Bloom,

Do you keep a filter on the end of your lenses at all time for protection?

Thanks,
Daniel

Hi Philip,

Thanks for the great site it answers a whole lot of questions!
(my girlfriend get’s quiet annoyed as i keep interrupting her while she’s reading to go “oooo he says that…”)

I just wanted you opinion of what lens i should buy. Im thinking of getting the 7D….. i dont really have the budget for a 5d AND new lenses as ive had a 450D and bought new ones for it.

To get similar results as your ‘people’ videos what lens would be best for the 7D, i dont really have the budget for the Canon 35mm f1.4 that you use as the L series are a little pricy..

I just want a really good quality video/stills camera for hobby use and i think the 7d wipes the floor with our Z1′s we use at the moment any way!

Thanks for your time )

Hi philip, I am using a sony ex1 and a letus. can you tell me what is a good monitor for at the camera and also using it as a field monitor if its possible with a sdi input?
Thx.

Greetings a big fan of you, Ruud Stork.

Ps. the greenpeace shoot in India was great!

The 7D eats away battery fast. I’m seriously thinking about buying the Canon BG-E7 Battery Grip. But since it only stores 2 batteries, I am left wondering if it’s worth the price.

Also If I get it, am I still able to use a matte box setup?

Phillip, I just purchased the 7D and I was wondering how you get such clean images. I have shot nighttime footage, and I seem to get a noisy image. Should I have a special setting on? shoot in the lowest ISO?
-Thanks

Hey!! Im from Ukraine and im extremely intrested in Yours articles! You do a great job.
I have a few questions!

1) Do you know about JAG35 adapter? How do you you think is it ok?
2) What is better? To buy Canon 7D camera with one or two good lenses or buy for the same money 35mm adaptor and cheap dv or hdv camera/ And also lenses for adaptor maybe 1 or 2.? The same money for each choice!

I need for filming music clips and student indie films!!!

Thanx a lot

I love the look of your work. What are you currently shooting, editing and color grading with (Video). (I know you have used Magic Bullet)

What stabilizer do you use? I’m shooting with the 5DMII and I just ordered the glidecam HD 2000, but I want something that I don’t have to balance every time I change lenses, any suggestions?

Hello Philip
need your advice
I’m trying to do timelapse with my Nikon D5000.
I did few tests few on P mode (auto aperture and shutter), and few on full manual.
i also turned off the “avtive D lighting” wich automatically fix shadows, and still have a problem of brightness canges between following pictures, which make the clip unusable.

Interval breakes are not more than 12 seconds.

Any idea of how to solve it.

thanks

Amos

Hi Philip, I am currently trying to do the workflow to convert 30p to 24p. I am getting stuck with the Cinema Tools part, for some reason the “Conform” option is not available to me. Any ideas? Thanks!

Hi Philip,

I have noticed that you have a great list of recommended gear, and sometimes you lists sales of plug-ins, etc. Do you have a list of recommended plug-ins anywhere? There are so many, but I am sure have tried your share!

Thanks

Jeff

Dear Philip,

My name is Lee from southkorea.
Thank you for your wonderful works! I have 5D MkII too.
I got question for you.
What kind picturestyle you use?
Please Let me know.
And Why don’t you come korea and make films?
Korea is wonderful.

Thanks!

Mr. Bloom.

I am novice. I have a GH1. What is the one thing I can do or 1 piece of Kit that I can get that would really improve my shooting. There are so many options I.E. a Matte Box or a cheap/but good prime…

Thanks,

Hi Philip,

Love the site and all your work.

I recently bought a 7D and i am still learning….
A couple questions above Steve Staffan had a question about the noise from the 7D.
I too keep seeing noise in the shots. The first thing i shot was
at night and with a mid level iso (2000). After seeing san francisco
i thought the living room with lights would be enough not to get
all the noise. But not even close. Using a 5D and a F1.2 makes probably all
the differrence?

