Canon 5d Mark IV from a Videographer

[Steliosfan]

Dear all,

I'm currently working as a videographer for weddings (vimeo.com/stelvisual) and my main cam is a Canon 5d Mark IV with my main lens Sigma 18-35 f/1.8

The main reason for using this lens is the smooth zoom, smoother than anything else currently out there and the great image quality.

I'm using only sandisk CF Cards (256GB and a couple of 128GB) as they are reliable and i get no buffer stops at all, never.

HOWEVER, my problems are

1. I'm missing stabilization. My manfrotto monopod is ok, but when i want to go handheld the results are terrible.

2. I don't want to shoot 4K all the time and the camera has no option for Crop mode in HD. My main lens is crop

3. No tilt screen. Self explanatory.

Is there something out there that can provide the auto focus accuracy and intelligence, the same image quality, in body stabilization, availability for crop modes and credibility of no overheating etc ?

Thank you all !

 

[Forgotten Paths]

I think the best option would be to change the sigma for a 24-70 f/4 IS?

that way you have IS for you handheld footage... and you'll be using a lens made for a full frame body.

Cheers

Luke

 

[Steliosfan]

I think the best option would be to change the sigma for a 24-70 f/4 IS?

that way you have IS for you handheld footage... and you'll be using a lens made for a full frame body.

Cheers

Luke

Thank you for the reply Luke.

Do you mean the Art 24-70 2.8 with OS? (https://www.sigma-global.com/en/lenses/cas/product/art/a_24_70_28/)

How does the lens stabilization compares to a cam with stabilization ?

 

[Forgotten Paths]

No worries,

I was actually referring to Canons 24-70 f/4 L IS, its a very sharp lens and the IS is very good for handheld video, compared to in built camera stabilisation I cannot say, as ive always been canon so only had stabilised lenses.

Cheers,

Luke

 

[ashton lamont]

Original OP: I don't think you'll ever get the stability you hope for using handheld, no matter what the IS of various lenses is capability of. Some Tamron lenses have up to 5 stops - I can't recall which is which - but would it be that much better than my 24-105L at 3 stops. Probably not.

Instead consider using a heavy weight capable gimbal such as the Zhiyun Crane 2 (not the confusingly named V2) or the about to be released Crane 3. You would not be able to zoom but with Canon you do get to control on the actual gimbal 1) focusing (if you don't want in-cam DPAF) operating 2) aperture 3) shutter speed 4) ISO including auto 5) exposure compensation (including with ISO). Instead of zooming you can of course simply walk around in the right scenarios and that looks more interesting anyway.

Here are a couple of photos including the Crane 2. Apologies for anyone who's not a complete beginner - the photos are to help some enthusiasts starting from scratch:

https://www.ashtonlamont.co.uk/videos/images/nes/compilation-01.jpg

Loading…

www.ashtonlamont.co.uk

 

[used5dsquared]

Dear all,

I'm currently working as a videographer for weddings (vimeo.com/stelvisual) and my main cam is a Canon 5d Mark IV with my main lens Sigma 18-35 f/1.8

The main reason for using this lens is the smooth zoom, smoother than anything else currently out there and the great image quality.

I'm using only sandisk CF Cards (256GB and a couple of 128GB) as they are reliable and i get no buffer stops at all, never.

HOWEVER, my problems are

1. I'm missing stabilization. My manfrotto monopod is ok, but when i want to go handheld the results are terrible.

2. I don't want to shoot 4K all the time and the camera has no option for Crop mode in HD. My main lens is crop

3. No tilt screen. Self explanatory.

Is there something out there that can provide the auto focus accuracy and intelligence, the same image quality, in body stabilization, availability for crop modes and credibility of no overheating etc ?

Thank you all !

