With a … still camera?
Their new EOS 5D Mark II is, of course, a phenomenal digital SLR camera. With a new DiGIC 4 processor, effective ISO 25600 for exceptional low light performance and a full frame 21.1 megapixel sensor, the performance of this camera is unquestionable.
However, what people may not be ready for is the full 1080p HD video capability. Yes, this compact SLR camera can shoot 1920×1080 raw HD footage.
At first, I thought it was a bit “gimmicky” – usually camera manufacturers ‘tack on’ video as a bonus feature just because they can. You’re not gonna go out and buy a $2700 professional dSLR camera and then turn around and shoot video with it.
Photographer Vincent Lafloret got his hands on a pre-release model and begged Canon USA to let him use it for a promo piece. They gave him 72 hours. He came up with the video I just linked. All he used was the 5D MK II and an assortment of off-the-shelf Canon lenses to shoot this piece.
Okay, so this is a game changer. Independent filmmakers’ budgets just got a lot smaller. A would-be film director can now realistically spend under $5000 and have a very high quality HD setup.
I think Icrontic needs one of these to film our upcoming movie (The working title is “Helium Prospectors”).