Should I sell my 2nd XHA1 & Letus for a 7D?

[Patrick Janka]

I have two XHA1's, and a Letus 35 Extreme. I bought this stuff just before I became hip to the DSLR craze. I'm encountering projects where the client wants high quality video AND stills. I don't know much about photography, but knowing videography a bit I'd imagine the transition wouldn't be too difficult.

I hate putting together the Letus and trying to align it on the camera. It's also heavy and bulky. The 7D, as we all know, takes great video as well as pictures. I bought my 2nd XHA1 for B-roll and closeups while my main captured wide shots. If I sell off one of the XHA1's I figured I could use the 7D for CU and whatnot. My audio will be running through the XHA1. This would be for long form live event stuff, of course. I would imagine for shooting music videos and short films I should shoot strictly with the 7D, and I'd have to pick up a Zoom H4N for audio.

How difficult will it be to match the video between the two? The 7D seems to have a better picture, and is full HD, whereas the XH is 1440x1080. Will there be too big of a difference? Can you share presets among the two? How realistic is it to shoot a short film on a 7D vs. the XHA1? I ask, because I would sell my Letus and one of the XHA1's to get the funds for the 7D + glass. This means I would no longer have a film adapter for my main XHA1. From my understanding, I also wouldn't have as easy access to a lot of the manual controls. Is this true? For those of you with an 7D or 5D, do you find yourself using it for video more than your XHA1?

Is there any reason why I shouldn't sell the 2nd XHA1 and Letus for the 7D? I know there is a cap of 12 minutes of HD recording time, but there are other DSLR's with much more recording time. Has the 7D been dethroned, or is still the way to go? I would imagine with a longer recording time it could completely replace a video camera for live event recording.

Lastly, for those of you familiar with the 7D/5D, what lenses should I start with for both video and stills?

Thanks!!

[Danny Winn]

If you're going to sell both you really should set your sites on the Canon 5D, you wont be sorry;)

[Glen Vandermolen]

Since you have 2 XH-A1s, sure, sell one. My friend has a 7D and loves it.
There are other options. Sony is coming out with the VG10, a large-sensor, interchangeable lens video camera. Think a DSLR in a video camera body, pretty much what everyone's been crying for. It can record for as long as you can swap out the media cards. It will retail for $2,000. I was also considering getting a DSLR, but now I'm leaning toward the VG10.

There's been a lot of rumors and talk about new HD DSLRs coming out later this year with really nice features. Check out Sony's NEX-7, as an example. It can record in 720/120P!

[Buba Kastorski]

if you need to make a move now, you won't regret, 7D has better image, but I would go with 5D ( i have both)
but if you can wait till the next year, wait, large sensor camcorders from all major manufacturers are coming and that will change the whole DSLR video thing big time;
Matching footage will be not as easy as you used to with two identical cameras, but in my experience ( i used to have A1) is easier compare to matching 5/7D with sony,
as far as I know you cannot share presets from A1 with 5/7D, but spending some time with picture profiles on both you can create close match, but even with well matching WB and colors I still have to sharpen a bit sony footage in post;
Amzing pieces been shot with DSLR, and today to shoot a short I wouldn't pick anything else but 5D, live events are different, you need to have ability to shoot long, uninterrupted master shot, but again, it's doable if you run on the set more than one;
lenses - very personal, primes are sharper, but I love zooms with IS, my favourites are 16-35, 70-200 on 5D and 17-55 on 7D
DSLR will never replace "real" camcorders, I'd say other way around, camcorders very soon will do what DSLRs can do today, only better.

[Patrick Janka]

You guys are talking about the 5D, but from what I understand the 7D is better for video. I watched this video, which doesn't talk at all about the video functions, but in terms of stills it seems the 7D blows away the 5D except for the sensor size: YouTube - Canon 5D Mark II vs Canon 7D Field Test Hands-on Review It was a weird review because he spends the whole time talking about how great the 7D is and then at the very end in uncertain terms sounds like he prefers the 5D.

[Danny Winn]

Believe me! you want the 5D. The number 2 ranked supebowl commercial for Doritos this year was shot with the 5D (link below). I can't imagine that the 7d which is about $2000 less than the 5D could be better, I would go to BandH and check the specs on both.

Link: YouTube - Doritos® - Crash the Super Bowl 2010 Winner: Underdog

[Morgan Cox]

I actually just sold my HV30 for a T2I and love it. It's a great b-roll camera. I say go for it, longs as you don't have any projects that require dual angles for long takes/crisp audio/auto focus. Sorry guys, but for video the 7D and 5D are pretty identical. Actually, from a video perspective...you might want to take a look at the T2I also. Just a suggestion. I loved working with the 7D, but the T2I is not bad either, especially the price. Good luck with whatever decision you make.

-Moe

[Patrick Janka]

Originally Posted by Danny Winn

Believe me! you want the 5D. The number 2 ranked supebowl commercial for Doritos this year was shot with the 5D (link below). I can't imagine that the 7d which is about $2000 less than the 5D could be better, I would go to BandH and check the specs on both.

Link: YouTube - Doritos® - Crash the Super Bowl 2010 Winner: Underdog

The 7D has the electronic/auto level feature, the ability to shoot 24p, 19 point auto focus, etc. The reason is the 7D is a newer camera than the 5D. If a 5D mkiii gets released then the story might change, but as of now the 5D is old tech with just a slightly bigger sensor.

[Danny Winn]

Well, for me I shoot everything at 30fps anyway and I almost always us manual focus so those features dont really effect me, I do like the larger sensor and higher resolution options with the 5D that can make a difference in a broadcast situation.

One thing that might be a big deal breaker for me with the 7D would be that it is unclear whether it has a "Mic Input" for a shotgun mic. I know the 5D does but it appears the 7D does not, it has it's own kind of crappy internal mic (according to some reviewers) does anybody know for sure?

[Jonathan Shaw]

I have 2 A1's and a 7D, Whenever I shoot I use the A1 as backup and audio capture 7D as main cam.

They work really well together and if you are doing any event or Wedding stuff having the safety that you have a trusty A1 with massive depth of field, that records for an hour as a safe shot.

I still love the image from my A1's and if shot in good light they mix extremely well.

[Willard Hill]

Yes the 7D has a mike input. I have used it with a shotgun mike,

[Panagiotis Raris]

since you have 2, i would say yes. we have 2 XH A1 units and one Letus Extreme/FD rig and borrow a 5D MkII for some work. The 5D MkII does things the XH A1/Letus Extreme rig cannot physically do; both systems are useful in their own means when you get used to them. depends on whether or not CMOS issues are a problem if you need 2 angles or more.

for me, i NEED 2 CCD based setups due to flash (wedding and auto events) and moving/rolling shooting (auto events), but for low light ad spots, if i dont want to break out 4,000 watts of halogens, i'll bum or rent a 5D MkII and mix it with XH A1 footage with a bit of blur and color correction.