Saturday Night Live use Canon 7d (and 5d)

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3509_snl_thumbI had a very nice email from Alex Buono, the SNL DP who recently shot the new title sequence on the 7d and 5d as well as loads of other bits and pieces. They normally use film, Cinealta, Varicam or the HVX but they shot on the 7d and 5d for the first time recently. They wanted to shoot the new title sequence with the 5dmkiI and the 7d after seeing how good it looked after seeing my little Dublin’s People short apparently which is very flattering.

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They also have used it for studio sketches like the one above for “Bladivan”. If you live in US  you can view it here. Outside the US you need Hotspot Shield!! I used it to view this clip from London and it worked a treat!

Alex said he was impressed, he gave some feedback to Canon to what he would like to see improved which is great. I think he does an awesome job above but wait till you see the other stuff he has done with it including the new title sequence. Here are some frame grabs ©NBC.COM. It’s fantastic and if you can see it in HD when it is next on (Saturday?) then DO IT!! See these new DSLRs being used fantastically. I understand the 5dmkII and the 7d were used in this opening sequence. The majority was shot with the 5dmkii at 30p with some stuff on the 7d in 60p mode for slow motion.

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I think we are going to see more and more stuff shot on these cameras for broadcast as their abilities are discovered. Yes they have shortcomings but the image quality out of them as we know is terrific. I have yet to shoot any broadcast with the 7d but have shot 3 broadcast TV commercials on the 5d and the results have been awesome.

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Dublin’s People: Canon 7d 24p from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.

40 comments

  1. The videos from the 5 and the 7 do look fantastic! I’ve been looking at the accessories available and am beginning to wonder if by the time you finish accessorizing the DSLR’s you don’t end up with a device similar in size and expense to a Sony EX-1?

  2. Well… Stan, I have to stick up for the Canon route. Take a Sony EX-1 and you have 3, 0.5in CMOS sensors. Take the 7D. APS-C is close to S35. Which one would you rather have? Plus you have to buy a DOF adapter to even come close to+ the 7D let alone the 5DMkii

  3. Cool

    I can’t see the video but I know that Saturday Night Live is an American institution so that’s a huge compliment. It certainly won’t do our chances of getting more broadcast friendly features any harm to have that kind of endorsement.

    I reckon it was the green hat that clintched it.

  4. Where does that instantly recognisable American TV ‘look’ come from? I thought it was the lighting, but then why does it still instantly look like American TV even in completely different lights?

  5. I knew it Phillip, is the beginning of the end for regular Cameras. I would love to know if you are going to be able to test the RED scarlet when it comes out.

    Saludos

  6. My workplace is in arts centre here in Hong Kong, coverted from an old factory building. Because it’s new, it’s very popular with film crews. Monday saw a crew here shooting a TV commercial for a China fashion house.

    They had the whole dog-and-pony show (lights, makeup, props, director, producer, stressed-out ad agency execs), but it was all shot on a 5d mkII with just a couple of Canon lenses. There’s no doubt, DSLR shooting is definitely here to stay.

  7. Dublin’s People looks beautiful, but surely this was shot on the 5D Mkii, not the 7D? I remember looking at this exact same film some while ago, whilst I was making my mind up about buying a 5D Mkii (bought it, love it, your film helped me decide, thanks). Am I wrong?

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