Now i shot at iso200 an a rather nice day with an tamron 17-50 F2.8
And i still see noise. It is not as crisp as i thought it would be.
I hope i am not too picky…
Also the audio, with a røde microfone has a LOT of noise (the other kind)in it.

Is there something i am missing (a bad 7D) or is the use of very good lenses essential for the 7D? or am i just too critical?….

thanx a bunch.
Ray

I’ve got a 7d on the way, and I was looking over at my camcorder and thought, “could I tear the fast, long zooming lens from my camcorder and use it on my large sensored, superior image dslr?”

Let’s say taking the Canon XL2′s lens and mounting to the EOS cams. I know there is an XL to EF mount but the other way around might help doc shooting and event covering. Faster autofocus (if it’ll work) and zoom capabilities.

Am I just reaching for clouds or is this possible with an adaptor that I don’t know about, or is someone gunna rip me off and make a million bucks (about half that in QUID or whatever you English say)?

What do you think? Thanks friend. —Joe B.

Hi Philip!

I will be buying a 7D next week or so and I was thinking about some all purpose lens to begin with.

I own an Canon EF 50 mm 1.8 – but it wil be like 80mm on 7d.

I will be shooting some short movies and mini documentaries.
So i decided to go with a wider zoom:

Canon EF-S 17-55 mm f/2.8 IS USM

Do you think it is a good choice?

Also there is a lot rumble about 7D overheating issue. I’m going to Sierra Leone for a bigger project sometime next year, so it could be an issue. Have you experienced this problem?

Thanks for the reply in advance! And thanks for all the good work you do! The community owns you a lot.
If we ever met I’m buying beers!

Ok its time I grew up.

I bought FCE with the thought that I’d learn this and move upto the FCP but I am nervous about the learning curve… so I’m sat here thinking is Premier a better solution, easier etc..?

The truth is I have got my self in a rut with iMovie and I really need to move on and up my game. I love my Z5E and my 5Dmk2 but i know that I’m wasting them using a basic editor.

Thoughts? advice?

Jonathan

I’ve recently been shooting with the Sony EX3 HD. Excellent stuff. Trying to make a decision as to the best way to archive the footage. (Long Term Storeage) Am thinking about Blu-Ray but would appreciate your opinion.

Hi Philip,

I have been a fan ever since I saw your tutorial “Grading ‘Return to Dungeness’.”

I teach video editing at a high school in the US. We have made several documentaries but have the opportunity to do more. I would like to incorporate more of a film look to the next one but the budget is almost non-existent.

We have a Panasonic AG-DVX100BP that we are using right now but I also have the funding for a Canon T2i and one of the slower primes. I can add more gear/kit/stuff next funding cycle.

My question is: In your opinion, is the T2i going to give us major advantages over the Panasonic in terms of “cinema look”? Is the T2i worth building an advanced program on? Or should I hold out for a 5DMkII knowing that it will be at least a year before that could happen. We edit on Final Cut Pro and use Magic Bullet Looks.

Thanks for your time.
Jim C.

Hello Mr. Bloom, I just had some questions regarding the new T2i. I mainly shoot snowboarding but I would like to do some short films and edits this summer. If I went from my DVX 100b to a T2i, would I be losing important features in regards to snowboard filming such as auto zoom and focus? Or maybe should i just keep both? thanks a lot.

Hey Philip,

I now have a Canon T2i/550D as part of my classroom kit. It is pretty much your fault but I’m OK with that. But what this camera has done is remind me of just how far behind the rest of the world 11 years in the classroom can put a guy.

With the T2i, I ordered a Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens and Manfrotto sticks with a 501DV head and one SanDisk Ultra 16 GB SDHC. All a step down from where I want to be but what my budget can handle. I hope the f/1.4 lens wasn’t a mistake…

Would you be willing to share your recommendations on what I should add in terms of lenses or other necessities?

