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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

SLR Video? (1 Viewer)

Jason Coppock

Active member
You guys were kind enough to answer some questions regarding video-scoping a few years ago and I was hoping you may be able to answer some more...

I think it may be time to improve my set up...
Could anyone tell me if using a Canon SLR makes a big difference to the quality over say a Canon compact.
I have been using a compact with adapter and it's limited especially if I want to pan. It will be going through a Swaro 80.
The Canon 70D seems to be a popular choice coupled with a small lens and is about the size of my budget.

Is it best to attach the SLR directly to your scope rather than using a pivoted bracket?
Is the video then at a fixed magnification?
Is there vignetting at all?
I guess there's an auto focus on the Canon SLR cameras and is this a help or hinderance?
Is the use of an additional angled viewfinder useful?

Any advice would of course be incredibly welcome.
 
Hi Jason,

I have just spotted your post and would like to offer some possible answers to your questions.

For the last eighteen months I have been using a Canon 70D for most of my video shooting, mainly with either a 100-400 or 300 lens, but also coupled to my Swaro ATS80HD scope.

For videoscoping I shoot through the excellent 40mm 2.8 "pancake" lens, attaching via a DCA to the scope eyepiece. A balancing rail and fluid video head are essential for stability. Most of the scope's zoom range (20-60x) is possible with minimal vignetting at the higher magnifications. Staying between 20x and 30x gives you a wider view and a brighter image. Also bear in mind the in-camera 3x-10x digital zoom which works surprisingly well providing you do not go beyond 5x. This feature I use regularly with the above-mentioned lenses.

For videoscoping focusing is best done manually to save strain on the lens AF motor as on my angled scope the weight of the camera is pressing down on the lens. Here I find the 5x magnified view on the monitor an advantage. The swivel monitor is also a great help and does away with the need for an angled viewfinder which would be useless because the viewfinder is not used for video.

I have been delighted with the results obtained with my 70D. I shoot in HD and down-res to DVD quality during the editing process. Even on a large TV screen (50 in) the footage looks great.

Hope this has been of some help.

Mike
 
Hi Jason,

I have just spotted your post and would like to offer some possible answers to your questions.

For the last eighteen months I have been using a Canon 70D for most of my video shooting, mainly with either a 100-400 or 300 lens, but also coupled to my Swaro ATS80HD scope.

For videoscoping I shoot through the excellent 40mm 2.8 "pancake" lens, attaching via a DCA to the scope eyepiece. A balancing rail and fluid video head are essential for stability. Most of the scope's zoom range (20-60x) is possible with minimal vignetting at the higher magnifications. Staying between 20x and 30x gives you a wider view and a brighter image. Also bear in mind the in-camera 3x-10x digital zoom which works surprisingly well providing you do not go beyond 5x. This feature I use regularly with the above-mentioned lenses.

For videoscoping focusing is best done manually to save strain on the lens AF motor as on my angled scope the weight of the camera is pressing down on the lens. Here I find the 5x magnified view on the monitor an advantage. The swivel monitor is also a great help and does away with the need for an angled viewfinder which would be useless because the viewfinder is not used for video.

I have been delighted with the results obtained with my 70D. I shoot in HD and down-res to DVD quality during the editing process. Even on a large TV screen (50 in) the footage looks great.

Hope this has been of some help.

Mike
Hi Mike,
Please could comment on any advantages/disadvantages of the equivalent 24mm "pancake" lens, over the 40mm. I am currently wanting to upgrade my Canon 40D to an 80D, so, after your discussion above, I am now considering a "pancake" lens with it. I'm not good on photography theory (and only just started trying videoscoping), so my curiosity wonders whether the 24mm lens would give less vignetting with my Swaro 30mm eyepiece.
Best wishes, Alan.
 
Hi Alan,

Sorry for the late reply, I have just returned from a holiday in Suffolk, would you believe!

Although I do not own a 30x eyepiece, only the 20-60x zoom, I would suggest that a 24mm pancake lens would give far more vignetting than the 40mm due to its much wider field of view. The 40mm lens will give a higher magnification with minimal vignetting on the zoom eyepiece. Another alternative would be a 50mm f/1.8 which would give you a bigger and possibly brighter image than the 40mm.

I have since upgraded to an 80D and find it equally as good, if not slightly better, than the 70D which I previously used.

Hope this has been of some help.

Mike
 
Hi Mike,

Thanks very much for that - it helped my decision. I have now upgraded to the 80D with 40mm pancake lens. It's great, with no vignetting at all with the 30xWA eyepiece.

BTW, I had an unexpected bonus with the 40D to 80D upgrade. Ten years ago, with the 40D and EF 100-400mm L IS (mark I) lens, I could never get reliable autofocussing after adding a (modified) Tamron 1.4x converter (so hardly ever used). With the Canon 80D, however, autofocussing is very quick and smooth, so boosting my kit!

Alan.



Hi Alan,

Sorry for the late reply, I have just returned from a holiday in Suffolk, would you believe!

Although I do not own a 30x eyepiece, only the 20-60x zoom, I would suggest that a 24mm pancake lens would give far more vignetting than the 40mm due to its much wider field of view. The 40mm lens will give a higher magnification with minimal vignetting on the zoom eyepiece. Another alternative would be a 50mm f/1.8 which would give you a bigger and possibly brighter image than the 40mm.

I have since upgraded to an 80D and find it equally as good, if not slightly better, than the 70D which I previously used.

Hope this has been of some help.

Mike
 
Hi Alan,

Glad to be of help. I hope you get some great footage with your new outfit.

You may or may not be aware that the 80D, like the 7DII, will AF at f/8, this explains why you can use your converter without any focusing issues. I am sure you will be very happy with the results.

If I can be of any further help just let me know.

Mike
 
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