Manfrotto makes a video monopod with a fluid base and if you get a fluid head you can do static pan/tilt shots and still use your same lens. But if you get a gimbal you'll want to look into a prime lens because shifting the zoom on the 18-35 will cause a gimbal to go out of balance. I shoot with a Canon 5DIV and the 35mm f/2 IS (with the IS off). When youre using a gimbal (or tripod) the IS on a lens can overreact and cause your shots to actually look shaky because there isnt any camera movement. So keep the camera you have and maybe check out the Moza Air 2, its what I use with my 5DIV. I just turn the touch to focus ability on and face tracking on and shoot in live view mode. The gimbal allows me to start and stop recording, adjust apreture, ISO, shutter and refocus the camera all from the gimbal. Yes it's hard to see the screen but that can be remedied with a external monitor/recorder with focus peaking abilities so if you are using a follow focus with your gimbal, or even if youre using DPAF, youll know exactly where the camera is focused. Its a lot of information so if any of it confused you I'd be glad to fill in the gaps.

 

[Jason_L]

I have a 5dIV as well, and I found that video stabilization is still not great even with a stabilized lens. A lens will only get you horizontal and vertical stabilization, and won't get you stabilization in the rotation axes. I think that getting a camera with IBIS may be the only viable solution for hand held video. I seem to recall the DPR review of the R5/R6 demonstrated that hand held video stabilization looked pretty good.

 

[psychelica]

Original OP: I don't think you'll ever get the stability you hope for using handheld,

There are videos on Youtube of many videographers who use handheld DSLRs with excellent results using various techniques they describe; and of course you can use stabilisation software to smooth out the final video. Many use 24mm or 28mm focal lengths but you can go up to 35mm.

Handheld video is in fashion at the moment and is seen in CSI Miami, music videos and some films (I don't mean the extreme handheld shots where the camera shakes). Personally I prefer smooth handheld shots to tripod shots which I find less interesting but of course you have to use shorter focal lengths.

Caveat: I produce videos to go with music I'm involved in, I'm not a professional videography.

--
https://www.flickr.com/photos/desertedsoho

 

[used5dsquared]

I may have failed to mention that I use a gimbal with my 5DIV. The IS lens is only helpful for pan and tilt shots on my video monopod but when I have that camera and lens combo on my Moza Air 2 I turn off the IS because it fights against what my gimbal is trying to do. Do you use a gimbal for your 5DIV?

 

[ashton lamont]

Original OP: I don't think you'll ever get the stability you hope for using handheld,

There are videos on Youtube of many videographers who use handheld DSLRs with excellent results using various techniques they describe; and of course you can use stabilisation software to smooth out the final video. Many use 24mm or 28mm focal lengths but you can go up to 35mm.

Handheld video is in fashion at the moment and is seen in CSI Miami, music videos and some films (I don't mean the extreme handheld shots where the camera shakes). Personally I prefer smooth handheld shots to tripod shots which I find less interesting but of course you have to use shorter focal lengths.

Caveat: I produce videos to go with music I'm involved in, I'm not a professional videography.

There is handheld and handheld. It is generally thought to be the holding of the camera body and lens combination without any other means, and that is likely to be disappointing other than for a few seconds at a time. The moment you breathe recompose etc all bets are off unless you require or are OK with varying amounts of instability. Sitting in a chair, leaning on a wall helps obviously but that limits you.

This can be improved a little by means such as using your camera strap around your neck, clipping a retracted monopod into your waistbelt, using a shoulder rig etc.

The stabilisation software I use is Mercalli, though there are decent alternatives built into some non-linear editing software e.g. the recent versions of Vegas Pro.

Shoulder rigs are very cheap now and for your music purposes may be ideal.

Also a dolly with a tripod sitting on it works very well for moving around for dynamic compositions so long as the floor is quite smooth - which chances are your music playing venues will be. This can give you far more variety than a slider. A dolly is now so cheap as to bin it if it doesn't suit you:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Neewer-Pho...1&keywords=tripod+dolly&qid=1597394596&sr=8-5

A video gimbal sitting on a tripod sitting on a dolly gives you more scope if the floor is not smooth.

Pete