ViDSLR moves to full time AF with D3100

Nikon's latest offering, the D3100 brings what till now only the Panasonic DSLR had, full time AF in video "Live View" mode. They also changed the codec from MJPEG to H.264, shooting 1080/24p and 720/24/25/30p for up to 10 minutes, a major step forward for Nikon. Perhaps they finally realized HD video is an important part of a DSLR offering now.

While full time AF isn't very useful in videography, having a instant AF switch to quickly change focus is a nice feature. Hopefully, housing manufacturers will now take video seriously by incorporating hydrophones, better viewing on LCD windows through either anti-glare or hoods and other ergonomic issues that video shooters face now using DSLRs to shoot.

full time AF in video "Live View" mode. They also changed the codec from MJPEG to H.264, shooting 1080/24p and 720/24/25/30p for up to 10 minutes, a major step forward for Nikon. Perhaps they finally realized HD video is an important part of a DSLR offering now.

Wonder if the Canon 60D will also have the AF. Guess we'll find out next week...

Hopefully, housing manufacturers will now take video seriously by incorporating hydrophones, better viewing on LCD windows through either anti-glare or hoods and other ergonomic issues that video shooters face now using DSLRs to shoot.

Sounds good to me

We were very disappointed with the Nikon video with the D300s in the Red Sea. It is fine at the surface, but became very noisy at depth with quite a strong WB adjustment applied. A 7D in exactly the same conditions was in a different league - stunning footage.

Hopefully the D3100 will be able to cope with strong WB adjustments without turning into a noise monster (it is possible we had a setting wrong on the D300s - it was so bad as to be hard to believe).

Alex

From the tests I've seen the Nikon DSLR's do appear to create a lot of 'colour' noise in low light when shooting video above water and probably playing around with the WB under water exaggerated the problem even more.

Cheers, Simon

Nikon are trying to catch up as far as their DSLR video capabilities go...but there's some tough competition already out there and more to come very soon (eg Panasonic GH2).

Whether the D3100 works for video will largely depend on:

What flavor of H264 they've used? It seems to have a bitrate of about 20 mbps which will be mediocre unless the codec is using B frames as well as P. The GH1's codec isn't robust...but is saved by the 50 mbps AVCHD provided by the hack.

How noisy are the image stabilization gyros in the Nikkors (some of the Canon lenses sound like coffee grinders on a good Rode mic)? The Panasonic lenses are optimized for continuous AF and silent image stabilization.

How is the video information taken off the sensor? How good/bad is the aliasing remains to be seen...as is ISO noise performance.

At least Nikon are no longer on the outside looking in...

Considering this is Nikon's entry level DSLR that comes in under $1000 with the 18-55 and 55-200 kit, pretty impressive specs.

It is also interesting that at this moment, Nikon's second highest megapixel camera is its entry level DSLR!

Alex

I'm still waiting, hoping and praying for Nikon to bring out a D700 type vDSLR but this doesn't appear to be happening until some time in 2011!!

I could do so much above and below water with it!

Andy Davies

It is fine at the surface, but became very noisy at depth with quite a strong WB adjustment applied. A 7D in exactly the same conditions was in a different league - stunning footage.

The AUTO ISO mode that takes over probably forces the camera to go to a higher ISO first for exposure control, before switching shutter speed or aperture. I can't remember with the D300s but I think you can't lock ISO manually.

Nikon has been VERY slack in this department and if they lose sales, they deserve to. It's ok specs for an entry level camera since Canon (and perhaps Panasonic) has had better specs with their entry level model at a similar price for 6 months already. And as Alex notes, their CPO has some issues with an entry level camera boasting better specs than most of their line.

If you can't lock ISO then its no better than a consumer camcorder without manual Gain functions. What I don't understand is that out of all the players in the HD dSLR market Nikon is the only one who doesn't have anything to loose (as they have no camcorder product) and therefore the most to gain, yet they don't appear willing or perhaps able to go for it.

