My friend, and collaborator on “Behind the Viewfinder” Tom Burton once shared a joke with me:
What’s the difference between painters and photojournalists?
Painters don’t stand around talking about brushes.
And I typically don’t talk much about tools — my camera is bigger/better/faster than your camera.
Recently, Canon introduced a digital SLR form factor camera that can also shoot HD video. At first glance, the camera, which looks like any other digital SLR, looks like a poor compromise video camera. But beyond the glance, it offers two new elements to storytelling. First, the size allows it to be used in ways a traditional video camera can not. Second, the chip set renders colors that are truly unique.
Sure, there are lots of small form factor video cameras, for example I’ve blogged about the FLIP, is a great small camera. This camera makes a new approach possible by adding traditional SLR 35 mm lenses, suddenly depth of field can be used to tell a visual story than previously was not possible. Canon’s larger prosumer grade cameras also accept their SLR lenses, but with a larger form factor and different electronics.
The key to success with this camera, is using it for visual story capture. In a sense, I’m implying a slight step backwards in how we shoot. High quality audio might be best captured with separate equipment. Yes, this caerma can campure some audio, bu to use pro audio gear requires adapter boxes. You can turn this into a larer form factor camera, but doing so changes one of its unique advantages. It’s a tool, part of a story teller’s kit. Not a one size fits all for everything.
Director Po Chan used this new camera with Shane Hurlbut, ASC. The results speak for themselves. H/T to Donald Winslow to this clip.
“The Last 3 Minutes” From Shane Hurlbut, ASC from Shane Hurlbut, ASC on Vimeo.
If you want the behind the scenes story, http://www.usa.canon.com/dlc/controller?act=GetArticleAct&articleID=3410
