Shortcomings of DSLR Video Shooting

(Original URL) In the article of Advantages of DSLR In Video Recording Compared with Video Camera, we have known the goods of DSLR in video shooting. However, for some design causes, there are also some shortcomings.

Due to the reason of not designing for video, there are some inborn shorts. First is the inconvenience of operation. Though we can consult most of them with the various DSLR movie kits, the problem still exists in real shooting scene. For example, we need to raise the reflector and go into the mode of real time. However, under this mode, the optical focus will be unavailable. At this time, we can only use the contrast focus. With the follow focus, we can achieve manual focusing, but the shallow depth of field may become a problem. Maybe you can feel it is right in focus in the small monitor yet out of focus on the big screen. .The only button of recording is very inconvenience. You have to adjust the settings in the menu, which is a nightmare for some films like documentary.

Though it is often ignored, voice has its own abundant expression. DSLR is born for images (no matter static or dynamic). The audio part is not as valued as the image. The first microphone for DSLR is just for the voice remark. The current DSLRs can record digital mono rail and external stereo microphone, but still has gap compared with the camcorder.

According to the Wikipedia, Rolling shutter is a method of image acquisition in which each frame is recorded not from a snapshot of a single point in time, but rather by scanning across the frame either vertically or horizontally. In other words, not all parts of the image are recorded at exactly the same time, even though the whole frame is displayed at the same time during playback. This produces predictable distortions of fast-moving objects or when the sensor captures rapid flashes of light. This is in contrast with global shutter in which the entire frame is exposed for the same time window.

While processing the material of DSLR videos, it is not hard to find out that the HD files is smaller than the standard definition camcorder. Panasonic AJ-HPX2700MC’s AVC-INTRA 100 and DVCproHD have 139810 kbps while the standard definition AJ-SPX900MC is 69905kbps. As comparison, let’s have a look at the main stream DSLRs for videos: Nikon D7000’s 24fps 1080P video is 19797 kbps; D300s’s 24fps 720P is 23074 kbps; 5D Mark 2 30fps 1080P HD video is 45056; Canon EOS 7D’s 50fps 720P HD video is 48612 kbps. This means that the output video compressed a lot of data, some details will be lost.

If you have noticed the common points of the shortcomings, you will find that some of them can be consult with the technology development. It’s no doubt that DSLR will have a better video performance in the coming years.