Cheers, Simon

Well Simon, as Jeff says, it is an entry level camera. BUT Canon's entry level camera can be set manually. I think Nikon's reluctance may be due to 2 factors, the lack of expertise (thus depending on Sony) and the lack of foresight to see how it would affect the market. So the CPO probably didn't hire a team of video guys to implement it properly, whereas Panny and Canon already have an entire dept, which in itself cripples development. Sony's NEX range looks like it's going the right direction, albeit a slow start. I wish Sony had bought Nikon instead of Konica/Minolta's DSLR division because they would pose serious challenges to Canon.

Well nikon do have a way to go. Happened I was with Alex in the red sea and the video from the nikon was embarrassing compared to the 7D output.

Paul C

In case you are still under the illusion that the Canon (and now Nikon) vDSLR's are serious video cameras have a look at:

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/6936799/

In case you are still under the illusion that the Canon (and now Nikon) vDSLR's are serious video cameras have a look at:

 

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/6936799/

 

Even though I really liked the video from my 5D Mark II, I now realize I shouldn't at all and that I have made a mistake. I really wanted to look bad @$$ and now it is not to be unless I get a Scarlet.

That is just WAY WAY WAY too funny clip. Just great.

If Thom Hogan is correct the D3100 marks a very important milestone for Nikon; and that is transitioning to producing their own sensors. This is very important particularly with regard to transitioning to VDSLR as it appears that the biggest thing limiting Nikon's development of VDSLR's, and their poor implementation thus far has been restrictions placed upon them by Sony.

Thom Hogan's assessment is an interesting read and if correct bodes well for Nikon users. 'The Puzzle' http://www.bythom.com/

Well it remains to be seen if DSLR will give way to non-mirrored cameras like the NEX series. All the features will be implemented there and cameras will be smaller or at least have more space for chips for better decompression, ADC etc.

Well it remains to be seen if DSLR will give way to non-mirrored cameras like the NEX series. All the features will be implemented there and cameras will be smaller or at least have more space for chips for better decompression, ADC etc.

The whole concept of SLR mirrors should have died with the birth of digital cameras. For some reason, it has taken camera manufacturers a while to figure it out. Even in serious cameras, the optical viewfinder will be replaced with an electronic monitor showing exactly what the sensor is seeing - at all times. The whole moving mirror thing is archaic. Only a matter of time.

Regards

Peter

The whole concept of SLR mirrors should have died with the birth of digital cameras. For some reason, it has taken camera manufacturers a while to figure it out. Even in serious cameras, the optical viewfinder will be replaced with an electronic monitor showing exactly what the sensor is seeing - at all times. The whole moving mirror thing is archaic. Only a matter of time.

 

Regards

Peter

Sony seems to have done that with their new A33 and A55 releases.

The whole concept of SLR mirrors should have died with the birth of digital cameras. For some reason, it has taken camera manufacturers a while to figure it out. Even in serious cameras, the optical viewfinder will be replaced with an electronic monitor showing exactly what the sensor is seeing - at all times. The whole moving mirror thing is archaic. Only a matter of time.

Well, EVF are not ready for prime time in small form factor without manual magnification. Critical focus is still better on big sensor optical view finders (sizewise) and should continue to be so for at least another 3 years when chips get small enough to include peaking in small form factor. The human eye (especially those suffering from presbyopia) will need a magnifier/diopter like a Zacuto or Hoodman view finder to judge focus/frame on the monitor IF they want to shoot without extending their hands. Of course with EVF built in, that'd alleviate the problem.

Don't get me wrong. I think the mirror flap is holding us back from 16+mp at 15+fps. The processors are fast enough. They are also limiting flash sync to 200-320 vs 1/1000+.

Sony seems to have done that with their new A33 and A55 releases.

..and they do pretty good AF during video. Check the first video on this French page (in comparison to canon 550D):

http://www.focus-numerique.com/sony-alpha-...-news-2091.html

However, the lens is used at its maximum aperture.