movie auto focus with DSLR

Here's a hand held movie clip capturing a slice of humanity on the streets of Saigon in the build up to xmas 2010. It demonstrates focussing of the EOS 7D done manually just using the ring on the lens and my bad eyesight looking at the camera's live view screen. I'd need a third hand for zooming at the same time, so there's none.

Now for an interesting comparison with Sony's SLT a33, which is one of the first dslr's to have auto focus in movie mode, here's an example I found online:

http://vimeo.com/15917919

With the Sony, you can zoom and focus at the same time obviously. A downside is the phase change AF system requires the maximum lens aperture to operate, so the depth of field is minimised. Still, that means you'll be achieving that cinematic look most people are after....also, was that noise on the Sony clip (...apart from the wind), the auto-focus engine?

comparing HD shooting between dslr and film cams

Well apart from the obvious, like that you can take great still shots with your (say Cannon 7D) DSLR, what at the pros and cons of buying a DSLR for movie making compared with a purpose built film movie cam? Starting with the poo: -most DSLRs lack good continuous focussing capability (note: Sony have started tackling this), have recording time limits of 5 minute bursts of continuous shooting (which is hopeless for docco / interview situations, but no problem for most scripted situations), have nasty rolling shutter effects on fast pans (though iMovie 11 is tackling this with good results), and small crops of their images dont blow up as well as film. BUT there are plenty of positives. For example, the vastly lower price of purchase and operation (-having said that, watch out on this one as you'll probably want to pimp your DSLR with follow focus, monitor, etc). Then there's the fact that you can use all the lenses you might already have, which gives you amazing shooting potential and reuseability to save costs....and the quality of image can look fantastic! They are low light experts and some way outshine film cams in this area. When things get really dark you'll still have colourful images instead of those monochrome wash outs you see with infra-red techniques on film, and the colour noise can be very acceptable. DSLRs are also compact, which means they can fit into small shooting spaces and can be less intimidating for your subjects. Then there is the fact that the digital DSLR output brings in the advantage of easy digital workflow and immediate online capabilities. Gotta love 'em.

Amazing comparison between DSLR and film.

This series of test comparisons of movie capabilities between the new breed of DSLRs and the benchmark of film, is compulsory viewing for anyone seriously considering HD movie making. Here are links to the first 2 in a series of 3 comparisons:

http://www.zacuto.com/shootout

The final comparison takes on colour and green screen. So far these are real eye openers, so I guess its not totally surprising (though I am slightly awestruck) that the finale to the TV series "House" was shot with a 5D Mkii.

Moon Rise Time Lapse Tester

I'm getting the hang of time lapse using my Canon EOS 7D. Check out this is a very brief tester shot for "Tall Stories - Micro Movies", with music by evocative audio (also me). The weird brown night sky is curtesy of a nearby bush fire. The 16 or so seconds is made up of 444 still shots, and the night time section is in 0.5 slow mo.

Moon Rise in the Burbs from Simon Ladd on Vimeo.

DSLR Cinema

Why not join this Vimeo group to share short film and see some great exmaples from users across the globe:

http://www.vimeo.com/groups/8432/videos/7573950