BBC & HDSLR's again...

Disclaimer: Having a HDSLR will not make you a BBC camera operator or allow you to sell all of the footage you capture to the BBC!

Apparently the first shows have already aired on BBC HD channels that were shot entirely on HDSLR's. Lots of debate and lots of in house tests are still going on but here is an article which provides a decent summary of the current situation:

http://www.definitionmagazine.com/journal/...is-on-hold.html

Cheers, Simon

Disclaimer: Having a HDSLR will not make you a BBC camera operator or allow you to sell all of the footage you capture to the BBC!

 

Apparently the first shows have already aired on BBC HD channels that were shot entirely on HDSLR's. Lots of debate and lots of in house tests are still going on but here is an article which provides a decent summary of the current situation:

 

http://www.definitionmagazine.com/journal/...is-on-hold.html

 

Cheers, Simon

Thanks Simon, I had also heard that Beeb was on case by case, interesting comment about the tendering process. I heard rumour that someone was developing a way of uncompressed HD capture through the CF card module.... may be complete rubbish but that would be pretty cool and solve a stack of issues

The thing is there has been Beeb shooters using 5D's not 7D's for shooting for a while now the 5D being the preferred choice ... I heard that a main player used one recently for a Primetime feature...

Its for really for 'whole' programme Commissions so not just sequences of supplied footage(you may be okay for those). I suppose how good your film has been shot is a major factor as well just because you have the latest and greatest doesn't mean you are going to get commissions

Dive safe

DeanB

Dean the difference is that this was 100% acquisition from an HDSLR, not just for use within the 25% limit that can be from any camera.

I suppose how good your film has been shot is a major factor as well just because you have the latest and greatest doesn't mean you are going to get commissions

 

Dive safe

 

DeanB

Which is why I put the disclaimer at the top of the post!!

Cheers, Simon

Dean the difference is that this was 100% acquisition from an HDSLR, not just for use within the 25% limit that can be from any camera.

So they are accepting VIdSLR footage now then as a primary cam for major productions that should please a few people all they need now is to stabilise the cams properly

Dive safe

DeanB

now is to stabilise the cams properly

 

 

 

DeanB

Come on Dean that's just called gritty television ; )

Well the Brits do like to play catch up with the rest of the world. Been done already in the US... by Fox network no less!

Now what's more interesting is that one of the desirable effect of the 35mm sensor has is one that affects underwater video significantly. Shallow DOF is fine with closeups etc, but for wide angle animal shots, the smaller sensors, with that huge DOF advantage, can focus on something 2ft from the camera and everything to infinity is in focus, even at f1.6. Not so with the ViDSLR 35mm sensor, where f1.6 has a DOF range of a few inches and at most a couple of feet with a fisheye lens, not exactly the best way to shoot wideangle scenery. Sure one can bump up the ISO up but to keep noise low, there's only so much to bump up.

Another article that was linked to that one:5D2 Alias/Moire inconsistency illuminates the issues of the camera and codec. I've also found aliasing and moire that showed up on a smaller monitor but disappears on a bigger screen or vice versa. Seems the decoding engines can't really get H.264 right. And that's pretty scary for someone trying to do edit and do post.

It's an awesome camera but boy is the curve and issues not for the feint of heart, especially for the post guys.

What's got me curious to try my VDSLR underwater is the relatively small size, plus low light and wide angle capabilities.

Still not ready to go for it yet though. Have to make use of my FX7, Gates housing and Fathom lens.

Well the Brits do like to play catch up with the rest of the world.

I call it patience and caution

Dive safe

DeanB

What's got me curious to try my VDSLR underwater is the relatively small size, plus low light and wide angle capabilities.

 

Still not ready to go for it yet though. Have to make use of my FX7, Gates housing and Fathom lens.

Size is a big factor for me if I'm off diving for fun/stock with the family when it's hard to justify your luggage allowance being taken up just by your housing! The DOF issues that Drew mentioned are real, but with a high fstop in good light conditions you can get around it. If you don't have great light then you can bump up the ISO, but personally I find that there is too much noise over 640ISO, which is not going to give a lot of flexibility. For macro shots I think they will rock and I'd love to see someone shooting with it somewhere like Lembeh.

It's a shame as I should have been giving the 7D a really good shake down this week in the Red Sea, but some broken metatarsals managed to get in the way! It's going to be next year now before I can really play around with it again underwater. From my experience so far I think the 7D will be pretty good for WA shots at or near the surface and macro shots have the potential to be spectacular. Probably like it is on land you will need to think carefully before every shot to get the best out of it, which is not always possible in a fast changing underwater/wildlife environment. No one said these cameras were perfect, but when you get it right and there are no processing issues they can be spectacular.

Cheers, Simon