I already have basic video gear like mics and booms and reflectors…

Thanks for your time. I have made your films required viewing in my advanced class.

Jim C.

Hello Philip:

Are you going to review the Canon XF305? I hope you will.

If you do please ask Canon to include their WA-82 0.8x Wide Attachment Lens and tell us if it’s worth it.

Thanks,

Caesar

Hey Philip!
I got a Q for you. If you’d have a limited budget (let’s say around 6000-7000 euro) would you buy a stronger DSLR (which one would be your choice…5d, 1d?) or a cheaper one (the rebel or the 7d) to save more money to buy good lens and other “accessories” ?

Simply, Let’s say you start from zero with this budget. What do you buy?

Just a suggestion. Thank you! You’re great!

Dear Philip.

I’m about to buy the new Zacuto Zfinder for my 5d Mark II, but I still have doubts about the tripod and a steadicam system. The Zacuto products such as the Striker don’t look like they can be used as steadicams, so I thought maybe I could buy the Merlin one. Also, I thought about the Glidetrack dolly, that is cheap and looks really useful, but I do think a steadicam is much more necessary than a dolly.

Which kind of steadicam, dolly and tripod do you suggest me? And pls, make me save money!

Thanks and keep on being there for us!

Dear Philip,

my question is a complicated one. I feel all this excitament for the DSLR system and I love it. Everybody saying they are great (indeed they are) but still, why wouldn’t anybody produce a movie (I’m talking about something that will be shown in cinemas) shot with those cameras? Aren’t we getting too exiceted for a “movement” that will remain a web movement (like hundred other) and nothing more?

Hey Phillip

Quick question… I am thinking of purchasing a DSLR camera- I have small production company and a good friend owns a camera hire company.
Was thinking of purchasing either a Canon 5D/7D or whatever is best, and hiring out when we are not using it.
Im just thinking…should I wait until the next generation comes out of DSLR’s?
What would your thoughts be on this? Are you aware of anything due out?
Thanks

L

Hey Phil, just curious, though I’m not all focused on names as much as the actual video, I was wondering if you think prod. company name’s popularity (as in not being very original) should be taken into consideration when deciding? Thanks.

hello
i ‘am french producer working with 5dM2 on a short film but we have a scene who use timelapse, it’s a plant who see growing at a window. i have a canon remote but i ‘am asking you if the Canon can shoot 4 days with one battery, if there is in the menu an option to shut down between 2 shoots. if it’s not can you tell me what kind of hardware i have to buy.
We thinks that the shooting will be 4 or 5 days every 15 minutes and the movies is shoot in 25p.Do you think it’s too much or not enough every 15 minutes.
thanks a lot
Régis from France

Phillip, I’m trying to find a camera with full manual control in the video mode, but am in a financial situation that prevents me from purchasing a T2i or similar camera. I don’t really want a dedicated “video camera” as I will be shooting stills as well. Shallow DOF is not a must (it would be nice, but).

So far, the only camera I’ve been able to find that fits this bill is the Panasonic FZ35. I was wondering if you’ve come across anything else that would be similar. I’d prefer a “super-zoom” just from the standpoint of limited funds.

The main drawback is the CCD sensor. There are ways to minimize the streaking from bright lights, but CMOS is preferred. The SX20IS is nice, but lacks manual control for video, and the CHDK doesn’t seem to mention any specifics in this area as the version for the SX20 is still in beta.

At my wits end with this. Any help or insight would be greatly appreciated.

Ive edited a short I shot in 1080 with the Rebel t2i using FCP . But when I try to compress for the best quality on DVD with compressor it looks nowhere nearly as good as in FCP/Color…

Do you have any solutions for getting a finished short onto a SD DVD with optimal quality for video and sound???

Thanks.

Hi Philip,

In your experience, what are the least noisiest ISOs for the 7D? High, medium and low?

Thank you,
Jason