As a result, i get emails pretty often asking me questions and advice for all kinds of stuff… sometimes cameras, sometimes travel gear, all sorts of things… anyway, after responding to one of those emails tonight and I read back over it thinking, “wow, this is full of info that other people might enjoy reading!”

So I’m starting a new series of posts… as I get these emails full of questions, I’ll be writing my response just as I would regularly (quick and off the top of my head, unpolished but gets the point across)  and then taking those Q&A’s and posting them here…

In this first post, a friend of a friend asked me a few questions about using DSLRs for video in the bush, and a couple other things… hope you enjoy.

The Question:

“…I’m about to head to Tanzania for a few weeks and would appreciate any advice that you would share.

I’ve gone on a few trips and have always used a HVX200 for a couple of years now.  But this time I am considering taking a Canon DSLR instead of or in addition to the HVX200.  I’ve honestly not captured much video with the Canons but am in awe by the quality of the video and the ease of using 1 device/1 set of batteries/cheap cards etc.  I have been trying to shoot a few projects over the last week to see what it is really like.

Any chance you have had experience relying on Canon DSLR for video on a run/gun trip like this?

Any hints on recharging batteries?  We are scheduled to be in tents for 2 weeks – little to no access to power.  I have access to a sat phone solar charger and was considering purchasing another 10-15watt 12 volt solar panel.  If it ends up being a Canon, I guess I could take a case of AA batteries.

I would very much appreciate any other hints/thoughts.”

My Answer:

HVX 200 used to be the bomb but I’ve seen so many film makers set those things down in exchange for the Canon DSLRs. It just doesn’t hold a candle anymore.

I’ve just returned from a 6 week trip in Ethiopia where I shot a TON of video with 5D Mark II and 7D. We carried 8 batteries and were out in the bush for several days without need a charge (2 shooters almost all the time.)  I’ve also been on a several other trips relying on it for video.  It’s rad.

The only things you need to be careful of is… use a tripod whenever you can. It’s not ergonomically designed to be held steady for video so it can get very shaky if you aren’t careful. Audio is it’s biggest downfall… if you have updated your firmware to the latest, do that now… it will give you new audio controls. If you really want to step up your audio, use something like a H4N Zoom (external audio recorder) that allows you to monitor it (with headphones) as you are recording… something you can’t do with 5DMKII.

 

Lastly, when you’re color grading the footage out of the DSLRs (already in H.264) you’ll find the the range is a bit limited and you’ll see slightly more artifacting than the HVX… but the color out of camera, the depth-of-field and incredible low-light capability far outweigh that issue.

I would say definitely take a power inverter, just a standard one that you can plug into the cigarette lighter in a car to give you a regular AC outlet… and some gaffe tape and rubber bands to hold it in while you are driving on bumpy roads. Almost anywhere you go, you’ll have a car with a cigarette lighter.

I’ve got solar panels but despite multiple lengthy trips into the bush have NEVER used them. They can be so finicky and a pain to use. The best way to use solar is if you have an inverter hooked up to a car battery of some sort so you can charge that during the day and then charge your camera batteries from that car battery during the night.

If you have the battery grip on your 5D or 7D… you can also get the battery tray that slides in (and takes a bunch of AA batteries)… almost anywhere you go you’ll be able to find some of those nearby and you can always bring as many as you want.

Needless to say, if a lens is in my bag, it’s been carefully chosen. I bought my 85mm right before a 9-country, 60 day journey through Asia, Africa and Europe.  When I first starting looking into it, I was almost sure I would want the 85 f/1.2 but I was very wrong. The facts and tests quickly pointed me away from that lens. But, every other Canon lens I carry in my bag is L glass, so why would I buy a non-L, cheap lens at $350?

Here’s why:

1) The f/1.2 weighs 1025g, the f/1.8 weighs in at 425g. Nuff said.

2) The f/1.8 focuses has a closer focal length by about 6 inches.

3) The f/1.2 is much bigger and clunkier than the f/1.8.

4) The f/1.2 focuses slow! The huge glass elements in there take time to rotate and it’s not as snappy as the f/1.8.

5) We really don’t need f/1.2 anymore. Sensors are shooting at 102,000 ISO now, the days of REALLY needing the extra stop to f/1.2 are over.

6) Shooting at f/1.2 is nearly impossible in close distances! If you are shooting close-up portraiture work at f/1.2, you’ll quickly find that those your subjects’ eyelashes may be in focus, they’re eyeballs might be soft!

7) Often times  adventure and travel photographers argue that they want the L lenses because they are weather-sealed and better fend off the elements. Not-so in this case. In fact, the 85mm f/1.2 is one of only a few lenses in the entire L line that are not weather-sealed (along with the T/S lenses.)

8 ) And last but not least, at $2200 the f/1.2 costs nearly SEVEN times that of the f/1.8.

If you want to see images samples from the 85 f/1.8, check out my portfolio at www.austinmann.com and just about any portrait you see has been shot with the 85 f/1.8. That lens is tack sharp.

You can see detailed specs on both of these lenses here:

Canon 85mm f/1.8

Canon 85mm f/1.2

This is the first of any videos I have ever done like this so please bear with me! You can see most of what I talk about in the video in list format by looking at the Equipment List page.