Thanks to all of you for your guidance and help. I managed to squeeze out a very quick video on the 7D today. Edited in Final Cut, the shots look pretty good considering all was handheld. I had some flashes in brightness on a couple of frames and some dropped frames, but not sure what caused that. Could be how I set things up in FCP, transfer, conversion, still learning. Here is the link to the video if you care to take a peak. All shot in Auto mode.... not ready to take the training wheels off yet!

Phil

Indian Rocks Beauty and the Beach 2010 on Vimeo

Looked like a lot of fun.

Not sure about the dropped frames but the only place I saw the white "flashes" where in transitions and it appears that you may have used "additive mix" rather than cross dissolve." Additive mix is right below cross dissolve in the FCP dissolve menu.

Did you use auto focus as well?

No, I edited them out. They were on the original footage off the card. Yes everything was full auto today.

Phil

First time out is exciting - the hand held was good - I would get out of auto mode asap though.
Nothing too wrong with the footage, but I have two comments:
The clips needed color grading - a color cast is present in one or two scenes.
The editing is off. Dissolve transitions should not be used here at all - maybe just one or two during the run to illustrate the duraion of time. Stick to regular jump cuts, they would be much more appropriate for most scenes.

I appreciate the advice. I just wanted to get some scenes down. I am anxious to get into manual mode. Still trying to learn all of the adjustments and menus so I can change speeds and iso settings and the like. I will be better in the coming weeks. It is so different for me coming from the EX1.

Phil