Any reason why I shouldn't buy a 7D2 for dedicated steadicam camera?

[Steve Burkett]

Given how important fast auto focus can be to photographers shooting important events, it's no surprise that facial tracking is such a strong feature of their cameras and one that their video benefits from. Mind I find Canon has other weaknesses in regards to innovated features like 4K and until recently 50p, which I understand can still be limited. Alas there's no perfect camera.

Ultimately Peter will have to make a call between a 7d, GH4, G7 or a6000. Each will have their strengths and weaknesses and there's no 1 answer to which is better.

[Robert Benda]

Originally Posted by Steve Bleasdale

70d never hunts with facial tracking it sticks like glue?

No, but if you have a free finger, its easy enough to keep it on the face you want. It uses a touch screen.

I use it and love it for the processional at weddings, even though, when the couple walking down is far away, the camera will pick up a face on either side of the aisle often.

[Steve Bleasdale]

Spot on Robert excellent my friend

[Noa Put]

In such a case that feature becomes useless as you cannot touch the screen of your camera when it's on the Merlin while you are flying, some 3 axis gimbal stabilizers would allow such action though. Also, no matter how good a autofocus is, when you need to shoot in a dark environment with the lens wide open that is asking for problems. No autofocus system is failsafe.

[Steve Bleasdale]

Sorry i have to disagree Noa i have done 37 weddings this year and in facial tracking on dark dance floors it has not failed me once my trusty 70d...You can also change the size of the focus area making it even more trusty.

[Peter Rush]

Decision made - as i already have a nice 14mm samyang for manual and 16mm sony lens if need AF plus several nex-ef adapters, i'm getting another A7s body - prices are already tumbling as the mark 2 is hitting the shelves! You never know as i've a nex-vg20 and nex-ea50 to offload i might be able to afford the A7sII - thanks as usual for all your thoughts - love this forum

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by Steve Bleasdale

Sorry i have to disagree Noa i have done 37 weddings this year and in facial tracking on dark dance floors it has not failed me once my trusty 70d...You can also change the size of the focus area making it even more trusty.

So you are saying that coupled with a f1.4 lens and shooting wide open at a candle lit venue on a steadicam the camera always knows what you want it to focus on, even if you are not able to touch the camera? That I would like to see :)

[Steve Bleasdale]

No one mentioned those made up settings noa? With a 17-55 2.8 wide open with dj lights is good enough for me

[Noa Put]

I said that no autofocus system is failsafe and you said it is on the 70d, and now it's only in combination with a certain lens? F2.8 is already too slow for me in the venues I shoot in.

[Steve Bleasdale]

Not the canon 17-55. It is stellar, c100/300 users swear by it, it's equivalent to a full frame lens, at 17 MM. it gives plenty of light for me, if not my light goes on the top and it still flys great. What I said is that in 37 weddings this year it has never failed me once . The only time it fails is when some idiot puts his back body in front of me and camera.

[Noa Put]

Yes, but we are talking about the 70d and from what Robert said in the beginning of this thread low light is an issue with this camera where 2500 iso would be pushing it. I often shoot between 3200 and 6400 iso in the venue with a f1.4 to f2.0 lens and that is what I need to get usable footage, you can ofcourse use light and shoot with a f5.6 lens if you want but I am glad that I don't have to anymore because you only annoy the guests and get very unnatural reactions. Venues I have been shooting at are so dark that no autofocussing system can be relied upon, especially when coupled with a fast lens and larger sensor.

[Steve Bleasdale]

Cool, then that's bloody dark, with iso at 3200 to 6400 and a 60% neat video tweak ok for me, but sounds like you are in a dark and gloomy part of Belgium, sounds as bad or worse than gloomy uk

[Chris Harding]

Surely at 14mm even at F1.4 you can get away with zone focus. When I had my EA-50 on the stedicam I used to use my Tamron 10-24 lens ..admittedly at F3.5 and the huge DOF with a super wide means that you are in focus from 3' to infinity if you set the lens to 10' on the barrel .. even at F1.4 you are still in focus from around 5' to 70' so as long as you don't get any closer than 5' technically you can set and forget.

I must admit I never had an issue with the Sony and Tamron on the stedicam using zone focus so that's probably what Pete will do

[Steve Bleasdale]

Think so Chris. Hey Chris you got the came TV single? Any links for it as I need a new glide but sick of glide cam. Steve

[Chris Harding]

Hi Steve

You mean the CAME electronic gimbal?? Nope I tried the gimbal that was made for a GoPro and didn't like it at all. I went back to a mechanical rig again and love it! Mine is a bit of a hybrid and has a CAME vest and then a Weildy dual arm and Carbon fibre sled ... I got it for $599 on eBay but for that price that "de brand" it and rip off the labels ... the only "signage" it now has is "wieldy" on the gimbal bearing.

Getting an electronic 3 axis gimbal is the easiest way to go but I never liked the "jittering" it gives you trying to adjust for small movements which a mechanical unit will do for you!!