs to happen to make DSLR cinematography a creditable and legitimate tool for filmmakers. Let’s just hope this doesn’t jack up the price on these guys, right?

TIME FOR THE BEST AND WORST DSLR FILM TRAILERS!

VOLUME I:

A HANDFUL OF THE BEST AND WORST DSLR FILM TRAILERS.

This has been a long time coming…

Over the last few months, I’ve been watching a shit ton of DSLR videos out there, and it really saddens me to say that 90% of them have been awful. Just really awful…

BUT! Some of them were fantastic! And more and more people are now realizing that DSLRs can produce amazing films! All you need first is a damn good story. THAT’S IMPORTANT!

Watch my picks for some of the best and worst DSLR film trailers after the jump.

CANON 5D & 7D COMPARISON VIDEOS

These videos have been out for a while, with mixed feelings and torn decisions. I feel the ones we have here are the best summary of the subtle differences between the two cameras. The common trend that everyone has been noticing about the 7D is how well it fairs to the 5D when under 1600 ISO. Once you go higher than that on both cameras, the 5D still outshines. Yet considering the 7D is a 18mp crop sensor, that’s pretty impressive! The thing you’ll really notice in the videos is how rarely the makers can keep the same focal length on both cameras. Is it that hard to line them up? I know the 7D is a crop, so it will be magnified a bit. But really? SEE FOR YOURSELF!

LENS TALK: THE BEST FOR THE 5D AND 7D

If you’re as much of a film junkie as I am and spend most of your time cruising through videos on Vimeo, then you’ve noticed that almost every DSLR video out there was made using different lenses. Half the time people are using lenses that have been sitting in a drawer for years that they haven’t found a good use for until now. The other half are usually professionals with seriously expensive glass that produce a mind blowing image.

So what makes a good lens? If I’m making a film, what lenses should I have? These are good questions, but just like everything else in the world, it boils down to your creative preference. We can only tell you what will work best with your DSLR.

SEE TOP 5 LENSES FOR EACH

GREEN SCREEN AND YOUR DSLR: THEY SHOULD BE FRIENDS

Now here’s something I’ve been asked about many times over and it’s definitely something I’ve been interested in for a while, so I’ll do my best to give you the info…

IT ROCKS!

We all know what’s possible with a green screen, and how creative you can get with the subject matter. Such greats like 300 and Sin City showed us that it’s possible to create an entire world without leaving your basement. And such pieces of crap like Superman Returns and The Spirit make us wish it wasn’t so easy to do. But it really is! And with the larger sensor size and light sensitivity of DSLRs, it’s even easier than before.

Watch The Video!

CANON RUMOR MILL: RAW VIDEO FOR 5D & 7D

Every time I think about how people find out rumors like these, all I can come up with is Mission Impossible, and that ridiculous rope TC zips down…

This rumor is especially far fetched… It can in no way be confirmed and more than likely was mistaken for something entirely different by a Canon employee as he overheard a conversation on the way to the bathroom.

This rumor, floating around CanonRumors and RedUser, is about either a RAW or sRAW video recording module for the 5D & 7D that would possibly record through the CF card slot. Don’t get me wrong, that would be totally badass! But what I’m thinking is somewhere along the line someone got confused and mixed their info with what both cameras already have; RAW & sRAW image formats. Now that’s for still image, but still, I feel like it might be a mix-up. Apparently these “modules” are being tested and used right now, so who knows…

All info was provided by a single, “high placed” source at Canon.  Hmm…

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY 5D MARK II!!

Today is our beloved Canon 5D Mark II’s 1st birthday! It was today one year ago that Canon released the info on the 5D Mark II and shocked the world with it’s amazing capabilities!

A quote from Canon:

“The anticipation surrounding the launch of this camera model has exceeded our greatest expectations, and we believe our loyal customers will be awed by the level of innovation and features built into the new EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR. Once they have the chance to experience the camera, we believe they will agree that it was worth the wait.”

It was worth the wait you amazing bastards! Thank you Canon for showing us the way!